Life is full of bizarre stories that are good for a laugh. It's also full of stories that leave you scratching your head and wondering how something can go so wrong so quickly. In December 2011, a good Samaritan

traveling through Seattle

learned this the hard way.

One minute he was driving along and the next a mattress was flying onto the road. This chain of events resulted in three separate insurance claims. So what happened, and how can

having the right car insurance

protect you from hefty repair or medical costs if you end up in similar situations?

Securing a mattress to the top of a car is much harder than it looks | Twenty20

A dropped mattress led to a crash

There's always an element of risk when you're loading a heavy object onto the roof of your vehicle to move it somewhere else. If you drop it, the object can damage your vehicle and leave scratches or dents. If you don’t tie it down well enough, it can fall off the roof of your SUV while you’re driving down the highway.

That's exactly what happened to a couple driving on I-5 near South Michigan Street in South Seattle, according to

KOMO News

. The mattress came flying off the back of their SUV and landed square in the middle of the road. This led to a three-car crash.

The couple did what anyone would do in such a situation and stopped the vehicle. But what happened next was anything but normal.

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One person sped away, the other tried to steal a car

With a three-car pile-up, there are most likely going to be some injuries. With that in mind, two people stopped to help. When the woman driving the SUV responsible for the wreck saw this, she immediately jumped in her SUV and sped away. The man who was riding with her was left behind.

One of the good Samaritans soon decided to leave and drove away from the scene of the wreck. It wasn't long before he noticed a man's head "bobbing around the backseat" of his car. Realizing it was the man who had been left behind, the car owner quickly pulled over and told the stranger to get out.

The owner tried to physically pull the stranger from his vehicle. Instead of leaving, the stranger crawled into the front seat and sped away with the car. The owner was forced to chase down his own vehicle, and managed to leap in the back. He then reached into the front and put the car in neutral which brought it to a complete halt.

Thankfully, there wasn't another wreck. The car coasted to the side of the road and the two men began to fight. Two other people witnessed what was going on and pinned down the thief until the police arrived. He was later charged with attempted theft. It's unclear what happened to the woman who abandoned him on the side of the road.

How to make sure you’re protected against these risks

MORE: Data on the Most Stolen Car Reveals Ways to Prevent Auto Theft

There's probably not much of a chance this series of events will all happen to you in a day. However, there's always a chance something you're transporting will fall off your vehicle. There are also individuals who won't hesitate to take advantage of your kindness.

With that being said, you don't have to go unprotected.

How Stuff Works

recommends that you get

uninsured motorist insurance

for situations like this in case the at-fault drivers don’t have car insurance. It will save you from headaches later down the line.

Another type of insurance that would make sure you’re protected financially against theft is

comprehensive coverage

. While the man's vehicle wasn't actually stolen, it would have helped him cover any replacement costs if it was.

The drivers that were involved in the crash could also make a claim under

collision insurance

. This protects you financially when you’re involved in a collision with another vehicle or object.

Unsure of where to start looking for affordable coverage against things like theft and uninsured motorists?

Jerry

is here to save the day. In 45 seconds the free app will have a list of competitive rates from 45 top insurance companies with the coverage you need. Let Jerry help you save costs on car insurance and feel safe no matter what wacky scenario happens.

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