Las Cruces has obtained a Class 1 rating from the Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO), making it the first in New Mexico and one of only 97 communities nationwide, to achieve the top ranking. The rating is based on a scale of 1 – 10 with 1 being the highest. The rating could result in lower insurance premiums for residential and commercial policy holders.
ISO provides reliable, up-to-date information about a community’s fire-protection services to help establish appropriate fire insurance premiums for residential and commercial properties. ISO provides that information through the Public Protection Classification (PPC™) program.
This most recent PPC classification improves on Las Cruces’ previous PPC of 2/9 obtained in March 2013.
“Obtaining a Class 1 ISO rating is of extreme significance for Las Cruces. It demonstrates the City’s ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety of our residents and the protection of residential and commercial properties. I commend the Fire Department for their hard work and dedication to make our community one of the safest in the nation while helping reduce insurance costs,” said Mayor Ken Miyagishima.
According to the ISO website: By classifying communities' ability to suppress fires, ISO helps the communities evaluate their public fire-protection services. The program provides an objective, countrywide standard that helps fire departments in planning and budgeting for facilities, equipment, and training. And by securing lower fire insurance premiums for communities with better public protection, the PPC program provides incentives and rewards for communities that choose to improve their firefighting services.
The new rating takes effect on July 1, 2015. The Las Cruces Fire Department (LCFD) will notify local insurance companies by mail, advising them of this change. A copy of the letter will soon be available on the Las Cruces Fire Department’s website, www.clcfd.com.
LCFD encourages residents and business owners to contact their insurance agents to determine how the improved ISO classification may affect insurance premiums.
Information from city of Las Cruces