Swimming Pool Coverage

Swimming pool coverage is a part of your homeowners insurance policy, protecting you and your pool against major damage.

Can I insure my pool with homeowners insurance?

You sure can! Your home insurance policy covers a lot of things: your furniture, your clothes, and your swimming pool!  That means if something were to happen to your swimming pool, your policy could cover it. But you may need some extra liability coverage as you’ll see below.

Breaking down swimming pool coverage

Homeowners insurance has multiple sections so when it comes to your swimming pool you’ll need to look into coverage for both damage to the pool itself (generally Coverage B, or ‘Other Structures‘), and for your liability as the pool owner (Coverage E, or Personal Liability). 

Does homeowners insurance cover pool damage?

Yes. Homeowners insurance will cover pool damage, but what type of damage you’ll be covered against will depend on the type of pool. If your pool is a permanent part of the home e.g an in-ground pool, it would be considered under coverage B, ‘other structures’, and is covered against the same types of events as your house itself (which is protected under Coverage A, dwelling coverage). 

If it’s a portable pool, it would be considered a part of your Coverage C (Personal Property) and the type of damage it is covered against will be listed on your policy as a named peril.  For example, fire and falling objects are 2 of the 16 named perils listed on your policy, so if damage to your pool was caused by one of these, you’ll be covered for repairs, up until the limit set in your policy. 

Quick tip: You won’t be covered for any damage caused by water freezing over, which is pretty common in the winter. To avoid this, drain your pool at the end of swimming season. Any damage caused by general neglect of the pool won’t be covered. 

Do I need to ask for pool insurance?

It depends on the carrier and the state! However, if you’re not sure, it’s always best to get in touch with your insurance company and ask. If you have a CBS policy, shoot an email to contact@cbsinsurancegroup.com 

How much does a swimming pool increase the price of homeowners’ insurance?

When it comes to working out how much homeowners insurance you’ll need, your Coverage A is based on how much it will cost to rebuild or replace the structure of your home, also known as its replacement cost. This automatically includes an allowance for other structures like a swimming pool up to 10% of Coverage A, so there’s no extra cost to cover damage to your pool. So when you build a swimming pool, you should just keep in mind whether this limit is sufficient. If you decide to buy a portable pool, you’d be covered under the personal property limit you select. 

You’ll also need to consider whether your policy automatically includes personal liability coverage, and how much you’ll need, as these may increase the premium you pay. The cost differs by state so best to contact us and we can guide you through.