What is an ISO rating?

Insurance Services Offices (ISO) was established in 1971 with the intent to provide statistical and actuarial information to insurance companies nationwide. Their main focus is on property and casualty insurance. In particular, the Public Protection Classification (PPC) program utilizes an ISO rating to identify suitable fire insurance premiums for commercial, industrial and residential settings. The ISO evaluation program includes 10 classifications with Class 1 being the highest and Class 10 being the lowest.

Why is the ISO rating important?

Many insurance companies acknowledge the ISO rating schedule and use it to determine company risk and premiums. An ISO rating measures a fire department’s ability to provide quality services to its community. Factors defining “quality” services include response time, equipment, personnel and access to water. The better fire protection a community has, the less risk an insurance company needs to take when underwriting an insurance policy. Ultimately, high ISO classification ratings will result in reduced insurance premiums.

What is McPherson’s ISO rating?

The Public Protection Classification for McPherson is a Class 3 ISO rating up to 5 miles from the McPherson Fire Station. For locations beyond 5 miles, the ISO rating is a Class 10. To learn more about the ISO rating program, contact the McPherson Fire Department at 620.245.2505.