Vadnais Heights Fire Receives Class 2 Insurance: May Mean Lower Rates for Businesses

Vadnais Heights Fire Receives Class 2 Insurance: May Mean Lower Rates for Businesses

VADNAIS HEIGHTS, MN – The City of Vadnais Heights has improved its fire insurance rating to a Class 2 rating which is the top rating in the State of Minnesota. The Vadnais Heights Fire Department recently completed the Public Protection Classification (PPC) survey from the Insurance Services Office (ISO). ISO is the leading supplier of data and analytics for the property/casualty insurance industry and most insurers use this classification for underwriting and calculating premiums for residential, commercial, and industrial properties. The City’s previous rating was a Class 3.

The ISO classification is the result of a comprehensive analysis of the city’s fire protection capabilities that included firefighting, water supplies, dispatching, and community risk reduction. These important fire protection features are evaluated against the nationally recognized standards of the National Fire Protection Association. The classifications range from Class 10 – no fire protection – to a Class 1, most compliant with national performance standards. With the upgraded rating, the City of Vadnais Heights is one of only seven Class 2 fire departments in Minnesota. There are no Class 1 fire departments in Minnesota.

ISO’s classification plays an important role in the underwriting process of insurance companies, like what businesses to write, coverages to offer or prices to charge for personal or commercial property insurance. Communities whose classification improves, like Vadnais Heights, may get lower insurance prices. It also provides the fire department with a valuable benchmark and a tool for department planning.

VHEDC Executive Director, Ling Becker congratulated the Vadnais Heights Fire Department, stating, “On behalf of the local business community, I would like to commend the Vadnais Heights Fire Department for its continued dedicated service. As a result of their efforts, we are a safer community to conduct business. We look forward to any opportunity that could help lower business insurance expenses as a result of this improved rating.”  

The Vadnais Heights Fire Department, led by Chief Edward Leier has four full-time staff members and 34 part-time staff.  The department conducts inspections and provides businesses with a Certificate of Occupancy annually.