Policies for celebrity parts: Mariah Carey insured her legs for how much?!

If you want to make sure your car is repaired after a car crash, you get auto insurance. If you want to make sure your loved ones are taken care of in case you died, you get life insurance.

And so it is for the beautiful people: They sing. They dance. They act. And if fame and fortune have come on account of a certain asset, they get it insured. In some cases, they insure parts that aren’t necessarily related to their talent.

Dolly Parton’s breasts. Mariah Carey’s legs. Troy Polamalu’s hair. David Lee Roth’s, uh, family jewels.

With the Academy Awards coming up Feb. 27, 2011, InsuranceQuotes.com presents a head-to-toe list of some of the more notable body parts of A-List – and even B-List and D-List — celebrities that have been insured over the years.

Hair

Troy Polamalu, the Samoan superstar for the Pittsburgh Steelers, has a $1 million policy with Lloyd’s of London on his locks, estimated to be 3 feet long. The policy was purchased by Procter & Gamble, which pays Polamalu to appear in Head & Shoulders shampoo ads.

Eyes

In the early 20th century, one of the more accomplished actors was Ben Turpin, a cross-eyed comedian whose best work came in silent films. He became so known for his eyes that he took out a $25,000 insurance policy, payable if his eyes ever became uncrossed.

Nose

Jimmy Durante, an actor in the 1960s film “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World,” was famous for his big nose — so much so that the man known simply as “The Great Schnozzola” had his schnoz insured for $440,000.

Vocal cords

If he can’t belt out the lyrics to “Born in the U.S.A.,” singer Bruce Springsteen may be entitled to a $6 million insurance payout. The Boss’ policy covers his vocal cords. Likewise, singer Rod Stewart can lean on a $6 million policy if the lights are turned out on “Tonight’s the Night.”

Mouth

America Ferrera, star of the now-canceled TV show “Ugly Betty,” has the most expensive smile in show business — literally. Ferrera endorses Aquafresh White Trays, which took out a $10 million insurance policy on her pearly whites.

Others whose valuable mouths are insured include coffee taster Gennaro Pelliccia ($20 million), Dreyer’s Ice Cream taster John Harrison ($1 million), and wine tasters Robert Parker ($1 million) and Angela Mount ($16 million).

Beard

With his white hair and flowing white beard, Brady White of Pawtucket, R.I., looks like the Santa Claus we all grew up watching on television specials. In fact, White has traveled much of the world to portray the North Pole character since 1969. One of his annual stops is the famed Macy’s department store in the heart of Manhattan. His beard is so authentic that it’s been insured by Lloyd’s for an undisclosed amount.

Chest hair

Tom Jones reportedly insured his famous – and wooly – chest hair for $7 million. But the crooner later denied the claim. However, Lloyd’s of London does sell such a policy. Under Lloyd’s terms, the policyholder would have to lose more than 85 percent of his chest hair through an injury, with the amount of hair loss being confirmed by a panel of trichologists (otherwise known as hair specialists).

Breasts

Dolly Parton. 40DD. $300,000 each. ‘Nuff said.

Hands

“American Idol” judge Jennifer Lopez denies she purchased a policy for her posterior.

Keith Richards, the legendary guitarist for Rolling Stones, was so worried that he’d injure his middle finger while riffing that he insured his hands for $2 million.

Buttocks

“American Idol” judge Jennifer Lopez was rumored to have insured her gluteus maximus for $27 million. Or was it $1 billion? No one ever figured out how much. After news of Lopez’s, uh, indemnified posterior went viral, Lopez denied she had underwritten her famous backside or any other parts of her body. Still, this begs the question: How much is a booty worth?

Sperm

David Lee Roth, frontman for rock group Van Halen, insured his sperm for $1 million. The policy was said to have been purchased to shield him in the event of a paternity suit — just in case he got “Hot for Teacher.”

Legs

These are the body parts that are insured by more celebrities than any other. Fred Astaire ($75,000), singer Rihanna ($1 million), model Heidi Klum ($2.2 million), actresses Betty Grable ($1.2 million) and Jamie Lee Curtis ($2.8 million) and singer Tina Turner ($3.2 million) are among Hollywood’s leg-insured legends.

But the most expensive set of legs belongs to songstress Mariah Carey. If anything tragic should happen to her shapely limbs, Carey would cash in on a cool $1 billion.

–Kevin Lyons