A swimming pool can boost your property value and give your family countless hours of summer fun, but it does come with higher risks. If a child or anyone else is hurt on your property, you could be held personally liable for their losses, and covered events might damage your pool. Knowing whether your homeowners insurance policy includes your pool will help ensure you have the coverage you need and prevent unpleasant surprises later.

Homeowners Insurance & Swimming Pools

Protection Against Liability Suits

Swimming pools are considered “attractive nuisances” because they can draw in children who might get hurt. In most cases, your homeowner’s insurance may cover any injuries suffered by visitors, but you may want to check your policy limits.

The standard homeowners insurance policy includes $100,000 in liability coverage, but this may not be enough to cover a serious injury to a child. To ensure your assets are protected, you may want to speak to your agent about increasing your limits to $300,000 or more.

Protecting Your Pool From Damage

Most homeowners insurance policies will pay for any damage your pool sustains from a serious storm or another covered event, but whether you have enough coverage depends on your insurer’s policies. Some consider the pool to be part of the home, so make sure your policy is based on the full replacement cost of both.

On the other hand, your insurer might list your pool as an extra structure, much like a garden shed. In this case, you should check with your agent to ensure you have sufficient coverage since the standard policy only covers extraneous structures up to 10% of the full value of the home.

For over 25 years, Fritch Insurance Inc. has helped homeowners throughout southeast Nebraska and northeast Kansas protect the items that matter most. As an independent agency, they work with several of the area’s top carriers, giving them an almost limitless range of options to choose from. Visit their website or call (402) 223-3312 to request a homeowners insurance quote today, and follow their Facebook for more tips and professional insight.  Amanda Fritch & Lillian Fritch are here to help you make sure you understand your coverage while making sure you have what you need for your unique situation.  Call today for a free no obligation quote!