Summer has arrived! The warm weather brings a plethora of outdoor activities — but some of them might impact your liability coverage.Namely: trampolines and swimming pools.In the insurance world, these things are referred to as attractive nuisances. That means that they can draw people to their location whether the homeowner is home or not. And with additional people comes additional exposure and risk.
There are a few things to discuss if you have a swimming pool or might be considering putting one in. In general, most carriers do not charge an additional premium for the swimming pool itself. They may have some underwriting guidelines that need to be followed in order to have the carrier insure the pool, but they will not charge an additional premium.For above-ground pools, the carriers might require a fenced yard or a locking gate/ladder, or both. The idea behind all of these is that someone must get through a locked gate or hop a fence to get to the pool.In-ground pools usually require a fence and locking gate around the pool itself. It is the same concept as the above-ground pool — they want to make sure that someone cannot just walk right into the pool. In-ground pools might also have a slide and diving board, which can be difficult insurance risks. Some carriers might not cover them at all or might charge an additional premium for the exposure. The underwriting for the boards and slides revolves around the depth of the water in the pool where the slide and/or board are located, the age of any kids in the home, and so on.
Trampolines are another concern. Carriers range from an absolute "no" on trampolines to some coverage if they have a net. For the most part, it is difficult to obtain coverage for a trampoline without a net. With a net, some carriers will provide coverage. Because of the high risk, carriers that provide coverage will likely do so with increased rates.A local orthopedic surgeon shared with us that four of every ten kids that he saw with a broken bone came from trampolines. They are the definition of an attractive nuisance in the insurance world. We see all kinds of loss: broken feet and arms on kids, hips and knees for parents and grandparents, and so on. They are very fun, but also can increase your liability exposure.
If you have any of these things and would like to discuss your insurance options with an agent, please give us a call. Thank you for allowing us to insure your families!
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