Hollywood's legendary dancer Fred Astaire had his legs insured for $1 million (Dh3.67 million), Liberace's hands were covered for the same figure and Mick Jagger had his lips insured while his Rolling Stones mate Keith Richards' guitar strumming fingertips were worth $2 million.
Another Hollywood hearthrob, Burt Reynolds, took out a policy protecting his chest hair, restaurateur Egon Ronay his taste buds, and movie comic Jimmy "Snozzle" Durante had nose covered while flamenco dancer Jose Greco insured against his tight pants splitting.
All this leads me to the latest wacky insurance cover ... Grand Prix driver Fernando Alonso's thumbs. Yes, his THUMBS.
They are now officially worth $15 million. That's $7.5 million for each one.
That's almost a parallel for an internationally famous model who took out a "happiness" policy giving her a payback if she developed wrinkling worry lines on her priceless face.
Former double champ Alonso goes to homeland Spain for this Sunday's fifth round confident in the knowledge that Santander, co-incidentally part sponsors of his Ferrari team, have got his digits covered.
In a suitably serious tone a spokesman for the Spanish company who, by the way did not cover Jennifer Lopez's rear end or Flavio Briatore's model ex-girlfriend Heidi Klum's and Jamie Lee Curtis's luscious legs, explained their safety move.
"Fernando's thumbs are a major symbol as, apart from being essential when driving a Formula One car, they represent a sign of victory and as a message to the pitwall that all is under control and well protected," said Santander.
"I never thought about my thumbs in that way," said the Spanish flyer, "they were ... well ... just there. Now I know their real value."
What next? Cover against ringmaster Bernie Ecclestone's rare smile, champion Jenson Button's scruffy beard, Michael Schumacher registering a comeback win without looking smug or Sebastien Vettel's goofy grin?
The author is an expert on motorsport based in England.
