Guest Post
Image by Dennis Jarvis.
Hey – for this blog post, let’s play a game.
The world is so strange sometimes that it can be hard to tell what’s the truth and what’s been made up.
Find out how you would do if you were asked to judge some of the weirdest car insurance claims ever. Which of these paraphrased stories are based on real claims, and which are not?
1. The Tree That Wasn’t There
Driving home, I collided with a tree because my house does not have a tree.
2. Hailhammer
After I claimed on my insurance for heavy hail damage to my car, I was rejected because it was obviously done with a hammer…so I changed my claim to say that an unidentified hammer-wielding maniac had done the damage, and received the requested amount!
3. Riding Shotgun
I shot my own pickup truck with a shotgun.
4. Introducing The Aquacar
A submarine sank my vehicle.
5. Death From Above!
A cow fell from a 200 foot cliff onto the family minivan. We were unhurt but the cow needed to be euthanized.
Which Were True? Answers Below!
1. This sounds unbelievable, but the story goes that the driver pulled into the wrong house, and was confused by the presence of a tree where there shouldn’t have been one. There is no evidence this happened – False. [Source: Insurance Blogger]
2. A bonus point to anyone who gets the Hellhammer reference – rock on. This is a real case reported by an experienced insurance broker – True. [Source: How Stuff Works:Money]
3. Yes, you can get this stupid, and no, it doesn’t matter to your insurer. If you have certain types of cover, it doesn’t matter how clearly an accident was your fault, the insurer will still pay out. As long as it was an accident that is. Of course, it costs a lot more, but then that’s the price of carrying a locked ‘n’ loaded shotgun around with you at all times. Who’d want to give up that? – True. [Source: How Stuff Works:Money]
4. Supposedly, a woman meeting her husband, a submariner, parked her car close to the edge of the…wherever it is that submarines dock. An inexperienced ensign, who had been entrusted with handling the submarine, crashed straight into the exact place the woman was parked, collapsing the dock, and sinking the car. I don’t know about you, but I’m skeptical – False. [Source: Insurance Blogger]
5. A family on holiday in a minivan were surprised by an unexpected visitor. A 600 pound, year old cow fell from a two hundred foot cliff onto the van, sending the family into a state of shock. Thankfully, the family were completely unharmed, but the cow died. The press had a field day with this one – True. [Source: Associated Press]
How did you do?
If you could tell straight away which of these bizarre claims had the ring of truth about them, congratulations! Maybe you could even get a job working for a short term car insurance company.
But if you didn’t get all of them, don’t worry – making these judgement calls is really difficult, and it’s a skill many only acquire after years of experience.
Why not let us know how many you got right in the comments?
James Duval is a technology and business blogger who writes for InsureDaily about such subjects as the weirder side of car insurance.
I only got the one about the cow right. No insurance claims agent job for me, lol. Thank you for the laugh:)
Oh my! lol
I got a couple of them right…the hammer one made me laugh.
LOL Very entertaining.
Yikes, I’m glad I don’t work in insurance. The stories they must hear.
When I was very young my first full time job was at an insurance company. This is where I learned that the rear-ender is ALWAYS at fault. We never had any claims this funny though. Just goes to show what a good imagination can do for you.
Lol. I didn’t do very well with guessing true or false.
Too funny. I’m sure people pull out kinds of stories out the air.
Oh my gosh…that poor cow!!
I’d be rolling my eyes at every story I heard. I couldn’t do that job!
Wow!
I guess the cow one and that was it!
Oh my gosh, those are all crazy both the true and false ones LOL