What United Pool Association does

United Pool Association (UPA) is a volunteer-run trade association headquartered in Newport Beach, California, serving independent pool service technicians and small operators in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Florida. Founded as a breakaway from the Independent Pool Service Association in late 1988 and tracing its insurance-program roots to 1969, UPA organizes more than 1,800 members across 80+ local chapters under the principle of "Freedom at the Chapter level, Simplicity at the Board level." The organization's core product is a group-negotiated commercial general liability insurance program — $1M per occurrence / $2M annual aggregate — underwritten by American Southern and administered through Western Growers Insurance Services (now part of HUB International), with additional coverages for on-site pollution cleanup, acid washing claims, and commercial automobile.

UPA has no proprietary technology platform; its digital footprint is a WordPress website (unitedpoolassociation.org) plus Facebook, Instagram, and email newsletter presence. Member benefits beyond insurance include a discounted C61-D35 contractor's license home-study program (as low as $125 plus state fees), an educational resource library with how-to videos and marketing/branding kits, a mentor network, downloadable legal forms and waivers, and access to Featured Sponsors such as PoolCorp, Leslie's Pool, Zodiac, HASA, Orenda, SpecChem, Heritage Pool Supply, Blueray XL, and AquaStar.

The revenue model is subscription-recurring: members pay approximately $64 per month in premiums plus $40 per employee or independent contractor, with most premium flow passing through to the underwriter. UPA is governed by an all-volunteer Joint Board of Directors with no paid staff, no parent company, and no external investors. Member acquisition is community-led — driven primarily by word-of-mouth, chapter networking, and grassroots reputation — with prospective members contacting chapter leaders or UPA President Steve Homer to join existing chapters or form new ones.

Name

United Pool Association

Legal name

United Pool Association

Website

https://unitedpoolassociation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

United Pool Association is a volunteer-run trade association serving 1,800+ independent pool service technicians across AZ, CA, FL, and NV through 80+ chapters, providing group commercial liability insurance underwritten by American Southern plus contractor licensing, mentorship, and member benefits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues and insurance premiums: UPA generates revenue through membership fees and group-negotiated commercial liability insurance premiums. Members pay a monthly insurance premium (approximately $64 per month per member) plus employee/contractor coverage ($40 per employee or independent contractor). The association also negotiates vendor discounts and dividend programs with its insurer, passing savings to members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

United Pool Association is a volunteer-run trade association that delivers a group-negotiated commercial liability insurance program (underwritten by American Southern) to independent pool service technicians, with $1M per occurrence and $2M annual aggregate limits. Members pay monthly dues that bundle insurance premiums, and the program is administered through Western Growers Insurance Services, which issues certificates within 48 hours. Supplementary member benefits include a discounted contractor's license school, an online networking community, a how-to video library, a mentor network, and downloadable operational forms and waivers.

