Insurance Insights – April 2025

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Whether you enjoy biking, hiking, gardening, or simply taking a walk in your neighborhood, many of us are starting to plan all kinds of fun activities for the coming months that are sure to create lasting memories. If you’re considering setting up a trampoline for the kids or installing a swimming pool, continue reading for important information that may directly impact your homeowners’ insurance coverage. 

Springtime is also the perfect time to revitalize, renew, and refresh your home. If you have old bills and personal documents piling up, get ready to get rid of that clutter by having your sensitive documents securely shredded for free! We’re excited to announce that our Free Community Shred Day Event is just a few weeks away on Saturday, May 17th – and it’s expanding! Keep reading for all the details and be sure to join us for this exciting community event!

This is the time of year when we all start planning fun activities for the entire family.  With long, elaborate vacations not always possible due to budget constraints, many turn to their own backyards for days filled with entertainment. Trampolines have become a popular choice for recreation and exercise.

More than 500,000 trampolines are sold each year, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics & Child Health. However, while trampolines may offer hours of fun for energetic children, they also pose unwanted safety risks to homeowners.

In fact, both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons have issued policy statements and recommendations strongly discouraging the home use of trampolines due to the high incidence of trampoline-related injuries.

The numbers speak for themselves. In the United States, more than 250,000 medically treated trampoline injuries occur each year. These result in more than 100,000 emergency room visits, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Over 90% of these injuries occur in kids ages 5 to 14.

The leading causes of trampoline injuries are often related to:

• Colliding with another person
• Landing incorrectly while jumping, flipping, somersaulting, or attempting tricks
• Falling off the trampoline
• Landing on top of the trampoline’s springs or frame

If you have a trampoline or another type of play equipment that could be considered potentially hazardous, follow these safety rules:

• Place trampolines and other similar equipment far from other structures, trees, play areas, and other hazards.
• Regularly examine all equipment for wear and tear, sharp objects, trip-and-fall hazards, and other potential sources of injury
• Post notices of hazards, but don’t rely on them. Children attracted to your equipment might not be able to read and certainly will not be held accountable for not adhering to the rules.
• Don’t allow potentially risky stunts on your equipment.
• Install alarms to alert you if someone has entered an unsafe area without permission.
• Use proper lighting to avoid night-time accidents.

Because trampolines are especially appealing to young children, they’re a red flag for many insurance companies, who consider them potentially hazardous items. As a result, some insurers may refuse to cover these pieces of equipment, while others allow them only if specific accommodations are made, such as:

• Installing fencing or an enclosure with gates around the equipment and locking it when there’s no adult supervision.
• Covering/padding the trampoline frame, springs, hooks, and landing surfaces with shock-absorbing pads.
• Digging out the ground under the trampoline to place the bouncing surface at ground level rather than several feet above the ground.

It’s also common for insurance companies to cover your home but exclude liability for the risky item. They may refuse to cover any medical bills or lawsuit expenses related to the use of the equipment unless you purchase an insurance rider with specialized coverage. You’ll also want to consider increasing your liability insurance limits or obtaining coverage under a personal umbrella insurance policy. An umbrella adds significant financial protection to your standard homeowners’ coverage.

If you’re considering purchasing a trampoline or another potentially hazardous item, familiarize yourself with the associated liability risks.  Ensure your policy covers you for any risks associated with trampolines by contacting your BayCoast Insurance professional.

As the summer months approach, this is often an ideal time for homeowners to consider installing a pool.  Imagine having your own backyard oasis to cool off when temperatures soar.  It’s a tempting thought, isn’t it?

If you own a pool or are considering purchasing one, you’ll want to ensure you’re adequately covered for the additional risks associated with owning a pool and any potential damage your pool may sustain.

How To Find Out If Your Pool Is Covered

Read through your homeowner’s insurance policy. Unless pools are specifically excluded in your policy, your pool is likely covered. Contact your BayCoast Insurance professional and let them know you have or plan to purchase a pool, as this represents a significant increase in risk.  Most insurers will require you to implement certain safety precautions for a pool, which may include:

• Posting signs
• Having a perimeter fence that is at least 4 to 5 feet high
• Installing an automatic safety cover or a solid one
  • When automatic covers came on the market a while back, insurance carriers were understandably unsure of what to make of them. In recent years these covers have become popular and several carriers have become more comfortable with them and agree that they are as effective as fencing.
• Having safety equipment around the pool

Keep in mind that insurance coverage may be more challenging to obtain if your pool features amenities such as a diving board or slide.

How Much Liability Coverage Do You Need?

If your liability coverage limit is $100,000, that may be too little, according to the Insurance Information Institute. You should consider increasing your coverage to $500,000, which should have only a moderate impact on your premium.

For even more protection, consider purchasing an umbrella policy. This policy is particularly beneficial for individuals who own numerous assets, frequently travel, or whose business activities put them in the spotlight.

The extra liability coverage of an umbrella policy can be used once you’ve exhausted your homeowner’s liability coverage, and it may be necessary should someone injure themselves or worse. Speak with your BayCoast Insurance professional if you have any questions about liability coverage so you can ensure you are adequately protected.

How To Cover Damages To Your Pool

Many homeowner’s policies already cover the pool itself and pool equipment. Above-ground pools typically fall under personal property coverage, while in-ground pools and pool maintenance equipment, such as filters and pumps, are usually covered as other structures.

Because policies differ significantly, it is a good idea to read your policy carefully and confirm your coverage with a BayCoast Insurance expert. Your pool will be covered for a number of different risks, provided your homeowner’s policy already covers them, including:

• Fire
• Falling objects, such as a tree
• Vandalism
• Wind damage

Please note that damage caused by water freezing in your pool is not generally covered. You are also responsible for maintaining the pool. Wear and tear is typically not covered, nor will the resulting damage to your property if that damage could have been prevented.

If your in-ground pool is made of cement, you should repair any cracks in the cement as soon as you detect them. Above-ground pools may also require patching in the spring, especially after a harsh winter.

In all likelihood, your homeowner’s policy already covers your pool and your liability, provided you’ve complied with the safety requirements of your state and town. Ensure the pool is included in the policy and that you have consulted with your BayCoast Insurance professional to determine the appropriate amount of liability coverage you may need.

Is your house cluttered with old bills, bank statements, or other sensitive documents? Have them safely and securely destroyed at BayCoast’s Free Community Shred Day, taking place on Saturday, May 17, 2025.

Our Annual Shred Day Event has gotten so popular that this year, we’ve moved to a new, larger location – BayCoast Place, 330 Swansea Mall Drive in Swansea, Massachusetts. That means more trucks and more to shred!

As always, this event is open to the public! We’ll be here from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, ready to help you, rain or shine. Simply bring up to two boxes of documents to be shredded, and the mobile on-site shred trucks will immediately destroy your personal information. If you need help with your boxes, volunteers will be available to assist you.

Shredding your personal documents can help prevent you from becoming a victim of identity theft, which is a serious crime affecting millions of Americans every year as a growing number of thieves attempt to steal sensitive information to commit fraud. To protect yourself, consider having common household documents properly destroyed. These documents may include tax records, old bills and bank statements, credit card statements, and canceled checks.