30th March, 2023

The insurance industry has been around for hundreds of years, so it comes as no surprise that there’s been plenty of policies that have had people talking over the years. Take Lloyds of London for example, one of the oldest and most well-known companies within insurance, which dates back over 350 years and has garnered a reputation for covering some pretty unusual risks.

So, with April Fool’s Day just around the corner, we decided to take a look at some weird and wonderful insurance policies that may seem like a prank, but they’re very much (mostly) real.

Worried about UFO’s?

Do you find yourself lying awake worrying that one day you’ll be abducted by an alien? It would appear that you aren’t alone, as it’s reported that over 30,000 people have taken out alien abduction insurance from Lloyd’s of London over the years.

Unsurprisingly, given that you actually have to prove that you were in fact beamed up to the sky by an alien, a successful claim has yet to be made. But does that mean it hasn’t happened, or that it’s just too difficult to prove? We’ll leave that for you to decide.

Looking for something a little more paranormal?

Maybe aliens don’t keep you up at night, but what about the thought of being haunted or attacked by a paranormal being? Don’t worry – there’s something for that too.

This type of policy is designed to provide cover for people who believe they’ve fallen victim to the wicked ways of the paranormal, such as ghosts, poltergeists, werewolves or vampires.

Ultraviolet, an insurance firm based in the UK, offers ‘spooksafe’ insurance and is reported to have sold over 500 policies within the first year of doing so. Lloyd’s of London also offers such cover and is believed to have sold over 40,000 policies for protection against ghost hauntings, as well as over 60,000 policies for cover if you’re attacked by a werewolf or vampire. Lucky you if you’re still around to make a claim afterwards…

Ever considered insuring a body part?

There are many reports of different body parts being insured, from celebrities and sports figures to professional food and drink tasters.

Through yet another policy from Lloyd’s of London, a coffee taster responsible for testing hundreds of coffee blends for Costa Coffee once insured his most important work tool, his tongue, for a hefty £10 million. It’s also reported that he avoided food too hot in temperature so that he didn’t burn his tongue and wasn’t allowed to eat spicy foods such as curry within a couple of days of a tasting session to ensure that the spices didn’t affect his abilities. Presumably, any insurance claims would be rejected if he knowingly did either of these things.

Several famous figures have been known to insure their legs, including model Heidi Klum, who took out a policy in the millions to cover both of hers. Heidi has previously stated that her left leg is worth considerably more than her right leg (over £100,000 more!) due to a small scar found on her right leg during an examination.

One of the most peculiar, although unconfirmed, celebrity insurance policies is that of Tom Jones, who is said to have allegedly insured his chest hair. However, he has since denied this and stated that this policy neither exists nor has ever been considered. But as we’ve seen when it comes to celebrities insuring their assets, it’s not unusual…

What about a puppet?

Along the same lines of insuring body parts, but not for a person or even a real animal, we have Basil Brush. The red fox character, known for his appearances on children’s television across Britain, insured his famous bushy tail for a sum of £1 million in 2003. It was reported that no price was too high for Basil, with the purpose of this policy being to protect his tail from damage whilst on his roadshow.

We could probably go on forever talking about other unusual policies out there, from falling coconuts, fantasy sports and even insurance against the permanent loss of humour (yep - comedian Rich Hall really did that). So, just when you think you’ve heard it all, remember that at one time or another there really has been a policy for just about anything!


Written by: Shannan Errington

*Please note that the above information has been gathered through secondary research. The information provided is not based on our opinion. You should seek further guidance and information before making an informed decision.

Sources
https://www.staveleyhead.co.uk/blog/unusual-insurance-policies/
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/coffee-taster-gennaro-pelliccia-insures-381336
https://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20080217/story/100024136/tom-jones-chest-hair-coverage-a-matter-of-urban-legend
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2007/may/11/5
https://www.insurancetimes.co.uk/basil-brushs-tail-insured-for-1m/1342064.article
https://www.trustedchoice.com/insurance-articles/opinion-variety/ghost-insurance/