How your local fire department affects your NC homeowners insurance premiums

Structure fires can spread so quickly that a five-minute delay in a fire service’s response time can be the difference between minor damage and a gutted home. That’s why the effectiveness of your property’s nearest fire protection service can be a factor in determining your NC homeowners insurance premiums.

The North Carolina Response Rating System, administered and maintained by the North Carolina Office of the state Fire Marshal, assesses an area’s fire department based on number of criteria. Grade 1 is the best rating, while Grade 10 is the worst. A grade 10 property is more than five miles away from a fire department. Any grading from Class 1 to Class 9E may be eligible for a home insurance discount. A house rated between Class 1 and 5 could attract up to a 40 per cent discount.

An area’s response rating system is assessed on a number of things, such as how efficiently a fire department responds to fire alarms, how much water an area needs to fight a fire, and an area’s water supply. The NCRRS also conducts checks on firefighting equipment, and reviews the number of trained firefighters in any given fire department

You might drastically reduce your NC homeowners insurance premiums if you consider the local fire department rating while you’re on the hunt for a new home. Contact your local fire marshal’s office and ask for its fire department rating.

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