Bluefield sees improved ISO rating, home insurance rates may drop [Bluefield Daily Telegraph, W.Va.]

Jul. 12—BLUEFIELD — Property owners in the city limits of Bluefield may see lower home insurance rates this fall.

That is because the city of Bluefield has achieved a lower ISO (Insurance Service Office) rating. An ISO rating ranks the capabilities of a community's fire department response.

The good news was announced during Tuesday's meeting of the Bluefield Board of Directors.

"It's been a while since our last rating," Bluefield Fire Chief Chad Bailey said. "Because COVID slowed it down. We were a Class 4 fire department. They grade from one to 10 with 10 being no fire department and one being the best fire department. We are now a Class 3. We are moving in the right direction."

The news from Bailey prompted applause from citizens in attendance at Tuesday's board meeting, as well as from the five city board members.

The new ISO rating will take effect in October of this year, according to Bailey.

While it will depend upon individual home insurance policies, some companies may offer a lower home and business insurance rate to citizens and business owners in the city as a result of the improved ISO rating, according to Bailey and City Manager Cecil Marson.

"There is a lot of stuff that goes into this," Bailey said of the ISO classification. "They rate the water company. They rate your 911 center and your fire department. This is great. We are only steps away from a class 2 (rating)."

A new fire truck also is expected to arrive soon for the Bluefield Fire Department, which will help with future ISO ratings.

Fire departments across the nation are evaluated by the ISO, which classifies and rates the capabilities of a community's fire department response. The ISO collects data about the quality of each communities' fire protection and then assigns it a number between one and 10, with Class 1 indicating superior fire protection and Class 10 showing that the community's property fire protection fails to meet minimum ISO criteria.

With the new Class 3 rating, the Bluefield Fire Department is inching closer to the top fire protection designation.

The ISO rating is used by most insurance companies when they calculate their premiums.

— Contact Charles Owens at [email protected]

— Contact Charles Owens at [email protected]. Follow him @BDTOwens

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