7 things you didn’t know you could insure
Terri Huggins
Most people insure things like cars, homes, boats and travel. However, in recent years, people have started wanting to insure things that often only exist in movies. In the insurance industry almost anything can be seen as a liability or risk, even something as farfetched as an alien beaming down to take you hostage. Here are seven insurance policies that could be called bizarre – even unrealistic – but will pay out for claims if the impossible ever happens.
7 things you didn’t know you could insure
1. Loch Ness attacks
Most cruises seem to purchase insurance for missing people, fires or issues at the port. However, Scottish cruise line, Jacobite Cruises, isn’t taking any chances. They took out an insurance policy that will cover any damage caused by the Loch Ness monster. In an interview with the Scottish Sun, cruise line owner Freda Newton explained the decision: “I don’t know what the odds of this actually happening might be, but this is Loch Ness and how silly would we look if it did and we weren’t covered for it?”
The cruise line purchased a $1.5 million policy from Towergate Insurance in case of a Loch Ness monster attack.
2. Multiple births
No matter how good your doctor is, chances are they can’t predict all the details of your pregnancy. It’s even possible for highly technical 3D ultrasounds to be inaccurate. That’s why several families have invested in insurance to cover unexpected multiple births. If you enroll in the coverage within 11 weeks of conception, and all your ultrasounds to that point indicated that you were only expecting one baby, you will receive a lump sum payment in the event that you give birth to multiple children. After all, having twins, triplets or more can put a financial strain on the family.
3. Fantasy sports leagues
Sports fanatics no longer have to worry about a financial loss because their beloved football team failed to live up to the hype during the fantasy football season. Sports fans now have the option to purchase insurance for fantasy baseball, basketball or football teams. Companies such as Intermark Insurance Agency offers fantasy sports policies which return your financial investment in your fantasy league in the event a key player suffers a “season changing” injury. According to the company’s website, they paid claims to policyholders when football players including Andre Johnson, Jahvid Best and Darren McFadden got injured.
4. Ghosts
What do you do if Casper isn’t such a friendly ghost?
You can consult your insurance agent. A hotel owner in England purchased the insurance plan after hearing stories from hotel guests about seeing ghosts on the premises The policy stated a payout would be made in the event someone was killed or permanently disabled by a ghost while on the premises.
5. Lottery winnings
If you happen to own a business with employees who engage in a lottery pool, you may be concerned about the future of your company should they win and quit their jobs. Lloyd’s of London offers insurance coverage in the event a business loses its staff to a winning lotto ticket. If two or more employees leave after winning the lottery, the employer receives a payout to soften the blow.
6. Zombies
Zombie attacks took over the airwaves in May 2012 when Rudy Eugene bit off a large portion of Ronald Poppo’s face in Miami while reportedly under the influence of drugs. The hype has since died down but several people have reportedly purchased zombie insurance policies from Lloyds of London.
7. Alien abduction
It turns out some people may have taken the movie, “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” a little too seriously. Over 20,000 people have made a one-time payment of $19.95 to the Saint Lawrence Agency in Sarasota, Fla, which covers you for up to $10 million in damages if you are abducted by aliens. However, receiving benefits from the claim is dependent on your ability to have an alien’s signature or prove you were abducted via photos or other visual proof.
One claimant submitted a doctor’s note as evidence, stating he received a bodily implant during an alien abduction and the implant was made of a substance not found on earth. Some insurers offer alien abduction policies for about $150 for $1.5 million in coverage.
