District ISO Ratings

ISO is an independent company that serves insurance companies, communities, fire departments, insurance regulators, and others by providing information about risk. ISO's expert staff collects information about municipal fire suppression efforts in communities throughout the United States. In each of those communities, ISO analyzes the relevant data and assigns a PPC grade – a number from 1 to 10. Class 1 represents an exemplary fire

suppression program, and Class 10 indicates that the area's fire suppression program does not meet ISO's minimum criteria.

ISO collects and evaluates information from communities in the United States on their structure fire suppression capabilities. The data is analyzed using our Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) and then a Public Protection Classification (PPC™) grade is assigned to the community. The surveys are conducted whenever it appears that there is a possibility of a PPC change. As such, the PPC program provides important, up-to-date information about fire protection services throughout the country.

The FSRS recognizes fire protection features only as they relate to suppression of first alarm structure fires. In many communities, fire suppression may be only a small part of the fire department's overall responsibility. ISO recognizes the dynamic and comprehensive duties of a community's fire service, and understands the complex decisions a community must make in planning and delivering emergency services. 

However, in developing a community’s PPC grade, only features related to reducing property losses from structural fires are evaluated.  Multiple alarms, simultaneous incidents and life safety are not considered in this evaluation.  The PPC program evaluates the fire protection for small to average size buildings. Specific

properties with a Needed Fire Flow in excess of 3,500 gpm are evaluated separately and assigned an individual PPC grade.

ISO's Public Protection Classification Program (PPC) plays an important role in the underwriting process at insurance companies.  In fact, most U.S. insurers - including the largest ones- use PPC information as part of their decision-making when deciding what business to write, coverages to offer or prices to charge for personal or commercial property insurance.

Each insurance company independently determines the premiums it charges its policyholders.  The way an insurer uses ISO's information on public fire protection may depend on several things - the company's fire-loss experience, ratemaking methodology, underwriting guidelines, and its marketing strategy.