What are the 12 named perils?

The 12 named perils typically refer to the standard set of 12 basic or standard risks covered under specific commercial or property fire insurance policies (such as a Standard Fire and Special Perils policy), though some basic homeowners policies also group foundational lists around 10 to 12 core events.

The standard 12 named perils generally include fire, lightning, explosion or implosion, aircraft damage, and riot, strike, and malicious damage (RSMD). Coverage also extends to storm, cyclone, typhoon, tempest, hurricane, flood, and inundation (STFI), as well as impact damage from vehicles or animals, and subsidence or landslides. Rounding out the list are the bursting or overflowing of water tanks and pipes, missile testing operations, leakage from automatic sprinkler installations, and bush fires.

(Note: In residential property insurance, policies often expand to 16 named perils by adding items like theft, vandalism, falling objects, and the weight of ice or snow.)

The 11 basic named perils typically found in standard commercial property or basic form insurance policies include fire, lightning, explosion, windstorm or hail, smoke, aircraft or vehicles, riot or civil commotion, vandalism, sprinkler leakage, sinkhole collapse, and volcanic action.

The 11 Basic Named Perils

• Fire: Accidental or destructive fires that cause property loss.
• Lightning: Direct damage caused by a lightning strike.
• Explosion: Sudden combustion or pressure explosions (such as within a furnace or gas line).
• Windstorm or Hail: Damage from high winds, hurricanes, tornadoes, or hailstorms.
• Smoke: Sudden and accidental smoke damage from an external source.
• Aircraft or Vehicles: Physical damage caused by striking or falling objects from aircraft, spacecraft, or vehicles.
• Riot or Civil Commotion: Damage resulting from public demonstrations, disturbances, or striking workers.
• Vandalism: Intentional defacement or destruction of property.
• Sprinkler Leakage: Accidental discharge of water from an automatic fire protective sprinkler system.
• Sinkhole Collapse: Sudden sinking or collapse of land into underground cavities.
• Volcanic Action: Direct damage from volcanic eruptions, ash, or lava flow.

(Note: Basic homeowner forms or DP-1 policies traditionally cover a subset of these—often 10 to 11 core perils—while broader standard homeowners policies like HO-2 or HO-3 expand this list up to 16 named perils by adding water damage, falling objects, and theft).

A standard fire insurance policy (often called a Standard Fire and Special Perils Policy) covers physical property against 12 specific named perils.

The 12 Standard Perils

1. Fire: Accidental or unintended fires that spread and cause property destruction (excluding damage from spontaneous combustion or heating processes).
2. Lightning: Direct physical damage or fires caused by a natural lightning strike.
3. Explosion or Implosion: Damage from the sudden bursting or inward collapse of structures or vessels under pressure.
4. Aircraft Damage: Harm caused by aircraft, aerial devices, or falling objects dropped from them.
5. Riot, Strike, and Malicious Damage (RSMD): Destruction resulting from civil disturbances, labor strikes, or malicious human acts.
6. Storm, Cyclone, Typhoon, Tempest, Hurricane, Flood, and Inundation (STFI): Severe natural calamities and weather-related flooding.
7. Impact Damage: Physical harm caused by external rail/road vehicles or animals not belonging to the property owner.
8. Subsidence and Landslide (including Rockslide): Damage from the shifting, sinking, or collapsing of earth underlying or surrounding the property.
9. Bursting or Overflowing of Water Tanks, Apparatus, and Pipes: Sudden water leaks or floods originating from internal plumbing or storage systems.
10. Missile Testing Operations: Property damage arising from authorized military missile testing.
11. Leakage from Automatic Sprinkler Installations: Accidental discharge of water from built-in fire sprinkler systems.
12. Bush Fire: Fires breaking out in open scrub or fields that spread to the insured property (note that major forest fires are usually excluded).

Note: Major catastrophic risks like earthquakes, war, and nuclear damage are generally excluded from the base 12 perils and require specific policy add-ons or riders.

Based on recent industry surveys like J.D. Power's property and satisfaction studies, the lowest-ranking homeowners insurance companies for customer satisfaction and claims include Universal Direct, Tower Hill Insurance, National General, Homesite, and Foremost.

Lowest-Ranking Home Insurers

• Universal Direct: Ranks at the very bottom of major customer satisfaction and claims surveys due to slow response times and service issues.
• Tower Hill Insurance: Frequently scores near the bottom for overall customer experience and policyholder satisfaction.
• National General: Scores poorly on consumer satisfaction metrics regarding communication and payout handling.
• Homesite: Routinely lands at the bottom of J.D. Power claims satisfaction rankings for property coverage.
• Foremost: Receives below-average customer satisfaction scores for handling claims and policy value.

The 16 named perils commonly listed in broad form (HO-2) and standard homeowners insurance policies for personal property are specific causes of loss explicitly covered by the plan.

The 16 Named Perils

• Fire or lightning
• Windstorm or hail
• Explosion
• Riot or civil commotion
• Aircraft damage
• Vehicle damage
• Smoke
• Vandalism or malicious mischief
• Theft
• Falling objects
• Weight of ice, snow, or sleet
• Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam (from plumbing, heating, or household appliances)
• Sudden and accidental tearing apart, cracking, burning, or bulging of heating, AC, or fire protective systems
• Freezing of plumbing, heating, or AC systems
• Sudden and accidental damage from artificially generated electrical current (like a power surge)
• Volcanic eruption

What Is Not Covered

If a loss is not on this list—such as damage from floods, earthquakes, wear and tear, or pest infestations—it is typically excluded unless you buy extra endorsements. You can read more about how these affect your coverage through Hippo Insurance or the Tapley Agency.