Why Your Pool and Spa Construction Business Needs Insurance

By Ari Rush Pool Insurance

Why Your Pool and Spa Construction Business Needs Insurance

Whether you’re installing an inground swimming pool or a cozy hot tub, your work as a pool and spa contractor brings a whole lot of enjoyment to your customers, but it also comes with some serious risks. From accidental property damage to workplace injuries to allegations of non-compliance with local ordinances, these incidents can significantly impact your bottom line.

Imagine completing a beautiful pool installation, only to face a lawsuit due to a client’s injury on-site. Or consider the financial strain if specialized equipment is stolen or damaged. Unfortunately, these scenarios aren’t just hypothetical. These are real risks that pool and spa contractors often face.

Let’s dive into why spa and swimming pool contractor insurance isn’t just a good idea but a must-have for your pool and spa construction business.

Types of Risks that Spa and Pool Contractors May Face

Working in the pool and spa construction industry isn’t without its challenges. Between tight timelines, complex installations, and heavy-duty equipment, contractors in this space face a unique set of risks every day, both on and off the job site. Let’s go over some of the more common risks you might face as a pool and spa contractor:

Workplace Injuries

Construction sites can be hazardous, especially when working outdoors in the summer or dealing with wet surfaces. You’re looking at possible:

  • Slips, trips, and falls
  • Heat exhaustion
  • Equipment-related accidents

These incidents can lead to costly workers’ compensation claims and lost productivity.

Property Damage

Whether it’s accidentally damaging a client’s landscaping or cracking a patio during an installation, even small mistakes can result in expensive property damage claims. Your work could impact nearby structures, underground lines, or even utility systems if you’re not careful.

Equipment Theft or Damage

Pool and spa contractors often rely on expensive, specialized tools. Unfortunately, job sites and trucks can be targets for theft, especially when left unattended overnight. Equipment can also be damaged during transport or by harsh weather conditions.

Legal Liability

You could also face disputes that could lead to lawsuits over things like:

  • Project delays
  • Building code violations
  • Allegations of poor workmanship

Without proper liability coverage, these legal challenges can put your business finances and reputation on the line.

How Insurance Can Help Your Pool and Spa Business

Insurance isn’t just about meeting legal requirements. It’s also about protecting everything you’ve worked hard to build. Unexpected events can happen at any time, from a job site injury or a client claim to stolen tools or weather damage to materials. Any one of these could seriously disrupt your business and cash flow. That’s where comprehensive pool and spa insurance coverage comes in.

A tailored insurance policy can protect your pool and spa contracting business from third-party claims of injuries or property damage, theft, vandalism, employee injuries, collision, and more. It can even protect you from delays or disasters that force you to stop working temporarily.

Having insurance helps keep your business moving, even when the unexpected hits. It’s peace of mind that lets you focus on doing great work, without worrying about what could go wrong.

Types of Insurance Pool and Spa Contractors Need and Why

When you’re in the business of building pools and spas, protecting your crew, equipment, and reputation is just as important as the quality of your craftsmanship. From job site risks to transportation mishaps, the right insurance policies can help your business stay afloat. Here’s a closer look at the types of insurance every pool and spa contractor should consider:

Commercial General Liability Insurance

This is the foundation of most contractor insurance packages. It helps cover third-party claims for bodily injury and property damage, as well as your legal fees if you’re facing a lawsuit. If a customer trips over your equipment or claims your work caused damage to their property, general liability coverage can help cover the expenses.

Commercial Property Insurance

Whether you own a workshop, warehouse, or even just an office space, commercial property insurance protects the physical location (and everything inside it) against losses due to fire, theft, vandalism, or weather-related damage.

Business Interruption Insurance

What happens if a fire, flood, or other event forces you to temporarily shut down? Business interruption insurance can help cover lost income, rent, payroll, and other fixed expenses while you get back on your feet. This is often included in commercial property coverage, but it can be added separately.

