CP 10 30 is the ISO Causes of Loss Special Form, which covers direct physical loss on an open perils basis, meaning every cause of loss is covered unless the policy specifically excludes or limits it. It is the broadest of the three ISO causes of loss forms, and attaching it to a commercial property policy shifts the burden of proof to the insurer, which must point to an exclusion to deny a claim.
A commercial property policy must include a causes of loss form, because coverage forms like CP 00 10 describe what property is insured but not what events are covered. This page explains how the special form differs from the basic and broad named perils forms, how its exclusions actually define the coverage, and why the defined term specified causes of loss quietly gives coverage back in several places.
How does CP 10 30 compare to the basic and broad forms?
ISO publishes three causes of loss forms, and they build on each other. The basic form CP 10 10 names eleven covered perils, including fire, lightning, explosion, windstorm or hail, smoke, and vandalism. The broad form CP 10 20 keeps those and adds falling objects, weight of snow, ice or sleet, water damage, and an additional coverage for collapse. The special form then covers everything the broad form covers plus every other cause of direct physical loss that is not excluded, with theft as the most valuable addition:
| Causes of loss | Basic CP 10 10 | Broad CP 10 20 | Special CP 10 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire, lightning, explosion, windstorm or hail, smoke, vandalism, and the other basic perils | Covered | Covered | Covered |
| Falling objects, weight of snow, ice or sleet, water damage, collapse | Not covered | Covered | Covered |
| Theft | Not covered | Not covered | Covered |
| Any other direct physical loss not excluded | Not covered | Not covered | Covered |
The practical difference shows up in the claim file. Under a named perils form, the insured must prove the loss came from a listed peril, and any event that slips between the definitions goes unpaid. Under the special form, an unexplained loss is covered unless the insurer can establish that an exclusion or limitation applies. That is why the premium difference between broad and special is usually money well spent, and why our overview of commercial property insurance treats the special form as the default recommendation.
What does the special form exclude?
Because anything not excluded is covered, the exclusions do the work that the named perils list does on the other forms. The first group excludes ordinance or law, earth movement, governmental action, nuclear hazard, utility services, war, water, and fungus, wet rot, dry rot and bacteria.
This group carries anti-concurrent causation wording, which means the loss is excluded when one of these causes contributes to it directly or indirectly, regardless of any other cause acting at the same time or in any sequence. The wording exists to override efficient proximate cause rules in many states, and storm surge is the classic example, because insureds argued wind was the true cause of coastal flooding until insurers made the water exclusion sweep in everything it touches.
The later exclusion groups handle predictable and maintenance-driven losses without the anti-concurrent causation lead-in. Wear and tear, rust, decay, settling, smog, mechanical breakdown, and insect or rodent damage are excluded, as is continuous seepage or leakage of water over 14 days or more and freezing of plumbing when no effort was made to maintain heat.
Flood and earthquake deserve special attention, because buyers routinely assume the special form picks them up and it does not. Both need dedicated endorsements or standalone policies, a gap that also flows through to time element coverage since CP 00 30 borrows its covered causes of loss from whichever form is attached.
What are specified causes of loss?
Buried in the definitions is a term that quietly gives coverage back. Specified causes of loss means fire, lightning, explosion, windstorm or hail, smoke, aircraft or vehicles, riot or civil commotion, vandalism, leakage from fire-extinguishing equipment, sinkhole collapse, volcanic action, falling objects, weight of snow, ice or sleet, and water damage, a list that roughly mirrors the broad form perils.
Several exclusions and limitations carve exceptions around it. Excluded wear and tear that results in a specified cause of loss leaves the resulting damage covered, a pollutant release caused by a specified cause of loss is covered, and fragile articles, animals, and certain builders' equipment are covered only when a specified cause of loss or building glass breakage does the damage.
The additional coverage for collapse likewise responds when hidden decay or a specified cause of loss produces an abrupt collapse. Reading an exclusion without checking for a specified causes of loss exception is the fastest way to misjudge this form.
Where can you see the actual form?
Menlo does not host ISO forms because they are copyrighted by Insurance Services Office, Inc. You can read the real text through your own policy, which attaches every form issued on it, or by asking your broker for the specimen your carrier files. Regulator-approved filings are also publicly viewable through SERFF Filing Access, the state filing system, though the forms there remain copyrighted and are for reading, not copying.
Frequently asked questions
Does CP 10 30 cover flood or earthquake?
No. Water, which includes flood, surface water, and sewer backup, and earth movement, which includes earthquake, are both excluded with anti-concurrent causation wording. Both exposures require separate policies or endorsements, and coastal or fault-zone businesses should treat them as mandatory conversations with their broker.
What does open perils mean on the special form?
It means covered causes of loss are defined as direct physical loss unless excluded or limited by the policy. Instead of proving the loss matches a named peril, the insured only shows direct physical damage occurred, and the insurer must identify an applicable exclusion to deny the claim. Older editions said all risks, and the wording was changed because the form never covered literally everything.
Is theft covered under CP 10 30?
Yes, and that is the biggest single difference from the basic and broad forms, which do not cover theft at all. A few property types carry special per-occurrence dollar limits, including $2,500 for jewelry and furs and $250 for stamps and tickets, and theft can be excluded by endorsement when an insured wants a premium credit.
Which causes of loss form should my business carry?
The special form is the right answer for most businesses, because it covers theft, accidental damage, and unexplained losses the named perils forms miss, and it puts the burden of proof on the insurer. The basic or broad forms fit mainly when a carrier restricts a tough risk or a tight budget forces the tradeoff, and the decision should be made knowingly, not by default.
This guide is for educational purposes and summarizes standard ISO policy language in Menlo's own words. Form numbers and titles are cited for identification only, and Menlo Insurance Services is not affiliated with Insurance Services Office, Inc. Your policy's specific terms, conditions, and endorsements control. Talk to a licensed broker about your actual exposures.