Trampolines--why are they on the insurance bad list?

[HelenePA]

Before I came on the dis I must admit.. I had no idea I'd have to ask my house insurance if I could get one along with some breeds of dogs...

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Okay, but then if someone gets hurt and they sue you, you don't have insurance to cover it and you would be personally liable. Trampoline injuries are often serious, including fractures and worse. Why would you (general you) ever take that risk??

I'm not contemplating a purchase.

Liability in general is an iffy subject. I don't agree that if you have a secured yard that the homeowner should have any liablity over a trespasser's injuries. Unfortunately--our court system often gives more rights to idiots than to people who tried to protect their property.


Just saw this on CNN in regards to bouncehouses:
http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/23051267/detail.html?hpt=T2

As for me--it is only disheartening, b/c I cannot purchase an item for my own family to use in the event of a trespasser (see post upthread where someone posted their story).

Again, I am not contemplating a purchase--but again--only b/c there is no way in hades for me to get it insured. Statistics aren't in my favor. I don't want to be sued--but I don't want other people to use my stuff either.

My kids use one at the gym fully supervised--so someone somewhere must in someway insure their usage.

 

[erincon23]

Last Thursday, my DS17 was at a friend's house -- the friend has one of these devil's-idea objects . He and his friend were both on it, and they landed in the same place at the same time -- my son now has a very badly sprained ankle. When I took him to the urgent care, they said it was the third trampoline injury that day. It would have made any difference if they had an enclosure in this instance. I would NEVER get a trampoline, no matter how much my kids want one. It's too unpredictable.

- Erin

 

[allison443]

I'm not contemplating a purchase.

Yes, I understand, but I was responding to your post where you asked why wouldn't the insurance company just sell a policy excluding coverage for the trampoline. That wouldn't make sense imo.

 

[JerseyJanice]

It's amazing to me how many people will still buy these things. I've read for years that pediatricians HATE them and baby walkers. Based on what they've seen firsthand, doctors strongly recommend parents not buy or use them, but people continue to bring them into their homes as if they were an essential item.

No one needs a trampoline--not for exercise or to have fun. There are other, much safer ways kids can get exercise and have fun. Same thing with a baby's walker. It's not an essential item. Plenty of babies never have one.

I don't get why people are so stubborn. Pediatricians agree these are dangerous items, so why even consider owning them?

Insurance is the least of it IMHO. I look at an enclosed trampoline, and it's plain to see that those enclosures do little to prevent injuries.

 

[palmtreegirl]

I'd love to get one for the kids(and myself) but homeowners won't cover one and I'd be too worried about kids going on it when we're not home.

They're building a trampoline center like this near us-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCJNEyaGLm0

I can't wait to try it out.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm amazed as well Janice.

I know they are dangerous.

I do find some personal humor in that my most severe injuries were during the most--low risks tasks that one is not supposed to be injured--but I found a way.

 

[AKL_Megs]

When I was 10, I fell off of my friends trampoline. I tried to save myself from falling, but instead, pinched a nerve in my neck, and cracked my head on a tree root when I hit the ground.

Never had surgery or anything to correct the pinched nerve... doctors said there was nothing that could be done. But, almost 20 years later, I still have pain.