Tools & Equipment Insurance

Your tools are essential for your work. This policy helps cover the cost to repair or replace specialized equipment and tools if they’re lost, stolen, or damaged, whether they’re on-site, in storage, or in transit.

Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance

Even with years of experience, mistakes can happen. E&O insurance, also known as professional liability insurance, protects you against claims of professional negligence, such as design flaws, failure to meet code requirements, or project delays that result in financial loss for a client.

Commercial Auto Insurance

If your team uses vehicles to haul materials, equipment, or get to job sites, personal auto insurance won’t cut it. Commercial auto insurance provides coverage for accidents, damage, and liability involving your business vehicles.

Installation Floater Coverage

Whether your materials are on the job site, in transit, or halfway through installation, they’re always at risk of being damaged or lost. The problem is that even if you don’t technically own those materials, you’re still on the hook for them if something goes wrong. Installation floater coverage helps protect materials while they’re being delivered, stored, or installed.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Installing pools and spas often involves physically demanding work, which means the risk of employee injury is real. Workers’ comp helps cover medical bills, lost wages, and rehabilitation costs if one of your employees is hurt on the job. In Ontario, most businesses are required to have it.

Additional coverages to consider

  • Inland Marine Insurance
  • Builders Risk Insurance
  • Cyber Liability Insurance
  • Pollution Liability Insurance
  • Leased, Rented, Borrowed Equipment Insurance

Get Tailored Pool and Spa Insurance Today with Oracle RMS

Pool and spa insurance is essential for anyone in the business of designing, building, or installing pools, spas, and hot tubs. While your focus is on creating relaxing, enjoyable spaces for your clients, it’s just as important to protect your business from unexpected disruptions and costly risks. Choosing Oracle RMS for your pool and spa insurance needs means you’re backed by coverage designed specifically for your industry.

So, if you’ve ever asked yourself, “Do I really need pool and spa insurance?” consider this: could your business afford to cover the costs of property damage, equipment loss, or a client lawsuit out of pocket? If the answer is no, there’s no reason to wait.

Get your free pool and spa insurance quote in Ontario from Oracle RMS today.

Safety is a Pool Owners Responsibility

By Blog Editor Home Insurance Pool Insurance

On a scorching summer day, there’s nothing like kicking back and relaxing by the comfort of your own swimming pool. It’s days like these that we look forward to after those long Canadian winters. Now more than ever, as public places remain closed during this global pandemic, many people will be enjoying the summer season from the comfort of their own backyard. 

In a rush to relax and enjoy the sun, many pool owners often forget the responsibilities of creating a safe backyard pool environment. Have you ever stopped to think about the hazards and risks that could ruin these days? With that being said, there’s a reason why home insurance premiums are higher for homeowners with a swimming pool. This is because the risk of liability is higher too. It is important that homes with swimming pools have insurance protection that takes into account the hazards and risks related to swimming pools.

Ensuring you have insurance coverage for your swimming pool will protect you in two main ways:

  • Provides coverage to help repair costs and  damages to your swimming pool
  • Provides liability protection should a guest suffer pool-related injuries or death that results in medical costs or a lawsuit

By installing a swimming pool in the back of your home, the cost of your insurance protection will be reflected in your home insurance policy, which means that your premium could increase the following:

  • The cost of replacement for the home
  • The risk of liability

With liability protection comes safety requirements set in place by your insurance company. If you don’t abide by it, you may be refused coverage. Negligence accusations and injuries can be avoided by following standard safety guidelines and requirements. These include:

  • Maintaining the keep-up of the pool area and removing accident-prone obstacles
  • Consistently checking water pH levels to keep water clean
  • Installing a 4-sided fence around the backyard with the swimming pool and a gated locked door, as per City of Toronto municipal by-laws. Laws put the responsibility on pool owners for injuries obtained by anyone who gains access to your swimming pool – whether you know them or not.
  • Making sure that all parts of the pool are working properly. For example: Diving boards, slides, step ladders
  • Constant swimming pool supervision especially of children under your care
  • Adequate lifesaver flotation apparatus’ in close proximity to pool for use in emergency situations
  • The usage of alcohol consumption be prohibited in and around the pool
  • Posting safety rules regarding running/diving near the pool and enforcing these rules!

