Working with insurance and contractors after damage to the house

[Gene Mattos]

So a car drove through the wall of my property recently. 

I already got the estimated from the independent adjuster, for about $10,000, and I'll be getting a check for that in a few days. 

How do I go about finding the right contractor for the job? The ones I called say they work directly with the insurance company, which I feel gives them no incentive to come up with a lower bid.

Can I just find a contractor to do the work for less and keep the difference? Would there by any legal concerns here?