What must be included in a financing statement to perfect most security interests?

To perfect most security interests under the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), a financing statement must include the names of the debtor and the secured party, as well as a description of the collateral. This information is critical as it serves to notify other parties about the secured party's claim to the specified collateral.

The requirement for the names ensures that the financing statement can be properly indexed and that it is clear who the parties involved are. This helps avoid confusion among potential creditors and allows them to ascertain the priority of claims against the debtor's assets. The collateral description must be sufficiently detailed to allow a reasonable person to identify what is covered, while not needing to be overly specific.

Other choices, such as requesting a list of all creditors or only including the secured party's name, do not meet the standard requirements for a financing statement, as they lack the essential elements needed to establish a valid and enforceable security interest. Just having the collateral description alone would not provide necessary context or link the parties to the interest. Thus, the requirement for both names and a description is fundamental for the effectiveness of the security interest.