Trampoline and home insurance

(ak4life) · (ak4life) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 10-23-2006, 10:27 AM

Hello,

Looking to get a trampoline. Found a very good post here on digging a trampoline pit, but before we start digging, wanted to check everyone's experience on how much a trampoline increases home insurance and any tricks on squeaking on by the insurance company.

cheers, -Alain.

(richd) · (richd) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 10-23-2006, 10:48 AM

A lot of insurance companies have tramps listed in the excluded items section so it's not a matter of paying more but not being able to buy coverage at all. If you're going to let others use it best to make sure they have major medical on their own and aren't the type to sue you.

(acurtis_ttu) · (acurtis_ttu) **Join Date: May 2004** 10-23-2006, 10:58 AM

My insurance company won't allow them either.

(ak4life) · (ak4life) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 10-23-2006, 11:01 AM

Ouch! The cost of fun really is prohibitive. Corporate bottom line strikes again! Thanks, Rich, I'll check with our insurance guy. It'll go something like: "a friend of mine.."

(ccryder) · (ccryder) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 10-23-2006, 11:31 AM

I had one and some how my insurance found out I had it and sent me a nasty letter to either remove from the property or have my policy cancelled. I no longer have one!

(bankssa) · (bankssa) **Join Date: Mar 2003** 10-23-2006, 12:13 PM

What states to you guys live in that Insurance companies don't allow tramps in? In Michigan you just need to get a rider for boats and tramps...part of your homeowners policy...

(richd) · (richd) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 10-23-2006, 12:50 PM

California - where (when it comes to liability) you're guilty until proven innocent.

(wakebrdmom) · (wakebrdmom) **Join Date: Mar 2006** 10-23-2006, 1:01 PM

Rich, that is good to know. I guess I never told our insurance broker about our tramp. Guess its a good thing we have a net. The only one who has ever gotten hurt was our own kid when he broke his ankle. Good thing.

(mobv) · (mobv) **Join Date: Jun 2002** 10-23-2006, 1:26 PM

In Tennessee my insurance said it had to be enclosed in a fence, net was not sufficient.Same requirement as a swimming pool.

If your insurance company doesn't know you have a tramp and someone gets hurt and sues you they don't have to cover your liability if it is on an exclusion list. You better make sure it is not excluded.

(melanie_g) · (melanie_g) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 10-23-2006, 1:54 PM

You better make sure you hide it. I caught some kids trying to jump my fence to get into the backyard to jump on it. If I was not home and they jumped the fence and got hurt, I'd be liable because some people can't teach their kids right from wrong!

(socalwakepunk) · (socalwakepunk) **Join Date: Dec 2002** 10-23-2006, 2:04 PM

It's not a trampoline. It's a gravity mitigation device...Educational

(Message edited by socalwakepunk on October 23, 2006)

(snead) · (snead) **Join Date: Jul 2001** 10-23-2006, 2:16 PM

Most insurance policies exclude trampolines, even fewer allow for a rider to be added on to add coverage. Insurance companies will occasionally do drive by inspections of insureds, especially new ones. If you have one in your yard and they see it you will probably get a call or a letter in the mail saying you will be terminated unless you get rid of it, or that there is no coverage for anything coming out of it.

(mcfatty) · (mcfatty) **Join Date: Apr 2003** 10-23-2006, 2:30 PM

I'm an insurance agent and we have a bunch of companies that won't write your home at all with a trampoline and we have one that if you have a net and a fence they will write it but you will be place in the highest tier. Which means no discounts.

(blastmaster) · (blastmaster) **Join Date: Aug 2001** 10-24-2006, 10:23 AM

I am an independant agent writing for more than 20 companies. None of them will allow a trampoline even with a net or by endorsement. If they found one on inspection, expect a mid term cancellation for change in exposure. Ins companies see trampolines as higher risk than dog bites it seems. I disagree and would love to have one too. Doesn't seem to matter if above ground or flush either.

(akdoc) · (akdoc) **Join Date: Feb 2004** 10-24-2006, 2:13 PM

Gotta love it, Insurance companies are the downfall of society as I see it. I tell you what, you pay me $800 bucks a year to insure your home. I (the insurance company) have a small chance that there will actually be a claim. Ah, but if there is, guess what, now to insure you it is $2000 per year. Plus, I (the insurance company) thinks you claim is fraudulent. Of course you meant leave the iron on and burn a hole in your wall. I won't pay you until you are proven innocent, then I will find the crappiest home repair company in our are that uses leftover scraps from new home construction. So to fix your wall we will pay you $150, because that is what the shade tree crap home repair company can do it for. But remember, now your policy just increased by $1200 a year to pay for that. God, what a racket.

(phantom5815) · (phantom5815) **Join Date: Jul 2002** 10-24-2006, 2:48 PM

Insurance is legalized gambling. Just remember they are not looking out for your best interest as a policy holder. They are making sure the shareholders are the happy customers.
Checkout your insurance's annual profit.

(midwesty) · (midwesty) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 10-24-2006, 3:14 PM

i guess i dont see a danger difference between a trampoline and a swingset or jungle gym. kids are kids and they will get injured regardless of the apparatus

(nuckledragger) · (nuckledragger) **Join Date: Jun 2004** 10-24-2006, 7:59 PM

Alain,

I am selling my 14' trampoline with the net b/c I am moving. If you are interested let me know. I am down in Manhattan Beach. Upload

(hal2814) · (hal2814) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 10-25-2006, 6:23 AM

"Plus, I (the insurance company) thinks you claim is fraudulent."

A lot of people look at rates but ignore the quality of the insurance company and this is the type of thing they get for it. I'm not out to sell insurance so I'm not naming names, but you really should do your homework on how well the insurance company will work with you in an accident. What good is saving a few dollars a month if when push comes to shove, your insurance doesn't show up for you? Then again, some companies are cheaper and good about claim processing. And if you don't like it, you could always buy your home outright. If you want the bank to loan you money, you have to abide by their rules and one of them is that you will insure your home. That's the only reason I'm aware of that you must have home insurance. I've never run across state law requiring it but I sure haven't lived in every state.

"i guess i dont see a danger difference between a trampoline and a swingset or jungle gym."

Statistically, you are so much more likely to get a serious injury on a trampoline. If a bunch of kids suddenly got serious injuries from their swing sets, I'm sure insurance companies would adopt similar rules for swings.

(akdoc) · (akdoc) **Join Date: Feb 2004** 10-25-2006, 6:40 AM

Dante,

I have not had any problems, just a friend who went thru some crap. I think all insurance companies (health, home, auto, life, disability, whatever) just want your money..period. I happen to be in the health industry, and it is just funny what insurance companies do to claims to delay payment. I got a claim back for a patient that asked me to confirm the sex of the patient...her name was an obvious womens name, and they hold the friggin policy, can't their lazy asses look it up.

Back on topic, my insurance company will insure you with a tramp if it has the netting around it. They also like to see a fence in the yard to minimize neighborhood kids from jumping on it.

(richd) · (richd) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 10-25-2006, 6:56 AM

"Insurance is legalized gambling"

I'm not sure I agree with that, at least when you gamble the "house" pays out when you win!

(mcfatty) · (mcfatty) **Join Date: Apr 2003** 10-25-2006, 10:09 AM

KJ,

You need to make an better example cause if you file a claim for $200 than your rates need to go up.

What you should have said is part of your house burns down and insurance paid $50,000 to fix it and your rates went up to $2000 in which the insurance company lost that money cause you'll never pay that much back in premium before the claim is off your "record" in 3-5 years.