Excerpts from the Journal-Topics.com:
The Des Plaines Fire Department is seeking to improve its Insurance Service Office score from a Class 2 to a Class 1 when it will be rated in the fall.
Fire Chief Alan Wax said the department is currently less than one percentage point away from being rated Class 1.
ISO scores are based on data compiled regarding insurance risk. Fire departments are given a rating from Class 1 to Class 10, with a Class 1 signifying the least insurance risk. Personnel, equipment, coverage, training practices, fire codes, water supply, and emergency communications are all considered when assigning the score.
Though an improved fire department ISO score for the city won’t automatically have an effect on insurance premiums, according to staff from Des Plaines-based Insurance Adjusters Group, it could be a benefit to property owners looking to get a new policy or renew an old one. Only some insurance agencies take ISO scores into account.
thanks Dan