K.R. - so now you're saying that you are a solo student, doing crosswind landings in a 172, with a crosswind of 12 gusting 20 and no long briefing from your flying school/instructor as to the principles and sciences of crosswind landings?
Just a thought - if you want to save yourself some money in the future - don't bother taking out any insurance for the aircraft. I doubt you'll be able to make a claim on the subsequent incident.
Whilst I do fully agree that you are right to ask these questions - I do think they should be to your flying instructor, and before you go solo to practice it.
Whichever school you are paying for training is doing you a great dis-service.
More idle curiosity - next time you go to the school, could you look in their operations and training manuals as to the wind/weather conditions allowed for solo student operations. Would you mind posting them?