When some people think of inground fibreglass pools they think long, lazy afternoons spent dipping and sunning. When others think of inground pools they think liability. While no one wants to be the one that puts the kibosh on the fun the fact is those liability-conscious folks have a point. Or do they? While you definitely need to approach the installation of an inground pool with safety up front, stories of outrageous insurance requirements may not be worth the web page they’re printed on.
Insurance Coverage and Pool Installation: Some Facts
There are those who will be scared off from inground pool installation because they’ve heard tales they’ll need to carry $10,000,000 or more in liability coverage. But is that the case? Let’s start by asking a couple of simple questions.
- Does my current homeowner’s insurance cover a pool? – In most cases, yes. The typical homeowners policy will cover a pool. However, if you decide to install an inground pool you should tell your insurance agent anyway. What they’ll usually do is suggest you review your policy to determine whether you believe your current coverage to be sufficient.
- How do I know if my current coverage is sufficient? – A typical homeowner’s policy will provide for $100,000 in liability coverage. If you decide to install a pool some insurance companies will suggest you increase that amount to $250,000 or $500,000. Others suggest the $100,000 in liability coverage will be just fine if you take certain steps to mitigate risk.
Steps You Can Take to Secure Your Pool and Reduce Risks
- Property fence – If your Toronto yard is not currently fenced in you may save yourself a lot of headaches in the long run if you install a property fence as part of the pool installation. This will not only cut down on neighborhood kids trying to catch a quick dip it will also keep deer and other animals from accidentally falling into your pool.
- Pool fence – A second fence around the pool will provide that extra level of protection that will help reduce your liability. Tempered glass fences with locking gates are particularly popular because they let you secure the pool area when no one is using it while also allowing you a clear view of the pool while the kids are swimming.
- Pool covers – Pool covers are an additional measure that won’t interfere with anyone’s fun but will help prevent accidents when the pool’s not in use. Pool covers come in a wide range of safety-first designs; from manual covers that attach to the deck via spring-loaded clips, to fully automatic hard covers that open and close at the push of a button.
- Miscellaneous steps you can take – Pool safety can be enhanced further by taking a few more non-intrusive steps including:
- Keeping life preservers handy in case of emergency.
- Clearly marking the depth of the deep and shallow ends.
- Making sure drains and vacuum outlet covers are always firmly in place.
If you own a pool or are planning to go ahead with a pool installation keeping a lid on insurance costs is really a matter of recognizing the dangers the inground pool represents and implementing the above steps to mitigate those risks.
Seabreeze Pools are the Toronto area’s premier fibreglass pool installation and maintenance company. If you’re thinking of installing a swimming pool in your yard give us a ring and talk to one of our fibreglass pool experts about what’s involved. They can help dispel a lot of myths for you, including the one that says you’ll need $10,000,000 in homeowner liability coverage.