Does Home Insurance Cover Trampolines and Treehouses?
Most homeowners insurance policies cover trampolines and treehouse injuries, but there are often restrictions. Before purchasing a trampoline or constructing a treehouse, consult with your insurer to determine how each will affect your homeowners insurance policy.
If your home insurance policy covers trampolines and treehouses, you should be aware that only people outside your household are covered by your liability coverage. Injured members of the household would be unable to file a home insurance claim and would instead have to rely on their health insurance.
Trampolines and homeowners insurance
Even if you didn't give them permission to use your trampoline, you could be held liable for their injuries.
Trampolines are attractive nuisances, which are objects on someone's property that may pique a child's interest while endangering their safety. Property owners are responsible for attractive nuisances and are liable for any harm caused.
You don't want to be held liable for medical expenses if someone is injured while jumping on a trampoline on your property. The costs could be exorbitant, especially given that one in every 200 trampoline injuries results in permanent neurological damage.
Furthermore, filing a single liability claim may cause your homeowners insurance premiums to rise. This is because insurers believe liability cases will occur more than once.
Does homeowners insurance cover trampolines?
Trampolines are likely to be covered by most home insurance policies. In fact, some insurance companies don't care if you have a trampoline or not, as long as no one is hurt on your property.
However, your home insurance company may only allow a trampoline if certain conditions are met. For example, a safety net around your trampoline may be required to prevent jumpers from falling off. It may also state that you must allow only one bouncer to be covered at a time.
- Nationwide, for example, has specific equipment requirements for trampoline owners, such as installing tall safety nets and placing a trampoline over sand or wood chips. If a homeowner does not follow these instructions, they may be subject to a claim denial.
On the other hand, some insurance companies may allow policyholders to have a trampoline but state in their policies that trampoline accidents are not covered. This is a risky situation for a policyholder because the potential out-of-pocket costs for liability claims could be significant.
Some insurance companies simply believe that the liability of a trampoline is greater than what they are willing to insure. If you purchase a trampoline in the middle of your policy's term, the company will not renew it when it expires. To avoid the risk of cancellation or non-renewal, do not purchase a trampoline without first consulting with your home insurance company.
Treehouses and home insurance
Treehouse exclusions are less common than trampoline exclusions. Treehouses are less dangerous in comparison. According to the Center for Injury Research and Policy, less than 2,800 children are treated in emergency departments each year for treehouse-related injuries.
Still, you should consult with your insurance company before constructing a treehouse to ensure that you are not in violation of their policy agreement and face cancellation or nonrenewal.
If a member of the household is injured in a treehouse, they must file a health insurance claim or pay for any medical expenses out of pocket. However, if a policyholder's treehouse causes an injury to a neighbor or anyone else, the policyholder will be held liable.
When constructing a treehouse, do everything possible to eliminate obvious hazards and make it as safe as possible. Choose a sturdy tree, ensure that the structure is soundly constructed, and that it complies with local authorities. Treehouses should not be built near power lines or provide views into neighbors' homes.