While most people purchase insurance to protect their homes, cars, and health, a fascinating corner of the insurance market caters to unusual, bizarre, and sometimes seemingly absurd risks. From celebrity body parts to alien abductions, these strange-but-real policies reveal just how creative the insurance industry can be when presented with unique risks.

Celebrity Body Part Insurance

Perhaps the most famous category of unusual insurance involves celebrities insuring specific body parts essential to their careers:

• Jennifer Lopez reportedly insured her derrière for $27 million
• Keith Richards' hands are insured for $1.6 million
• Heidi Klum's legs were insured for $2 million, with one leg valued higher than the other due to a small scar
• America Ferrera had her smile insured for $10 million as part of a Crest toothpaste promotion
• Bruce Springsteen's voice is reportedly insured for $6 million

While these policies might seem like publicity stunts, they represent genuine financial risk management for celebrities whose physical attributes are integral to their brand and earning potential.

Alien Abduction Insurance

Since the 1990s, several insurance companies have offered policies covering alien abduction. One London-based insurer has reportedly sold over 30,000 such policies, typically paying out around $1-$10 million if the policyholder can prove they were abducted by extraterrestrials.

The verification process is, understandably, challenging. Most policies require evidence such as passing a lie detector test and providing a third-party witness or physical evidence of the abduction. To date, no claims have been successfully paid out.

A Florida man made headlines when he purchased a $10 million alien abduction policy and then attempted to claim he had been abducted multiple times. The insurer denied the claim, citing lack of evidence, leading to an unusual lawsuit that was eventually dismissed.

Wedding Insurance With Unusual Clauses

While wedding insurance itself is commonplace, some companies offer riders covering highly specific catastrophes:

• Cold Feet Coverage: Pays out if the bride or groom backs out
• Wedding Dress Disaster Protection: Specific coverage if the dress is damaged or lost
• In-Law Invasion Insurance: Covers costs if future in-laws take over wedding planning against the couple's wishes
• Weather Catastrophe: One policy specifically covers the couple if a tornado lifts them into the air during their ceremony

Virgin Birth Insurance

In 1999, a British insurance company made headlines by offering "Immaculate Conception Insurance." For an annual premium of £100, the policy would pay £1 million if the policyholder gave birth to the next messiah.

The policy was eventually discontinued after religious groups protested, calling it blasphemous. The company's founder defended it, stating: "It's not poking fun at the religious aspect, it's providing comfort for those who may be worried about this happening to them."

Multiple Birth Coverage

With the rise of fertility treatments, some insurers now offer "multiple birth insurance" for parents concerned about having twins, triplets, or more. These policies help cover the extra costs associated with multiple babies—from additional cribs and car seats to the long-term expenses of raising multiple children simultaneously.

One British couple who conceived naturally made headlines when they collected on their twins insurance policy, having taken out coverage at odds of 10,000 to 1.

Paranormal Activity Insurance

Several insurers offer coverage against haunted houses, possession, or negative psychic events. One policy in the UK covers "psychic or telekinetic damage to home contents," while another pays out if the policyholder is killed or permanently disabled by a ghost or poltergeist.

A historic theater in England made news when it took out insurance against "audience death by fright" during particularly scary performances. The policy would cover legal damages if someone literally died of fear while watching a show.

Lottery Winner Insurance

Some companies offer employers insurance against staff members winning the lottery and quitting en masse. If multiple employees win a shared jackpot and leave, the policy covers recruitment and training costs for replacement staff.

A small factory in England successfully claimed on such a policy when seven employees won £8 million in a syndicate and all resigned within days of each other.

The Business of Bizarre Insurance

While these policies might seem like novelties, they represent a legitimate business approach to unique risk management challenges. Lloyd's of London, famous for underwriting unusual risks, has a dedicated team for evaluating extraordinary insurance requests.

"What seems bizarre to the public often makes perfect financial sense to the insured party," explains one underwriter specializing in unique policies. "If your livelihood depends on a specific attribute or circumstance, insuring against its loss is just prudent business planning—no matter how unusual the risk might seem."