Calgary dad upset insurance won't cover backyard climbing wall

A Calgary man says he'll have to tear down a climbing wall he built in his backyard for his daughter this summer, because his insurance company won't cover it.

Steve Poffenroth's 15-year-old daughter, Annika, climbs competitively and he wanted her to be able to train at home.

"I mean she loves climbing. It's her passion,"Poffenroth told CBC News.

He hired a contractor and built the 3.5-metre climbing structure for roughly $3,000, thinking it would mean a small add-on to his home insurance policy.

"I guess I was naive to think that I would get a rider addedsimilar to if I had added a home hot tub or something like thatand potentially pay an extra $10 or $20 a month for insurance," he said.

Instead, Canadian Direct Insurance has informed him in a letter that it will terminate his policy later this month.

Poffenroth said he found other insurance companies that would provide coverage, but his home insurance would double in cost.

"I've never had any insurance company tell me how this would be any different than insuring a swimming pool or a trampoline or a treehouse in their backyard. At the end of the day, I'm not quite understanding how this is any more dangerous or implies any more liability than any one of those things."

'I don't think it's fair'

Annika says she'll miss her custom-built climbing wall, which she says she trains on at least once a day.

"I don't think it's fair and I think it's especially not fair for my Dad, because he's put so much time and effort into making this wall for me,"Annika explained.

"We've done nothing wrong. And I feel like he doesn't deserve to have to take it down."

Safety is key consideration

Canadian Direct Insurance said it can't discuss its customers' personal information, but in a statement provided to CBC news, it said it assesses a number of variables when it comes to climbing structures and safety is a key consideration.

Steve Kee, anInsurance Bureau of Canada spokesperson, says it's a pretty unique situation.

"I have never heard of someone talk about installing a climbing wall. So, I'm sure that this is something that is rare, but with any activity that may have some risky or higherrisk behaviour, insurance companies take that into consideration," Kee said.

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