(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Most people make sure to protect their valuable assets by purchasing insurance—and celebrities are no exception. For many celebrities, their most valuable assets are their bodies. That's where body-parts insurance comes in.
There are three types of body-parts insurance: insuring a physical attribute that drives earning power, such as a singer's voice; athletes who require coverage for a body part excluded from their disability insurance; and in some cases, a celebrity insures a body part purely for the media exposure.
From star athletes to movie stars, NU has assembled a partial list of celebs who have had their body parts insured. Click "next" to see the list.
Ben Turpin, a silent-movie star famous for his crossed eyes, could be the man who started the celebrity-insurance fad: In the 1920s he took out a $20,000 policy against his eyes uncrossing.
Betty Grable was the girl with the “million-dollar legs.” The actress, singer and dancer was said to have the most beautiful legs in Hollywood—and her studio had them insured for $1 million. Grable’s iconic bathing suit photo (pictured here) made her the number-one pin-up girl in 1943.
Photo by Frank Powolny
Baseball player Mark McGwire had his problematic ankle insured in 1998 during his epic 70-home-run season with the St. Louis Cardinals. Medical details, including how the ankle was strapped and any anti-inflammatory medications taken, were reviewed before Lloyd’s of London agreed to underwriter the policy.
(AP Photo/John Gaps III)
In 2004, supermodel Heidi Klum, host of “Project Runway,” had her legs insured by a client for $2.2 million. While Klum’s right leg was deemed to be worth $1.2 million, her left leg was valued at slightly less ($1 million) due to a scar.
(AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
David Beckham, the English soccer star, had his legs insured in 2006 for a whopping $70 million. Beckham currently plays for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
(AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)
Singer Mariah Carey insured her legs for $1 billion in 2006 after agreeing to take part in Gillette's “Legs Of A Goddess” campaign.
(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)
America Ferrara, former star of “Ugly Betty,” had her teeth insured for $10 million in 2007—sponsored by Aquafresh when the actress began endorsing Aquafresh White Trays.
(AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)
Troy Polamalu, safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, had his famed head of hair insured last year for $1 million through Lloyd’s of London. The football player is the featured spokesman for Head & Shoulders shampoo.
(AP Photo/Gene Puskar, File)
Holly Madison, who gained fame as one of “The Girls Next Door,” in September announced she had insured her breasts for $1 million with Lloyd’s of London. Madison is currently starring in the Las Vegas production “Peepshow,” where she appears topless.
(AP Photo/Joe Coomber)
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