What can we say about car insurance? Well for starters, after fuel, it’s the biggest cost of owning a car, with the average motorist shelling out £400 a year on their premium. Oh, and it’s getting more expensive. In 2015, The Telegraph reported a £35 year-on-year rise in insurance costs, meaning we can all expect to pay more to insure our cars over the coming years due to an increase of whiplash claims.
Car insurance is no laughing matter, then. But while we could whinge all day long about pricey premiums, there is a brighter side to car insurance, and that’s weird insurance claims.
While we aren’t condoning silly insurance claims, here are 6 of the weirdest car insurance stories that got the Redex office chuckling.
And Cows Might Fly
When he attended a wedding in which the bride arrived by helicopter, one unlucky gentleman was left to inform his insurance provider of some unusual damage to his car.
As the bride and groom made their grand aerial departure, the updraft from the helicopter blew a nearby cow into the air and down onto his car, causing massive damage to the bonnet and windscreen. As outrageous as this sounds, the driver received a full pay out for the damage. Oh, and the cow was fine.
Hungry Visitors
After storing his car under a protective cover during the winter, the owner of one £30K classic sports car was dismayed to find that a family of mice had made a home for themselves in the cabin during the long, cold winter months.
Having eaten holes through most of the leather surfaces, and chewed through a number of electrics and cables, the rodents had certainly left their mark — leaving the owner to make a red-faced phone call to his insurance provider.
A Surprise on the Backseat
Another livestock-themed claim; an unfortunate farmer was left stranded in a ditch after driving off the road, leaving him with no choice but to claim for damages from his insurance provider.
A case of daft reckless driving? Not quite. After checking his rear-view mirror, the farmer was horrified to find one of his sheep staring calmly back at him from the backseat. The shock of seeing one of his flock in the back of his car caused the driver to career off the road and straight into a ditch. Luckily, neither man nor beast were harmed in the crash.
Photo by Michael Maggs, Wikimedia Commons
The Cursed Road
Driving down a soggy British B road on a typically rainy day, one motorist attempted to drive through a ‘puddle’, only to find it was more of a lagoon. Having become stuck, the driver called a recovery van, which arrived at the scene in double-quick time.
Haplessly, on approaching the car, the van also got stuck. With both vehicles trapped in the water, and a huge traffic jam now forming, they were forced to call out another recovery team. A larger and more powerful van swiftly arrived on the scene, and things were looking up. That is until the second recovery driver slipped getting out of his truck, breaking his leg on impact.
With one car and two tow trucks now stranded in the road, the emergency services had to be called, and at last came to the rescue.
Family Feuds
Following his son who was heading to the car dealership to trade in his old car for a newer model, one father made the mistake of running into the back of his offspring’s car — causing massive damage to the rear.
The incident meant that the youngster could no longer trade-in his old car, and also couldn’t afford the deposit for a new one. As you can imagine, it wasn’t a very happy household when the pair got home.
Good Tidings we Bring
Returning from a day’s festive shopping, one driver had the displeasure of seeing a Christmas tree flying towards his car. The tree smashed the windscreen and bonnet, and caused the driver to career off the road and into a hedge.
The tree had been strapped to the roof of a passing car, but had worked its way loose, and eventually flew off as the driver took a bend at speed. According to the claimant, the offending driver didn’t stop, and it’s not known whether they knew they were driving home tree-less. A not so Merry Christmas.
At Redex we can’t protect you and your car from weird motoring misfortunes, but we can help look after your engine. Our fuel additives help your car work at its best, saving you fuel and cutting your running costs. To find out more, visit the Redex website.