Ever had to read your insurance policy for a home, seasonal home or rental property? Then you probably ran head-first into the terms “hazard,” “peril,” or “cause of loss.” These refer to events that could damage your property and which are covered by your insurance. While you may understand some terms, you may be confused by others. This article (and part two) briefly explains some common terms which, in some cases, may not mean the same as they do in the dictionary.

Fire – Fire has been defined by the courts as “combustion sufficient enough to produce a spark, flame or glow.” By definition, a fire is not smoke. A fire is not charring. A fire must produce a spark, flame or glow. And not all fires are covered under the fire peril. Over the years, the courts have distinguished between “friendly” and “hostile” fire. A friendly fire is one that burns where it was intended to burn: a flame on a gas stove; a fire in a fireplace; fire in an outdoor grill.

A hostile fire is one that burns where it was not intended to burn: the kitchen drapes; the rug by the fireplace; a tree near the outdoor grill. Only direct damage caused by hostile fire (including smoke from a hostile fire) is covered by the fire peril.

Lightning – Lightning is “naturally generated electricity from the atmosphere.” Damage covered by the lightning peril may be the result of lightning itself or the result of a fire caused by the lightning.

With regard to lightning, there is rarely a coverage problem when there has been a direct strike. The other common cause of lightning loss is the surge of electricity, typically caused by lightning striking power company equipment. Appliances in a house can be damaged by the electrical surge. The cause must be established for coverage to apply. A surge from malfunction of power company equipment, or a short circuit, would not qualify.

Explosion – In basic or stripped-down policies, explosion refers to any explosion that occurs within a structure that is covered by a given policy. However, several types of explosive events are usually excluded such as:

• bursting of water pipes
• electrical arcing
• explosions of steam boilers or pipes owned, leased or operated by the insured
• rupture or bursting of pressure relief devices

In more comprehensive polices, explosion also applies to events that originate externally.

Windstorm – The peril of windstorm involves damage caused by direct action of the wind, including high winds, cyclones, tornadoes and hurricanes. Windstorm coverage primarily covers wind damage to a building’s exterior, but will also cover interior damage if the wind breaches the exterior (causes a hole or opening in a wall or roof).

Note that the wind must reach sufficient velocity to have caused direct damage at more than one location to establish a “windstorm” loss. However, leakage through an aging roof during heavy rain is not a basis for a windstorm claim. The windstorm peril does not cover loss to the following property when located outside of the insured building: awnings, signs, radio or television antennas or aerials including wiring, masts or towers; canoes and rowboats; lawns, plants, shrubs or trees.

Hail – Hail damage is just that: damage caused by the direct action of hail to insured property. As with windstorm, the hail or some other covered peril must cause damage to the outside of the insured dwelling allowing hail to enter the premises in order for interior hail damage to be covered. As a result, if a window were left open, allowing hail to enter a building, that damage would not be covered.

Similarly, the hail peril does not cover loss to awnings, signs, radio or television antennas or aerials including wiring, masts or towers; canoes and rowboats; lawns, plants, shrubs or trees when located outside of the insured building.

Riot or Civil Commotion – Riot usually refers to a gathering of three or more people that results in the use of force or violence against individuals or property. Damage caused to the insured property due to riot is covered under this peril. Coverage includes direct loss caused by striking employees whether a riot occurs or not. Civil commotion can be defined as an uprising or disturbance by a large number of people. As with riot, damage caused to the insured property due to such an uprising would be covered under this peril.

Bouvier’s Law Dictionary summarizes five necessary elements of a riot: At least three persons must be involved; there must be a common purpose; there must be actual inception or execution of that purpose; there must be an attempt to help one another or to cooperate by force if necessary; there must be display of force or violence in such manner as to alarm a person of reasonable courage.

There may be no valid distinction between riot and civil commotion. “Civil commotion” has been described in courtrooms as “an uprising among a mass of people which occasions a serious and prolonged disturbance and an infraction of civil order, not attaining the status of war or armed insurrection. It requires the wild or irregular action of many persons assembled together.

Aircraft – The aircraft peril provides coverage from damage caused by aircraft, including self-propelled missiles and spacecraft.

Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language defines “aircraft” as “any machine or machines for flying, whether heavier or lighter than air; airplane, dirigible, balloon, helicopter, etc.”

This peril would apply to damage caused by the falling of an aircraft or any of its parts, on a covered dwelling and its contents.

Vehicles – Damage caused by direct physical damage with “vehicles” is covered by the vehicles peril. Damage caused by objects thrown by vehicles (such as stones, etc.) is covered as well. The vehicles peril does not include loss to a fence, driveway or walk caused by a vehicle owned or operated by the insured or a resident of the described location.

