Regarding celebrities, the lengths—or rather, the limbs—they’ll go to to maintain their brand can be downright extravagant. From Taylor Swift’s legs to Gordon Ramsay’s tongue, the world of celebrity body part insurance is as bizarre as it is fascinating.
How much are Taylor Swift‘s legs worth? What about Gordon Ramsay‘s tongue, Nick Cannon‘s reproductive assets, and Jennifer Lopez’s famous posterior? These celebrity body parts have reportedly been insured for millions in case something goes improbably, yet horribly, wrong.
However, while some tales of celebrity liability coverage are legitimate, many were either one-time publicity stunts or have been debunked over time. Take, for instance, the recent wild story that Nick Cannon, the father of 12, took out a policy protecting his reproductive organs for $10 million. This news, both outrageous and amusing, was confirmed by Cannon himself, who quipped, “Haters say it’s time for me to stop having kids and put this super sperm to rest, but I’m doubling down on these valuable balls.” The policy, it turns out, was part of a promotion for a line of men’s grooming products, proving once again how intertwined marketing and insurance stunts can be.
The practice of insuring celebrity body parts dates back decades. One of the earliest and most famous examples is Betty Grable’s legs, which were insured by Lloyd’s of London for $1 million in the 1940s. Lloyd’s has since become synonymous with these unusual insurance policies. In more recent times, America Ferrera made headlines in 2007 when her smile was insured for $10 million, a publicity stunt orchestrated by Aquafresh. “It’s very flattering,” Ferrera commented, “[and] not something I ever imagined happening.”
Lloyd’s of London remains a go-to for such insurance. The firm’s reputation was solidified in the entertainment industry with notable policies like Bruce Springsteen’s voice, reportedly insured for $6 million in 2010. Though Springsteen has never confirmed this, it aligns with the practical side of these policies: protecting a performer’s most valuable asset against potential career-ending damage.
Similarly, Gordon Ramsay’s taste buds were rumored to be insured for $10 million. While Ramsay has remained tight-lipped on the specifics, “taste insurance” is a real policy among high-profile chefs and tasters, safeguarding their unique sensory skills against the unforeseen.
Models and dancers, too, have entered the insurance arena. Supermodel Heidi Klum’s legs were insured for $2 million, though she revealed the valuation was uneven due to a childhood scar. Rihanna’s legs were also insured for $1 million by Gillette when she was named the “Celebrity Legs of a Goddess” in 2007.
But perhaps the most sensational claim involves Taylor Swift’s legs, rumored to be insured for a staggering $40 million ahead of her 1989 tour. Although Swift has neither confirmed nor denied this, she did humorously address the rumor by tweeting a photo of her scratched leg, quipping, “Great work Meredith. I was just trying to love you and now you owe me 40 million dollars,” referring to her cat.
On the other hand, some celebrity insurance tales have been outright denied. In 2022, Dolly Parton debunked the long-standing rumor that she insured her famous breasts for $600,000. Likewise, Julia Roberts dismissed claims that her iconic smile was insured for $30 million, joking that if it were true, “someone would be at my house on a nightly basis saying, ‘You need to floss longer.’” Jennifer Lopez also debunked the myth that her backside was insured for $27 million, calling the notion “ridiculous” during an interview with James Corden.
The phenomenon of insuring celebrity body parts often straddles the line between genuine financial protection and clever marketing. While some policies are real and serve a practical purpose, many others are crafted for publicity, playing into the public’s fascination with celebrity culture. Whether legitimate or not, these policies offer a glimpse into the extraordinary lengths celebrities and their handlers will go to protect and promote their most valuable assets.
In the end, while insurance can provide celebrities with a safety net, it seems the legends surrounding these policies are just as valuable in keeping the public entertained. After all, in the world of entertainment, sometimes the story is worth more than the reality.
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