Tampa judge rules that insurance covers seawall damage

TAMPA—A Tampa circuit court judge has ruled in favor of a New Smyrna Beach condo association in a case that involves disintegration of an oceanfront seawall, according to an attorney representing the condo association. However, a related trial is still scheduled in May.

The Castle Reef Condominium Association Inc. filed a $3 million claim against Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. for failure to pay a claim involving the disintegration of a seawall at the oceanfront condominium development.

Nationwide refused to pay because it said its policies did not cover “spalling,” a term for disintegration of stone or concrete. In this case, spalling may have occurred because of damage to steel re-bar within the concrete, according to a release from Tampa-based Cardillo law firm, which represents Castle Reef.