Insure your body features for dollars
Lloyds able to offer such a cover
After her altercation with Bujy Bikwa left her face with a cut, rapper and actress Boity Thulo made a bold statement that she had insured her face.
She didn’t confirm this when Sunday World reached out to her – as her phone rang unanswered. But after scouring the internet, it is evident that no such insurance exists locally.
Insurance ombudsman pointed us to Lloyds of London, which is based in London and has remote offices around the word, including South Africa.
But Shevani Sookdeo, the general manager and deputy representative in SA, said requests to have body parts insured have to go through the company’s head office.
Senior business partner: EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, Africa) at Lloyds of London, Elliot Maule, said it does not have specific information on clients, noting he was not in a position to confirm who, if any, South Africans have such policies.
“Throughout our history, we’ve hit the headlines for insuring weird or rather wonderful body parts of celebrities,” said Maule, adding that these insurance products work much like others.
“For example, a limit/parameter is set and if they are met, then the policyholder is eligible for a claim,” said Maule.
He pointed us to some of the first clients to insure their trademark body parts.
Comedian Ben Turpin bought a policy that stated if his crossed eyes should ever uncross, he would be paid out $25 000 (R371 250). Other actors including Jimmy Durnate insured his large nose while Bruce Springsteen insured his voice, and Better Davis her tiny waist.
Betty Grable started the million-dollar leg trend when she insured hers and Dolly Parton reportedly insured her breasts – a whopping 40DD size – for €3.5-million (R60-million).
Maule said there were others who insured their taste buds, hands, moustaches, teeth and even their smiles. Gladwyn Heslop, a financial adviser who has been in the business for over 30 years, said the only insurance he knew of that would cover body parts would be accidental cover and disability cover – which arise from an accident.
Celebrities who’ve successfully insured their best body assets:
• Singer Rihanna’s legs are insured for $1-million.
• Tina Turner, known for long and muscular legs, insured them for $3.2-million.
• Soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo had his legs insured for $144-million just in case someone injured him on the soccer field.
• Jennifer Lopez is wellknown for insuring her derriere a nice $300-million, as did Kim Kardashian with a $21-million policy.
• Bond star Daniel Craig, who does many of his stunts, was insured for his entire body by his film company EON productions should something bad happen on set of the action films.
• Singer Mariah Carey had her voice and legs insured at $35-million each.