Homeowners Insurance
Swimming Pool Injuries Return to Pre-COVID-19 Pandemic Levels
Summer’s officially here, which means it’s pool season again for many Americans. Like all things, though, swimming comes with risks. While swimming pool injuries fell significantly in 2020, they’ve risen by 44.2% since.
ValuePenguin researchers analyzed swimming pool injuries between 2013 and 2022. As consumers get ready to hit the pools again, we also offer tips on how your home insurance plays a role in pool safety.
On this page
- Key findings
- Swimming pool injuries splash back to pre-pandemic levels in 2022
- Nearly half of swimming pool injuries involve swimming activity, apparel or equipment
- Men, young Americans most likely to be injured at the pool
- Most swimming pool injuries don’t require treatment — here are the most reported injuries
- Practicing pool safety: How your home insurance plays a role
- Methodology
Key findings
- The number of people treated in emergency departments for swimming pool injuries returned to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels in 2022. 184,417 injuries were reported in 2022, down just 1.2% from 186,609 in 2019. Related injuries plunged in the first year of the pandemic (2020) to 127,907 but are up 44.2% since.
- Injuries related to swimming activity, apparel or equipment have accounted for nearly half of injuries in the past 10 years. Emergency department visits categorized as such accounted for 47.4% of swimming pool injuries between 2013 and 2022.
- Swimming pool injuries are more common among the youngest people. 34.5% of the people treated in emergency departments for swimming pool injuries between 2013 and 2022 were 9 years old or younger. People 10 to 19 years old were next at 30.9%.
- Most swimming pool injuries don’t require hospital treatment. The victim wasn’t admitted In 93.6% of emergency department visits between 2013 and 2022 after a swimming pool injury.
- Lacerations are the most common swimming pool injury beyond "other," followed by strains and sprains and contusions and abrasions. Lacerations accounted for 11.8% of swimming pool injuries between 2013 and 2022, followed by strains and sprains (8.6%) and contusions and abrasions (7.8%). Overall, "other" accounted for 43.6% of injuries over those 10 years.
What did we consider a swimming pool injury?
ValuePenguin researchers analyzed U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data to estimate the number of people treated in emergency departments for swimming pool injuries between 2013 and 2022.
We considered the following eight NEISS product codes to track swimming pool-related injuries:
- Swimming (activity, apparel or equipment)
- Swimming pools, not specified
- Built-in swimming pools
- Diving or diving boards
- Swimming pool equipment
- Portable swimming pools
- Above-ground swimming pools (except portable pools)
- Swimming pool slides
We didn’t include other available water-related codes, including scuba diving, water polo or flotation toys, that weren’t wholly relevant to the topic.
NEISS hospital coordinators analyze emergency department records from about 100 institutions to categorize injuries by age, gender, disposition and more. Because of the manual nature of this process, the total number of injuries may vary across the categories.
Swimming pool injuries splash back to pre-pandemic levels in 2022
With the height of the COVID-19 pandemic long behind us, consumers are hitting the pool again — but swimming pool-related injuries have rebounded to near pre-pandemic levels. In 2022, 184,417 injuries required an emergency room visit — just 1.2% less than the 186,609 reported in 2019.
Emergency department visits for swimming pool injuries by year
Year | Swimming pool injuries | % change year over year |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 163,621 | N/A |
| 2014 | 157,246 | -3.9% |
| 2015 | 189,541 | 20.5% |
| 2016 | 208,596 | 10.1% |
| 2017 | 195,830 | -6.1% |
| 2018 | 190,771 | -2.6% |
| 2019 | 186,609 | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 127,907 | -31.5% |
| 2021 | 152,970 | 19.6% |
| 2022 | 184,417 | 20.6% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) data.
For comparison, just 127,907 injuries were reported in 2020 — a 31.5% decrease from 2019. That means injuries in 2022 were up 44.2% from 2020.
Public pool and park closures and social distancing measures most likely played a role in this significant decrease, particularly as public pools are the most common ways consumers access a pool. According to a 2022 ValuePenguin survey on pool safety, 23% of Americans said they swim at a gym, YMCA, swim club or something similar in their community, and 18% swim at a neighborhood or apartment pool.
However, these closures came with consequences. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, these closures meant fewer children attended swimming lessons, a critical component of swimming pool safety.
Noteworthy: 208,596 injuries were reported in 2016, the only year in the past 10 with more than 200,000 swimming pool injuries.
Nearly half of swimming pool injuries involve swimming activity, apparel or equipment
What’s causing these injuries? Swimming activity, apparel or equipment (including flippers, goggles, masks, mermaid tails and more) have accounted for 47.4% of related injuries in the past 10 years.
Emergency department visits for swimming pool injuries by category
Injury category | Injuries | % of total injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Swimming (activity, apparel or equipment) | 964,962 | 47.4% |
| Swimming pools, not specified | 675,401 | 33.2% |
| Built-in swimming pools | 218,420 | 10.7% |
| Diving or diving boards | 78,343 | 3.8% |
| Swimming pool equipment | 53,280 | 2.6% |
| Portable swimming pools | 19,077 | 0.9% |
| Above-ground swimming pools (excluding portable pools) | 14,982 | 0.7% |
| Swimming pool slides | 11,604 | 0.6% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of U.S. CPSC NEISS data from 2013 through 2022.
Meanwhile, 33.2% of injuries don’t have a specified cause (beyond "swimming pools") and 10.7% are related to built-in swimming pools.
