Sorry I'm late to the party but here are my thoughts/comments...
If your insurance company knows about the damage your rate could go up whether they fix it or not. Sucks but they now know how you use your Jeep and could rate you accordingly.
Many body shops will charge less if they don't have to deal with an insurance company. They get paid later from the insurance company than they do from you and there is less paperwork on their end. Plus the fixes can take longer because they have to justify and prove everything they do.
You can barter some if you do some prep. Removing flares, seals and sanding all takes labor. When jacked my front fender, I saved $200 by pulling the rest of the flare off and getting the area otherwise ready for them.