The pool cage, and why so many of them were uninsured
After every windstorm, South Florida agents have the same conversation more than any other. The cage is destroyed, the homeowner assumed it was covered, and the policy says something narrower than they remember.
What this touches
- The enclosure itself, as a scheduled structure or under other structures
- Screen replacement, which is often limited or excluded for wind specifically
- The pool, its equipment and the deck, which are separate items
- Debris removal, which on a collapsed cage is a real cost
Three ways carriers handle it, and only one is generous
Some policies cover the enclosure under Coverage B at full replacement cost. Many exclude screen material from windstorm entirely. Many others cap it, or settle it at actual cash value, which on a fifteen year old cage is a fraction of the rebuild. All three are legal, all three are common, and the only way to know which one you have is to read the endorsement, which is what we do before quoting.
What moves the premium
- The replacement cost of the structure, which has risen sharply with aluminium prices.
- Its age and whether it was permitted to current code.
- Whether you buy back windstorm on the screen material.
- Your hurricane deductible, which applies to this loss like any other.
Price the rebuild before you insure it
Cage rebuild costs in South Florida have moved a long way in a short time, and a limit set five years ago is likely well behind. Get a current number from a licensed contractor and insure to it.
If you are in one of these
Questions people actually ask
Is the cage worth insuring for wind?
Run the maths with us. Where the buy-back is inexpensive relative to the rebuild it usually is, and where it is not, we will tell you that too.
Work it out before anybody sells you anything
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