We have two insureds for whom we need your opinion on separate commercial property losses. Both are covered on the ISO commercial property form, CP 00 10 04 02 with special perils, CP 10 30 04 02. In the first case, the insured's building (both exterior and interior) and business personal property sustained loss from "ice damming." The company adjuster is trying to deny all coverage for external damages based on the exclusion for damage from the "weight of ice and snow." What's your opinion?

Our second insured is a medical office. These doctors rent the entire building, but occupy only the first floor of a three story building. During the winter, our insureds turned the heat off in the unoccupied portion of the building. As a result, the pipes in the unoccupied portion froze and burst, causing considerable damage.

The insurer is denying all coverage based on the requirement that the insured must "do [his] best to maintain heat in the building." We believe that because the insured maintained heat in the occupied portion, the loss should be covered. We'd appreciate your thoughts.