Freak Insurances.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 16 October 1914, Page 8

Freak Insurances.

Of late years, especially in London, it has become quite common for gifted people—beauties, musicians, artists, and so forth—to insure separately those parts of their anatomy on which their success depends. An American actress, for example, who was recently appearing at a London theatre, insured" her eyes, upon whose power of fascination she relied very largely for her effects, for £-6,000. Similarly, Caruso has his voice heavily insured, whilst the hands of Pnderewski, the great pianist:, are said to be insured for something like £50,000. Many artists of course, insure their hands, and not long ago a noted scientist, on account of the heavy strain imposed by research work on his eyes, decided to insure his vision, despite the high premium demanded. Countless "freak" insurances also have been effected. To take a. case in point—a certain erstwhile society beauty, terrified lest her nose, which is at once her pride and crowning glory, should be damaged in a motor accident, has for ten years past regularly been paying an extravagant premium in order that she may, at least, get some compensation if a "road-hog" or unforeseen occurrence mar her beauty.