Why would damage to contents from water during a fire be covered under a "fire only" policy?

The coverage of damage to contents from water during a fire under a "fire only" policy centers on the principle of proximate cause. In insurance, proximate cause refers to the primary cause that sets a series of events into motion. In a fire scenario, the fire is the initiating event that leads to subsequent actions, including the need for firefighting efforts, which typically involve water usage.

When the fire is actively being fought, the water used to extinguish the flames can cause damage to the property, including contents within the home or structure. Since the need to use water arises directly from the fire itself, the damage incurred can be correlated back to the fire as the proximate cause. Thus, even in a policy that specifies coverage for fire damage only, the resulting damage from the firefighting efforts is covered under that premise.

Other options do not align with this understanding. If the fire were not the proximate cause, water damage wouldn't be covered. Additionally, stating that water damage occurred only after the fire was extinguished would not provide grounds for coverage since the proximate cause didn't originate from the fire at that point. Finally, it is incorrect to claim that water damage is universally covered under all policies, as coverage always depends on specific policy terms