> How is your mother going to make an insurance claim for a stolen car without a police report? Or is she just going to eat the loss?

It is a 1992 ford ranger, in theory worth a fair bit in the current used truck market, but insurance will value it at next to nothing, so I presume she'll eat the loss.

I don't have comprehensive insurance on my old car, so insurance wouldn't pay for it being stolen.

The reason is pretty simple. The comprehensive insurance premium adds up to more than the car is worth.

Also, the way insurance works, is your rates go up to reimburse the company for payouts to you. Insurance is only worthwhile for losses you cannot cover yourself.

This is why downtown businesses have largely stopped reporting shoplifting to their insurance companies. It just makes the losses more expensive.

Same reason I don't report small accidents to my insurance, I just take my car to the body shop myself.