A driver was given a £400,000 bill for the hired Mercedes she used while her accident claim was being resolved.
Susan Harries had the high-powered Mercedes C220 for three years through an independent firm.
It promised it would cover the cost of the rental, only if Ms Harrie was not to blame for the smash.
But it was deemed her "negligent driving" was the cause and Ms Harries has had to cough up £400,000 - as the car cost £300 per day.
The woman drove her £10,000 Audi into a parked Honda near Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, back in 2016.
Typically, these independent companies approach drivers after an accident with offers while the driver's insurer works out who is to blame.
They usually claim the cost of the hire from the at-fault driver's insurer, but only if the person who takes out the policy is not at fault.
If they are at fault, they need to pay the bill themselves.
But Richard Hiscocks from insurer Aviva said Ms Harries's case "highlights how far credit hire organisations are willing to go to pursue profit."
He told The Sun it was "right and responsible" for insurers to take claimants to court when "costs have escalated out of all control".
In September, Ms Harries appeared in court claiming a man reversed his Honda into the path of her car.
But Nottingham County Court ruled against her.
