Why is pool safety important?

Swimming pool accidents can range from slips and falls and electrocution to brain injury and drowning. Should someone get injured in your pool, you’re liable for the associated medical bills and even a potential lawsuit. This could cost you thousands of dollars out of pocket if you don’t have the right protection in your home insurance policy. It helps to do research and spend the time to <a href="https://www.moneygeek.com/insurance/homeowners/how-to-shop-save-on-homeowners-insurance/">shop for coverage</a> that is best for you. The more you minimize risks in your pool, the less chance you have of facing an expensive and potentially traumatizing accident. Spending a small amount of money up-front can save you large amounts of money in the long run.

What is the best way to remove a pool safety cover?

If your pool cover is not automatic, there’s a method to the madness of safely and successfully removing your cover. Use a garden hose to clean off any debris and a suction hose to remove any standing water. Remove any cover springs or anchors that keep the pool cover in place. Starting at one end of your pool, loosely fold the cover in small sections like an accordion. Never drag your cover out of the pool area. Once it’s completely dry, fold the cover more tightly as many times as possible and store in a place safe from rodents and bugs.

What are the most common pool hazards, and how can you prevent them?

The most common pool hazards happen as a result of slips and falls from children or people walking and running around the pool, electrocution and injury from diving boards, slides or other pool toys. The easiest way to prevent accidents is to install slip-proof materials, such as rubber mats, that will minimize the risks of falling. If you choose to have diving boards and slides in your pool, be sure to go over all safety rules with children before allowing them to play. While electric devices are necessary to operate a pool, any devices within close distance or contact to the water should be connected to a ground fault interrupter or circuit breaker. In addition, any metal near the pool should be bonded with a heavy ground wire loop in order to prevent accidents and injuries.

What type of pool is safest?

The most common types of pools are above-ground pools and in-ground pools. Above-ground pools are typically safer because the risk of slipping and falling on a nearby wet deck is eliminated. However, above-ground pools typically include removable ladders and chairs which can be a safety threat. Ultimately, safety comes down to the preparation and precautions you take as a pool owner. The safest pools are the ones that are properly child-proofed.

How does a pool impact your liability coverage?

Most insurance experts agree that pool owners need to increase liability coverage. The typical homeowner has a liability limit between $100,000 and $300,000 on their policy, but it’s suggested to bump that to $500,000. Should someone get injured in your pool, you could be responsible for all related medical bills as well as a lawsuit if the person decides to sue you for physical and emotional damages. You’re also responsible for any property damage that a guest may experience while accessing your pool. Some experts suggest adding an umbrella policy to your home insurance as the expenses from a liability claim will typically exclude what is included in your standard home insurance policy. If you choose to add an umbrella policy to your insurance, it can cost $200 to $300 a year but get you an additional $1 million in liability coverage.

A Guide to Private Pool Safety, Liability & Insurance

Having a place to swim on your property is likely to add fun and value to your life, but it can also present unforeseen risks, such as drowning. An accident or injury can result in an expensive lawsuit.

Before you dive into building a pool, it’s important to understand safety precautions, how much home insurance coverage you'll need and ways you can protect yourself from any increased liability as a homeowner.

Pool Safety Precautions to Consider

Pools present a number of risks regardless of whether you’re swimming, hanging out on the steps, or not getting in the water at all. In addition to personal precautions you should take, every city and town has its own laws regarding pool safety standards and building codes. Be sure to check them before buying a house with a pool or building your own.

You’ll need to work with your home insurance company to make sure you’re meeting coverage guidelines. Whether required by law or insurance, the following precautions should be taken by all homeowners before and after building a pool:

Installing proper fencing and safety perimeters
Purchasing safety alarms for your home and pool
Keeping your pool chemically balanced
Having an automatic and lockable cover
Understanding your guests’ swimming abilities before allowing them in your pool
Having an emergency rescue plan
Keeping safety equipment easily accessible

An illustration of a young woman sitting in the shade and watching her children to make sure they are safe.

