The truck is a 2012 Ford F-150 FX4 (5.0). It's been paid for for about 3 years, and I planned on driving it until 250k or 300k miles. I'm guessing the wheel would be about $3-$400 or $150 from a junk yard.

Officer didn't do citations or offer any guidance (and I didn't ask). The wheel replacement was quoted at $650, and the body work was $650 (so $1300-ish, total). That also excludes alignment, which is a given.

I would like the wheel replaced since they cannot repair it, at minimum. I'm not sure how liability insurance works, but I'm assuming any kind of deductible would be cheaper than the $1300 or even the $650 for the wheel portion of the repair.

Plus, (and this is just me using what interactions I've had so far), I have a feeling that working outside the insurance companies will end up being an ongoing negotiation...I don't see how it's going to be a "once and done" deal. Seems like their bigger concern is going to be the insurance rates on their 24yo son whose already totalled a mustang and now has had another accident where he is liable.

On one hand I don't mind doing things in a way that makes it less painful for them, but I also don't want to deal with the headache that this is going to turn into.