The job requirement of a pool service technician isn’t just to clean leaves out of the pool. If there’s a job that a general contractor can do, you can be sure that most pool service technicians can do it, too. However, that expanded list of job requirements means pool service technicians need an expanded insurance policy.
Framers, roofers, drywall installers, and other contractors buy the same type of insurance policy: a commercial general liability policy. The purpose of this policy is to protect the contractor if there’s a liability
claim against him. Ray Arouesty, president of Arrow Insurance Service, is an expert when it comes to the insurance needs of pool service technicians. “It’s a one size fits all policy that goes about 75 percent of the way there for most contractors,” Arouesty says.
The limitations of the commercial general liability policy are called exclusions. When you look through your current policy, you won’t see these exclusions in bold print on the front page. Instead, they’re likely in fine print and, consequently, easily overlooked. However, these exclusions can mean a pool service technician isn’t covered for potential problems directly affecting his job duties.
“The service technician has a minefield of liabilities that he
wanders through every day of his professional career,” Arouesty says. That’s why a pool service business needs a broad insurance policy to cover issues unique to the swimming pool industry.
As a pool service technician, you may ask yourself the following questions:
• What can a pool service technician be liable for?
• Does a commercial general liability policy cover it?
Common Exclusions of Commercial General Liability Policies
Bacterial Transmission
If chlorine and sanitizer levels aren’t high enough to kill bacteria, and someone in the pool contracts an infection, the pool service technician could be liable. “It’s a very standard exclusion where claims for bacteria or organic pathogens aren’t covered under the policy,” Arouesty says.
Pollution
Many commercial general liability policies define pollution as the dispersion, release or migration of chemicals. That includes chlorine and acid — staples in the daily supplies of a pool service technician. If there’s a claim involving these chemicals, insurance companies could consider it pollution and refuse coverage on the claim. “If there’s a truck accident, chemicals could fall to the ground,” Arouesty says. “I’ve seen pool technicians get bills close to $10,000 for the HazMat squad to clean up what spills onto the street.”
Mold
“Mold needs three things to grow: moisture, warmth, and a source of food,” Arouesty says. “For mold, drywall is the equivalent of a pizza. It loves it; it just devours drywall.” If mold is excluded from your commercial general liability policy, and the pool you fill overflows and water runs into a building, you could be liable for damages.
Popped Pools
In areas with a high water table, pools can actually pop out of the ground when they’re drained. Depending on the type of pool, fixing a popped pool can be extremely costly or impossible, needing replacement. Most commercial general liability policies don’t cover the replacement cost of a popped pool.
Finding the Right Policy
“Pool technicians are running sometimes 80 to 90 pools per week, so there’s not a lot of time at the end of the day to evaluate the details of a 200-page insurance policy,” Arouesty says. However, there are questions you can ask to make sure you have a policy that meets your needs. Does the policy cover:
• mold?
• chemical damage claims?
• damage to tile or plaster?
• bacterial infections?
• pools popping out of the ground?
“And I would demand the answers to those questions in writing,” Arouesty adds.
To find the right policy for the right price, consider buying a specialty insurance package through a trade association like the Independent Pool and Spa Service Association (IPSSA) or the Swimming Pool Association of Hawaii. Associations have the buying power to get
specialty liability policies at prices that are the same or even less than commercial general liability policies.
While you may not have the expertise to understand the fine print of your policy, your agent does. Find an agent who specializes in policies designed for pool service technicians. Sit down together until he answers all of your insurance questions. It’s time well spent so you don’t end up with an expensive bill that could potentially put you out of business.
