Your friends need to place a claim with their insurer - If you turn in a claim under your insurance, your insurer will subrogate against them or their insurer. Do not accept their offer of reimbursing you for your $500 Deductible amount (I would not mention it, if/as they are your friends) - They will still be held responsible for the entire cost of repairs - They shouldn't have offered it - Doing so only serves to acknowledge responsibility, and, perhaps, makes them personally responsible for, at least, the amount that they offered, if not the entire cost of repairs, under your insurer's subrogation rights, whether or not their insurer pays, by way of their being found legally liable - Really stupid (ignorant) thing to offer!!

Many insurers cover damage caused by an animal under Comprehensive (OTC) coverage, rather than Collision coverage - Is your Comprehensive (OTC - Other Than Collision) Deductible $500?

Bob