WOW! 10 Insurance Claims and Policies You Need to See to Believe!

Whether your home has been burgled, a falling tree has crushed your car, or your smartphone has met an untimely end in a toilet, insurance can be a godsend. Even if you never have to file a claim, knowing that you’re protected in the event of damage, accident, or injury gives you peace of mind.

The most common ways to provide yourself this protection are by taking out health insurance, homeowner’s (or renter’s) insurance, and insurance on a vehicle like a car, truck, motorcycle, or boat. In many cases, you are required by law to carry insurance. Or maybe you’re just a cautious person by nature and want to mitigate risks by taking out a policy on your valuables.

And then there are these folks. Some of them are taking no chances with their most valuable asset, while others have seized upon some pretty unusual opportunities to cash in on their own pain and suffering.

Let’s take a look at some of the weirdest insurance claims and policies from around the world!

Weirdomatic’s Top 10 Truly Bizarre Insurance Claims and Policies

From celebrities who insure the body parts that made them famous to ordinary people with a knack for getting into some strange scrapes, here’s a sampling of the most noteworthy — if not downright nutty — insurance policies and claims ever submitted.

1. It’s Not Unusual…Or Is It?

Crooner Tom Jones is known for his smooth singing style and his ability to make his lady listeners swoon.

Part of his appeal? His broad, manly, and decidedly hirsute body.

Jones’s chest hair is so integral to his fame and fortune, in fact, that Lloyd’s of London once allegedly issued an insurance policy safeguarding it — to the tune of almost $7 million USD.

2. A Valuable Ass-et

Legend has it that Helen of Troy had a face that launched a thousand ships, but current-day celebrity Jennifer Lopez’s derriere launched her career, made “baby got back” a household phrase, and inspired millions of women around the world to start doing squats.

It’s no wonder, then, that JLo’s best asset is worth $27 million, according to the underwriters at Lloyd’s of London.

3. You’re Either In (-sured) or You’re Out

Our last superstar insurance policyholder is none other than supermodel and television personality Heidi Klum. The former Victoria’s Secret runway model has insurance policies on both legs: $1 million for the left leg, and $1.2 for the right. (Her left leg has a tiny scar that her right doesn’t; hence the discrepancy.)

4. Multiple Babies? No Problem

Lloyd’s of London also offers insurance for the hoi polloi, particularly those who are trying to conceive. Invitro fertilization is famous for being a little too successful, often resulting in the birth of twins, triplets, or even more.

The firm’s multiple birth insurance will pay out for any couple that has the foresight to gamble on their offspring. Hey, the cost of all those matching onesies and overalls can really add up!

5. Close Encounters of the Insurance Kind

Do you believe there’s life on another planet? Are you concerned about the financial ramifications of being abducted by aliens? Incredible as it may seem, there are some 20,000 Americans who have taken out a policy against just this situation.

Alien abduction insurance isn’t nearly as common as, say, private flood insurance, which helps homeowners in the event of flooding and water damage due to extreme weather. But it’s nice to know that upon your return from Mars, you won’t have to worry about how you’ll pay for a therapist.

6. A Settlement That Went up in Smoke

Leave it to a lawyer to dream this one up.

An attorney from North Carolina insured a box of expensive cigars against flooding, storm damage, and fire. He then filed a claim, stating that the cigars had been lost “in a series of small fires.”

After his insurance company refused to pay, he took them to court, where a judge ruled in the lawyer’s favor and forced the company to pay $15,000. Despite this victory, the litigious legal eagle ended up being arrested for fraud and arson.

7. The Claim “Herd” Round the World

A livestock farmer in the U.K. filed a claim after his smartphone ended up inside a cow one dark and stormy night. He had been using the phone’s flashlight feature while he helped the cow birth a calf.

Although his phone was later recovered, it had stopped working — and the insurance company paid the claim in full.

8. One Truly Nutty Insurance Claim

You might not think of coconuts as a deadly weapon, but in fact, these falling fruits claim 150 lives every year.

One Hawaiian police officer got off lucky when a falling coconut conked him on the head, injuring but not killing him. He was later awarded $39,000 as recompense — that’s a lot of pina coladas!

9. The Burglary That Backfired

Imagine being a burglar and breaking into a home, only to be trapped inside the garage because the door to the house locked behind you, and the garage door opener broke.

What would you do?

Well, if you’re like one unlucky thief, you subsist on dog food and soda until the homeowners return — and then you file an insurance claim for mental anguish. Believe it or not, the burglar was awarded $1 million!

10. Insured to the Teeth

If you travel frequently, it makes sense to take out traveler’s insurance. In the event that your luggage goes missing, you’ll be compensated in full for the value of your belongings.

This goes double if you have dentures!

Just ask a man who filed an insurance claim for his false teeth, which fell out while he was vomiting over the railing of a cruise ship. His insurance company came through for him, although he probably had a tough time taking advantage of the cruise’s buffet meals after the incident.

Final Thoughts

We hope you’ve enjoyed this roundup of weird and wacky insurance claims that have been filed. Which one was your favorite? Have you ever heard a story about an unusual insurance claim?

Share it in the comments below!

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