Can I buy a homeowners insurance policy that covers an above ground pool from winter damage or can a rider be attached to my current policy?

Above ground pools can be a problem for home insurance companies because there are so many ways that the integrity of the pool can be compromised, including a falling tree or branch, earthquakes, tornadoes, or simply extremely high winds. Because of the high risk of insuring them, above ground pools are typically excluded from home insurance policies.

Similarly, pools of all types, whether they are in ground or above ground, carry a high liability risk. This is because of the danger of accidental death, caused by a neighbor's child or pet, or even a complete stranger wandering onto your property and falling in the pool or deciding to go for an unsupervised swim. To reduce this risk, you can install a fence around the pool area with an automatic gate closer and latch. This will not completely eliminate the liability risk, but it will reduce it dramatically, earning you a discount on the coverage for the pool.

This does not mean that you cannot insure your above ground pool; it only means that your pool will not be covered under your standard homeowners policy. Instead, you will probably have to purchase a rider or separate policy, called hazard insurance, which will cover the items or perils named in the policy. Make sure that when you purchase a hazard insurance policy that it includes above ground pools.

Even with hazard insurance, you may be required to locate the pool so that it is downhill from the home. Having an above ground pool uphill increases the risk to the home if the pool should collapse or leak. Most above ground pools contain hundreds or even thousands of gallons of water that could cause immediate and severe water damage to the home. Such water damage does not constitute typical flood or water damage, making such an event especially costly for you, and explaining why the placement of the pool is critical to home insurance.