Forums

What kind of ice melting chemical would cause these damages? Generally that type of damage to concrete is due to moisture getting into the concrete itself, refreezing and cracking/crazing the concrete. Without the benefit of any coverage forms here I'd say no coverage due to changes and extremes in temperature, freezing/thawing....of pavements etc, shrinking/bulging expansion of pavements and common exclusions in property policies and I would guess that you will find the above cause of loss to be the primary cause. I lived north of the Mason Dixon line for 26 years or so and knew of no ice melting product that would do any damage to concrete except leave a salt mark that washes off with water.

Hi Billy, how you doing?

I agree with Steve.  Depending on coverage form, insured is probably SOL.  Can they blame it on a large vehicle (specified peril) driving over the paved area?  Your inside person at the carrier should advise you if they want further investigation by an expert.  Photo & document the neighboring sidewalks & driveways.  Often times there is undermining by water drainage if the area is hilly, it will create voids beneath the concrete and cracks/tilted pads will be apparent everywhere. 

I have the same problems with my driveway. Due to having a north facing driveway and driving over the snow, I had several inches of ice in my driveway for over two months and almost a foot of ice in the street in front of my house. I did not use any ice melt except for what may have been on the vehicle tires. Now that the ice is melting, I have discovered additional areas of deterioration. It is most probably due to freeze/thaw, expansion/contraction, etc. I would bet that most of the areas that are "crazing" or "spalling" were pre-existing and now the insured has "heightened awareness."

I should add, to the best of my knowledge, depending upon age and quality of the concrete, certain salt type chemicals can have an adverse effect to concrete.  But it is doubtful that a few applications of the product could damage a driveway or sidewalk that wasn't already crazing and spalling prior to this event.  As Mike said above, you may want to do some research or contact an expert to determine how the chemical the insured claims he used will effect concrete.

As Steve points out, it appears that this is probably not covered for reasons explained above. It is also probably not a sudden and accidental occurrence.

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archive....Ch.r.html

Do the right thing.

Have State Farm send out a couple of their cracker jack engineers. Sooner or later they will send one out that will say salt did damage the concrete.
Invoice the file.


HOutz

Thanks to all. Insured withdrew claim.
BillyD