It is essential for everybody to have insurance, as it ensures that you will be financially secure once you grow older and weaker or if you get into accidents. Without insurance, there is probably no way for you to pay hospital bills when the time comes that you need to be confined or need medical assistance. Sure, you can pay for the bills using your savings, but sometimes, the money you saved isn’t enough. So, it is recommended to get insurance so that you can have backup funds ready in case of emergencies.
While most people usually get insurance for their life, cars, or stores, there are a few that apply for insurance in unusual places, objects, and even body parts. One of those few persons is the famous musician Rihanna, who got her legs insured for one million dollars. In addition to Rihanna, there are also a handful of celebrities that got their body parts insured. Here are a few of the most unusual insurance stories that you should know about.
Rihanna’s Legs ($1 Million)
In 2007, Rihanna won the “Celebrity Legs of a Goddess Award,” which was given by Venus Breeze, a line of Gillette razors that are specifically made for women. According to a press release, Rihanna stated that she was thrilled that her legs were award-worthy. A few weeks after receiving the award, it was reported that Rihanna insured her logs for one million dollars.
Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, was born on February 20, 1988, in the parish of Saint Michael within the island of Barbados. The singer quickly rose to fame as she put out consecutive pop hits, including “SOS,” “Unfaithful,” “Umbrella,” and “We Found Love.” Besides singing, Rihanna has also released a fashion and skincare brand called “Fenty.”
Julia Roberts’ Smile ($30 Million)
Julia Roberts, the renowned actress who has appeared in iconic films such as “Pretty Woman” in 1990, “Notting Hill” in 1999, and “Erin Brockovich” in 2000, has reportedly insured her famous smile for 30 million dollars. It is unknown when Roberts actually applied for the insurance, but if you have a dazzling smile like her, you will definitely have to get it insured since it can be one of your prized assets. It is also unclear what covers the insurance, but we can guess that it would have to do with problems that may arise on her lips, teeth, and other parts of her mouth that are visible.
Roberts, whose full name is Julia Fiona Roberts, was born on October 28, 1967, in Smyrna, a city that is located in the US state of Georgia. Julia Roberts first became known in Hollywood after starring as the leading lady in the 1990 film Pretty Woman, and from there, she has portrayed various iconic roles in well-received films. Roberts won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2001 for her portrayal of real-life American environmental activist Erin Brockovich in the film of the same name.
Fernando Alonso’s Thumbs ($13 Million)
One of the most unusual insurances ever applied is on former Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso’s thumbs, which are currently insured for 10 million euros or 13.3 million dollars. The thumbs of Fernando Alonso are important for his career, as these body parts are the ones that allow him to control the steering wheel of his car during races. In order to keep Alonso’s thumbs protected, the famous driver partnered with Spanish-based bank Santander to give his thumbs proper insurance. Aside from the insurance, Alonso also appeared in a marketing campaign for Santander, where he was promoting his new insurance deal with the bank.
Fernando Alonso, whose full name is Fernando Alonso Diaz, was born on July 29, 1981, in the city of Oviedo in Asturias, Spain. He rose into prominence in the auto racing scene when he won the World Drivers’ Championship in 2005 and 2006. Besides the said race, Alonso also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans two times, the F1 Grand Prix 32 times, and the Race of Champions Nations Cup one time.
Gene Simmons’ Tongue ($1 Million)
If there’s an award for “the most popular tongue in the world,” Gene Simmons, the legendary bass player for the band KISS, would certainly win it via landslide victory. While KISS has some timeless classic songs, they are probably more known for their live or on-stage shenanigans, which include Gene Simmons showing off his relatively long tongue that is said to be about 7 inches in length. To ensure that Simmons’ tongue would remain safe, it was reported that he applied insurance for it for one million dollars.
Gene Simmons, whose birth name was Chaim Witz, was born on August 25, 1949, in Haifa, Israel. At the age of eight, Simmons, along with his mother, migrated to the United States and lived in New York City. His first band that involved another KISS member was Wicked Lester, where Stanley Eisen (better known today as Paul Stanley) was the rhythm guitarist and vocalist. Together with drummer Peter Criss and lead guitarist Ace Frehley, they formed KISS in January 1973. As of 2021, the only remaining original members in the band are Simmons and Stanley.
Mariah Carey’s Legs ($1 Billion)
The most expensive legs in the world belong to Mariah Carey, who insured the said body part for one billion dollars. While Rihanna won the “Celebrity Legs of a Goddess Award” in 2007, Mariah Carey actually won it first in 2006, which was also the year where the said award was first created. Aside from the award, a 16-foot replica of Mariah Carey with most of her legs exposed was revealed at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. In 2011, Carey also insured her legs again, as well as her voice, for $35 million each.
Mariah Carey was born in the city of Huntington in New York on March 27, 1969. Carey became widely known for her five-octave vocal range, which allows her to sing notes that are so high that they sound like high-pitched whistles. She is often referred to as the “Songbird Supreme” because of her limitless vocal prowess.
These are five of the most unusual stories about celebrities and insurance. Of course, there are a lot more people that insure weird things around the world, and as insurance becomes more widely available in today’s era, we should already expect the unusual stories to increase in number in the near future.