Last Updated March 2026

The perils typically covered by homeowners insurance are sudden, unpredictable events that cause damage to your property, such as fire, vandalism or wind. The exact perils covered by your home insurance will depend on the policy you choose — and will be spelled out in your policy.

Perils typically covered in a standard homeowners policy

According to the Insurance Information Institute, many standard home insurance policies cover damage caused by 16 common perils:

• Fire or lightning 
• Windstorm or hail 
• Explosion 
• Riot or civil commotion 
• Aircraft 
• Vehicles  
• Smoke 
• Vandalism or malicious mischief 
• Theft 
• Volcanic eruption 
• Falling object 
• Weight of ice, snow or sleet 
• Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam 
• Sudden and accidental tearing apart, cracking, burning or bulging of a steam or hot water heating system, an air conditioning or automatic fire-protective system 
• Freezing of a plumbing, heating, air conditioning or automatic, fire-protective sprinkler system, or of a household appliance 
• Sudden and accidental damage from artificially generated electrical current  

“Perils” and “hazards” may seem like similar words in everyday conversation, but as insurance terms they don’t mean exactly the same thing. A peril is an unexpected event that causes damage to your home, while a hazard is a condition that makes a peril more likely. A hazard would be a tree with dead limbs hanging over your home, while a peril would be a limb falling through your roof. However, to muddy the waters, home insurance is sometimes called hazard insurance.

How homeowners insurance covers perils

Perils are usually covered in one of two ways in a home insurance policy:

• Named perils policy. This generally covers only the perils listed in the policy. It comes in different forms. A policy may cover fewer than the standard 16 perils, or it may cover more. The perils will be listed in the policy.  
  
• Open perils policy (also called all risk or all perils). This typically covers all perils except those specifically excluded from coverage. The exclusions will be listed in the policy. An open perils policy tends to cost more than a named-perils policy. 

Perils typically excluded

Neither named perils nor open perils policies typically cover earthquakes, flooding or damage caused by a sewer backup, although separate insurance or optional additional coverage may be available. Other typical exclusions are pests and vermin, mold (unless caused by a covered peril like a storm) and damage that happens because of normal wear and tear or maintenance issues.

If you have a mortgage, your lender typically will require you to have home insurance that covers the major perils in your area, so you may need to add, say, flood insurance if you live in an area prone to coastal storms, or earthquake coverage if you live where quakes are common.

Perils may differ for dwelling and property coverage

To complicate matters, many home insurance policies cover personal property for different perils than they do for the dwelling itself. Also, different covered perils sometimes come with different deductibles — the amount you pay on a claim before your insurance kicks in. Home insurance may also have one deductible for dwelling coverage and another for personal property coverage, even when the same covered peril caused the loss.

Your policy must provide details of what is covered and what is excluded. An agent can help answer any questions.

The information contained in this page is provided for general informational purposes only. The information is provided by Farmers^® and while we endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to this article or the information, products, services, or related graphics, if any, contained in this article for any purpose. The information is not meant as professional or expert advice, and any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.  

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