Bestway has agreed to a $15,000,000 settlement over above-ground pools 48 inches and taller whose compression strap runs outside the support legs, and claims are open through October 30, 2026. The payment is $40 without a receipt, or 10% of what you paid with proof of purchase. Bestway denies that its pools are defective and denies any wrongdoing; the court has not decided who is right.
Official resources:
- Official settlement website — PoolSettlementBW.com — the claim form, the notice, the FAQs and the settlement agreement.
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recall notices — the July 21, 2025 recall of above-ground pools 48 inches and taller.
Table of Contents
- What is the Bestway pool settlement about?
- Who qualifies?
- How much can you get?
- What proof do you need?
- What is the deadline?
- How to file a claim
- What happens next?
What is the Bestway pool settlement about?
The case follows a recall announced on July 21, 2025. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that Bestway, Intex and Polygroup were recalling certain above-ground pools 48 inches and taller because the compression strap wrapping the outside of the pool legs can create a foothold that lets a small child climb into the pool, even with the ladder removed.
About 5 million of the recalled pools were sold in the United States across all three brands, and CPSC reported nine child drowning deaths between 2007 and 2022 involving children who used the strap to get in. The recall remedy is a free repair kit that replaces the compression strap with a rope.
The complaint alleges that the pools were defective and that the recall was inadequate because it offered no monetary remedy. Those remain allegations. Bestway denies them, and the notice states the companies agreed to settle to avoid the risk, cost and time of continuing the case.
One point matters more than the dollar figure: the notice says the settlement does not release claims for personal injury, bodily injury, emotional distress or wrongful death, and does not limit any rights under the recall. Filing a claim here is not a trade-off against either of those.
Who qualifies?
The settlement class covers people in the United States, its territories and the District of Columbia who purchased, for personal use and not for resale, a Bestway-branded pool 48 inches in height or taller with compression straps located outside the support poles, sold from 2008 through 2024. The notice names Power Steel, Steel Pro and Coleman Power Steel among the covered model lines.
Three conditions in that definition are easy to miss:
- The pool has to be 48 inches or taller, and the straps have to run outside the vertical support legs. Shorter pools and pools with straps routed inside the legs are not class products.
- You must have bought it from a retailer, not second-hand. Second-hand purchasers are expressly excluded.
- The purchase has to have been made before May 4, 2026, and any valid proof of purchase must show a purchase on or before that date.
Only one claim per household is allowed — a household means a class member together with everyone sharing the same residential address — so a household with two qualifying pools, or two adults who each bought one, still files a single claim.
How much can you get?
Bestway will pay $15,000,000 into a settlement fund if the court approves the settlement. That fund covers cash payments to class members plus notice and administration costs, attorneys’ fees and costs, and service awards, so what reaches claimants is what remains after those deductions.
| Tier | Payment |
|---|---|
| Without valid proof of purchase | A flat $40, which may be adjusted pro rata |
| With valid proof of purchase | 10% of the actual price paid, or 10% of the average retail price of the identified product if the proof does not show a price |
Neither the notice nor the claim form publishes the average retail price figures or a per-person estimate. The actual amount depends on how many valid claims come in and on what the court awards in fees and costs, so treat both tiers as estimates.
Class counsel may ask the court for attorneys’ fees of up to one third of the settlement amount, exclusive of administration costs and service awards, plus reimbursement of litigation costs, and service awards of $2,500 for each class representative. The court may award less, which would leave more in the fund.
What proof do you need?
No proof is required to file. The $40 tier exists precisely for people who no longer have a receipt, and the claim form lists the settlement claim ID as optional — the online portal has a separate path for claimants who do not have one. A class member who never received a mailed or emailed notice can still submit a claim.
What the form does require is enough information to identify the pool: the brand name (for example Power Steel, Steel Pro or Coleman Power Steel), the dimensions (height in inches, plus diameter for round pools or width and length for oval pools), and either the model number or the serial number. Serial numbers are usually on the outside of the pool liner, often near the drain valve or the pump inlet and outlet. You also give an approximate purchase date and the retailer’s name.
