The 11 Weirdest Types of Insurance You Can Buy
The 11 Weirdest Types of Insurance You Can Buy
Insurance is designed to give you peace of mind — and if you’re worried about something happening to you, chances are you can find an insurer who will issue a policy for it!Speciality insurers like Lloyd’s of London have been making headlines for years about the types of unique scenarios they cover. But when I was researching the weirdest types of insurance on offer, I was surprised to learn about two policies in particular. Multiple birth insurance pays out if you give birth to one or more children than expected — though that’s rare, with all the advances in medical technology. It has one major caveat: It isn’t available to couples who have undergone fertility treatments like IVF, as there’s a higher likelihood of having twins or triplets.I was also surprised that fantasy football insurance exists. But I don’t play, so I guess I’ll never understand how high the stakes are!While these policies are interesting, they’re not essential. You want to protect the people and assets that are most important to you, so prioritize life, car and home or renters insurance. As always, make sure you compare policies to get the best possible deal.Health, home, car and life insurance are the most popular types of insurance, but the list is limited only by your imagination. Insurance is a “just in case” coverage, and it turns out that people around the world are worried about a range of crazy scenarios happening to them.These are eleven of the weirdest insurance policies we’ve come across, and believe us when we say there’s a lot more where they came from…Alien abduction insuranceParanoid about being abducted by aliens or UFOs? There’s an insurance policy to protect against that — and the St. Lawrence Agency in Florida was the first company in the US to offer this coverage to its customers in 1987. It’s a pretty good deal, too: You’ll pay just $19.95 to $24.95 for a lifelong policy.Apparently, the insurer has paid out at least two claims — which is incredible considering you have to provide proof of abduction.Toilet insurance for phonesMany of us have experienced this modern-day scenario. Your phone is safely tucked into your back pocket, only to slip into the watery abyss when you unbutton your pants.With that common incident in mind, Honor — an online-only subsidiary of Huawei — began offering a smartphone toilet insurance plan in 2018. The policy is free for customers who purchase a new device, and pays out if they accidentally drop their phone in the toilet.But if you don’t own an Honor phone, you can still get coverage. A standard phone insurance policy covers water damage for $5 to $10 a month — and spares you from shelling out a few hundred dollars for a new phone.Change of heart insuranceBetween the venue, flowers, catering and travel, weddings can cost thousands of dollars. But what happens if wedding planning identifies cracks in the relationship, and you don’t make it to the altar? That’s where change of heart insurance comes in.Designed for brides and grooms who decide to break off their engagement and go their separate ways, this policy covers unexpected cancellations.Wedsure and Eventsured are the biggest players in the game. But there are a few caveats to “cold feet coverage.” You’ll typically need to cancel the wedding at least 365 days in advance, and the policy only pays “innocent financiers,” like the couple’s parents.Body part insuranceDoes your talent or livelihood depend on a body part? For many celebrities, athletes and entertainers, the answer is yes — so they insure the assets that made them rich and famous.While J-Lo revealed she never actually insured her derriere for $27 million on The Late Late Show with James Corden, here are a handful of policies that have reportedly been issued for body parts:
Soccer player David Beckham took out a policy against a career-ending injury to his legs, feet or toes for $195 million (£100 million) in 2006.
Actress Julia Roberts insured her megawatt smile for $30 million.
Rocker Bruce Springsteen covered his voice for $6 million.
Supermodel Heidi Klum had her legs insured by Braun for a cool $2.2 million when she was a spokesperson for their epilator device. (Fun fact: Her right leg was covered for $1.2 million and her left leg for $1 million because of a small scar.)
Kiss frontman Gene Simmons insured his trademark tongue for $1 million.
Former NFL star Troy Polamu had his flowing mane insured for $1 million when he signed an endorsement deal with Head & Shoulders. Proctor & Gamble picked up the premiums for that one, according to TIME.
Man laughing; image by Brian Lundquist, via Unsplash.com.
Bottom line
These policies may seem bizarre, but at its core, insurance is about peace of mind — and that means different things to different people.If you want a specific type of coverage that’s a little out-of-the-box, you can probably find an insurer who’s willing to issue you a policy (and pocket the premiums).Remember, insurance is a game of risk. Since some of these scenarios are so unusual, there’s a good chance your insurer will never have to pay out the policy!Our thanks to Finder for letting us republish this article. The original is here.
About Katia Iervasi
Katia Iervasi is a staff writer who hails from Australia and now calls New York home. Her writing and analysis has been featured on sites like Forbes, Best Company and Financial Advisor around the world. Armed with a BA in Communication and a journalistic eye for detail, she navigates insurance and finance topics for Finder, so you can splash your cash smartly (and be a pro when the subject pops up at dinner parties).