More specifically, many injured Americans may be tripping or falling. The 2022 ValuePenguin study found that slipping and falling on the pool deck was the No. 1 safety-related incident at personal pools (14%), followed by someone falling into the pool (11%). After that were:
- Someone struggling to swim (8%)
- A child wandering in unattended (7%)
- Catching someone using the pool without permission (5%)
- Someone hitting their head (5%)
Men, young Americans most likely to be injured at the pool
Some demographics are more likely to be injured at the pool than others. By gender, men made up 52.2% of swimming pool injuries between 2013 and 2022 — higher than the 47.8% among women.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that nearly 80% of people who die from drowning are men — indicating an increased exposure to water, which may put them at higher risk of injury. Men also take more recreational risks than women — according to research — which could play a role here.
Meanwhile, by age group, 34.5% of the people treated in emergency departments for swimming pool injuries were 9 years old or younger. Following that, 30.9% were 10 to 19 years old.
Emergency department visits for swimming pool injuries by age
Age | Injuries | % of total injuries |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 9 | 581,100 | 34.5% |
| 10 to 19 | 520,317 | 30.9% |
| 20 to 29 | 176,189 | 10.5% |
| 30 to 39 | 137,548 | 8.2% |
| 40 to 49 | 102,004 | 6.1% |
| 50 to 59 | 92,409 | 5.5% |
| 60 to 69 | 73,874 | 4.4% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of U.S. CPSC NEISS data from 2013 through 2022.
According to ValuePenguin home insurance expert Divya Sangameshwar, children are most at risk from pool injuries for various reasons.
"A combination of a lack of swimming skills, especially among the youngest children, a lack of barriers around pools or other bodies of water like a hot tub, and lack of adult supervision when children play in the water all lead to children getting hurt in and around the pool," she says. "These stats should serve as a wake-up call to all parents and caregivers to keep a hawk eye on their little ones while at the pool."
Additionally, children ages 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates, according to the CDC — most of which happen at pools. In fact, fatal drowning is the leading cause of death for children of this age and the second-leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 5 to 14.
Most swimming pool injuries don’t require treatment — here are most reported injuries
There’s some good news, though: Most injuries don’t require hospitalization. In 93.6% of emergency department visits for swimming pool injuries between 2013 and 2022, those injured weren’t admitted. Just 6.0% were admitted and 0.4% died.
Given that, what types of injuries are these Americans experiencing? Other unspecified injuries accounted for 43.6% of injuries over those 10 years. Beyond that, lacerations are the most common swimming pool injury, accounting for 11.8% of swimming pool injuries between 2013 and 2022.
That’s followed by strains and sprains (8.6%) and contusions and abrasions (7.8%).
Emergency department visits for swimming pool injuries by type
Injury type | Injuries | % of total injuries |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 791,641 | 43.6% |
| Laceration | 214,140 | 11.8% |
| Strain or sprain | 156,331 | 8.6% |
| Contusions or abrasions | 141,282 | 7.8% |
| Fracture | 104,508 | 5.8% |
| Internal organ injury | 98,150 | 5.4% |
| Submersion | 91,608 | 5.0% |
| Dermatitis or conjunctivitis | 78,649 | 4.3% |
| Dislocation | 28,444 | 1.6% |
| Concussion | 25,966 | 1.4% |
| Burns | 24,312 | 1.3% |
| Poisoning | 12,362 | 0.7% |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of U.S. CPSC NEISS data from 2013 through 2022.
Practicing pool safety: How your home insurance plays a role
While the risk of injury at the pool may be rising, you can do a few things to improve safety — particularly if your property includes a private pool. To ensure your pool is summer-ready this year, Sangameshwar says to keep the following in mind:
- Insurance companies won’t cover your pool if you don’t meet their requirements for safety measures. These measures could include fences, barriers, alarms and drain and pool covers. "While home insurance companies may not require all the safety measures outlined, it’s best to err on the side of caution when it comes to keeping your family and friends safe around your pool," Sangameshwar says.
- These physical precautions alone aren’t enough. You also need to check if your homeowners insurance policy has enough personal liability coverage to protect you financially if a guest or visitor were to sue you after getting hurt near or at your pool. "If your net worth exceeds the liability coverage offered, get more liability coverage or even an umbrella policy," she says.
- Pool owners should not neglect any pool leaks as that can become a big issue in the future. "A leaking pool can do significant damage, like flooding your basement or damaging your home’s foundation," Sangameshwar says. "Repairing damages to your home’s foundation is one the most expensive repairs a homeowner could encounter — especially since homeowners insurance doesn’t cover damage from gradual leaks. All things considered, identifying pool leaks early and fixing the problem quickly is easier and less expensive."
- Finally, the type of pool you have will determine the type of insurance coverage you’ll need. Homeowners insurance companies treat in-ground pools differently from above-ground pools. In-ground pools are considered part of your dwelling and will be included in your policy’s coverage. Above-ground pools are classified as personal property — like bicycles — so if you have one, Sangameshwar says to make sure you have enough personal property coverage to protect your above-ground pool against damages.
Methodology
Researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) to estimate the number of people treated in emergency departments for swimming pool injuries between 2013 and 2022.
We used the following product groupings:
- Swimming (activity, apparel or equipment)
- Swimming pools, not specified
- Built-in swimming pools
- Diving or diving boards
- Swimming pool equipment
- Portable swimming pools
- Above-ground swimming pools (except portable pools)
- Swimming pool slides
The NEISS doesn’t include specific breakdowns in a subcategory or period when the estimate is less than 1,200, which can cause different numbers of injuries to appear based on the categorization.