With decades of experience providing homeowners insurance, Oracle RMS is equipped with the necessary knowledge to ensure you are protected from risks. Request a quote for Swimming Pool Insurance that is uniquely tailored to your coverage needs or contact us to speak directly with one of our representatives who will gladly provide more information.

Safety is a Pool Owners Responsibility

The Swimming Pool Winterization Tips to Know

By Blog Editor Pool Insurance Uncategorized No comment

Just like that, our short Canadian summer has come to an end. Gone are the carefree summer days by the pool, and now it’s time to prepare for the long Canadian winters. The next step in wrapping up the seasons activities is preparing your pool for the winter. Proper pool winterization is a mindful and necessary step towards adequate protection from the harsh winter and the damages it may cause. 

By following these steps below, it will make reopening your pool in the early spring that much easier. Here’s where to start:

  1. Inspect your pool.

    Throughout the summer months, minor damages may have gone unnoticed. Leaks, cracks, or chips may seem insignificant now, but freezing temperatures can aggravate the deterioration of your swimming pool. Reach out to a professional and have these potential issues repaired before the approaching winter season.

  2. Clean your pool thoroughly.

    By brushing and vacuuming your pool, you will eliminate algae-forming dirt, visible bacteria, and harmful fragments. Ridding the natural pool build-up before winter means you’re a step ahead once it is time to re-open.

  3. Ensure your waters pH Levels and chemical levels are under control.

    Use a pool kit to ensure there isn’t any leftover chemicals that will erode or stain your pool during the off-season. Follow the kits guidelines; they are there for a reason.

  4. To ensure there aren’t any leftover debris, use a winterization algaecide that will kill remaining bacteria.

    This stronger type of algaecide meant for the winter months will also prevent the blooming of algae in freezing temperatures when your pool isn’t frequently cleaned.

  5. Don’t forget to clean your filter.

    Filters are one of the most forgotten parts of pool maintenance  therefore it is an important step in keeping it clean for future use.

  6. Do not completely drain your pool.

    For those with aesthetic tiles, keep them above the water line to ensure freezing will not damage them. For others, lower your pool water enough to limit damages to your pool liner and cover. The lower the water, the more damage it can cause to the interior of your swimming pool.

  7. Ensure all pool appliances are drained.

    Water frozen in these tools such as filters, heaters and pumps can cause sufficient damage. Put them in a dry storage place for the off-season. For non-detachable pool filters, use a vacuum to blow water out.

  8. Remember to remove all external pool equipment.

    Pool toys, nets, ladders, pumps, heaters, and vacuums should be removed now that the swimming season is over.

  9. Inspect your pool cover for damages.

    Have these issues fixed before covering your pool to protect it from the winter. Make sure your cover is tight and secure to ensure reliable protection.

  10. Protect those around you.

    Have your pool alarm remain engaged throughout the winter. Just because it isn’t swimming season doesn’t mean children and pets are not at risk of an accident.

  11. Ensure you have home insurance that provides coverage for both in and above ground swimming pools.

    This way, you’re covered during an accident or unfortunate event.

Following these steps in swimming pool winterization is a responsible step towards fulfilling your duty as a pool-owner. Begin these steps ahead of the time you wish to close your pool.  Remember that pool maintenance does not stop throughout the cold months. 

Keep an eye on the cover to make sure it is remaining secure, especially after rough winter snow and ice storms. Continue to check water chemical balances monthly to protect from damages. As tedious as these steps may seem, rest easy in knowing that you’re making your pool opening routine easier and  faster come springtime.