The work of an Insurance Claims Adjuster is often thought to be dry, dull and boring. The following stories, however, prove that this job is not immune to a bizarre day at the office.
Prank Gone To The Dogs:
Linda Bassett-Coleman, of Texas-based Galveston Insurance Associates, still remembers the strange details of a claim she handled 10 years ago involving a dog trapped in an attic.
As a prank, two boys pushed a rather large dog up a ladder and into the attic of an elderly woman’s home on a hot summer day. The trapped dog ran throughout the attic trying to find a way to escape. As he ran, his paws repeatedly fell through the floor and into the ceilings below.
When the woman returned home, she heard the commotion and opened the attic door, releasing the dog.
The insurance claim was covered, as the dog did not belong to the homeowner. Had the dog been hers, the claim would have been denied.
Claims Adjusters Flip Coin, Confront Sleeping Alligator:
The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina meant multiple claims investigations for adjuster Jason Altmann, but one such investigation certainly stands out in his mind above the rest.
Altmann and another adjuster on the team were headed to investigate a home infested with snakes following the awful flooding. As they approached the home, they came upon an alligator resting in the lawn. Neither of the adjusters wanted to be the first to pass the animal, so they flipped a coin to decide their next move.
Luckily, the alligator remained motionless, and the adjusters were able to discover that the home was eligible for a valid insurance claim.
Canadian Goose Steals Diamond, Gets Off Scot-Free:
Jerry Zenke, of Minnesota-based Mound Prairie Mutual Insurance Company, tells a tale of unexpected compassion for a goose.
The insurance claim came from a woman whose diamond earring was stolen by her pet goose. The brazen thief had gobbled the earring off of her ear and swallowed it before she was able to retrieve the precious jewelry. In an effort to find the diamond as it passed out of the goose, the woman kept her pet in a confined space in the garage.
After searching the goose’s excrement for two weeks, the woman filed an insurance claim. The agency advised her that if she were willing to put the goose down and dissect it, the earring could most likely be recovered from the crop of the goose’s neck. The woman was unable to go through with the cruel act, and the claim was denied.
Eventually, the goose flew away, carrying the diamond earring with him.
Curious Animals Wreak Havoc, Risk Electrocution:
Jim Redinger, Principal Engineer at Hartford Steam Boiler, has seen many claims involving animals shorting out electrical breaker boxes.
These claims are most typical in farm homes and in barns where animals have easy access to curious objects like wires and breaker boxes. In most cases, they will chew through the wires, but they will sometimes create a short by urinating or defecating on exposed portions of the electrical wires. These situations are potentially serious, as this can “put the animals and humans near them at risk for electrocution,” says Redinger. (Ref. 1)
The animals causing this type of trouble are usually small mice and snakes, but it seems that large farm animals such as goats and pigs have an electric curiosity as well!
Parachutist Crashes Camping Tent, Family’s Vacation Cut Short:
Imagine the surprise when a family camping in Wales found that a parachutist had crashed into their tent. The parachutist had missed the nearby air base and ended up destroying the family’s tent when he fell to the ground. Luckily, no one was seriously injured, but the family’s camping trip was ruined.
When the family filed the insurance claim, they discovered that the camping equipment was not insured for humans falling out of the sky.
Rolex Insurance Claims Exceeds Number Of Watches Manufactured:
Insurance underwriters in the Costa Del Sol (Sun Coast of Spain) region say that claims for lost or stolen Rolex Oyster watches have risen dramatically in recent years. These watches can sell for well over $1,000, making them very valuable on the black market. They are also a popular counterfeit item.
Underwriters receiving claims for these watches have become incredibly skeptical, as the number of claims has now exceeded the number of watches Rolex has manufactured.
Insurance Claim For Disastrous Haircut Denied:
A teenage girl, carefully reaching into the oven for a hot dish, singed her long hair on the over door. Her father took her immediately to a salon to repair the damage. However, the salon botched the haircut, leaving the poor girl in tears.
