A CAR chipped by potatoes and chaos caused by a chicken crossing the road are among unusual accidents faced by British motorists.
Leading insurer Aviva has revealed details of freak claims it has settled as part of a new TV advertising campaign.
The advert focusses on a situation where “you had to be there” – and Aviva says its claim handlers have experienced plenty of out-of-the-ordinary situations.
One customer reported an incident where potatoes flew off a trailer being pulled by an oncoming tractor. He said: “There were no injuries but there were some chips from where the potatoes hit the car.”
Another policyholder told how she braked to avoid a hen in the highway, only to be hit in the rear bumper by another car. Meanwhile, one driver panicked when a spider ran up her leg, causing her to bump into a parked vehicle.
A drone that hit a client’s house before it and a dislodged roof tile crashed on to their car in the driveway turned out not to be a flight of fancy.
And the motorist who had to explain how his car was struck by a toilet cistern that fell from a passing tipper truck might have felt a little flushed with embarrassment.
Finally, one customer faced a sticky situation when a wasp startled her into spilling a can of cola in her car boot, causing damage to the infotainment system electrics.
Aviva Personal Lines boss Gareth Hemming said: “From the everyday unusual to the downright bizarre, we encounter all sorts of claims from our customers.
“Insurance is designed in case of the unforeseen and unexpected – and, as our claims experience shows, we see plenty of situations that couldn’t have been predicted.
“Whatever the circumstances, our priority is to help to put things right for our customers – whether this means getting them back on the road or replacing damaged parts.”
