The nation’s leading supplier of data and analytics for the property/casualty insurance industry has named Madison “Wisconsin’s newest Class 1 fire protection community.” It’s a distinction shared by only three other cities in the state.
 
The Insurance Service Organization (ISO), through its Public Protection Classification program, examined three areas: Emergency Communications, Fire Department, and Water Supply. Out of 105.50 possible credits in the ISO’s scoring metric, Madison received 91.48 credits, placing the city among an elite group of 204 municipalities (out of 47,000) in the country that carry this honor (see: "Points of Pride" document). The new classification takes effect Thursday, December 1.
 
The public’s ongoing investment in a progressive fire department, a robust and reliable water utility, and a responsive, technologically-advanced emergency communications center is now paying off by way of lower property insurance rates.  
 
Most insurers use the ISO’s Public Protection Classification Program when underwriting and calculating premiums for residential, commercial, and industrial properties; therefore, property owners in the City of Madison, Village of Shorewood Hills, and Town of Blooming Grove may be entitled to decreased rates.
 
Individuals can take advantage of this new classification by contacting their insurance agent and letting them know their community was just upgraded to an “ISO Class 1” ranking. Because each insurer uses ISO rankings differently, actual savings may vary.

Pictured: Fire Chief Steven Davis, Madison Mayor Paul Soglin, Dane County Public Safety Communications Asst. Operations Manager Kevin Fosso, and Madison Water Utility General Manager Tom Heikkinen