You can buy insurance for anything
Thu, 02/28/2008 - 16:25 | 
ralph
In a recent report in the British daily tabloid, The Daily Mirror, the well-known singer Tom Jones denied a report that he had bought a $6.8 million insurance policy for his chest hair. According to the paper, the famed singer went to underwriters at Lloyd’s of London with the unusual request and they agreed to write the policy. Lloyd’s of London, once the insurers of the world’s shipping, has a long and respected reputation for insuring the rich and famous against many strange risks.
Tom Jones responded to the allegations angrily, posting a denial on his Web site: “The story published in the Daily Mirror on Feb. 5 is completely fabricated. No such insurance policy exists, nor has one ever been considered. We assume this is just the Mirror having a bit of fun and hope no one takes this kind of ‘reporting’ seriously.”
Lloyd’s, when questioned, agreed that it has insured several celebrity attributes during its long history. “Some celebrities depend on certain personal features for their fame and, perhaps more importantly, their fortune,” said the firm in an article published on its Website in 2006 called, “Famously Providing Insurance”.
In the article, John Thomas, an underwriter at Lloyd’s insurer Creechurch, talked about several celebrity policies Lloyds had issued including the coverage of chest hair in 2006. “Admittedly, this was one of the most obscure requests I’ve had, but I managed to come up with a wording that addressed the need,” he said.
Some of Lloyd’s of London unique policies included the legs of Fred Astaire, Betty Grable and Angie Dickinson; the hands of pianists Richard Clayderman and Liberace and Rolling Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards. They also insured restaurateur Egon Ronay’s taste buds and actor Ken Dodd’s teeth, which were reportedly covered for $7.7 million. “In most cases,” said Thomas, “it’s a third party that purchases the cover. For example, a football club will insure a major star, or a football agent who potentially stood to lose earnings if the footballer is injured.”
Thomas forecast a growing need for coverage in this market, “I think we are due to see a rise in this type of insurance for policies which affect the aesthetic damage of actresses and models,” says Thomas. “But the core of this type of cover will involve one aspect of disability for those with extraordinary requirements.” Be assured – whatever insurance you require, ask about it first at Lloyds.
