Another thing many erroneously assume is that on must turn a vehicle, that
the insurance company totals, over to the insurance company.  That is your
vehicle, you can do with it what you wish.   If you decide to keep the
vehicle and repair it yourself you can do so.  All you loose is the salvage
value and the tax on the salvage value.   The salvage value, even on a late
model car is generally, no more than $50 to $250.

Almost every adjuster on the road today - if not *every* adjuster, has a
laptop computer right in his car.  They all use the same adjusting software
that prices out the work.  They may call around for better pricing, but that
takes minutes.  They typically know right then and there what the damage
total is.  Some companies still authorize the adjuster to write a check on
the spot.  My son just hit a deer on Christmas eve.  His vehicle was looked
at the day after Christmas.  The adjuster looked at the vehicle in the body
shop where it will be repaired.  Went out to his own vehicle, cut a check
and handed it to my son.

That's not so unusual Dave.  Hell 20 years ago you could drive up to a
Nationwide claims center, have someone look at the car and cut you a check.

Looking up parts prices is a pretty simple exercise for an adjuster.  A
couple of phones calls at the worst, plug those numbers in and his estimate
is printed out right there.  And... if the company he works for still
authorizes the adjuster to write, then he cuts you a check if you accep the
estimate.

A lot of companies are not allowing adjusters to carry check books these
days though, so it could be a day or two before you actually receive a
check.  That however, is different than not knowing the estimated damage
amount fairly immediately.

So does the adjuster.  He has all of the information he needs to estimate
the labor and parts to make the repair on his laptop and it will likely be
the same as the repair estimate, you submitted to the company he represents,
because they all use the same software today.

In any event he is NOT the final arbitrator, a local judge and case law is
final arbitrator.

If you are not satisfied with his opinion tell him so, a bring an action
against the owner in small claims court.  The filing cost is generally less
than $100.  You do not need an attorney, all you need to do is present three
notarized repair estimates from local repair shops and three estimates of
the value of the vehicle from three reputable dealers to show the repair
cost is reasonable based on the value of your vehicle and you will win a
judgment against the at fault owner which will include the cost of the
litigation.  What I have found is when the insurance company receives notice
of the legal action they will sent you a check for the amount of the repair
estimate you originally submitted to them rather than send an attorney to
fight the claim ;)