How Will Home Insurance Protect Me From Drowning Incidents?
Having a pool in your backyard can provide the ultimate fun and enjoyment during the summer season. But owning a pool carries with it a lot of responsibility. You want to make sure that your pool is safe to swim in. From the pool itself to the surroundings, safety should be your top priority. When someone dies or gets injured from a drowning incident in your pool, the family of the individual involved could file a negligence lawsuit against you.
Aside from the fun and enjoyment it brings, swimming pools can add to your home’s cash value. If you have a swimming pool on your property, you need to be mindful of the risks. If someone is hurt or dies while on it, you could be held liable for unsafe premises. Swimming pools are often called an “attractive nuisance” in the world of homeowners insurance. It can endanger a child or any individual regardless of whether the person had permission to use it
What Is Your Responsibility As Pool Owner?
As a pool owner, you have the responsibility to ensure the safety of your premises including your swimming pool. One of your major responsibilities is to prevent someone from drowning in the first place. When accidents happen on your premises, you can be held liable for it regardless of who is at fault.
You cannot watch your kids or other children while swimming all the time so might as well make safety your priority. What if one of the kids drowned or got injured under your watch? Their parents could have a case of negligence against you. The most common risks in the swimming pool include slips and falls, electrocution, and injury from diving boards or slides.
I Have Homeowners Insurance, Will It Cover Pool Accidents?
The good news is that homeowners insurance can cover the cost of liabilities resulting from pool-related accidents like slips, falls, drowning, and others. Most insurance companies consider pools as an “attractive nuisance” hence will have a huge impact on your home insurance rates.
With home insurance, you get coverage for your swimming pool in various ways. First, it will pay for repairs or replacement of damage to the pool as a result of covered perils like earthquakes. . Your insurance policy comes with liability coverage for third-party injuries or property damage that could happen at your pool. The most common pool injuries covered by your home insurance policy include:
- Slips and falls
- Broken bones
- Cuts and bruises
- Electrocution
It is worth noting, however, that injuries due to negligence or poor pool maintenance will not be covered. Also, your home insurance will not cover guest injuries. If one of your immediate family members is injured, you need to file a claim with your health insurance provider. Your home insurance will also provide you with liability protection. However, swimming pools can increase your potential liability so you may want to consider increasing your coverage.
Tips On How To Make Your Home Swimming Pool Safe
Drowning is the second leading cause of death among Filipino children 14 years old and below. This was revealed in a study conducted in the Philippines from 2006 to 2013. A person can drown not just in lakes, rivers, and oceans. They can also drown in a bathtub or while wading in a home swimming pool. For this reason, you need to ensure the safety of the swimming pool on your property. Keep these tips in mind to ensure the safety of everyone, especially the kids, when swimming.
- Supervise children and use buddy system
There should always be one or two adults watching over kids who are swimming. They should ensure that no one is swimming alone. There should always be someone present around the pool in case there is an emergency.
- Pools should be free of toys when not being used
Your swimming pool should be free of toys that could lure young children who could easily fall in and drown in the pool.
- Surround the pool with a barrier or fence on all sides
Ideally, you would want to place barriers or fences on all sides of the pool. Install a pool alarm to alert you when someone enters the pool area.
- Learn how to swim
While fences and barriers can help prevent drowning, there is still no substitute for learning how to swim.
- Keep children away from drains and other openings
Drains and other openings in the pool can be a dangerous trap for children. Hair and clothing can get stuck in these openings resulting in the child getting trapped underwater.
- Keep a pool safety kit
A pool safety kit should include the following:
- A standard first aid kit for minor injuries like cuts and scrapes
- A flotation device
- Heavy-duty scissors for cutting hair or clothing stuck in a drain or filter
- A smartphone for calling emergency personnel
Swimming pools offer the ultimate fun and excitement at home. But when someone gets injured or dies while swimming, the liability rests on your shoulders being the homeowner. When these things happen, do you have the ready cash to pay for whatever liabilities you may incur? Buying home insurance provides you with financial leverage for emergency situations. Contact an Assurance.PH for further details at contact@assurance.ph / 09157052031 or 09052050402.