Will the damage to Sally's home be covered by her HO-3 policy?

The correct answer emphasizes that Sally's HO-3 policy is an open-peril policy, which is a significant feature of this type of insurance coverage. In an open-peril policy, the insurer covers losses to the property from any cause unless specifically excluded in the policy. This means that unless the policy explicitly states that damage caused by wildlife or bears is excluded, Sally's policy would cover the damage inflicted by a bear.

It's important to recognize that while wildlife damage may not be universally covered under all other types of policies, the open-peril nature of the HO-3 allows for a broader scope of coverage. Therefore, in Sally's case, unless the policy has specific exclusions related to bear damage, the damage would likely be compensated under her policy.

Other options might suggest misunderstandings about the nature of coverage or the specifics of policy exclusions. For example, suggesting that wildlife damages are universally covered ignores the nuances between different policy types. Similarly, implying that the action of scaring the bear affects coverage is irrelevant under the terms of an open-peril policy, and focusing on bear entry as a named peril misrepresents how open-peril policies function.