Agency Principal, proud husband & father, and jazz enthusiast.
Here in the Ark-La-Tex, family time and keeping kids active remain a priority. Trampolines provide a great source of backyard entertainment and exercise. Unfortunately, accidents happen. For example, has your trampoline damaged your neighbor’s property?
You bought the backyard trampoline for your children in the hope your kids would enjoy bouncing and blowing off steam.
You probably didn’t think too much of homeowners insurance policy coverage. Nor, did you likely think of any homeowners insurance policy claims you might have to make in the future.
After all, you serve as the trampoline owner and the property owner, therefore, your rules, right?
Well, to a point that all goes well.
Let’s face it, injuries on a trampoline usually happens eventually.
Of course, you take the right safety measures and safety precautions. For instance, you have a house rule of how many can jump at one time. Situation covered, right?
You never expected that liability risk of a severe weather event. For instance, a sudden, hurricane-force windstorm sends your trampoline hurtling over the fence like Peter Pan. It winds up making a dent in your neighbor’s aluminum siding and/or leaving other broken property.
If your trampoline breaks its anchors and damages a neighbor’s property, the situation can quickly become complicated. It can certainly bring forth an angry neighbor if you don’t have a plan in place to remediate.
Hopefully, if your trampoline breaks its moors and swan dives next door, no damage will take place and you can return it to your yard in safety.
However, sometimes life doesn’t play that way.
You will want proper coverage in that case, and so will your insurance carrier if they plan to pay the claim after you pay your deductible.
While your personal property/trampoline coverage tends to help replace your trampoline if it is damaged on your property due to a hailstorm, lightning strike, or other covered peril (e.g., fire), it’s a little different when the trampoline goes sailing skyward, becoming a hazard to more than just your property.
The first step to understanding legal responsibility for any damages caused by a trampoline is to get familiar with your policy’s liability coverage.
Most home insurance policies include some form of liability coverage for injury or property damage that occurs as a result of use of specified items (including trampolines).
Consider speaking with your trusted independent insurance agent (like us here at Watley Insurance Group) before taking any further steps if you are unsure if you are covered or not.
If your trampoline caused damage to your neighbor’s property, it’s important to determine whether negligence led to the damage.
Negligence is when someone fails to exercise reasonable care and causes harm to another person or their property.
If the trampoline accident was due to negligence on your part, such as improper installation, securing, or lack of maintenance, then you could be held liable for any damages incurred.
If the accident was due to an act of God, such as a hurricane or tornado, then you may not be held liable for any damages.
Hurricanes and tornadoes beat trampolines every time.
Upon discovering any damages, contact your neighbor promptly to advise them of the incident, emphasizing that no ill-intent was present.
You may know your neighbor well, or maybe you don’t talk much at all.
Regardless, you’ll want to make sure you take a measured approach until all the facts come into view.
Even when the facts come into view, we recommend a measured approach still apply!
You may want to mention that unforeseen circumstances may have caused damage to their property, and you are willing to cover any repair costs with the guidance of your insurance provider, as appropriate.
Prior to any trampolines flying around this upcoming spring storm season, you may want to get a step ahead with more than just the standard home policy.
For example, an umbrella policy provides extra liability protection beyond the limits of your existing homeowners or renters policy.
This coverage is designed to protect you if you cause significant damage to someone else’s property due to negligence.
In any case, it’s important to understand your liability coverage under your home insurance policy in the event you need to make a homeowners insurance claim.
At Watley Insurance Group, we provide a collection of independent insurance agents here who can review your homeowner’s insurance coverage policy and if needed, match you with the best insurance provider.
As an independent insurance agency primarily serving Shreveport, Bossier City, Benton, Barksdale Air Force Base, Haughton, Keithville, and Blanchard, we have access to provide homeowners insurance policy solutions from many insurance companies to our Ark-La-Tex friends and neighbors.
We’ll recommend you stay with your coverage if it proves a quality policy, and we’ll recommend only that which warrants recommending.
After all, we consider you our neighbors and we don’t want to hit you with any hurricane-type wind flying nonsense when it comes to your homeowners policy, homeowners insurance claim, or any other type of coverage.
So, contact us here at Watley Insurance Group and we’ll help you out.
Agency Principal, proud husband & father, and jazz enthusiast.