Losses which are proximately caused by an insured peril under a named perils form or by an unexcluded cause under an “all-risks” form are covered from a “cause of loss” viewpoint. The proximate cause is the originating cause and if there is no intervening cause between the occurrence and the damage, then all damage is viewed as having resulted from the originating cause.
Examples:
- When a fire occurs and little damage results from the actual fire, but there is extensive damage from smoke, water to extinguish, and damage intentionally or accidentally caused by firemen, all of the damage is covered by the peril of fire.
- An insured’s roof is damaged by a windstorm, covered and paid for by the insurer. The insured has the roof repaired, but with the next rain, water causes interior damage because of negligent repair of flashing by the roofer. The cause of damage can be traced back to the windstorm but the roofer’s negligence was an intervening cause and the loss is not properly treated as “windstorm”.
