BIG LIST: Incredible insurance polices

Friday 14 October 2011, 10:20AM

Merv Hughes clearly valued his trademark mo more than he did his ability to wield the willow.

There are some things that money can’t buy. For everything else, there’s insurance. Here are some of the more ridiculous policies that have been taken out by people with valuable ‘assets’ to protect.

MARVELOUS MERV

While playing for Australia’s national cricket team from 1985 to 1994, Merv Hughes took out an estimated US$370,000 policy on his trademark walrus-style mustache. Of course his cricketing talent was also pretty valuable, but clearly not as valuable as the mo.

LEGGY BLONDE

German supermodel Heidi Klum has both of her legs insured, but strangely enough, one happens to be worth more than the other. The former Victoria’s Secret brand spokeswoman’s right leg is insured for US$1.2 million, but her left only US$1 million. Why the discrepancy? A little scar on her left limb, not that most men on the planet would care in the slightest.

OFF HIS CHEST

Believe it or not, Welsh crooner Tom Jones used to be considered a sex symbol. These days, however. 71 year-old Jones lives in fear. Sure, he’s remained famous for half a century, and probably sexed enough women to populate a small and very satisfied country, but he believes it all could come crashing down with a single accident that in any way damages his luxuriant pelt of chest hair. Seriously. To keep his sexiness intact, he’s insured it for a princely sum of US$7 million.

DOLLY BIRD

Everyone loves country star Dolly Parton’s music, right? Well just in case that ever goes out of style, Parton has insured each ginormous breast for US$300,000.

EGADS EGON

In 1957, world-famous food critic Egon Ronay wrote and published the first edition of the Egon Ronay Guide to British Eateries. Because his endorsement could make or break a restaurant, Ronay insured his taste buds for US$400,000 – sure to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the insurers if he makes a claim. Boom boom.

PROBING THE LIMITS

“Alien abduction, impregnation, and consumption”: Non-celeb Paul Hucker would get US$1.5 million should any of those things happen. The policy is actually not as uncommon as you might expect: some 20,000 Americans supposedly have it in some variant. The truth is out there.

REAR-ENDED

Jennifer Lopez has a US$27 million insurance policy on her distinctively large rear end – after all, it’s not like the music and movie thing were going to work out forever, as 2003’s Gigli proved.

¡AY, CARAMBA!

When the Mir space station re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, American fast food chain Taco Bell said that if it hit a floating target the company had set up in the middle of the ocean, everyone in the US would get a free taco. Taco Bell hedged their publicity stunt with an insurance policy to avoid going completely bankrupt. For the record, it missed.

JAKE AND THE FATMAN

A British male stripper named Frankie Jakeman insured his penis for US$1.6 million in case of damage in the line of duty. Oh behave.

WHAT A YO-YO

Representing the Cheerio Yo-Yo Company of Canada, 13-year-old Harvey Lowe won the 1932 World Yo-Yo Championships (a real event, apparently) in London and toured Europe from 1932 to 1935. While there, he taught Edward VIII, the Prince of Wales, how to yo-yo. Cheerio had Lowe’s hands insured for the then princely sum of US$150,000.