Drowning deaths in the United States have been increasing since 2020 after decades of decline, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They found that over 4,500 people died by drowning each year from 2020 to 2022 – 500 more per year compared to 2019. Though it's difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of this increase, it's possible that COVID-19 lockdowns may have altered the way in which people approach water recreation, which has left more people vulnerable to drowning. Of course, drowning isn't the only danger presented when swimming, and those with their own personal swimming pools should be especially aware of, and prepared for, all of the risks involved in having a pool on their property. Over the last decade, swimming pool injuries that required an emergency department visit have most commonly fallen into the following categories: |

• Swimming (activity, apparel or equipment): 47.4%
• Swimming pools, not specified: 33.2%
• Built-in swimming pools: 10.7%
• Diving or diving boards: 3.8%

Other, less frequent, injury categories included swimming pool equipment, portable swimming pools, above-ground pools (excluding portable pools) and swimming pool slides. At personal pools, ValuePenguin found the most common safety-related incidents were caused by slipping and falling on the pool deck. The most likely people to be injured at the pool are men and those age 19 and younger. Thankfully, most pool-related injuries don't require hospitalization, and 93.6% of those who visited the emergency department for them between 2013 and 2022 were not admitted. Of the remaining injuries, 6% were admitted and 0.4% died. While 43.6% of pool injuries fall into the "other" category, the most common specified types of injuries are lacerations (11.8%), strains or sprains (8.6%), contusions or abrasions (7.8%), fractures (5.8%) and internal organ injury (5.4%). With so many risks associated with swimming pools, it leaves a lot for those who have their own private pool to consider when making sure they have the proper insurance coverage should a mishap occur – whether that be an injured quest or damage to the pool itself. In the slideshow above, we'll look at some swimming pool insurance tips you should keep in mind when examining your policies, courtesy of ValuePenguin.

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