People say the funniest things – especially when they have to fill out an insurance claim form.

We round up the funniest excuses from motorists.

1. ‘I had been driving for 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident.’

2. ‘Coming home I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree that I don’t have.’

3. ‘In an attempt to kill a fly, I drove into a large telegraph pole.’

4. ‘I knocked over a man, but he admitted it was his fault – he had been run over before.’

5. ‘I told police that I was not injured, but on removing my hat I discovered that I had a fractured skull.’

6. ‘The indirect cause of the accident was a little guy in a small car… with a big mouth.’

7. This claimant had hit a cow and the extract was taken from the ‘warning section’ on the claim form:

"What warning did you give?
I sounded my horn. 

What warning was given by the other party?
A moo."

8. ‘The accident happened because I had one eye on the lorry in front, one eye on the pedestrian and the other on the car behind.’

9. ‘As I approached the intersection a sign suddenly appeared in a place where no stop sign had ever appeared before. I was unable to stop in time.’

For more information on Direct Line Car Insurance, visit directline.co.uk or call 0845 246 3761

More about Direct Line

You shouldn't have to pay more for your extras, so Direct Line's comprehensive cover includes a whole range of benefits as standard:

• If you're hit by an uninsured driver, your excess will be covered and your no claims discount won't be affected
• Vandalism cover which preserves your no claims discount
• Named drivers can build up their own no claims discount with Direct Line
• Twelve months' cover for the price of ten