I have no words...

[wordgirl]

I wonder how this normally works, is it first come, first serve? If so, does that mean she should file a claim immediately? Maybe she'd luck out and at least be reimbursed her deductible?

First-come first-served often works out really well for insurance companies, because it means they can "settle their way" to the policy limits without a lot of legal expenses, so yeah, it's a good idea to get in early.

But the situation described in the OP is exactly why I carry uninsured/underinsured coverage. Nobody in my state requires it - neither lenders nor the state - but there are too many idiots driving around in my state with minimal coverage at best.

[Minflick]

Back nearly 30 years ago, my car was hit by a borrowed car on which the owner had Assigned Risk insurance. Kid driving did a LOT of damage to my car and the carport I was parked in. We came with in $50, as I recall, of maxing out the coverage, and if anybody else had been parked in the carport at that time, I was told we'd all have gotten prorated repair funds, which would have meant WE would have been out of pocket to finish the repair work on our car.

It was in all ways a frustrating experience.

[Catwoman2965]

At the place my son went to preschool (in Phoenix AZ, circa 2003-2007), I hadn't heard of children being left in the car, but all too often, a mother would leave her purse in the car, usually on the front seat. After dropping off her kids, she'll come back to her car and find a smashed window and no purse, then go to the office and freak out about it. People just cannot be bothered to think anymore, it seems.

Several years back, near me, some woman went to the gym, parking either her Mercedes or BMW or some other very expensive car. I don't recall if she left it unlocked or not but she HAD left her purse, ipad (when they were brand new), laptop, and a bunch of other pricy electronics and things IN the car. Someone broke in or just opened it up, and took everything. I just remmeber thinking wow, if you're stupid enough to leave all that in your car, well then, I don't have any sympathy for you.

[Kogarashi]

The university I attended had regular PSA-type articles in the university newspaper to remind people not to leave their backpacks unattended or their cars, lockers, offices, dorm rooms, etc. unlocked, because despite what most of the students wanted to think, thieves did exist and regularly took advantage of everyone's lack of security on campus.

[wheeitsmee]

The university I attended had regular PSA-type articles in the university newspaper to remind people not to leave their backpacks unattended or their cars, lockers, offices, dorm rooms, etc. unlocked, because despite what most of the students wanted to think, thieves did exist and regularly took advantage of everyone's lack of security on campus.

I worked at a university library for a while. Signs warning folks not to leave their stuff were everywhere.

University police caught one guy who was paying his way through a different college by coming to our library and swiping student laptops and electronics.