10 movies that insurance companies hate

When we go to see our next favorite superhero movies in theaters, we rarely think about the "technical side" of things. Like—how can superheroes fight crime in the blink of an eye but seemingly not work full-time jobs to afford basic necessities like rent and groceries? What kind of property insurance would a secret spy agency have? Could a villain insure their evil lair? As you may know, insurers calculate premiums based on risk. The more likely you are to make a claim, the higher your premiums will be. Your premiums can also be influenced by the amount of coverage you have, your location, your personal demographics, and more. Chances are, if you regularly fight crime, your insurance company might be a little hesitant to insure you. Here's a list of 10 movies that insurance companies hate.

1. The Avengers

The famous and intelligent Tony Stark may be wealthy, but the amount of property damage caused by the Avengers throughout their films would likely be far greater than his net worth. Would your homeowners insurance cover you if your property were destroyed in the middle of an otherworldly battle between Earth's superheroes and an alien invasion? It might not. A common property coverage exclusion is "loss caused by a governmental or public authority." If the damage was caused by the aliens themselves, it might still not be covered because "acts of war" are generally also excluded.

2. Fast & Furious (all)

The "Fast & Furious" film franchise is essentially what its name suggests—fast and furious. The movies are largely composed of flashy vehicles, extreme stunts, and street racing. Both street racing and stunt driving are considered incredibly dangerous, and being caught doing them can result in losing your license, receiving a hefty fine, and even jail time. Insurance claims due to street racing stunts or incidents would not be covered, and a conviction for street racing/stunt driving can significantly increase your premiums. This offense could remain on your record for up to three years, during which time you would be classified as a high-risk driver.

3. Dennis the Menace

Dennis the Menace features a mischievous five-year-old boy who foils a home invasion with his antics. During the attempted robbery, the film's villain tries to steal Dennis's antique coins. Your property insurance covers theft up to the limits specified in your policy. However, higher-value items such as collectibles—or antique coins—may require separate listings due to their higher value, and in some cases, you may need to purchase a separate jewelry endorsement to include coverage for valuables.

4. Godzilla

Godzilla is another classic monster movie that features a gigantic, 335-foot lizard stomping through densely populated San Francisco and destroying everything in sight. Many insurance policies could come into play with an event as big as a monstrous lizard destroying a city. Businesses could be destroyed—in which case business interruption would be critical—but so could homes, apartment buildings, and condominiums. It gets a little confusing figuring out if the damage would be covered. If your property were destroyed as a result of an explosion or fire caused by the attack, it would be covered. But earthmoving, acts of war, and "infestations" are generally not covered. In this case, it could be a problem for many homeowners.

5. The Purge

This horror film features a "what if" twist where, for one night each year, all crime is legal. In 2013's The Purge, a family tries to survive the night by locking themselves inside their home. Criminal activity isn't covered by your homeowners insurance, even if you're unaware that anything illegal is happening on your property. However, things get a little murky in a situation where crime is "legal"—even if it only lasts 12 hours. What about life insurance? If the "Purge" were a real thing, chances are it would be an extremely expensive endorsement or completely excluded from coverage.

6. Baby driver

Baby Driver, a 2017 action film starring a tinnitus-stricken hit-and-run driver, features car chases—lots of them. How would car insurance work for a film like Baby Driver? The film's star is a young man, and that alone might put him in a position to have much higher premiums than a more experienced, older driver. However, he uses multiple cars in the film—and he uses them to transport "clients" to and from various criminal activities. He speeds, hits other cars, runs red lights, and so on—so he could be a pretty tough candidate to insure, even if he were able to keep his license.

7. Transformers

The Transformers from the famous action film franchise are living, human-like robots that can disguise themselves as ordinary vehicles. Throughout the films, their battles wreak havoc on businesses and properties, generally causing a great deal of damage. Suffice it to say, insuring a Transformer would be extremely difficult—they may not qualify for life insurance because they are not technically human, and obtaining insurance for a modified vehicle from any auto insurance company can be tedious—if not impossible, given the extent of the Transformers' unique features and modifications.

8. Titanic

The historic Titanic, which sank in April 1912, was insured for what would be roughly equivalent to $133 million in today's dollars, and its insurance company was able to absorb the massive loss. The film details the loss of the Titanic and the devastation caused by its sinking. What the film didn't cover was the sheer volume of claims passengers would have had to file for their personal belongings and cargo—ranging from a genuine, hand-bound book of poetry adorned with over 1,000 precious stones to basic clothing and luggage. Claims for the belongings would have totaled approximately $9.42 million.

9. The War of the Worlds

In Wells's original version of The War of the Worlds, aliens invade the English countryside and cause massive devastation. Not only would this wreak havoc on local businesses, homes, and vehicles, but when Spielberg remade the film in 2005, the setting was moved to New Jersey—where property taxes are much higher. If an alien invasion caused devastation through explosion or fire, the unfortunate residents inside The War of the Worlds might be covered. Here again, it gets confusing because this could constitute an act of war, which is generally excluded from most homeowners insurance policies. Finally, any damage resulting from government action protecting Earth from aliens would also not be covered.

10. Body Thieves

The 1993 science fiction film featuring "pod people" aliens stealing human bodies raises interesting questions about life insurance. Common exclusions for life insurance policies can include acts of war, dangerous activities, and suicide. If an alien invasion could be considered an act of war, you might not have coverage for body theft. A more "realistic" and legitimate threat that exists—and for which you can be insured—is another form of body theft known as identity theft. This is a coverage plan that can be offered as part of a homeowners insurance policy and can protect you against cases of identity theft or fraud.