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It's snow-joke: West Ham star Antonio's $27k insurance bill after Christmas Day car crash

West Ham United forward Michail Antonio has said he had to get car insurance through a specialist company who charged him $27,000 (£20,000) following his Christmas Day crash in 2019.

Sources told ESPN that Antonio crashed his Lamborghini into a bin shed of a family home dressed as a snowman. He was unhurt after the crash and a source added no alcohol was involved.

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But since then the incident has had an effect on his ability to get car insurance.

"I was struggling to get insurance this year," he said. "No-one wanted to insure me. I had to go to a specialist insurance company, so my insurance this year is a madness.

"I've got a G63 now. They were offering me £10,000 for an [Audi] A333 to insure, or get a G63 and pay double the price but get to drive a G63 instead of an A3.

"I'd rather pay £20,000 and drive a G63 rather than pay £10,000 and drive an A3."

Antonio, who has scored in each of West Ham's last two games, also spoke in detail about the incident on Dec. 25, 2019.

"It was Christmas Day," he said. "Still to this day it has hurt me. I miss that car. Basically, I was driving but it was a slippery road.

"In the car it corners nicely and holds the road, so I was going 30-35mph on a 30mph road. As it holds corners I think I don't need to break, I'm just going to go round the corner like I do all the time.

"But as I go round the corner, it skids. So as it skids, I s--- myself and I slam on the brakes -- the worst thing you could do on ice as you just speed up when you're meant to just go with it kind of thing.

"So I slam on the brakes, skid and go up on the curb -- but I don't really remember it, everything just happened so fast.

"Then smoke comes out of the front of the car, and the engine is in the back so I'm thinking 'the car is gonna blow up,' even though it's just the airbags.

"So I'm having to jump out of the passenger side of the tiny car. It's a madness. And the thing is, I was in a snowman costume as well. I don't get why I didn't take it off in there, sort it out."

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