You don't have to work long in the insurance business to realize that not all claims are alike. Indeed, while most are routine, open-and-shut cases, agents, adjusters and other industry players often have to cope with unusual circumstances, bad luck or simply the human factor–any one of which can make it tough or even impossible to figure out exactly what happened when a loss is reported.

National Underwriter spoke to a few industry veterans on the front lines of claims-handling, gathering war stories involving simple misunderstandings, tragic circumstances and outright feuds hindering the resolution of mysterious or contentious claims.

One classic claim tale shared by Randy Wheeler, founder and chief executive officer of San Ramon, Calif.-based Valley Oak Systems–a claims administration and risk management solutions company now part of the Aon family–involved what he referred to as a “fertility facility.”