Pool Inspection Reveals Attempted Insurance Fraud

When it comes to insurance claims involving landscapings, it can sometimes be hard to make the distinction between attempted fraud and lack of education. However, the result is the same: an inaccurate claim.

You can have a “do-it-yourself” homeowner who is positive he or she knows what caused the damage, or a homeowner who just wants a new pool—or even a pool company that could financially use a big job.

The Uneducated or Lazy Homeowner

There have been quite a few wildfires in California this year. Rightfully, some insurance companies covered the costs of damages caused by soot, ash and heat. However, our inspectors were called out on numerous claims where the damages (or as it turned out, no damages) had nothing to do with the fires and were simply caused by normal wear and tear or improper maintenance.

There was one homeowner who kept her hot tub uncovered and empty of water in her backyard. The acrylic surface had calcified and the unit did not turn on. Obviously, this was a spa that needed maintenance, but it had nothing to do with the fire that had burned about 20 miles away 6 months earlier.

The Opportunistic Pool Company

We received a request for an inspection in Missouri. The homeowner claimed that an ice storm had damaged her pool and the pool company wanted to replace the vinyl liner and fiberglass stairs.

Our inspector discovered that the pool had not been winterized, but had been drained, covered and left to sit without water for some time. The pool was 20 years old and the spider web-like cracks on the top of the fiberglass stairs were typical of age and normal wear and tear.

There was no sign of ice damage whatsoever.

Just Plain Fraud

We received a call that something (unidentified) had fallen into a pool and damaged the liner. Upon inspection it was found that the liner was damaged from age and long-term exposure to the sun (normal wear and tear).

About 2 weeks later, we received a call to the same property. This time it was a day after the 4th of July and we were told that rockets had landed in the pool, causing the liner to tear. There was no evidence a single rocket in or around the pool. Even if rockets had landed in the pool, the water would have buoyed them and the liner would not have sustained any damages.

The Remedy

Landscaping Inspection Services conducts honest pool and spa inspections and delivers accurate reports to insurance professionals.

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 Photo Credit: flytosky11, Thinkstock.com