Protect Yourself from Backyard Liabilities with Specialized Personal Liability Coverage

Enjoying backyard activities with your family is a healthy way to spend leisure time. However, if these activities involve items that are both attractive and dangerous to small children, then you have what is referred to as attractive nuisances on your property. Because inquisitive young children are drawn to many potentially harmful things, any number of items on your property can place trespassing children at risk.

While an adult would have a difficult time suing you for an injury sustained while trespassing on your property, this isn’t the case for trespassing children. Children lack the maturity to understand the full meaning of trespassing and are incapable of appreciating the dangers of items that may cause them harm. Because of this, the law expects you to take measures that protect the children who trespass on your property. Common attractive nuisances include:

• Swimming pools. Swimming pools with diving boards and slides seem like playgrounds to kids. Preventing accidental drowning requires that you place a high fence around the pool with a gate that’s kept locked when you aren’t using the pool.
• Trampoline. Like swimming pools, trampolines can cause serious harm to unsupervised children and should have a secure fence and gate installed around them. When you aren’t using the trampoline, remove ladders that provide easy access.
• Skateboard ramps. Skateboard ramps are designed for older kids and adults who have the skill and maturity to use them safely. To prevent unauthorized use, remove the ramps when you or your kids are not using them. If the ramps are elaborate permanent fixtures, use secure fencing.

In addition to protecting the welfare of curious children, it’s important to protect your own financial welfare against damages from a lawsuit should the worst happen. Although homeowner’s insurance policies have liability protection, they often exclude a number of attractive nuisances, including the three discussed above.

Give your backyard a safety audit, remedy all hazards, and make sure your liability insurance provides adequate coverage. If not, specialized personal liability coverage is available from XINSURANCE. Contact us today for more information.

Authored by Rick J. Lindsey, President, Chairman, and CEO of XINSURANCE

Rick J. Lindsey hails from Salt Lake City, Utah. He began working in the mailroom of his father’s Salt Lake City insurance firm, getting his introduction to the business that became his lifelong career. Rick J. Lindsey quickly rose through the ranks while working in nearly every imaginable insurance industry job. As an entrepreneur, specialty lines underwriter, claims specialist, risk manager, and a licensed surplus lines broker, Rick J. Lindsey is highly skilled in all levels of leadership and execution. As he progressed on his career path, Rick J. Lindsey discovered an urgent need for insurers willing to write policies for high-risk individuals and businesses. He was frequently frustrated that he could not provide the liability protection these entities desperately needed to safeguard their assets. He also formed the belief that insurance companies acted too quickly to settle frivolous claims. Rick J. Lindsey decided to try a different approach. He started an insurance company and became the newly formed entity’s CEO. This opportunity has enabled Rick J. Lindsey to fill a void in the market and provide a valuable service to businesses, individuals, and insurance agents who write high-risk business. XINSURANCE also specializes in helping individuals and businesses who live a lifestyle or participate in activities that make them difficult for traditional carriers to insure. If you’ve been denied, non-renewed, or canceled coverage, don’t give up quite yet. Chances are XINSURANCE can help.