Crossed-eye coverage?

Insurance products are becoming more specialized and niche – but you can go back to the silent film era to find one actor who insured his eyes would never become uncrossed.

Risk Management News

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Insurance products are becoming more specialized and niche – but you can go back to the silent film era to find one actor who insured his eyes would never become uncrossed.

Does your career depend on crossed eyes? His did. Here are 10 things you probably were not aware you could get coverage for:

1.    Crossed eyes: Silent film actor Ben Turpin became the first celebrity to insure a body part, taking out a $25,000 policy that would pay if his eyes ever uncrossed.

2.    Space risks: In 2004, the first commercial spacecraft to leave earth’s atmosphere Space Ship One was covered by Lloyd’s for over $100 million. Risks from space don’t only cover travelling – some policies have been taken out to include possible injury by falling space debris.

3.    Nose: Ilja Gort a Dutch winemaker who owns the famous Chateau de la Garde in Bordeaux insured his nose for $8 million. Gort isn’t allowed to take part in winter sports, boxing or, rather more strangely, fire breathing as a result of his policy.

4.    Moustache: An Australian cricket player Merv Hughes insured his moustache after giving it credit for forming a large part of his celebrity identity.

5.    Sport trauma: English soccer player Paul Hucker insured himself for potential physiological trauma he would suffer if his team were knocked out of the 2002 World Cup earlier than expected.

6.    Immaculate conception: (Yes, really) In 1999 a woman named Mary Murphy insured herself against immaculate conception for £1 million.

7.    Alien abduction: Across the U.S. people have been insuring against alien abduction, with more than $10 million in insurance written so far.

8.    Loss of humour: Rich Hall insured himself against the permanent loss of humor for £1 million – potentially difficult to prove.

9.    Becoming ugly: Nicola Jones took a policy out for the instance where she became ugly. The approximate payout has yet to be established.

10.    Taste buds: Once famous food critic Egon Ronay insured his taste buds for $400,000 after publishing the first edition of his book Egon Ronay Guide to British Eateries.

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