As many brokers know, phoning up the local insurance broker to receive a quote for something intangible, lewd or of no material value whatsoever is a favourite prank of idle teenagers. So hoaxes aside, we asked brokers to name the wackiest items they had ever been asked to insure.

Some, admittedly, are still unbelievable.

• A stone called Michael
• A performing dog
• Airport Bird Scarer (ABS) – his job was to keep the runway clear with a shot gun and two birds of prey.
• Breast implants
• A rare motorised Dalek
• An antique garden gnome
• A £250 vibrator
• A consignment of South African guinea pigs
• A flask of a prime bull’s semen
• A medal lost nearly 20 years ago – he’d recently discovered its value
• Sponsored elephant walk
• Four tons of jelly for use in a film