Should I inform my insurance company about my infrared sauna?

I just got an infrared sauna for my home. Do I have to tell my insurance company about it? Will having the sauna increase my premiums, and if so, how much?

Inform your insurer about new features like a home sauna to ensure coverage

Thank you for reaching out to The Zebra!

Yes, you will absolutely want to contact your current homeowners insurance company to let them know you've installed the sauna. Making upgrades or remodeling your home can impact your coverage, and because of this, it may increase your rates slightly. How much it goes up depends on how much coverage you have. If the sauna is built into the home, you want to make sure that its value is considered in the overall coverage for the dwelling (some companies call this Coverage A).

If you lost your entire home, you'd want to be able to replace everything — including your new sauna. You need to account for that cost when calculating how much coverage you would need to rebuild. Your homeowners insurance will only payout on a claim for the sauna if they have that factored into your policy coverages. Anytime you update your home and increase value, it's best to contact your insurance company to confirm adequate coverage.

It's also important to keep your liability coverage in mind: if someone were to have an accident in your sauna, your liability insurance would help out, but you risk not having enough liability coverage and inviting a possible lawsuit. Things like saunas, hot tubs, pools, or trampolines are considered "attractive nuisances" in the insurance world. We know they're fun to have at home, but they add risk to your property. If you're considering purchasing something that could be a liability to your home you will want to make sure your coverage limits are high enough for your peace of mind.

When you make improvements to your home, it is also a good time to shop around for new quotes and see if you can save money on your insurance. We'd love to help you with this process, so call us at 888-255-4364 when you're ready so we can answer any questions you've got about your home's features, and get you personalized rates from a wide range of insurance companies.