Badger ate my swimming pool and 72-foot dinosaur among Aviva’s strangest insurance claims and cover

Aviva building on Surrey Street, Norwich PHOTO: Nick Butcher (Image: ©archant2017)

Looking back over the last 10 years, the company has shared a list of the strangest claims for insurance cover, which included a 72-foot dinosaur.

The most humorous claim is perhaps one involving a pesky badger.

According to the company, a claim was made for damage to the lining of a swimming pool which had been chewed and scratched by a badger. The customer sent the insurer a sample of badger fur retrieved from the filter as evidence.

Other unique claims include damage to a bedroom wall and electrical wiring after a harpoon gun used for scuba diving was accidently launched and the lucky escape of a classic car which was almost hit by a ladder - thankfully it was kept in a plastic air-filled bubble known as a CarCoon.

Richard Alger, high net worth underwriter for Aviva Private Clients, said: 'It's fascinating to hear the more unusual requests for insurance cover as it goes to show that we all have unique tastes and interests.

'It can be difficult putting a value on a one-off item, like a life-size brontosaurus. However, we have more than 20 years' high net worth insurance experience alongside a team of expert valuers.'

The strangest things Aviva has been asked to insure:

• A 1970s Ferrari F1 car, still in full working order but kept on a plinth in a hallway in the house.

• A life-size fibreglass model of a Brontosaurus.

• A decommissioned MIG fighter jet kept in the back garden.

• A French holiday home let out for a week long nudist convention.

• An entire garage converted to house a collection of 1950s American petrol station memorabilia.

• £200k collection of first edition James Bond novels.

• Country house taken over by a film crew and turned into a haunted house.

• £700k mint condition vintage Star Wars collection, most of which is still in the boxes.