What actually changed in 2025?

Pool excavation in Lakewood (and across L.A. County) faces tighter oversight—especially for heat and trenches—shaping how carriers price your risk.

Outdoor heat rules: Cal/OSHA’s outdoor heat standard still treats 95 °F as the high-heat trigger in construction. Water, shade, monitoring, and communication procedures are required at or above that temperature.
Indoor heat rule: For indoor or semi-enclosed spaces (e.g., pump rooms, garages), required controls start as low as 82 °F in many scenarios.
Trenching: California requires daily “competent person” inspections of excavations and protective systems, with cave-in protection from 5 ft depth and deeper.
Penalties (2025): Civil penalty amounts were adjusted for 2025. California’s rule sets an initial $18,000 base penalty for “Serious” violations before adjustments.
Workers’ comp advisory rates: The Insurance Commissioner adopted an average +8.7% advisory pure premium increase effective September 1, 2025 (actual impact varies by class and carrier).
Theft pressures: California remains a leading state for cargo/equipment theft. Inland marine underwriters increasingly require locked storage, GPS, and photo documentation.
Telematics discounts: Business auto telematics programs (e.g., Nationwide’s Vantage 360 Fleet) publicly advertise up to ~10% discounts on select coverages, with program conditions.
Excess/umbrella capacity: 2025 construction excess markets are firmer. Documented trench controls and daily checklists help unlock capacity and better terms.

Where do costs move for pool builders?

Workers’ Compensation (Class 7530 — Swimming Pool Construction): More heat-strain and excavation injuries are driving expected loss costs. Your experience modification (X-Mod) is the lever you control—one lost-time claim can influence your premium for multiple policy years.

General Liability (GL): Underwriters now price your safety culture. Written heat-illness plans, daily trench checklists, tailgate logs, and superintendent sign-offs often earn credits or keep you in admitted markets.

Inland Marine / Contractors’ Equipment: LA-area tool and trailer theft trends prompt higher minimum deductibles and security conditions (enclosed trailers, VIN/etching, GPS, after-hours storage plans).

Commercial Auto: Telematics is the easiest discount and reduces claims by improving driving behavior and theft recovery.

Umbrella / Excess Liability: Expect tougher underwriting on excavation accounts; detailed documentation helps open limits above $2M.

Standards at a glance

Topic	Current rule (highlights)	Why underwriters care
Outdoor heat	High-heat procedures at ≥ 95 °F (water, shade, monitoring, comms).	Missing elements can lead to citations and higher comp frequency.
Indoor heat	Controls start at ~82 °F in many indoor settings.	Pump houses/garages can trigger the rule—plans reduce loss frequency.
Trenching	Daily competent-person inspections; protection required from 5 ft.	Excavation claims are severity-driven; checklists prove controls.
Penalties	2025 adjustments; CA “Serious” base penalty is $18,000 (before adjustments).	Citations raise the “risk signal” at renewal.
WC advisory rates	Avg +8.7% advisory pure premium increase effective 9/1/2025.	Budget payroll and mod strategy now.

Who’s paying the most in 2025?

Start-ups or one-crew shops with no written safety program.
Builders using uninsured or unvetted subs (no WC/GL, no trench training).
Fleets hauling open trailers with no GPS and no storage plan, especially with prior thefts.

Where Lakewood contractors can still save

Put heat & trench programs on paper—and in photos. Attach your §3395 Heat Illness Plan, daily trench checklists, tailgate sign-ins, and shade setups. These often yield meaningful GL/WC credits or keep you in admitted markets.
Multi-line account strategy. Place GL + inland marine with the same carrier and add telematics on auto; many markets offer account credits.
Telematics now, not later. Enroll pickups and haul trucks; share dashboards with your broker to document coaching and improving trends.
Secure storage & GPS. Enclosed trailers, VIN/etching, fenced yards with cameras, and asset trackers reduce theft claims and ease inland-marine placements.

When to act

90 days before renewal: Order five-year loss runs, update written plans (heat, trench/excavation), and verify sub certificates.
60 days: Roll out telematics across all units; start collecting driving and idle-time reports.
30 days: Capture a clean jobsite photo set (shade canopies, trench boxes), export a week of daily inspection logs, and send a complete submission packet.

How to strengthen your insurance submission

Site-specific Heat Illness Prevention Plan + training roster.
Daily trench/excavation inspection checklists (attach a week’s worth).
Five-year loss runs (WC, GL, Auto, Inland Marine), separated by claim type.
Photos of enclosed tool trailers, GPS trackers, jobsite fencing/cameras.
Active C-53 license link and any PHTA certifications.
Telematics report (speeding, hard-brake trends improving) and driver policy sign-offs.

Quick clarifications contractors keep asking

Did Cal/OSHA lower high-heat to 90 °F? No—outdoor construction high-heat remains 95 °F today.
Do I need a checklist for a 6-ft excavation? Yes—daily competent-person inspections are required, and protection is mandatory at 5 ft+.
Are excess/umbrella limits harder to buy? 2025’s construction excess market is firm—better documentation wins capacity and price.
Is theft really affecting pricing? Yes—California is a top-loss state in recent cargo/equipment theft data; strong controls can improve offers.

Sources and Further Reading

Need a quick policy audit? Inszone’s Lakewood pool-contractor team can review your coverage, safety credits, and inland-marine limits before the next heat wave.

Juan Cruz

VP – Marketing & Development

Juan Cruz is the Vice President of Marketing and Development at Inszone Insurance Services. He joined the company in 2016, bringing with him over seven years of experience in direct response marketing. Juan holds a bachelor’s degree in Global Studies with a minor in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

At Inszone, Juan oversees all aspects of marketing, focusing on building a consistent brand identity and creating successful direct response campaigns. His expertise has helped multiple companies enhance their digital presence, grow lead generation efforts, and strengthen their brand visibility.

A passionate traveler, Juan has visited 25 countries and is an avid scuba diver and bike rider. He believes in working hard to enjoy life to the fullest.

[email protected]

916-503-6355

Lakewood Pool Contractors: 2025 Worker-Safety Rules Just Went Up a Notch—What Does That Do to Your Insurance Bill?