SOUTH SIDE - Lloyd's of London has insured Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's name for $1.50, officials said today. The announcement came shortly after the company had insured fellow teammate Troy Polamalu's hair for $1 million.
"Mr. Roethlisberger approached us late last year about us insuring him," chief executive Robert Brenneman said from London. "Our initial estimate was that his good name was worth at least $5 million. After all, he'd won two football championships - or at least what you Yanks call football."
"But then he was accused of rape," Brenneman continued, "and his stock went way, way down. I'm just glad our risk management people had delayed the contract - we would have taken a bath on that one."
But Lloyd's will not shy away from all the Steelers. "Casey Hampton, no. Jeff Reed, probably not. But we'd be more than happy to cover Hines Ward or Aaron Smith. And if Troy wants us to insure any or all other body parts, we'd definitely do that for him."
