Matthew Perry and hot tub risk, insurance concerns
The actor's untimely death serves as a painful reminder of the risks inherent to owning a hot tub.
When it comes to washing away stress and soothing achy joints, it’s hard to beat the warm water and gurgling jets of a hot tub.
But the untimely death on Oct. 28, 2023, of beloved actor Matthew Perry of “Friends” fame serves as a painful reminder that there are distinct risks linked to owning a hot tub, and with those risks come liability and insurance concerns.
Although an investigation into the specifics of the actor’s death is currently underway, Los Angeles authorities have confirmed that Perry died at home in his hot tub. He was 54.
More than 300 people a year die in hot tub-related accidents, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, and children are especially at risk. Add home swimming pools and spas to the mix, and the number of annual injuries swells past 6,000 each year.
Common causes of hot tub injuries include:
- Slips and falls;
- Suction mishaps;
- Overheating; and
- Chemical imbalances.
All of these can precipitate an accidental drowning.
Homeowners seeking insurance for properties that include a hot tub (or swimming pool or spa) will need coverage for potential hot tub accidents as well as potential damage to the hot tub itself. It follows that these amenities cause higher homeowners’ insurance costs compared to residences without a hot tub, pool or spa.
Unfortunate events surrounding hot tubs also can lead to confusing insurance claims. Here are a few of the hot tub claim questions fielded by FC&S Expert Coverage Interpretation:
- Is a hot tub claim the same as a swimming pool claim? A reader wrote in with this question after a policyholder’s hot tub pipes froze during winter weather.
- Is the mechanical equipment used to run a hot tub covered? This claim also arose in response to cold-weather exposure.
- What type of loss is a damaged hot tub? This claim was the result of a power outage that caused the hot tub to freeze.
The insurance coverage aggregator Clovered adds that some insurance providers refuse to cover hot tubs altogether because of their inherent risks: “Some companies may make you get an added endorsement before protecting it. When it is covered, your hot tub should be safeguarded from the same perils listed on your policy that your home and belongings are.”
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