by Zachary Harmuth
The all-important Insurance Services Office took a look at Williamson County’s emergency services last year, and what they decided could mean insurance savings for residents.
The ISO gave the Williamson County Rescue Squad-Volunteer Fire Department a lower rating, and to insurers a lower rating means less risk and for the consumer more savings on premiums.
Out of a 10 points scale, 1 the best and 10 the worst, the Will Co. Fire Department dropped from Class 6/9 to Class 5/5X. It might not seem like much, but according to the ISO, less than 35 percent of all cities rated receive a score of 5 or lower.
Specifically, the fire department serves residents living in Grassland, Leiper’s Fork, Pinewood, Greenbrier, Boston, Bending Chestnut, Fernvale, Burwood, Thompson’s Station and county land not incoporated by Franklin or Fairview, so the savings apply for the most part to those areas.
“Usually, if the classification is lower, between 1 and 5, that helps people with their rates,” Morgan Luck, a Farmers Insurance agent serving Williamson County, said. “A lower protection class will help people with their rates.”
What, exactly, moved the ISO to lower its rate is multi-fold, Luck explained:
50 percent of total classification: “Fire department quality—this includes its equipment (e.g., ladders, fire trucks), staffing (i.e., paid or volunteer), training, and geographic distribution of fire-fighting companies.”
40 percent of total classification: “Water supply system—this includes the condition, distribution, inspection, and maintenance of fire hydrants and a comparison of the available water to the amount needed to extinguish a fire.”
