Down Under: President Obama gets insurance for crocodile attack

Kevin Lyons

President Obama made his first visit to Australia as president to announce enhancement of U.S. military ties with the Land Down Under. As with any trip he takes, Obama had all kinds of security measures in place.

President Obama’s $50,000 crocodile insurance policy.

But for this excursion, the president was insured against a crocodile attack, which actually is not a rare occurrence in Australia.

In the event “44″ was gobbled up by a croc in the land of Crocodile Dundee, insurer TIO guaranteed it would pay $50,000 to Obama’s estate.

Upon receiving the policy, Obama made a health insurance joke.

“I was just presented with the most unique gift I’ve ever received as president — crocodile insurance,” Obama said. “My wife, Michelle, will be relieved.” He added: “I have to admit that when we reformed health care in America, crocodile insurance is one thing we left out.”

TIO CEO Richard Harding says his company was “excited to be issuing one of these policies for President Obama as a memento of his time in the Territory.”

The insurance policy was framed and presented Nov. 17, 2011, to Obama during his visit to Darwin, which is in Australia’s Northern Territory.

The policy costs $10 annually, but Obama was covered for free.

Writers of The Obama Diary blog made light of the insurance in a Nov. 15 post.