A swimming pool has the potential to lead to complicated property losses. In the bizarre case of Bozek v. Erie Insurance Group, 46 N.E.3d 362 (III. App. 2015), the property owner’s pool heaved out of the ground.
In this unusual scenario, the pool had been emptied so that the homeowner could clean out debris. Then approximately three and a half inches of rain fell. Because the amount of water in the pool did not exceed the uplift forces of the water pressure in the soil, the pool heaved out of the ground and caused damages beyond repair.
2. Tropical Storm Damage
In the case of Liberty Mut. Fire Ins. Co. v. Martinez 157 So.3d 486 (Fla. App.2015), the homeowner’s pool also lifted out of the ground, but due to a different reason.
The insured chose to empty the pool due to tropical storm rains that were causing the pool to overflow. Subsurface water accumulated under the pool, causing it to ultimately erupt and lift the pool out of the ground.
3. Falling Debris Damage
Falling debris has the potential to cause significant damage to a swimming pool and surrounding property. In one scenario, a homeowner was having the roof replaced, and some of the old shingles fell into the pool. The big problem with the falling debris is that the shingles caused asbestos in the pool, which lead to a large claim.
4. Light Fixture Explosion
Another insurance risk that a swimming pool can impose is the explosion of a light fixture. In one case involving an indoor pool, the mercury-vapor light fixture above the pool exploded, sending material into the pool that required the pool to be drained, cleaned, and tested. This claim had the potential to amount to a large loss for the insurance carrier.
As you can see, while swimming pools provide welcomed relief on a hot summer day, they pose a number of risks to insurers. At Insurance Risk Services, we add value to our insurance carrier partners by providing accurate underwriting support to help them determine which risks are worth taking. Properties with a swimming pool onsite present additional risks, and our thorough property inspections will help you to mitigate loss exposure.
Please contact us at Insurance Risk Services to learn more the unusual risks associated with swimming pools and how we can help you to accurately underwrite risk.
