As part of my due diligence for our upcoming pool install I stopped by my Farm Bureau of TN office to advise my Agent and assure him all state and local code and permit requirements were being met including an in pool alarm with in house remote receiver and a slide up locking ladder.

The agent advised me the pool would not be covered unless fenced, despite there being no requirement to do so by the State or County due to the 54" height of the pool walls themselves exceeding the 48" minimum barrier height requirement.

He also said Umbrella coverage wouldn't cover it either and upon the next on site review of the property (due in a year) an actual exclusion for the pool would be added to my policy if it "wasn't in a fenced in yard".

Well just peachy that is. And even worse he could not produce any specs for said required fence. How bout I just throw up an electric fence? Would that do? It's a fence after all, and that ought to keep the uninvited little buggers at bay...

Is this an industry common practice? I realize they can require anything they want but how can you require a fence but not supply a minimum spec for it?


And a mini related rant on the codes department... They required I sign a form stating that I have been advised of and agree to abide by the TN pool fencing and alarm requirements. The form has to be notarized... yet they have no notary on staff. I had to leave and drive to my bank to get that done and return it.

I can only share my short experience with a pool. And, I'll note that my wife and myself were both very good swimmers in our younger years. She was a lifeguard at a club pool, and I swam competitively for a few years at a different club pool.

The house we are in (purchased 19 years ago this August) had a pool. The pool was in disrepair, as the previous owner had inherited the house when his mother died. At the time we purchased the house, we had 4 kids (ages 10, 9, 4, and 2), with the fifth child due any day. This pool had a six foot tall wood fence around it, as I was told a fence was required in Metro Nashville.

We ended up with six kids. The youngest will be starting her Junior year of high school this Fall.

A good friend of mine, who was a classmate thru grammar school, high school, and college, has been in the pool business in Nashville since the late 80's. I called him in 1999 asking for advice on our new pool--I was already a bit negative about the pool, as we had a couple very small kids, and I'd known of a child drowning while I was growing up.

My friend said the following: "Al, I'm in the pool business. You don't want a pool."

Those words have always stuck with me. We ended up getting an excavating company come in and fill in the pool. It would have cost a few thousand to repair the pool according to the estimates we received. It cost us $1500 to fill the pool in, allowed us to remove the ugly fence, and let me have less stress in raising six kids. I didn't have to worry about a little one disappearing out the back door headed to the pool.

So, yeah, an electric fence should work OK.

I believe those requirements are pretty standard with any carrier.

Did he also go ahead and give you the new price on the umbrella policy, which may also not have sufficient limits anymore?

A pool without a fence is like posting a sign "Please sue me"
Why wouldn't you want a fence? There are some very nice fences out there.
I always preferred Aluminum for beauty and longevity.

I think the insurance requirements and local codes are written in blood, so to speak. Living up North, and with only two kids, I held off on the pool ideas. The YMCA pool is 5 miles away, had Summer memberships many years.

I have enough to take care of already. Our local township has a handful of codes on pools, mostly fences.

I suspect they don't provide a spec for the pool fence to avoid any liability on their own part. For example, if they were to say 'get a 5 ft fence' and someone climbed over it anyway, it could be argued their spec was the problem.

I take it this is an above-ground pool?

What I would do, other than not put a pool of any type in (I lived with a built-in pool for 20 years, and for 19 1/2 of those, wished I didn't have it) is tell the insurer that if they can't/won't give actual fencing guidelines, that if they would like to keep my business they will give me, forthwith and post haste, access to photographs of actual insured properties that have similar pools, such photos to include the fencing that was deemed adequate for insurance purposes.

There are a host of insurance companies out there. Competitive shopping is always advisable.

Here is Virginia Beach, we have an in-ground pool, and state/city code requires a fence at least 5' high. The pool didn't greatly increase the homeowners insurance at all, BUT as long as there is no diving board or slide.
Now, as far as having the pool......I didn't want it, but the wife did. It is a salt water variation and it can be a PIA, but we can enjoy it as well.
I equate a pool owner to a boat owner; the two happiest days.......the day you get it and the day you no longer have it.

