Dog turning on kitchen tap among more unusual canine-related insurance claims

A dog flooded a kitchen by turning on a tap in one of the more unusual pet-related claims to have been dealt with by an insurance giant.

As Crufts returns this week, Aviva said it receives around 800 accidental damage claims in the UK each year where dogs play a part.

On average, claims from dog-related incidents are valued at around £1,100 each, it said.

In one case, a young Labradane (a Labrador/Great Dane Cross) named Whiskey turned on a cold tap in his kitchen, while his owners were out briefly.

The dog caused around £4,000 of damage by flooding the room, with the incident caught on the house’s security camera.

Another claim dealt with by Aviva involved a customer cleaning out her fish tank and having buckets of water on the floor.

Her laptop was plugged in charging nearby on the arm of a chair. The customer’s dog ran past, caught the charging cable and pulled the laptop into a bucket.

Another incident involved a man decorating his landing area. His dog knocked over a stepladder, spilling a two-litre pot of paint down the stairs.

Aviva also dealt with a claim after a dog refused to get into a car. The customer was going to a meeting and put his laptop on top of the vehicle while he put the dog inside. He then drove off with the laptop still on the car roof.

One owner’s dog got excited when he saw another dog on TV. He jumped up at the screen and knocked the set off its stand.

Other incidents have involved a dog knocking over a bucket of bleach while a woman was cleaning, an antique barometer being knocked off a wall and a dog knocking a pot of paint off a windowsill.

In another case, a dog tripped up his owner who was carrying a drink, which landed on his electric keyboard.

Yet another carpet was damaged when an excited puppy got its lead tangled around an ironing board. The puppy managed to tip the board over, pulling the hot iron plate onto the carpet.

Kelly Whittington, UK property claims director for Aviva said: “Dogs are beloved members of millions of UK homes. They get involved in all aspects of family life – and our possessions are sometimes on the receiving end.

“Most home insurance policies have exclusions for damage caused by chewing, scratching, tearing or fouling by domestic animals, so we’d urge customers to check their cover.

“But as our records show, there are plenty of dog-related incidents where home insurance – and particularly accidental damage cover – can come to the rescue.

“Accidental damage cover is a useful addition to home contents insurance, in case of unexpected breakages and spills in the home. If customers would like to make sure they have the best cover for their needs, we’d urge them to speak to their insurer or broker.”