This is one of the most common - and complicated - questions insurance agents hear, and unfortunately, it depends on your policy. Different types of home insurance cover pools differently, and some don’t cover them at all!
How homeowners insurance applies to pools
While pools are generally intended for fun and recreation, they can also be a tremendous liability if someone gets hurt. Aside from increasing your personal liability exposure, pools are also expensive to maintain and repair. While there’s no universal answer to whether pools are covered by insurance, it’s nearly always true that they’re expensive.
Insurance companies are well aware of this. They take both personal liability and structural liability into account when deciding whether to insure a home with a pool. Depending on your insurance company, your swimming pool may be classified as:
- Part of your home’s structure, which is covered by Coverage A.
- An unattached structure, which falls under Coverage B in a home insurance policy.
- Personal property, which is covered by Coverage C.
But this is only true for specific types of home insurance. If you have an HO1, HO2, or HO8, chances are your pool isn’t covered. However, if you have an HO3 or HO5 homeowners policy, you may have coverage for your pool.
Coverage options for the structure of your pool vary because each state has different weather patterns. Hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, and earthquakes can affect pools differently, which is why it’s irresponsible to make blanket statements about coverage for home pools.
You also want to know how your personal liability is covered if you have a pool. Personal liability insurance covers harm you cause other people and their property. Considering the increased risk of injury that comes with owning a pool, you’ll definitely want to dig into the specifics of this coverage.
You should know that this personal liability coverage does not protect the pool itself, so it doesn’t pay to repair physical damage to either above-ground or in-ground pools. Moreover, homeowners insurance in Florida typically doesn’t cover applicants with slides or diving boards (this is also true for Kin).
Again, each state and insurance company has different protocols.
Does Kin’s home insurance cover pools?
Our home insurance does cover pools as part of your dwelling coverage, or Coverage A, whether they are in-ground or above-ground pools.
We do have a few requirements. For instance, your pool:
- Can’t have a slide or diving board.
- Must have at least a four-foot fence with a locking gate surrounding it.
- Has to be filled.
Our policies also cover your liability in case there’s an accident in or around your pool. You should note, however, that leaks are usually only covered when they’re caused by a covered peril, such as a fire or windstorm. Most leaks are the result of wear and tear, which is seldom covered by home insurance.
Are pool cages covered by insurance?
It depends. If damage is caused by something other than a hurricane, and the pool cage is attached to your home, then yes, it may be covered under your dwelling coverage. However, if there is a hurricane, many insurance companies (including Kin) exclude coverage for cages because they are not designed to withstand a hurricane.
We know pool cages are expensive, so one option is to purchase a hurricane screen enclosure endorsement. This generally costs $100 per $10,000 of coverage and still requires the homeowner to pay a deductible. To keep expenses low in the event of a hurricane, consider a 1% hurricane deductible, if possible. This way there is less out-of-pocket expense in the event of serious hurricane damage.
Lastly, if you do have a pool, regardless of where you live, it’s worth considering extra personal liability coverage. Before you think you can’t afford it, here’s a little perspective: for every $100,000 of personal liability, premiums rise about $10 annually. That’s less than $1 per month to receive $100,000 extra coverage if someone is injured in and around your pool.
Does home insurance cost more with a pool?
Pools are considered attractive nuisances, which is a term that describes things that seem like a lot of fun, but that also come with a ton of risk. Insurance companies have to account for that risk, as well as the possibility that damage might occur to the pool itself. Long story short? You may end up with a higher premium than you would if you didn’t have a pool.
Does homeowners insurance cover pool cracks?
Pool cracks may be covered if the cracks result from a peril already covered by your homeowner's insurance policy. Some examples of common covered perils include:
Does homeowners insurance cover pool collapse?
Swimming pools can collapse for any number of reasons, such as a buildup of rain or ice, poor installation, or failure to make repairs. Unfortunately, these events are usually not covered by a homeowners policy. In fact, most home insurance doesn’t cover most pool collapses.