Setting Safety Rules

Whether you are swimming with immediate family members, friends or guests, establishing and implementing rules can help prevent accidents and injuries. The following can help you start creating a list of safety measures:

Set open and close times

Limit when the pool can be used to daylight hours and/or whenever someone is home.

Set diving rules

People love to dive headfirst into a pool, but this is only safe if the pool is deep enough.

Limit running around the pool

Pool decks and surfaces immediately surrounding a pool are some of the most dangerous areas. Prohibit any running, skipping or playing chase near the pool.

Attend to children

Aside from knowing the swimming capabilities of anyone who swims in your pool, never allow children to swim unattended.

Don’t use glass

Broken glass can result in a severe injury. Avoid using glass to prevent any accidents.

Don’t swim alone

Anyone who swims should do so with another person present or nearby.

Properly display your rules

Print out a sign of your pool safety rules and hang it in an easily viewable place near your pool.

MONEYGEEK DISCLAIMER

In the event of a pool accident, get the victim to the hospital immediately. This can reduce the risk of severe damage and life-threatening risks resulting from prolonged submersion or injury.

Type of Safety Equipment to Purchase

A variety of pool safety equipment can be purchased to protect your family and guests, especially children. Follow these steps to have the proper material on hand.

Get a protective cover

Average Cost: $500–$5,000

The best pool covers are automatic and come with a key that should be kept out of the reach of children.

Monitor all entryways

Average Cost: $100–$300

Self-closing and self-latching gates are ideal for all entryways into pool areas.

Fence in your pool

Average Cost: $1,500–$10,000

Even if your yard has a fence, it’s ideal to add a fence around the perimeter of your pool.

Purchase a pool alarm

Average Cost: $60–$150

Pool alarms can protect you by going off if water in the pool is off balance.

Have rescue gear readily available

Average Cost: $50–$500

Keep life vests, ropes, a pole and a kickboard within easy reach.

Provide swimming lessons

Average Cost: $20–$60 per lesson

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that all kids over the age of four know how to swim.

Display safety signage

Average Cost: $50

In a highly visible area, create signs that include pool safety rules.

An illustration of a young man hitting a beach ball with a list of safety concerns behind him.

Common Safety Concerns for Pool Owners

As a pool owner, you will want to ensure that anyone who swims in your pool is having an enjoyable and safe time. If you’ve never owned a pool, however, knowing how to keep your pool safe can feel overwhelming. Here are the most common safety questions.

An illustration of a young woman with a unicorn flotation tube is about to jump into a pool.

Home Insurance and Pool Accidents

Insurance companies consider pools an “attractive nuance” and a liability. Since you are responsible for anyone who swims in your pool whether they have permission to be there or not, adding a pool will impact your home insurance rates.

The good news is that your home insurance will typically provide coverage for your pool in several ways.

First, it will help pay to repair or replace any damage that is done to the pool as a result of covered perils such as fire, wind, storms, theft, vandalism or falling objects. In addition, your included liability coverage will pay for third-party injuries or property damage that may happen at your pool.

Most Common Pool Injuries That Are Covered

The most common pool injuries are typically covered under your home insurance policy. Those include:

Slip and falls
Broken bones
Cuts and bruises
Electrocution

Any injuries that occur as a result of negligence or poor pool maintenance will not be covered. Your home insurance will also only cover guest injuries. If an immediate family member is injured, you’ll need to file a claim with your health insurance.

Liability

Under most state laws, property owners are found liable for child-related pool incidents under the following conditions:

If it’s determined that a pool inherently puts the interests of children at risk
If a pool is determined to be dangerous
If it’s determined that you should have known a pool was dangerous
If you did not take proper precautions to make a pool safe

To receive proper coverage, you’ll most likely need to increase your liability limits. Many insurance experts recommend increasing your limits to $500,000, which could cost an additional $50 to $75 annually, on average. Every insurance company is different, so shopping for the best insurance companies for homes with a pool can help save you money.