Product overview

United Pool Association offers a membership-based insurance program for pool service technicians with the core UPA Insurance Program providing commercial liability coverage underwritten by American Southern. The organization operates on a chapter-based model across Arizona, California, Florida, and Nevada. Member benefits include a Contractor's License School Discount Program, an Online Member Community for networking, an Educational Resource Library with marketing tools and how-to videos, and a Mentor Program. The insurance program includes Commercial General Liability Coverage and Commercial Automobile Coverage with various limits and sublimits. Additional services include downloadable legal forms and waivers for pool maintenance operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UPA Commercial Liability Insurance Program Group-negotiated commercial general liability insurance program for independent pool service technicians, underwritten by American Southern and administered by Western Growers Insurance Services. Provides $1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 annual aggregate limits, $50,000 sublimit for on-site pollution cleanup, full coverage for acid washing claims, commercial automobile coverage, $500 per-claim property damage deductible, and a cash dividend program tied to low claims performance. Members pay $64 per month plus $40 per employee or independent contractor.
• Contractor's License School Discount Program Discounted home-study preparation program for California's C61-D35 swimming pool contractor's license, available to UPA members for as little as $125 plus state fees. Designed to help independent pool service technicians meet California contractor licensing requirements at substantially reduced cost compared to non-member pricing.
• UPA Mentor Program Network of experienced UPA members who provide phone-based field troubleshooting guidance and business mentorship to newer or less-experienced pool service technicians. Functions as a member-only knowledge transfer service tied to chapter participation.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American SoutherncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Southern is the insurance underwriter for UPA's commercial liability insurance program. The partnership was formed in 2015 after UPA transitioned from Allianz/Fireman's Fund. American Southern is described as a 'program focused insurer' that is 'nimble and adaptable.' The program offers $1M/$2M commercial general liability coverage, pollution cleanup, acid washing coverage, and commercial auto coverage.
• Western Growers Insurance ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestern Growers Insurance Services administers the UPA liability insurance program. Sean Reardon, CPCU serves as the UPA Super Broker, and Karine Orudzhyan, AINS serves as the UPA Account Manager. The team handles insurance certificates, additional insured certificates, billing, additions, deletions, and policy questions. Members receive certificates within 48 hours of notification.
• Max Behm Insurance (Historical)minorOthersHistorical insurance broker. Gerry Baron of Max Behm Insurance brokered the original insurance program starting in 1969 with Fireman's Fund providing the coverage. This partnership continued for decades before transitioning.
• Fireman's Fund Insurance / Allianz (Historical)minorOthersFireman's Fund Insurance originally underwrote the liability coverage starting in 1969. In 1991, Fireman's Fund was acquired by Allianz. In 2015, Allianz sold off the Fireman's Fund name and personal lines, retaining commercial/corporate lines under the Allianz name. This transition prompted UPA to seek alternative coverage.
• SpecChemminorOthersFeatured sponsor of UPA. Listed in the Featured Sponsors section of the UPA homepage.
• Blueray XLminorOthersFeatured sponsor of UPA. Listed in the Featured Sponsors section of the UPA homepage.
• HASAminorOthersFeatured sponsor of UPA. Listed in the Featured Sponsors section of the UPA homepage.
• Heritage Pool Supply GroupminorOthersFeatured sponsor of UPA. Listed in the Featured Sponsors section of the UPA homepage.
• AquaStarminorOthersFeatured sponsor of UPA. Listed in the Featured Sponsors section of the UPA homepage.
• ZodiacminorOthersFeatured sponsor of UPA. Listed in the Featured Sponsors section of the UPA homepage.
• Orenda TechnologiesminorOthersFeatured sponsor of UPA. Listed in the Featured Sponsors section of the UPA homepage.
• PoolCorpminorOthersFeatured sponsor of UPA. Listed in the Featured Sponsors section of the UPA homepage.
• Leslie's PoolminorOthersFeatured sponsor of UPA. Listed in the Featured Sponsors section of the UPA homepage.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Leslie's Pool Supplies: Largest U.S. retailer of pool supplies with consumer-facing pool-care service. Sits in UPA's broader ecosystem (listed as Featured Sponsor) and competes indirectly for the same pool service customer relationships.
• Pool & Hot Tub Alliance (PHTA): The industry's largest trade association for the pool, spa, and hot tub sector. PHTA represents builders, service companies, manufacturers, and retailers across the entire value chain — overlapping with UPA on the service-technician segment but operating at much broader industry scope with certification and code authority.
• Pentair: Global pool equipment manufacturer whose products UPA members install and service daily. Adjacent ecosystem player with indirect exposure to the same independent contractor customer base UPA serves.

Others

• National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB): Member-driven small-business association providing benefits, advocacy, and insurance products to independent operators. Comparable in the membership/subscription model and benefits-bundling approach UPA uses to serve its independent pool service base.
• Pool Corporation (PoolCorp): Largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies and equipment, directly serving UPA's member base (UPA's homepage lists PoolCorp as a Featured Sponsor). Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a competing association.
• American Subcontractors Association (ASA): Trade association for construction subcontractors with a similar chapter-fed advocacy model. Comparable at the organizational pattern level — pool service professionals are essentially trade subcontractors with a licensing burden (C61-D35).
• Western Growers Association: Member-driven agricultural trade association whose insurance arm (Western Growers Insurance Services, now part of HUB International) actually administers UPA's liability program. Highly comparable in trade association + insurance-program-admin governance model.
• Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC): Trade association for independent electrical contractors using a chapter-based governance model with apprenticeship programs and member benefit offerings. Structurally analogous to UPA at the membership/governance level, though operating in a different trade.

Direct peers

• Independent Pool and Spa Service Association (IPSSA): Direct peer: IPSSA is a chapter-based trade association serving independent pool service professionals with educational programs, networking, and insurance benefits. UPA itself split from IPSSA's predecessor (the Independent Pool Service Association) historically, making it the closest comparable organization in product, mission, and operating model.

Regional players

• California Pool & Spa Association (CPSA): Regional California-based trade association serving pool and spa professionals, overlapping with UPA's heaviest geographic market. Comparable in serving independent service professionals but typically focused on builder/contractor members rather than service technicians specifically.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-pool-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United Pool Association