The addition of a swimming pool can totally change the profile of a home. Pools add an oasis of fun and refreshment that can make a home the go-to destination for all summer gatherings. There are plenty of benefits to getting a pool, but the presence of a pool may bring about some worry as well. How will insurance cover it? What if someone gets hurt? Hopefully, this will help to make sense of insurance regarding swimming pools.
How is my pool covered under my policy? Is it part of my dwelling coverage or other structures?
To put it simply, yes. Your pool will be covered on your homeowner's policy. It may not always be easy to tell if the coverage falls under your dwelling or other structures limit, but there will be some level of coverage for it.
Dwelling (Coverage A) and Other Structures (Coverage B) are the two coverages on your home insurance policy that cover structures on the property, Your Dwelling coverage is the coverage for the structure of the main home, and your Other Structures coverage is coverage for any other structures on the property. There are a number of factors that play a part in which of these two coverages a pool will be covered. Some carriers will cover pools under the Dwelling amount, while some will cover them under the Other Structures depending on the type and location of the pool. Factors in this decision can include:
- Is the pool connected to the main foundation of the home by a consistent concrete path?
- Is there a screened enclosure around the pool that connects to the home?
- Is there a pool house or other structure that connects to the pool?
It is very important that you always disclose to your agent or insurance provider that you have a pool. Both Coverage A and B have limits that are based on the value of the structures on the property. If the agent is unaware that there is a pool, they may not increase coverage to account for it. Remember, to cover the pool in one of these two coverages, inform your agent to maximize available coverage under your policy, and always remember to properly maintain your pool.
What if I have a Diving Board and Slide?
Be sure to let your agent or insurance provider know if you have a slide or diving board on your pool. Some carriers do not accept these features, so neglecting to disclose this info can lead to a premature cancellation of your insurance policy.
Diving boards and slides can offer a little flare of excitement in comparison to a standard in-ground pool of water. With this flare comes more danger and liability exposure. Pools with diving boards and/or slides create a much higher risk of visitors getting hurt in the pool, and insurance companies know this better than anyone. Part of your home insurance covers your liability if someone is injured on your property, and insurance companies may be a little less willing to accept a home that has pools with a diving board or slide for that reason, but this does not mean that you will have a hard time finding a company to insure these pools. There are plenty of companies out there that will be happy to accept your diving board and slide. No need to worry about these things causing a drastic increase in premium. Most insurance companies look at pools, diving boards, and slides as eligibility factors as opposed to rating factors. This means that they only affect the carrier's decision to accept the home and will typically have little to no effect on the price of the policy.
How do I protect myself from liability with a pool?
Liability is the biggest concern for home insurance companies when it comes to swimming pools. Here are a few things to do that will mitigate your exposure if you have a pool:
- Let your agent or insurance provider know that you have a pool, and if it has a slide or diving board.
- Have a fence with a locking gate.
- Be sure that you have high limits for liability on your homeowner's policy.
A swimming pool is a shining beacon that attracts any and all friends and family members in the heat of the summer. It is all fun and games until somebody gets hurt, and although we do not want to think of the tragedies that can come along with pool ownership, it is important that we take steps to protect ourselves. If someone is to get hurt on your property, they can sue you for their injuries, pain, suffering, lost wages from work, death of a family member, and much more. There is no way to totally prevent bad things from happening, but your homeowner's policy does have a liability limit to cover these things. As mentioned before, you absolutely need to be sure that your insurance company is aware of your pool and its features, because if you are insured with a company that does not accept pools with diving boards, then if someone gets hurt on your diving board, your claim is likely to be declined, leaving you responsible for paying out.
Be sure that your pool is located somewhere that is closed off by a fence. If you have a pool in your backyard and you have a fence around the backyard that locks, this meets the requirement. As a pool owner, it is your responsibility to make it as safe as possible. This includes implementing precautions to limit access from the general public. Most insurance companies will require you to have a fence with a locking gate in order to be eligible for coverage. Be sure to stay on top of the maintenance to the fence to prevent issues. It also may make sense to put up a “No Trespassing” sign for additional protection.
We can take as many precautions as we’d like, but at the end of the day, there is no way around the fact that a pool leaves you with more of a chance of something bad happening than if you did not have a pool. The last and most important defense against backlash from this is your personal liability coverage on your home insurance policy. When it comes to liability coverage, it is usually inexpensive to max the coverage out, so everyone should always opt into the highest liability limit available. As a pool owner, you should take it a step further and ask your insurance provider to provide an umbrella policy to provide coverage for liability claims that surpass the limit on your home insurance.
