Home Insurance – Pools, Pets, and Trampolines
You want to do something fun for your kids to keep them entertained this summer. However, you can’t decide between a pool, trampoline, or a new pet.
What if I told you to ask your insurance agent for advice?
I don’t mean for which option your kids would like the best, but for what your insurance company allows. What you probably don’t realize is there are several insurance regulations on pools, trampolines, and pets with each carrier.
Looking at the situation from the insurance carrier’s perspective, there is more risk of injury if you were to get a pool, trampoline, or even a pet. The risk involved with a trampoline sort of goes without saying.
A home with a pool could have someone slip and fall around the pool, dive head-first in the shallow end, and much more. The main concern with pets is a dog bite situation.
To limit the risk involved with each of these, insurance carriers have strict guidelines that need to be followed. Breaking these guidelines runs the risk of being non-renewed by your insurance company.
Pools
The cost of installing a pool can be pricey, so it is a good idea to know your insurance company’s requirements beforehand.
First off, for in-ground pools, some insurance carriers will allow a slide or diving board (given the pool is a certain depth) but some do not allow them at all.
There must also be a fence surrounding the pool with a locking gate. For above-ground pools, a surrounding deck qualifies if there is also a locking gate entrance.
A removable ladder to an above ground pool also qualifies. A conversation with your insurance agent before you install a pool is a wise decision.
Trampolines
The first thing you should verify if you’re thinking of getting a trampoline is whether your carrier even allows them.
A simple call to your insurance agent will get you this answer. If your carrier does allow trampolines, the insurance guidelines are very straight forward.
The trampoline must have a safety net surrounding or some other safety enclosure. Along with the netting, the trampoline must be secured to the ground to prevent high winds from blowing it out of place.
Pets
You may wonder why your insurance agent asks you the question if you have any pets. Cat owners have nothing to worry about. But the tough reality is there are several dog breeds insurance carriers will not allow.
The breeds that are unacceptable for most carriers are pit bulls and rottweilers. Other breeds that you may want to talk to your agent about include:
- Akitas
- Chow chows
- Dobermans
- German Shepherds
- Huskies
- Malamutes
- Mastiffs
- Presa Canarios
- Staffordshire Terriers
- Wolf-hybrids
The statistics show that these breeds are more prone to being aggressive and, therefore, can be more prone to biting. You could own the most well-behaved rottweiler ever, but your carrier will still not allow the breed.
A dog bite situation can involve your insurance policy if a lawsuit develops, and they can be very costly. Again, insurance carriers are simply trying to limit the amount of risk in your situation.
So, before you fall in love with those puppy eyes, it is worth a conversation with your insurance agent. Tell them what breed of dog you are looking at getting, and they can tell you if this will raise any red flags with your insurance carrier.
Where we come in
The moral of this story is to have open conversations with your insurance agent if you are thinking of adding one of the things mentioned above.
The last thing anyone wants is to have a pool completed that doesn’t follow insurance guidelines or adopt a dog that is an excluded breed, and learn you are being non-renewed by your insurance company.
Your agent will give you advice on what your specific carrier’s requirements are. Having an off the record conversation with your CRG agent allows you to ask insurance-related questions before any decisions or changes are made.
