: There'd probably be a deductable involved and even if they did cover it, they
: would jack her premiums a bit, to spread the cost over a 3 year period and
: recover every cent. Then after the 3 years, they would send her a letter
: claiming she's a safe kayaker and they are going to give her a
: Good-Kayakers discount, that would take her premium back to where it was
: before the claim. Is it worth it?? Not likely! Just an opinion, based on
: two vehicle accidents over the past 20 something years. You don't get
: anything from an insurance company. They're in business to make money and
: not give it away.

: You're better off letting the sleeping dog .........well, you know.

: Rehd

Rehd - To be blunt, I think you are wrong on this one. She may not be covered at all, but IF she's carrying insurance to cover this risk, I would be shocked if her rates were increased because of this claim. The best reason being that her state's regulatory agency is unlikely to permit the company to raise them.

If you were even 1% at fault in your auto accidents, then your rates probably increased dramatically each time, but here the claimant is not at fault.

If she has coverage (and if she carries it, I'm mildly surprised that this is not be covered under Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist insurance) she should make a claim without fear that her rates will go up (but again, she shouldn't take my word for it, she should ask the agent about any impact on rates before making the claim).

I'm only a bit surprised that she doesn't have coverage if she's carrying uninsured motorist risk insurance, but I'd be shocked if she found that she had coverage but that if she made a claim, her rates would increase because of it - that's not how insurance works in these cases.

Enormous caveat: this is a matter of State law, so it's very dependent upon the law of the state in which the accident occurred.

Sorry to be so off-topic. I just wanted to make sure she asked, because so often people have the coverage but take your attitude, which is exactly what the insurance companies love - people who pay premiums but never make claims under any circumstances for fear that their rates will increase. If there's any doubt, ask about the impact - don't assume anything.