We live in deeply uncertain economic times. It's been a hard few years for the global economy with recessions, countries going bankrupt, major banks disappearing off the map and surprises around every corner. Even now, stock markets and traders are watching nervously to see how Brexit impacts markets across the world.
With banks unwilling to lend and lines of credit harder to find than ever, more and more well-known businesses are suddenly finding themselves under pressure. Household names that have featured on the storefronts of our main streets for decades face the sudden and unexpected threat of bankruptcy and extinction.
In some cases, their struggles have been played out publicly, with their ultimate salvation or failure happening under the gaze of the public. In others, you never had any idea there was a problem at all. Here are thirty companies who've stared bankruptcy in the face, and you never even knew about it!
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.