INSURANCE “RISKS.”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19996, 13 January 1927, Page 6

INSURANCE “RISKS.”

SOME STRANGE POLICIES

THE CHANCE OF TWINS,

Insurance, business has widened its field in all directions since the days wheu fire, burglary, accident, and life policies engrossed the sole attention of the big companies. Nowadays there is practically nothing under the sun against which one cannot insure, and brokers are only too pleased to quote a premium Cor any risk, however grotesque it may appear, that one cares to name. A famous writer of detective stories was recently much troubled because ho felt that if his imagination failed his means of livelihood would be taken away. He went along to Lloyd's about it, and the consequence is that, in consideration for a reasonable yearly sum, he will receive some thousands of pounds should his “flair” for fiction writing suddenly leave him. Scores and scores of other authors have insured themselves against attacks of writer’s cramp. Every day at Lloyd’s people are insured against the risk of their having twins. Premiums vary according to whether such occurrences run in the family or not. Strikes, earthquakes, and revolutions arc events which may ruin a good many businesses, and there arc hundreds of policies now in existence covering people aga’nst loss through such causes. It is quite a common thing for leading actors and actresses to insure against losing their complexions or limbs, while one comedian is even said to have insured his red nose for a large amount. During recent years quite a lot of business has been done by insurance brokers in “weather” policies. In the event of there being more then a certain number of rainy days in the course of a fortnight or month’s holiday, a big percentage of the total expenses of the holidaymaker will be refunded. It would come as a surprise to most people to know how many young men and women insure themselve agaiut middleaged baldness, or other infirmity or affliction. One Lloyd’s firm recently offered to insure a man against a visit from his mother-in-law. Another client, who was in the habit of dining well but not too wisely, took out a policy to cover his possible illness after a banquet which he was attending!