Don't Worry. Be Covered. Insure Your Above Ground Pool.

Above ground pools can be a pleasure and a nuisance for a homeowner. The combined responsibilities of maintaining the pool and upgrading your homeowner’s insurance policy could give anybody the miseries. There are barriers, not walls, between you and an above ground pool. However, if you plan to install an above ground pool on your property, you’ll need a nice, tall barrier preventing uninvited guests from inviting themselves to your private oasis.

Your fence and gate need to be childproof. Given how resourceful children are, that means adult-proof too. Your best bet is a lock and key. The fence and gate have to be tall enough to protect trespassers from themselves. An alarm and floodlights hooked to a motion detector will frighten strangers in the night, but your alarm may alert from the neighbor’s cat. Despite false alarms, the dual lock and alarm system is as effective as a physical deterrence can be.

Protect yourself, too. If some scoundrel does get past your crocodile filled moat, you’re responsible if they injure themselves. You’re responsible even if they fall from the diving board. Make sure your policy has as high a limit for drowning as you can afford, as well as personal injury coverage in and around the pool. Don’t ask your agent if you have the coverage. Read your policy for the actual wording so you know where you stand if there’s trouble.

While you have your homeowner’s policy out of the desk drawer and dusted off, make sure you’re covered if anything happens to the pool itself. If your above-ground pool falls onto the ground, your policy may not pay to replace it. To avoid winter damage, empty the pool before it becomes a skating rink. Add pool coverage to your homeowner’s policy if you can. If you can’t add coverage to your current policy, find a policy that has the coverage you need.