The father, hoping to reclaim the cost of the haircut, filed an insurance claim for the accident. Unfortunately, a bad haircut is not considered an injury and the claim was denied.
Bride Set On Fire, Tossed Into Ocean:
A beach in West India seemed like the ideal location for one happy couple to be married, and it certainly turned out to be an event that no one would soon forget.
Following the ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests were standing around a bonfire when suddenly the bride’s wedding dress brushed against some coals and caught fire. The quick-thinking groom grabbed his bride and ran to the water’s edge, throwing her in the ocean to douse the flames.
Fortunately, the bride was unharmed, and the couple’s wedding insurance covered the damages caused by the accident. (Ref. 2, 3)
Trapped Burglar Files And Wins Insurance Claim Against Homeowner:
A fumbling thief was in the process of burglarizing a home, when he accidentally locked himself in the garage. The garage door opener was broken, so there was no way for him to open the door from inside.
The thief ended up locked in the garage for a total of two weeks while the homeowners were on vacation. During that time he subsisted on dog food and soda, the only food items being stored in the garage.
After serving his time for the burglary, the thief filed an insurance claim against the homeowner for mental anguish. Even more bizarre, he won his claim.
Camel Assaults Car, Owner Finds Key Witness:
A farmer was returning to his car after picking up some supplies at a local plant nursery. As he came into the parking lot, he witnessed a camel kick and dent the side of his car.
The insurance company initially balked at the insurance claim, as it was hard to believe that a camel would have been wandering through this parking lot. It was then discovered, however, that a television crew had caught the act on tape. The farmer was compensated for the damage.
Woman Startled By Dog’s Bark, Causes Car Crash:
A woman driving in heavy traffic was following was following the car ahead of her much too closely. Suddenly, there was a loud bark from the back seat of the car she was following. The woman was caught off guard and accidentally stepped on the gas pedal, crashing into the car in front of her.
She explained to the insurance adjuster that the accident was caused by the dog’s bark, and she won the claim. (Ref. 4)
Zebra Trashes Rental Home, Breakfast Cereal Blamed:
A zebra escaped from a local zoo and wandered into a rental home nearby while the residents were away. The hungry zebra searched the kitchen for food, destroying the furniture and cabinets in the process. Finally, the zebra found a cabinet full of breakfast cereal and proceeded to eat the contents of every box.
The homeowners filed an insurance claim for the damage and won. Apparently, zebras were covered.
Felonious Cheapskate Files Claim For Blood Stains:
While out on bail during the trial for the murder of her husband, a woman had her carpets professionally cleaned to rid the floors of the blood stains found following the murder.
Once the cleaning was completed, the woman filed a homeowners insurance claim to be reimbursed for this expense. When the guilty verdict was declared, the insurance company denied the claim. (Ref. 5)
Woman wins Shouting Match, Awarded Six Figures:
Amber Carson of Pennsylvania filed a claim for the expenses related to a broken tail bone. Amber had sustained this injury when she slipped on soda that had spilled on the floor. She was awarded a six-figure insurance judgment to cover the expenses and lost wages associated with the injury.
It was later learned that the soda had been spilled on the floor when Amber threw an open can at someone during an argument.
Customer Ducks Cover Charge, Wins Claim:
Kara Walton of Claymont, Delaware was attempting to sneak through a window into a nightclub to avoid paying the cover charge when she slipped and broke some of her teeth.
She later filed a claim to cover the cost of the dental repairs and was awarded $12,000. (Ref. 6)
Remember:
These claims sound funny, but paying too much for your car insurance is not. Use AutoCricket.com to find the policy that’s right for you.
Bonus Video:
This family filed a claim after their luggage was removed from the storage compartment on their car’s roof by baboons. They were not awarded this claim and never were reimbursed by the baboons. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUJwZZMYBcw
References:
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