Car insurance can be something of a bind; a monthly expense that must be paid, but hopefully never needed. However, it can turn into a blessing, especially when you vehicle is damaged through no fault of your own. Most insurance claims are straightforward and easily dealt with, but the following five cases are bound to have raised an eyebrow or two as they worked their way through the insurance claim system.
 

1. Third Time Lucky

First up is the missing Stooge. This hapless driver started badly enough when he gently rear-ended the car stopped in front of him. Rather than hop out to view the damage he tried to reverse to catch a glimpse of the car in front's bumper. This caused him to reverse into a car that was just a little closer behind him than he realised. No doubt by now muttering under his breath, he braked and flung open his door to make his apologies – promptly sending a hapless cyclist flying! No doubt the event was deeply embarrassing for him and annoying and painful for the three victims, but surely hysterically funny for anyone watching the scene unfold.
 

2. Corporate Cash-In

Second, we have the case of the stolen 'hippy' van. A lady took her camper van to a garage in 1974 to have a fold-down bed installed. Sadly, the garage 'misplaced' the van and, saddened, the lady put in a claim with her insurer. Fast forward 35 years, and US Customs officials discover a perfectly restored and maintained camper van tucked away in a shipment of goods headed to the Netherlands. A check was run on the plates and VIN only for a hit to register – it was the lady's van! Her insurers have been awarded ownership as they paid the lady $600 – the value of the van at the time of the theft. It is estimated that the van is now worth as much as $25,000 – a good return on investment for the insurers!
 

3. Rollin’ On The River

One luckless driver must have felt stupid as he put in this claim. He parked his automatic car on the top of a hill, perhaps, he admitted, not checking that the brake was firmly engaged. The car rolled down the hill, turned sharply, 'practically a U-turn' and dived neatly into a nearby pond, all while the owner stood by watching hopelessly!
 

4. Did It Come From A Land Down Under?

Animals are known to be unpredictable and kangaroos are apparently no exception! A driver was heading down the road when a large kangaroo suddenly burst through his windscreen with no warning. Hindsight has led to the belief that the kangaroo was moving at speed through the bush and tried to leap clear across the road, unfortunately miscalculating and landing neatly in the passenger seat of the car – which is where it was still sitting when bemused paramedics arrived to treat the shocked driver.
 

5. Hammer Time

A hailstorm caused a lot of damage, but one inspector was not fooled by a number of identical, perfectly shaped indentations on the top of one vehicle. He sternly rejected the claim, saying in the letter that 'it is obvious that someone has used a ball peen hammer on the vehicle to create the damage. He was chagrined sometime later to receive another claim from the same vehicle owner, accompanied by a police report for malicious damage stating that 'persons unknown had attacked the vehicle with a hammer…' Unable to prove who had inflicted the damage, the insurers had to honour the claim! These light-hearted stories are great to read about and share with colleagues and friends, but being involved in any type of collision – even those that border on the ridiculous – can be stressful, especially when you have to try to get your life back on track. If your vehicle has been damaged and you need to get rid of it, give us a call. At Damaged Car Buyers we have heard it all, and will offer you a fair price for your damaged car, even matching the price if you have had a better offer. We do ask that you remove any kangaroos before we take possession of the vehicle though…