Some billionaires keep a low profile and quietly enjoy their money, and others maintain a high one. Richard Branson falls into the second group, with his aggressive 'Virgin' branding of everything from trains to soda, and his repeated attempts to float around the world on a balloon. Perhaps seeing the negatives that have sometimes come with that level of media intrusion, his daughter Holly Branson has opted to stay out of the limelight, instead qualifying as a doctor.
While she's maintained her medical qualification, she's also come around to the idea of using her $4bn fortune to do some good. She's taken on a role within the Virgin Group Leadership team, which investigates potential routes for the corporate giant to pursue charitable work and build communities. She credits her dad with her altruistic outlook, saying that he always told her that a good business should improve the lives of ordinary people.
To insure one’s house, one’s car or to underwrite a life insurance policy, that is common practice. But who would pay an insurance premium for his/her thumb, legs or smile? Stars, of course.
At the top of the ranking are the legs of Mariah Carey, worth 810 million USD: The diva became, in 2006, the Gillette brand muse for the advertising campaign «Legs of a Goddess». She then took out an insurance policy with London Lloyds to protect her legs, a decision that is far from being insignificant. Among its customers, the London insurer then included several icons of music, such as Bob Dylan or Rod Stewart.
David Beckham’s body insured for 195 million USD: European champion with Manchester United in 1999, David Beckham was in 2006 the most renowned footballer of the planet. In relation to his sporting activities, he took out an insurance cover for his legs. The huge amount paid for his insurance would reportedly exceed the 103 million USD disbursed by Real Madrid for the cover of Christiano Ronaldo in 2009. The fashion model would later extend his insurance cover to his entire body.
15 million USD in insurance for Kim Kardashian’s curves: The curves of Kim Kardashian are her number one beauty asset. The reality TV star, who is crazy about plastic surgery, has underwritten an insurance policy worth 15 million USD to protect her famous butt.
The culinary critic Egon Ronay assured his taste buds: The famous Hungarian culinary critic has insured his taste buds since 1957, for the amount of 400 000 USD. An original insurance policy which allows him to cover his sense of taste without which he will no longer be able to practice his job.