Even if you are insured with RACV (I am also) you don't have to use their repairer. If you have a repairer that you know and trust to do a good job, you can get a quote from him and pass it onto RACV. They wont make it easy for you, every time you ring up, you'll get a different girl, and they'll all tell you different versions of their bullshit.....and they'll try and discourage you from using your own repairer. After you are totally fed up with delays and getting the runaround, you'll ask to speak to a supervisor, and then you will start to get somewhere. They'll arrange for an assessor to look at the car and approve (or adjust) your quote, and then you'll be able to proceed with the repair. Ask me how I know this. I have been through this process twice, both times the other drivers insurance companies were paying for the work, but RACV still made the process difficult. Only downside to this is RACV wont give you a lifetime warranty on the repairs. This was not a problem for me as my repairer will look after any problems I have.
Now, if you decide to go with RACV's process, you will hand over the car to their repairer, and you won't see it again until it is fixed. This could take a long time. My daughter decided to go this route after a minor accident (about $2800 of repairs). After about 4 weeks she rang the repairer to see how the car was going. The hadn't started the repairs...waiting on parts they said! FFS...its a holden, and they were common enough parts. She got the car back after 6 weeks. They couldn't give a ****. I asked my panel beater mate how long it would take him, from start to finish. He said he could have it done inside a week, and he didn't believe there would be any delay on the supply of the parts that were required. My daughter had decided to trust RACV....never again she says.
Good luck which ever way you decide to go.