If you run a pool service business, you already know the risks. You're hauling chemicals, working with electrical equipment around water, and walking on slippery surfaces all day long. One misstep—literally—and you could be facing a lawsuit that threatens everything you've built. That's where general liability insurance comes in.
General liability (GL) insurance isn't just a nice-to-have for pool service companies—it's your financial safety net when accidents happen. And in this business, they will happen. A customer slips on pool water you tracked onto their patio. Your technician accidentally cracks a tile while cleaning. A chemical spill damages a client's landscaping. Without GL coverage, any one of these incidents could cost you tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket.
Why Pool Service Businesses Need General Liability Insurance
Pool maintenance is inherently risky work. You're combining water, electricity, powerful chemicals, and physical labor on other people's property. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, service industry workers face some of the highest rates of non-fatal workplace injuries, with slips, trips, and falls accounting for a significant portion of claims.
Here's what makes pool service particularly liability-prone: you're working at residential properties where kids and pets are present, handling chlorine and muriatic acid that can cause burns or respiratory issues, using heavy equipment like pool vacuums and pumps that could damage property, and creating wet, slippery conditions that are lawsuit magnets. Even the most careful pool tech can't eliminate these risks entirely.
Beyond the physical risks, there's the business reality: most commercial accounts won't hire you without proof of insurance. Homeowners associations, property management companies, and commercial facilities routinely require contractors to carry minimum GL coverage and provide certificates of insurance before starting work. No certificate, no contract.
What General Liability Insurance Actually Covers
General liability insurance for pool service businesses covers three main areas: bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury. Let's break down what each means in real-world terms.
Bodily injury coverage protects you when someone gets hurt because of your business operations. A homeowner trips over your vacuum hose and breaks their ankle. A child gets chemical burns from improperly stored chlorine tablets. A client develops respiratory problems after you over-chlorinated their pool. Your GL policy covers their medical expenses, lost wages, and any legal fees if they sue—plus your legal defense costs, which alone can run into six figures.
Property damage coverage is equally critical for pool techs. You accidentally crack a pool tile during cleaning. Your equipment malfunctions and damages a customer's pump system. You spill acid on a client's expensive patio furniture. Chemical runoff kills their prize rosebushes. All of these scenarios fall under property damage coverage, which pays to repair or replace the damaged property.
Personal and advertising injury covers claims related to libel, slander, copyright infringement, or wrongful advertising. This matters less for pool service than bodily injury or property damage, but it's still valuable protection. If a competitor claims you stole their marketing materials or a customer accuses you of defamation, this coverage handles it.
Standard Coverage Limits for Pool Service Businesses
The industry standard for general liability insurance is what's called a $1M/$2M policy—$1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. Here's what that means: if a single incident results in a claim, your policy will cover up to $1 million in damages and legal costs. The $2 million aggregate is your total coverage limit for all claims during your policy period (typically one year).
For most pool service businesses, $1M/$2M coverage is sufficient and meets the requirements of most commercial clients. However, if you service high-value properties, work for large commercial accounts, or operate in areas where litigation is common, you might want to consider higher limits like $2M/$4M or even adding an umbrella policy for extra protection.
Cost varies based on your location, revenue, number of employees, and claims history, but pool service businesses typically pay between $800 and $2,500 annually for standard GL coverage. That works out to less than $70-$210 per month—a small price compared to the potential cost of a single uninsured claim, which could easily exceed $50,000.
Coverage Gaps and Additional Insurance to Consider
General liability insurance is essential, but it doesn't cover everything. Understanding what's excluded helps you avoid nasty surprises when you file a claim.
Employee injuries aren't covered by GL—that's what workers' compensation insurance is for. If your technician slips and falls while servicing a pool, GL won't help. You need workers' comp, which is legally required in most states once you have employees. Professional errors and omissions also aren't covered. If you give bad advice that damages a client's pool system, you need professional liability insurance (also called errors and omissions insurance).
Vehicle accidents aren't covered either. If you're driving between jobs and cause an accident, your personal auto insurance won't cover business use—you need commercial auto insurance. And your tools and equipment aren't protected by GL if they're stolen or damaged. That requires inland marine insurance, which covers your equipment whether it's in your vehicle, at a job site, or in storage.
Many pool service businesses bundle these coverages into a Business Owner's Policy (BOP), which packages general liability, commercial property, and business interruption insurance at a lower cost than buying each separately. Adding commercial auto and inland marine coverage creates comprehensive protection tailored to field service operations.
How to Get Started with General Liability Insurance
Getting general liability insurance for your pool service business is straightforward. Start by gathering basic information about your business: annual revenue, number of employees, types of services you provide, and whether you do residential, commercial, or both. Insurers will also want to know your claims history and whether you have any current lawsuits.
Shop around and get quotes from at least three different insurers. Prices vary significantly, and some insurers specialize in service businesses and understand your unique risks better than others. Look for insurers who offer pool service or contractor packages rather than trying to fit your business into a generic commercial policy.
Once you've selected a policy, most insurers can bind coverage immediately and provide a certificate of insurance within 24 hours. Keep several copies of your certificate on hand—you'll need to provide them to clients regularly. Set a reminder to review your coverage annually, especially if your business grows or you start offering new services. Your insurance should scale with your business to ensure you're always adequately protected.
General liability insurance isn't glamorous, and it's tempting to view it as just another business expense. But the first time you need it—and in the pool service business, you probably will—you'll understand its value. It's the difference between an expensive inconvenience and a business-ending catastrophe. Protect what you've built.
