Bizarre insurance claims - from hungry horses to lame ducks

From the low flying duck that left a motorist with a £1,500 bill, to a cat with an usual sleeping spot that cost another driver £4,000, animals have found an astonishing array of ways to cost motorists a small fortune.

Of the 50 animal-related claims a year - amounting to an incredible cost of £1 million - Saga has revealed the craziest.

Hungry horses

One motorist parked up in Dartmoor National Park and went for a hike. On his return he was delighted to get the chance to see 12 wild horses up close and personal. He was less delighted, however, when he discovered that they had been licking the paintwork off his car. It turned out they had caused £1,200 worth of damage.
%VIRTUAL-ArticleSidebar-motoring-guide%
Runaway cow

Earlier this year, one customer took his cow to compete in a cattle show. Unfortunately, as he was waiting for the judging, he decided to tie her to a post. Something spooked her, and she made a run for it, uprooting the post and dragging it around the car park - causing £800 worth of damage.

Napping cat

One driver had planned a trip to the shops, but when she started the car she heard an odd noise from the bonnet. She stopped the engine, got out, and saw a cat emerge from her sleeping place under the bonnet. That nap had cost the motorist £4,000 in damage.

Unfortunate deer

One customer was on his way to a wedding when a stag appeared out of nowhere, causing him to slam on his brakes. He was congratulating himself on narrowly avoiding an accident when another stag appeared moments later and ploughed straight into the stationary car - causing £2,000 of damage. Neither stag was injured.

Rogue mallard

One policyholder was en route to a boat yard when they spotted a low flying duck. The driver quickly realised that the bird had misjudged its take off, and as he swerved to miss the mallard he drove into a stone bridge. While the duck escaped with a few ruffled feathers, the car suffered £1,500 worth of damage.

Animal antics

Saga suggests that we need to keep our eyes peeled for unpredictable animals when we're on the road - or parked - but that's just the start of it. Animals have a unique ability to cause the most unbelievable - and expensive - accidents - whether you're in the car or out of it.

RIAS recently revealed a list of the weirdest insurance claims of 2014, and animals featured prominently. There was the enthusiastic dog in Slough, who decided that he fancied a swim in the crystal clear ocean water. Unfortunately the ocean in question was on the TV screen in the living room, so his enthusiasm led to a £250 claim for a new TV.

Then there were the bird-related incidents. A disagreement between two magpies in Kilmarnock, for example, led to a scuffle that ended in them crashing through a conservatory - causing over £400 worth of damage. Even lizards can cause unexpected damage. A Belfast man was cleaning his bearded dragon's tank when the pet bit him, and he jumped backwards and knocked the TV over - causing £400 of damage.

There was even an incident chalked up to a wasp. A Rochester man was brushing his teeth when a wasp flew through the window. He tried to shoo it away, but knocked over a glass, cracked the basin, and faced a bill of £1,000.

It seems, therefore, that we're not safe from random animal-related destruction - even in our own bathroom.

Insurance stories on AOL Money

The Fixer: pet insurance

Celebrities and their bizarre body parts insurance

The Fixer: car insurance excess