Peril
The cause of the loss — fire, water, wind, theft.
What it means for your money
Which peril caused the damage decides whether it is covered at all, and often which deductible applies. Two identical piles of ruined belongings can settle completely differently depending on what the cause is recorded as.
Water is where this bites hardest. A burst pipe is usually covered, groundwater flooding usually is not, and the difference is the cause rather than the damage. If the recorded cause looks wrong, that is worth raising early — it is harder to revisit later.
Where the number comes from
Recorded by the adjuster after inspection and written on your claim file. Your policy lists which perils it covers, either as a named list or as everything except a list of exclusions.
See this on real water damage
- Damage found
- Ruined flooring and contents
- If recorded as a burst supply pipe
- Typically covered
- If recorded as surface flooding
- Typically excluded
The belongings are in the same condition either way. The recorded cause is what changes the outcome, which is why it is worth reading before you agree it.
Peril sits next to deductible, sublimit and loss report. They tend to arrive together.
Indemnia builds the itemized list this all gets applied to, with the receipt attached to the line it proves. See how it works.