Weird Policies: Pet Insurance, Ufo Coverage, And Body-part Protection

It's always better to be safe than sorry. That's why a series of different insurance companies have been formed in an attempt to financially capitalize on people's desire for safety. So here we'll take a look at some of the oddest insurance examples that just make us scratch our heads.

Pet Insurance

Not as laughable now as it once was. The initial pet insurance policy wasn't designed for your loving household cat or dog. It was created in 1890 by Claes Virgin, who was more concerned about the health of his livestock. Almost a hundred years later, the first pet insurance plan sold in the United States was given to television's Lassie.

Nowadays, it is almost common for pet owners to purchase some form of dog insurance or cat insurance. There are also cheaper, easier to use alternate versions of a pet insurance plan that many dog and cat owners choose to purchase.

The Supernatural

St. Lawrence Agency in Florida, owner by Mike St. Lawrence, became the first company to offer protection in the event of alien abduction. The original policy costs a mere $19.95 annually, and pays $10 million in the event of "the abductee's departure & return to planet Earth" for medical and "sarcasm coverage." However, the payout occurs as $1 a year for 10 million years.

Since the start of St. Lawrence Agency, a series of other alien abduction insurance agencies have found success. Additionally, some insurance companies offer financial protection from werewolf metamorphosis, vampire bites (and subsequent transformation) and even immaculate conception.

Body Parts

We've all heard most of the basic celebrity-body-part insurance policies. Bruce Springsteen and Rod Stewart insured their voices. Keith Richards insured his fingers. Jennifer Lopez insured her butt.

But a closer look reveals some even odder examples:

Ben Turpin insured his eyes in 1920, as they were notorious for being crossed. Had something repaired his eyes, he would have received $20,000.

Merv Hughes, a cricket player from Australia, considered his walrus mustache such an important part of his game that he took out a $370,000 insurance policy on it.

The football club Real Madrid made sure to protect their investment in Cristiano Ronaldo, insuring both of his legs for an estimated $144 million.

Body Part insurance is not just limited to the rich and famous, however. Many surgeons today insure their hands. Broadway performers have been known to insure their voices. And Ilja Gort, a Dutch wine producer, insured his nose for $8 million, claiming he could not help his business thrive without it.