So do you have to go to a bodyshop approved by your insurers? Or can you just go to the Subaru garage? Don't you need to wait on the insurance details of whoever hit you?

No, it's the law that i can bring it wherever i want. But the insurer does have preferred garages, and if i have a problem then it goes through the isurer instead of me having to deal with it. I don't have to wait because i chose to just pay the deductible and get things rolling... so if my insurance company tracks down the tow truck driver and all that... i'll get the deductible back in full. It's either that or i have to do the leg work and calling myself, and it will take forever.