The short answer
Pool insurance is usually not a separate policy but the way a home policy treats a pool, hot tub or trampoline. The structure and equipment may fall under the building or other structures, while the bigger question is liability if a guest or a neighbour's child is hurt. Insurers ask about fencing, gates, covers, diving boards and slides. A licensed broker can find insurers comfortable with your setup and explain any conditions.
- Owners installing an in-ground or above-ground pool
- Households adding a hot tub to a deck, patio or basement
- Families with a trampoline in the yard
- Buyers of a house that already has a pool or spa
- Hosts who regularly invite friends, neighbours or children to swim
4 licensed brokers in the network handle this. In Alberta, Canada, a request for pool, hot tub and trampoline insurance can be offered to up to three of them, chosen because they are licensed for this line and place. They are test brokers while we are in demo.
See the brokers → Outside Alberta, Canada you can prepare and save a request today; sending opens place by place. Brokers answer with their own quotes. Broker.insure does not quote, advise or take commission.
01 / What it covers
The parts worth understanding
Liability for guests and children
Your legal responsibility if someone is injured using the pool, hot tub or trampoline, invited or not. Provincial occupiers' liability law sets the duty owed to people on your property, and children can be owed extra care.
The structure
An in-ground pool, a fixed hot tub and their decking are usually insured as part of the building or as a detached structure. An above-ground pool or portable spa may be treated differently, so ask how each is classed.
Pumps, heaters and filters
Equipment is often covered against sudden damage like fire or lightning, but wear, rust and breakdown are commonly excluded. Equipment breakdown extras, where offered, may fill part of that gap.
Fencing, gates and locking covers
Many municipalities have pool fencing bylaws that set requirements for barriers and gates, and insurers ask whether you comply. A locking cover on a hot tub is a common question too.
Diving boards and slides
Some insurers decline or limit liability where a pool has a diving board or slide, or ask about water depth and how it is used. Tell the broker exactly what is installed.
Trampolines
Insurers vary widely: some exclude trampoline injuries, others ask about safety nets, padding, ground anchoring and supervision rules. Disclose it even if it seems like a toy.
Seasonal damage
Freezing, ice, ground water pressure and settling can damage pools, and policies often exclude or limit these. Ask what applies to opening, closing and draining.
02 / Get ready
Bring this, and expect these questions
Gather
- Type of pool or spa: in-ground, above-ground, portable hot tub or built-in spa
- Year installed, the installer's name and any building or electrical permit
- A description of the fence: height, material and how the gate closes and latches
- Whether the hot tub has a locking cover and where the key or lock is kept
- Any diving board, slide or deep end, with the deepest water depth
- Pump, heater and filter details, including whether the heater is gas or electric
- Trampoline size, whether it has a net and padding, and how it is anchored
- Photos of the backyard showing the pool or trampoline, the fence and the gates
- Your current home policy and any letter from the insurer about the pool
A broker will ask
- Is the pool in-ground or above-ground, and when was it installed?
- Is the yard fully fenced, and do the gates close and latch on their own?
- Does the hot tub have a locking cover, and is it used when the tub is closed?
- Is there a diving board or a slide, and how deep is the water?
- Who uses the pool or trampoline, and is anyone supervising when children are there?
- Do neighbours' children or friends use it when you are not home?
- Is the pool heater gas or electric, and who services the equipment?
- Has anyone ever been hurt using the pool, spa or trampoline?
- Would you like to look at a higher liability limit or an umbrella policy?
Not sure of an answer? Leave it. "Not known yet" is a fine answer, and a broker will help you fill it in.
03 / Build your request
Answer a few questions. Get your own list.
Pick what fits. Your answers shape the list beside them, and they are saved to your request as plain facts a broker can read. "Not sure yet" is always a fine answer.
04 / Three situations
See which one sounds like yours
A family putting in an in-ground pool
Parents of two young children are building an in-ground pool with a small slide. Their backyard backs onto a park, and the contractor has said the fence plan still needs municipal approval.
First steps. Tell the broker before construction starts and share the plan for the fence, gates and slide. Ask how insurers treat a slide, whether the liability limit should change, and what the insurer will want to see once the pool and fence are finished.
