Insurance Journal provides a report on the 2005 edition of UK insurer Norwich Union's annual "Bizarre Motor Claims" Roundup, which highlights some of the more . . . eccentric causes of vehicular loss that were presented to that company this past year. If this list teaches anything, it is that one should avoid cattle whenever and wherever possible.
Excerpt, with emphasis added:
In addition to the incident in which 'a frozen squirrel fell out of a tree and crashed through the windscreen on to the passenger seat,' Norwich's 'weirdest claims it received in 2005' are listed as follows:
* * *
3. 'A herd of cows licked my car and caused damage to the paintwork'
* * *
7. 'My parked car was hit by a bull which had escaped from an agricultural show'
8. 'A cow jumped on my quad bike'
9. 'As I came over a hill, I hit a cow in the middle of the road, which then hit the bonnet and shattered the windscreen with its rear end.' (The cow survived).
Free-ranging produce poses unanticipated risks as well, as you will learn if you follow the link above, or here. For my part, I have long thought it an important service of Decs&Excs to warn readers of the perils inherent when motor vehicles tangle with creatures equipped with hooves or pouches.
A separate collection of Norwich Union claims from prior years can be found here, including this item continuing the bovine theme:
A Norwich Union customer collided with a cow. The questions and answers on the claim form were:
Q - What warning was given by you?
A - Horn
Q - What warning was given by the other party?
A - Moo
It is perhaps just as well for the hapless motorist that the cow elected not to give warning with its horn.
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