By Pat Grubb
The fire protection classification (PC) for Point Roberts has changed from a PC5 to a PC4, effective February 1, according to fire chief Christopher Carleton. The chief received notification from the Washington Surveying and Rating Bureau (WSRB) back in October, but the rating didn’t go into effect until now.
A change from PC5 to PC4 typically represents a meaningful improvement in fire protection rating, which generally translates to lower insurance premiums. While the exact savings vary by insurance company, location, and specific policy details, residential properties typically see a five to 10 percent reduction in the fire portion of their insurance premium while commercial properties can often see slightly larger benefits, typically in the eight to 15 percent range.
However, a fire protection rating is just one of many factors that determine overall insurance premiums. The fire protection portion usually makes up about 40 to 50 percent of the total property insurance premium, so the actual total premium reduction would be smaller.
For a rough calculation, if a residential property owner pays $1,000 annually for property insurance, and 45 percent ($450) is attributed to fire protection, the owner might save between $22-45 per year with this improvement in rating.
Generally, there are four factors that are considered when protection classifications are determined:
Fire department (40 percent)
· Station location
· Equipment & apparatus
· Staffing & training
· Response capabilities
Water supply (40 percent)
· Hydrants & mains
· Flow capacity
· System reliability
· Storage capacity
Dispatch (10 percent)
· 911 systems
· Personnel & training
· Communications tech
Risk reduction (10 percent)
· Prevention programs
· Code enforcement
· Public education
· Inspections
Homeowners should contact their insurance agent to let them know that the protection classification has improved.
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