A hot tub on a second-floor deck
A couple bought a large hot tub for an elevated deck off their bedroom. It has a gas heater, and the deck was built years ago by a previous owner.
First steps. Ask the installer or a contractor whether the deck was checked for the weight, and keep the answer in writing. Give the broker the tub's details, the heater type and whether it has a locking cover, and ask how damage from a leak or a deck failure would be treated.
Buying a house with a pool and a trampoline
A buyer has an accepted offer on a house with an above-ground pool and a large trampoline the seller is leaving behind. The kids are excited; the lender just wants proof of insurance.
First steps. Photograph the pool, the fence, the gates and the trampoline, and note whether it has a net. Ask the broker before possession whether insurers will cover both as they are, and what changes, such as a net or a gate latch, would widen the choice.
05 / Words you will hear
The jargon, in plain words
- Occupiers' liability
- The legal duty a property owner or occupier owes to people on the property, set by provincial law. It shapes how a pool or trampoline injury claim is judged.
- Other structures
- Part of a home policy covering buildings and fixtures not attached to the house, such as a shed or detached deck. Some pools and spas fall here.
- Self-latching gate
- A gate that swings shut and locks on its own after someone passes through. Pool bylaws and insurers commonly ask about it.
- Umbrella liability
- A separate policy that sits above home and auto liability and adds a higher limit. Owners with a pool sometimes ask a broker whether it suits them.
- Equipment breakdown
- An optional extra that pays for sudden mechanical or electrical failure of covered equipment, which a standard home policy usually excludes. Wear and age remain excluded.
06 / Common mistakes
What trips people up
- Not telling the insurer about a new pool, hot tub or trampoline until after someone is hurt.
- Assuming a fence that met the bylaw years ago still does after a gate was replaced.
- Leaving a hot tub cover unlocked or a pool gate propped open when the yard is empty.
- Thinking breakdown of a pump or heater is covered the same way as fire damage.
- Keeping a low liability limit when neighbourhood children regularly use the backyard.
Ready when you are
Turn this into one clear request.
Save it, add what you know, and choose when to send it. A licensed broker who handles pool, hot tub and trampoline insurance takes it from there.
07 / Questions people ask
Straight answers
Does home insurance cover a pool?
Usually, the pool structure falls under the building or other structures cover, and injuries fall under the home policy's liability, as long as the insurer knows the pool exists. Some insurers add conditions, such as fencing or no diving board. Equipment breakdown, wear and seasonal damage are frequently excluded, so ask the broker how each part is handled.
Does a pool make home insurance cost more?
It can, mainly because of the added liability, though insurers weigh it differently. The type of pool, fencing, gates, a slide or diving board and the overall liability limit all matter. Some insurers decline certain setups, which narrows the choice. A broker can compare how several insurers treat your backyard before you install.
Do I have to fence my pool?
Many Canadian municipalities have bylaws on pool barriers and gates, and requirements differ from place to place. Check with your city or town before building or buying. Insurers commonly ask whether the pool is fenced and the gates self-close and latch, and some will not offer cover without it, so keep proof of any permit.
Is a trampoline covered by home insurance?
It depends on the insurer. Some exclude trampoline injuries entirely, some cover them with conditions such as a safety net, padding or rules on how many jump at once, and some ask nothing at all. Disclosing it at application is the only way to know which applies to you, and to avoid a disputed claim.
Does my policy cover a hot tub?
A permanently installed hot tub is often treated as part of the home or a detached structure, while a portable one may fall under contents. Sudden damage like fire may be covered, but wear and breakdown often are not. Liability for guests is the bigger concern, so a locking cover and clear rules matter to insurers.
What happens if a neighbour's child uses my pool without permission?
Owners can still face a claim even when the child was not invited, because occupiers' liability law can expect extra care where children are likely to be drawn in. Fencing, latched gates and locked covers help show reasonable care. Your home policy's liability is what would respond, so ask the broker whether its limit fits how your yard is used.
Specialists
Sites for a specific line of work
General information, not insurance advice. Broker.insure is a directory and request service: it is not an insurer and does not quote, bind or advise. Policy terms, availability and what is required where you live depend on your situation and on licensed professionals. Updated 2026-10-31.