A squirrel which fell into an open-topped car caused an accident which resulted in a £5,500 insurance claim, the AA has revealed.
The female driver of the convertible was so startled by the presence of the rodent in her car that she lost control of the vehicle and drove into a tree. It is unclear whether either the squirrel or the driver sustained any injuries in the accident.
The 12 funniest animal-related insurance claims
This incident was just one of the 112 cases of 'animal strike' insurance claims recorded by the AA between 1 October and 31 November. It appears that deer are the biggest offenders, causing 30 accidents in November alone.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, an AA spokesperson said: "Deer are by far the biggest culprit and this time of the year is the rutting season.
"Also deer tend to move at dusk or very early in the morning and, during the winter, this puts their movements right in the time when people are commuting."
It is believed that around 450 people are injured in accidents involving deer every year and that more than 40,000 animals are killed in car accidents annually.
