Customer smashed into my building this am. Now what?

[fastfredracing]

So I am in there early this am, and I hear a car pulling into park, and then I hear my shelving coming down on my one wall. Car not bad, older e 420, but it smashed in 5 sections of siding , probably snapped a stud or two ,damaged some drywall, and moved some of the lower block wall. It is a pole building built on top of 2 courses of block.
He is a super good guy, older gent from Australia, funny as hell, and lets me cut firewood on his property, I will say I like him, and don't want to give him a hard time , but.... This is not going to be a $500.00 fix. I don't think they will ever be able to match the siding, it is probably 15 years old, and an ugly green color, and it is the front of the building, so I have to fix it. He said just to charge him for the damages, but I am not sure he has an idea of how much. He is out of town until Friday, I am not going to make any moves until I talk to him, but I think we have to turn this into the ins man.
I am not looking to prosper here either, but have spent a butload of time and money over the last 10 years fixing up this place, and it is finally starting to look good. Cannot have the front wall smashed in.

[Oh Haha]

Let your insurance company handle it and let the chips fall where they may. Don't wait until you talk to the customer, get the claim started now.

[RWebb]

you are required to report it

- tell him that next time you talk to him; his insurance will no doubt cover it

if he is very old, this may be a favor to him, as he may no longer be capable of driving safely

[McLovin]

I agree with the above. You should look at your insurance policy, because it probably has a time period in which you must report the incident to them. This sounds like it very well may be a fairly significant amount of money to put right, and that's what you have insurance for.