325 years of the quirkiest insurance claims from elephants in vans to jewellery cooking

Virgin Radio

11 Oct 2021, 12:21

This is SO much better than 'the dog ate my homework' excuse. Aviva have documented the craziest insurance claims dating back centuries - and you won't believe your (elephant) ears. Included in the top stories are a leapfrogging vicar, an elephant squeezed into a van and a man who cooked his wife’s jewellery.

Insurance pros Aviva have given a much-needed glimpse into the minds of clients as it comes up to its 325th anniversary on November 12.

Here are our top ten favourite claims...

1. A surgeon suffered a “poisoned hand” when unpacking a box of drugs (1884).

2. A man injured his arm when his finger was caught in a woman’s corset as he was trying to save her from drowning (1888).

3. A man was awarded £10 to someone who lost a toenail while getting into bed (1888).

4. A vicar was awarded £120 after falling while playing leap-frog (1875).

5. A London hotel keeper was awarded £25 and 10 shillings after being hit in the eye with a cork after opening a bottle of champagne (1878).

6. A publican received £100 after suffering a shin injury while ejecting a drunken man (1887).

7. A Dundee surgeon received £15 after a bite to the finger while examining a patient’s mouth (1888).

8. The window of a Morris Minor van was broken after a circus passed by. One of its elephants put its trunk through the window, discovered the driver’s lunch and ate it, finishing it off with a loaf of bread (1934).

9. A wife placed her jewels in the stove before going on holiday. When they were back, the husband turned the stove on with the jewellery inside (1948).

10. A client claimed for burglary after: “A burglar, in the shape of a great horrid tomcat entered our house by the window (and) stole from the cage a canary worth £1.” (1948).

Anna Stone, Aviva archivist said: “It’s been a joy to have another opportunity to look at some of our oldest and quirkiest claims. Some of them never fail to raise a smile but, in each case, we’ve been there to help customers as they’ve faced the unexpected.

“Aviva’s origins can be traced back 325 years so, as we celebrate this landmark, I’ve enjoyed reminding myself of the likes of a driving red setter and a hungry elephant.

“Although it has to be said, we’re still adding to our log of unusual claims even today.”

Can you relate to any? No, us neither.