Thank you for this thread, and the responses. I have been considering getting a pool for our backyard, and have now decided against it

I've always thought pools were boring.... that is because I grew up swimming in ponds where you had to fend off bream and even worse critters and usually did a serious check for blood suckers when you got out.. but then I never could stay in the 'clear' part but usually had to venture up to the swampy end...

Pool with out a fence?... you are going to be pulling a lot of neighbor's pets out in the morning I suspect.... as well as other critters.

We refer to ours as our very expensive water feature.
I'm afraid to even try to compute the cost per hour of use.
With a pool it's always something needing attention and it's almost always expensive attention.

We had a pool in CA and at the time saw it as absolutely essential. Later I had one in a rental house in FL.

We had to have the fence in CA, the screened see through kind.

Honestly they are very nice IF you are going to use it ALSO and be VERY mindful of security to keep kids out. I was like the secret service when it came to security and my kids - key only locks, high chains, etc.

No pool right now but the Aunt/Uncle bought a house with one, so it’s nearly as good.

And here in FL you need the entire screen enclosure to keep the bugs out, which usually costs as much as the pool...

Some great comments… thanks.

It’s an above ground pool.

The pool / no pool debate here has been settled. ( I lost )
With 3 Daughters, 8 Grandkids and 2 Great Grandkids it will see plenty of use I think. I’ve kept smaller pools in the past. I’m retired and have the time…

State and local code requires a barrier / fence 48 inches high or greater.
The pool is 54 inches tall. The Code says the pool wall itself can serve as the barrier if over 48 inches tall.

I just felt that if the install meets all local and state requirements that my Homeowners policy should cover the pool.

My agent did say a 360° deck around the pool with railing and locking gate would satisfy their requirements. Phase two I guess… It would be nice, but in the mean time...

Seems like a security camera in an conspicuous location might be a good thing to have too.

From what I read, the barrier must be both 48" tall and have a 48" tall gate. Seems like the lack of a gate is where the above ground pool sidewall falls short as a barrier.

I've had a pool for the last eight years and wil l never be without one. I use it about 4-5x per week and our season in AZ goes from mid-April to late Sept., and that's with me being a total cold water wuss. My folks could handle it year round. Never had any big repairs or problems and I DIY just about everything.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
From what I read, the barrier must be both 48" tall and have a 48" tall gate. Seems like the lack of a gate is where the above ground pool sidewall falls short as a barrier.

The way it was explained to me was...
You have at least three options for access when using the pool as the barrier.

Remove the access ladder when not in use.

Use a ladder with steps that slide or fold up.

Use a ladder with integral gate.

Any latch to bar access must be be 54 inches high off the ground or on the inside of the gate to prevent operation by small children.

YMMV in your local...

I hate pool. I've been wanting to get rid of mine for the longest time. But, Mr. Procrastination kept holding me back.

I asked my agent if a pool fence extension kit like pictured below here would satisfy the requirement and he said it "sounds like it would" but he hadn't seen one. We saw two done this way on this way home...

It looks good, is vinyl so no real upkeep and not metal means no bonding required. They are not very expensive.

I think I could live with this setup.

As a side note regarding pools, it's a well know fact that having one in the area we live will cut 3/4 of all potential buyers should you decide to sell. I'm assuming that is for permanent ground level pools.

Never had one, never will.

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by Rick Lee:
I've had a pool for the last eight years and wil l never be without one.

Do you have a screened enclosure like they use in Florida, or are flying bugs not an issue? How do you keep scorpions and the like out of your pool?

The last thing I would ever want with a home is a pool. I had one growing up, and it was great for us kids but a nightmare for my mom and dad.

Every one I know who has a pool now either has gotten rid of it or wants to get rid of it. But then again like I said, kids love it. But of course, they don't have to deal with it; they just get to enjoy it.