Summertime is here and we all plan to hit the pool! (If you’re not planning on it now, go ahead and plan on it.)
Being a homeowner with a pool is a great addition to our property for some wonderful fun and memories, but there is also a great amount of liability.
Think through your circumstances or those you know, and how you can better understand the risks and minimize poolside dangers.
Statistics About Risk Exposure
- Adolescents between 15-24 & children under 5 are most at risk of drowning.
- More than 5,000 children are hospitalized due to unintentional drowning incidents each year.
- 9 people per day die from drowning in the United States.
Don’t allow your family to be a statistic. A pool is a very dangerous addition to your home and requires you to work hard to keep it safe.
Classic Story Of: Homeowners Insurance Policy Meets Swimming Pool
In the most generic terms, your home insurance policy provides coverage for two things: (1) Damage to your home and other structures on the premises, and (2) Liability protection in the circumstance that somebody files a lawsuit against you.
Because of the risks involved in owning a pool you are much more at risk of being sued. Your liability has drastically increased.
You can increase your liability coverage either by:
- Purchasing higher liability coverage on your existing limits.
- Purchasing a stand alone liability insurance policy (different from your homeowners’ policy)
Additional liability coverage doesn’t take more effort than a simple phone call to your independent insurance agent, and is inexpensive to add. (If you increase liability coverage from $100,000 to $300,000 it would cost nearly an extra $50 of annual premium.)
To purchase a stand alone policy, also known as a Personal Umbrella Liability Policy, our insurance agents add an umbrella to your coverage.
You must recognize as a homeowner you are 100% liable for anything that happens in or around your pool. It is necessary to increase your liability limits to handle the added risk exposure. Many insurance companies hesitate to write homes with pools, because the risk is so great.
Safety Tips To Avoid Home Pool Accidents and Injuries
Southern States Insurance understands your excitement of having a pool and the warm weather returning. You likely already have taken a plunge and have a couple of pool parties scheduled. You must never forget the statistics showing the rate of accidents in households with swimming pool to be very high. Don’t get too comfortable! Make these safety tips a common practice for all members of your family!
- Access to the pool should be controlled, either by cover or by gate. This is the best way to prevent unknown pool activity.
- Be sure anti-entrapment drain covers are federally compliant.
- Neer let children swim unsupervised
- Have a phone easily accessible to everyone. Many homes are with out land-lines and cellphones are often left inside in fear of pool waters causing damage. Plan accordingly.
- Do not be in or near pool if you have had too much alcohol.
- Install non-slick surfaces around pool area.
- Never let anyone swim alone.
It is important to never become complacent with pool safety, although very acceptable for pool enjoyment. Make the proper safety adjustments to your home pool and then get in and relax.
Southern States Insurance Wishes All Homeowners With a Pool A Happy and Safe Summer!
Our Georgia insurance agency loves the summertime and we love to help our customers succeed.
If you’ve ever wondered about the quality of your insurance, we can answer any of your questions and help you better understand your insurance. The easiest way to reach us is through the free insurance quote form at the top of the page.
Have a great summer by the pool! Stay safe!