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Why Joining the IPSSA Community is a Great Plan

A recent survey explains what sets IPSSA apart from other pool associations

The Independent Pool & Spa Service Association, or IPSSA, recently surveyed its nationwide member base to find out which of its member benefits ranks highest. The answer was overwhelmingly the IPSSA Sick Route Coverage Plan.

What is the IPSSA Sick Route Coverage Plan?

This is consistently the top-ranked benefit among members. The IPSSA Sick Route Coverage Plan was also cited as the main reason most members chose to join IPSSA. The program is particularly important because IPSSA members are primarily one-person businesses, making this benefit indispensible to ensure income protection when service pros can’t service their routes. IPSSA’s Sick Route Coverage Plan helps protect members from losing valuable weekly service accounts and revenue in the event of a qualifying personal injury or illness. Members band together to provide emergency coverage for all or a portion of a service route, helping to maintain the route and protect a fellow member’s livelihood. This coverage is (by necessity) limited in scope and intended as an emergency safety net. For a few dollars’ worth of chemicals plus a small amount of time, IPSSA members get the most inexpensive income protection plan available.

How does it work?

For service techs looking to join an association that includes this benefit, it’s important to understand how the IPSSA’s Sick Route Coverage Plan works. To begin with, service techs must join an IPSSA chapter. After six months of membership, if an IPSSA member gets injured or sick, the chapter members will divide the person’s pool route among the group and will service all the pools on the route at no charge while the member is recovering. Some may think, “Why would I let strangers service my pools?” The answer is easy: All IPSSA members maintain liability insurance and are qualified by the association, having passed a standardized water chemistry exam. In addition, IPSSA provides ongoing education opportunities for all members at its monthly meetings (which are now virtual) to ensure all techs are aware of the latest problems, solutions and technologies to solve pool and spa servicing needs.

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Why is it effective?

The IPSSA Sick Route Coverage Plan has helped many members over the years. Michael Denham, IPSSA Region 5 Director in Southern California, says he never thought he would need to use the plan, but  “unfortunately I had a bad motorcycle accident and I was unable to service my route,” Denham says. “My Orange County chapter members stepped in and serviced my route the entire time I was out.” Manuel Margain, Region 2 Director in Central California says the plan gives him peace of mind, “knowing that if I get sick or injured, I don’t have to stress about paying my bills, because I know my route will be covered by my fellow members.”

The IPSSA Sick Route Coverage Plan originally came about as a service tech community response to helping fellow IPSSA members. Some chapters have expanded the ways the plan is used, including providing support for members during maternity/paternity leave, and special short vacation leaves like a honeymoon. Service techs looking for a supportive community organization that will protect from income loss will find it by joining IPSSA.

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