Auto Insurance Claims: Repair center choice, full comprehensive insurance, usual and customary charges

Question
Hi, My son was driving my car ( he is a named driver with full comprehensive insurance ) he is only 17 and the excess is £250 for a claim, he was trying to get out of a school car park and clipped a parked car he went in and explained to the owner, she said its ok dont worry we will get it fixed there is no need to go through insurance.
We have a friend/neighbour who owns his own bodyshop and will repair it for £80 ( to the same if not better standard of any other shop ) but now the owners husband is saying it must go to another garage where it will be over £300 and he wants a hire car at another £100
This happened over 3 weeks ago as he has been ringing back and forward deciding what he is doing, while this time passes away..
Do we have to go to a shop of his choice and get them a hire car?
Can i just give him the cost of what it can be repaired for here and say you can get it repaired where you want but you will have to put the rest too?
Will the insurance company do anything now, if we file a claim as there was no police involed and so much time has now passed?
Thanks

Answer
The owner of the car your son damaged has the right to get his car repaired at any shop he likes (or at least that is the law in the US). He also is owed the cost of replacement transportation while his car is being repaired. He is under no obligation to save you money in the repairs, provided the estimate he got is within usual and customary charges for the area body shops. If the cost of the repairs are too much, you can file a claim with your insurance company.