Loose cows and melting dentures: The wackiest claims of 2016

Sometimes, the most bizarre accidents lead to costly insurance claims. Ageas has revealed its 10 strangest and craziest home insurance claims that caused significant damage in 2016.

 

Ageas said it helped over 10,000 customers claiming for accidental damage incidents under its home insurance policies last year. According to the insurer, it paid a total of £6.6 million to clients, with an average claim cost of £650.

 

Based on the insurer’s list, the three most common causes of the unusual mishaps were animals, elderly people and children.

 

In a farm in Gwynedd, Wales, a herd of cows got loose and gathered on a property of a 52-year-old man, causing £7,500 worth of damage and providing plenty of fertiliser for the garden shrubs.

 

A woman from Taunton, Somerset in England had to call a bee keeper to smoke out a swarm of bees in her dining room. Unfortunately, the task left black marks all over the carpet that cost almost £200 to fix.

 

In Milton Keynes, a puppy had its own tug-of-war battle with TV cables, resulting in the appliance smashing on the floor and a £150 bill.

Want the latest insurance industry news first? Sign up for our completely free newsletter service now.

 

A man from Wolverhampton was mowing the lawn when a small piece of brick flung up from the lawn mower and broke a pane of glass in the conservatory. The cause: pesky squirrels who kept burying things under the lawn.

 

In Oxford, an 84-year-old man put his false teeth on the cooker, but they slipped under the metal grill. He then put the cooker on and melted the dentures, which were replaced by Ageas for £945.

 

A 64-year-old woman from Rochester left her iPad on the chopping board while having dinner. After her meal, she filled the sink with water adding in the dishes, soaking the iPad which was still in the pile on top of the chopping board.

 

An 82-year-old man from Paisley had a fall on the phone and put his head through the UPVC panel of a door, costing Ageas £511.

 

While playing at their home in Bristol, children got hold of some nappy cream and rubbed it into the front room carpet and sofa, causing £1,386 worth of damage.

 

In Staffordshire, children were riding their segways in their dining room when the wheels burnt the carpet and rug, which cost £750 to replace.

 

A 54-year-old man from Dudley discovered a large stain on the carpet. The culprit: his infant son had spilled baby oil everywhere while walking around, resulting in a £568 insurance claim.