We prove existence and regularity of minimizers for a class of functionals defined on Borel sets in $R^n$. Combining these results with a refinement of the selection principle introduced by the authors in arXiv:0911.0786, we describe a method suitable for the determination of the best constants in the quantitative isoperimetric inequality with higher order terms. Then, applying Bonnesen's annular symmetrization in a very elementary way, we show that, for $n=2$, the above-mentioned constants can ...