In-Ground Pools

In-ground pools are often detached from a home and therefore considered an “other structure” from your house. This type of insurance is referred to as Coverage B, and the policy typically covers 10% of your dwelling coverage. If you have $200,000 in dwelling coverage, your pool would be covered for about $20,000. Note that to properly cover your pool you may need to increase the amount of “other structure” coverage you have on your home insurance policy.

Above-Ground Pools

Above-ground pools are considered part of your personal property coverage through your home insurance policy. This type of coverage is known as Coverage C and has a percentage of coverage for dwellings. Typically, this is between 50–75% of the insurance on your structure. If you have $200,000 of dwelling coverage, then your pool may have upwards of $100,000 in protection.

Expert Advice on Potential Risks

MoneyGeek spoke with a couple of experts on how pool owners can prepare for the potential risks that come with installing a pool.

What should a homeowner consider before installing a pool?
What is one thing that potential pool owners often don't think about when it comes to owning a pool?

Connie Harvey

Director of Aquatics Centennial Initiative, American Red Cross

Sabeena Hickman

President and CEO, Pool and Hot Tub Alliance

Resources for Safety and Maintenance

A variety of resources can help pool owners understand safety, maintenance, insurance and costs. The following sites are a good place to start:

The Pool Safety Resource: This resource provides a comprehensive set of resources for pool owners and parents on swimming lessons, CPR, pool security, barriers, alarm systems and more.
The American Red Cross: The American Red Cross offers an online course on water safety for parents and caregivers which explains how to minimize the risks of drowning for young children. The Red Cross can also help you find CPR certification locations in your city or state and show you where to find swimming lessons in your city and county.
Pool Safely: This site is part of a federally backed educational campaign from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission which provides resources to reduce childhood drownings, submersions, injuries and entrapments.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The CDC offers information for swimmers, pool owners and organizations to provide healthy and safe swimming experiences.
Safe Kids Worldwide: Safe Kids Worldwide offers articles, videos, checklists and statistics on pool safety and maintenance that can help show you how to keep children safe.
Pool and Hot Tub Alliance: The Alliance provides education, advocacy and research on the residential pool and hot tub industry. The site includes educational resources, certifications, safety code information and relevant events.
American Academy of Pediatrics: In this "Prevention of Drowning" report, the American Academy of Pediatrics shares strategies that can be effective in preventing drowning.

About Sara East

Sara East is a freelance writer and content marketing professional based in Reno, NV. She has more than 10 years marketing experience in public relations, content and digital marketing. Sara has been a published writer for more than 10 years having written articles about finance, business, entrepreneurship, education, travel, real estate, insurance, healthy living, social media, travel and study abroad.

Sara's writing has been published in national news sites including Mashable, The Muse and The Next Web as well as on a variety of blogs. When she's not writing, Sara enjoys spending time with her fur kids exploring the mountains of Reno/Tahoe and enjoying the outdoors.

sources

American Red Cross. "Drowning Prevention & Facts." Accessed July 19, 2021.
American Red Cross. "Home Swimming Pool & Hot Tub Safety." Accessed July 8, 2021.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Drowning Prevention." Accessed July 19, 2021.
Healthy Children. "Pool Dangers and Drowning Prevention―When It’s Not Swimming Time." Accessed July 3, 2021.
Loop Loc. "Removing and Storing your Safety Cover." Accessed July 2, 2021.
National Drowning Prevention Alliance. "Swimming Lessons as a Layer of Protection to Prevent Drownings." Accessed July 19, 2021.
South Florida Injury Law Firm. "23 May 5 Common Causes of Swimming Pool Accidents." Accessed July 2, 2021.
Stanford Children’s Health. "Water Safety—Injury Statistics and Incidence Rates." Accessed July 19, 2021.

A Guide to Pool Safety, Liability & Insurance

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