Smoke – Smoke damage is usually referred to as “sudden and accidental damage from smoke.”

Any sudden and accidental damage from smoke caused from any source except smoke from agricultural smudging or industrial operations would be covered. The terminology used makes clear that the damage must occur over a short period of time. A prime source of claims is furnace malfunction that results in the backup and blowing of smoke and grit into rooms through a central heating system.

Agricultural smudging would include damage from burn-off of growing materials on or near the covered premises and use of smudge pots to protect growing crops and trees from frost. Damage from smoke associated with businesses would include that caused by the “blowing out” of smokestacks in the course of periodic cleaning. Excluded damage would also include damage caused by smoke from malfunctioning industrial heating and processing equipment.

Volcanic Eruption – Damage caused to insured property by the eruption of a volcano is covered under the Dwelling Policy Program; however, loss caused by earthquake, land shock waves or tremors is excluded.

This peril is designed to address the damage caused by the eruption of a volcano, including the ensuing lava flow and airborne particles. In most policies, one or more volcanic eruptions that occur within a 72-hour period are considered to be a single covered event.

Vandalism and Malicious Mischief – Vandalism and malicious mischief are generally cited as a single peril meaning willful or malicious physical injury to or destruction of property. Historically, malicious mischief has been added to vandalism to identify the covered peril because it has a special meaning by definition and because it embraces a number of situations that are not technically covered by “vandalism.”

“Vandalism” means willful destruction or defacement of things of beauty. It implies general hostility to nice things and satisfaction from their destruction. It is derived from the name of a Germanic people who overran Gaul, Spain and northern Africa in the 4th and 5th centuries and who sacked Rome.

“Malicious mischief” implies damage to property motivated by hatred or spite. It is not associated with beautiful things, but rather with utilitarian things such as machinery and business buildings and their contents. Acts leading to this kind of destruction are premeditated and include those arising from resentment and ill will during labor disputes.

Accidental damage is not covered under the “vandalism” peril. Coverage applies only when the damage is intentional. The vandalism and malicious mischief peril does not include loss to property on the “residence premises” if the dwelling has been vacant for more than 30 consecutive days immediately before the loss. A dwelling being constructed is not considered vacant. Furthermore, the vandalism or malicious mischief peril does not include loss by pilferage, theft, burglary or larceny.

Damage By Burglars – Damage caused by burglars refers to the damage caused during a break-in and not to the actual stolen property. For example, if two burly burglars attempted to remove a grand piano from the insured residence, the actual damage to the walls, floors and doorways caused by the piano being moved would be covered. The actual loss of the piano would not. Typically there is no coverage for loss to property in a building that has been vacant for more than 30 days immediately before the loss.

Falling Objects – This peril covers damage to the exterior of the insured premises and its contents if the falling object first damages the roof or exterior wall. Damage caused by any falling object is covered, including falling trees; however, damage to the falling object itself is not covered. This peril does not include loss to outdoor radio and television antennas and aerials including their lead-in wiring, masts and towers, outdoor equipment, awnings and fences.

Weight of Ice, Snow or Sleet – Damage to the insured building and/or contents due to the weight of ice, snow or sleet is covered. This coverage excludes loss to certain property, such as: awnings; fences; patios; swimming pools; foundations; retaining walls; bulkheads; piers; wharves; or docks.

Accidental Discharge – Damage to insured property caused by accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam from within a plumbing, heating, air-conditioning or automatic fire protective sprinkler system or household appliance is covered. Coverage includes the cost of tearing out and replacing any part of the building on the residence premises necessary to repair the system or appliance from which the water or steam escaped.

Damage caused by continuous or repeated seepage or leakage to the insured property is not covered; the cause must be sudden and unforeseen. Damage caused by freezing is not covered under this peril. Further, this type of loss is not covered if the dwelling has been vacant for more than 30 days immediately before the loss. A dwelling being constructed is not considered vacant.

Sudden and Accidental Tearing Apart – Sudden and accidental tearing apart, cracking, burning or bulging of steam or hot water heating systems, air conditioning systems or fire protective sprinkler systems or appliances for heating water is covered. The emphasis on this peril is that damage caused by the steam, hot water and related systems must be sudden and accidental as opposed to gradual and foreseen.

Freezing - Loss caused by the freezing of a plumbing, heating, air-conditioning or automatic fire protective sprinkler system or of a household appliance is covered. This peril does not include loss on the residence premises while the dwelling is vacant, unoccupied or being constructed unless the insured has taken reasonable care to maintain heat in the building or shut off the water supply and drain the system and appliance of water.

Electrical Damage – This peril involves damage to insured property as a result of sudden and accidental artificially generated electrical current. Tubes, transistors and similar electrical components are not covered.