NU Online News Service, Dec. 21, 2:00 p.m.EST

When Stephen Gilchrist Glover, better known as Steve-O of“Jackass” fame, wanted to staple his private parts to his legduring the taping of his own show, producers called LorrieMcNaught.

McNaught, reality television expert with Aon/Albert G.Ruben, says it's her job to “find a way.”

“I have to find an insurer to cover these things—or find a wayto make it insurable,” McNaught tells PC360.

That's exactly what she did so that Steve-O could do what he isfamous for—shock. To assuage the expected fear of an insurer tocover such an act, McNaught consulted a doctor to find out justwhere Steve-O could staple his leg without hitting anythingimportant, like a blood vessel.

“After the doctor and I shared a laugh, he actually told me theplace [Steve-O] could do it without seriously injuring himself,”McNaught says.

With more than 15 years working with networks and reality TVproducers, McNaught fields numerous calls every day—each presentinginsurance dilemmas.

“It's challenging, and it can be nerve-wracking,” she says.“There can be a lot of people waiting. A crew can be on a Tarmac,waiting to get on a helicopter. Obtaining insurance is always thelast call.”

The popularity of reality shows has ballooned and the wide-rangeof types keep McNaught on her toes and her negotiating skillssharp.

“A lot of these shows are seeking to make the audience gasp,”McNaught says. “That can get risky and, in order to get coverage,part of my job is convincing underwriters the risk is worthtaking.”

For the most part, it is. The loss ratio is less than 3 percent,McNaught says. And coverage is mostly affordable. As realitytelevision has evolved, brokers have forced producers to tightenliability releases contestants sign, and to fully explain thecontract to them.

However, there are cases in which no insurer can be found—atleast not for the stunt as it was originally drawn up. McNaughtsays one show wanted contestants to pass a baton to each otherwhile sitting on a chair on top of separate biplanes.

“That one got a little crazy,” she explains. “They would have tobe really close, the pilots' would need to be perfect andthe weather needed to be right.”

The show, fully insured, wound up doing the stunt—just withoutthe passing of a baton.

When you watch a show such as “Fear Factor,” the risks areobvious. Contestants, for example, are asked to gather flags whileclimbing on the outside of a car that is dangling from helicopters100 feet in the air. McNaught has worked with “Fear Factor”and other popular reality shows, such as “Survivor,”and sometimes, the biggest risks are the ones behind thescenes.

For instance, kidnap and ransom coverage is essential for anyshow leaving the country. Coverage for the confiscation ofequipment is important as well, she says.

Location also plays a role. If you're filming in Iceland, maybeinsurance for a volcano eruption wouldn't hurt. Taping in Floridaduring hurricane season definitely carries more risk. A remote spotaway from medical services can be tricky too, McNaught says.

“These are all things I bring up that they may or may not havethought about,” she says. “But that's what a good broker does.”

In fact, McNaught says she's been presented with so many riskscenarios for so many different types of shows, she can normallypredict what the show is going to do next.

But for all the talk about the risks associated with realityshows, the most claims are generated by a standard set ofstairs.

“The walk-and-talk shows—the game shows,” answers McNaught whenasked about the shows that produce the most claims. “Walking up anddown a staircase.”