Valid proof of purchase matters only if you want the 10% tier. The settlement defines it as objectively verifiable documentation showing purchase of a class product on or before May 4, 2026 — store receipts, online purchase receipts, or any other contemporaneous record that can be verified. The claim form is signed under attestation and claims may be audited.
What is the deadline?
October 30, 2026 is the deadline for every option in this settlement. Online claim forms must be submitted by 11:59:59 p.m. Central Time on that date, and a claim form sent by mail has to carry a postmark no later than October 30, 2026.
The same date applies to the alternatives. A request for exclusion submitted electronically must be in by 11:59 p.m. Central Time on October 30, 2026, and a mailed exclusion request must be postmarked by that date. Opting out is the only way to keep your right to sue Bestway over the claims this settlement resolves, and it means you get nothing from the settlement. Objections must be postmarked or filed through the court’s electronic filing system by the same date.
Mass or class exclusion requests filed by a third party on behalf of multiple class members are not allowed — each person must sign their own.
How to file a claim
File online at the official settlement website, PoolSettlementBW.com, which also hosts the notice, the FAQs and the settlement agreement on its Court Documents page. The claim form can also be downloaded from that page and mailed to the settlement administrator at the address printed on the form.
The online form walks through four parts: your name and contact information, the pool’s identifying details and purchase information, your payment selection, and an attestation you sign. Payment options are Venmo, Zelle or a check mailed to the address on your claim. It is your responsibility to notify the administrator if your contact information changes after you file.
Separately from the settlement, if you still own one of these pools, the recall remedy remains available: Bestway is providing a free repair kit that replaces the compression strap with a rope. CPSC’s guidance is to keep small children from accessing the pool unsupervised, or drain it, until the repair is made. Taking the recall remedy does not affect your settlement claim.
What happens next?
The next milestone is the fairness hearing on November 20, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time, in Courtroom 2119 of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago. The court will decide whether the settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate, consider any objections, and rule on the requests for attorneys’ fees, costs and service awards.
Class members may attend but are not required to, and the notice warns that the date and time can change — and that the court may hold the hearing by Zoom or telephone, or decide a hearing is not necessary. If the court grants approval, payments follow only after the judgment becomes final and any appeals are resolved. No payment date has been announced.
Frequently Asked Questions
My pool is shorter than 48 inches, or its straps run inside the legs. Do I qualify?
No. The settlement class is limited to Bestway-branded pools 48 inches or taller that have compression straps located outside the support poles. Height and strap placement are both part of the class definition, which is why the claim form asks for the pool’s height in inches along with its model or serial number.
I already got the free repair kit from the 2025 recall. Can I still file a claim?
Yes. The notice states the settlement does not limit any rights under the recall, and taking the free repair kit does not affect a settlement claim. The recall remedy and the cash payment are separate things.
I bought my pool second-hand. Am I covered?
No. Second-hand purchasers are expressly excluded from the settlement class. The class covers people who bought a qualifying pool from a retailer for personal use and not for resale.
Can two people in the same house each file?
No. Only one claim is allowed per settlement class household, defined as a class member together with everyone sharing the same residential address. A household with two qualifying pools still files a single claim.
Does filing give up a claim if someone was hurt?
No. The notice says the settlement does not release claims for personal injury, bodily injury, emotional distress or wrongful death. Anyone weighing that distinction for their own situation should speak with a lawyer rather than rely on a summary.
Sources
- Bestway Pool Settlement: $40 With No Receipt on OpenClassActions.com — the full settlement breakdown, with the claim-form walkthrough and the recall background.
- Official settlement website — PoolSettlementBW.com — notice, FAQs, claim form, exclusion form and the settlement agreement.
- In re: Bestway Above-Ground Pools Litigation, No. 1:25-cv-09570, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois — notice of proposed class action settlement and claim form.
- CPSC recall announcement (July 21, 2025) — Bestway, Intex and Polygroup recall of certain above-ground pools 48 inches and taller.
- Bestway pool strap recall page — where to request the free repair kit that replaces the compression strap with a rope.