Pets in odd insurance claim role

Household pets - including fish and dogs - were key players behind some of last year's more unusual insurance claims, says Lloyds TSB.

One claimant's digital radio was worse for wear after his granddaughter placed it in the garden pond hoping the music would "make [the fish] dance".

In one case, a claimant came home to find a pet labrador had managed to trail white emulsion across the living room, after wagging his tail into the remnants of a paint tray.

Another case revolved around a goldfish whose bowl was smashed, after a pool player had hit the ball with such gusto, that the ball leapt off the table and hit a balcony before breaking the bowl.