Summer is well underway, and you are enjoying the fun of your swimming pool! But, did you know that drowning is the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years, as reported by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Your backyard pool is a great place to cool off — but also can be a source of home insurance concerns.
Before you invite friends and family to a pool party at your house, however, you may want to check your home insurance policy.
Are you fenced in?
Build a fence around your pool and keep it locked constantly. That way, no one would use the pool without your knowledge.
How much coverage do you need?
A home insurance policy typically carries $250,000 to $300,000 in liability protection. If you have a pool, you may want to boost your liability protection to as much as $1 million under an umbrella policy. Contact Vargas & Vargas Insurance to discuss your liability coverages.
If you are Michael Phelps, you should purchase the most liability coverage you can buy. Thankfully you are not Michael Phelps and you can probably get a great deal on this type of insurance.
Practice pool safety!
In addition to a four-sided fencing (at least 4 feet high) that completely separates the house and play area of the yard from the pool area with a self-closing or self-latching gate that open outward with latches high enough to be out of reach of children. Consider the following additional pool safety tips:
Remove toys from the pool and deck so children aren’t tempted to enter the area without supervision.
Consider alarms to notify you if someone enters the pool area.
Learn CPR.
Do not allow children to use the pool unsupervised; and do not use flotation devices as substitutes for supervision.
Do not let little children get close to the pool filters because suction might injure them or not allow them to get to the surface.
For above-ground pools, take away steps and ladders leading from the ground into the pool whenever the pool isn’t being used.
Routine maintenance for your pool is necessary to check the presence of hazardous materials like bits of glass and such things.
Keep a solid cover on the pool during off seasons.
The time to seek liability protection is before an unfortunate event occurs. Learn more about your Liability insurance options and secure an umbrella insurance quote so you can make an informed decision. Vargas & Vargas Insurance is committed to helping you find the right coverage that will suit your family’s needs and budget. Call us today at 877-550-0025.
