Cork in the eye amongst bizarre claims

An insurer, who has been in business for more than three centuries, has revealed an accident involving a leap-frogging vicar and a corset-related finger injury feature amongst its historic compensation claims.

Aviva celebrated its 325th anniversary on Friday, November 12th, by plunging into its archives to unearth a veritable "treasure trove". Aviva's roots can be traced back to 1696 when it was established as the Hand-in-Hand Fire and Life Insurance Company.

Researchers found that injury claims peppered the archives, particularly in the days when health and safety rules were less strict. Aviva said that, while many of its older claims were rather light on detail, they do include a vicar who was awarded £120 compensation in 1875 after falling and injuring himself while playing leapfrog.

In 1878 a London hotel keeper was awarded £25 and 10 shillings after being hit in the eye with a cork while opening a bottle of champagne, and in 1884 a surgeon suffered a "poisoned hand" when unpacking a box of drugs.

Another entry noted that a man was injured when his finger became snagged in a woman's corset as he attempted to prevent her drowning

Fast forward to the 20th century and in 1934, as a circus passed by a Morris Minor van, an elephant poked its trunk through the window to swipe the driver's lunch. The animal finished it off with a loaf of bread and damaged the vehicle doing so.

In 1948 a policyholder took his family on holiday, not knowing his wife had secreted her jewellery in their stove for safety. Upon their return, her husband lit the stove with disastrous consequences for the woman's jewellery. He latterly made a claim.

Altrincham