FULLERTON : Fire Rating Hike May Cut Insurance Costs

About 7,000 companies in Fullerton could have their fire insurance rates cut by up to 20% because the city’s insurance rating has improved.

The ranking by Insurance Services Office, an advisory agency formed by the insurance companies to evaluate a community’s firefighting capabilities, is based on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being lowest. Fullerton’s rating has improved from Class 4 to Class 2.

During the evaluation, which took place in August, insurance graders examined everything from Fire Department staffing and equipment to the community’s water system, including hydrant locations and capacity, Fire Chief Ron Coleman said.

Of the 29 cities in Orange County, only Anaheim and Santa Ana are ranked Class 1. Nine other county cities are ranked Class 2. Coleman said the majority of cities in the nation are Class 4.

Because Fullerton scored 85 points out of a possible 100, Coleman said the agency has given the city a month to decide whether it wants to attempt a Class 1 rating, which could reduce insurance rates further. If the city does not wish to upgrade, it would have to wait 10 years for the next evaluation.