When your home is located near a hydrant or fire station, the overall risk of fire damage affecting your property is reduced simply due to proximity to those measures and individuals who help stop fires. In the past, an insurance agent was responsible for disclosing to the insurance company an estimate of how close a proposed insured’s home was to a fire department. This distance, along with some other factors, would then be calculated into determining the individual’s rate.
Now with the technology and information introduced by global positioning systems, or GPS, your insurance company can determine exactly how close you are to a fire station and can set your rates accordingly.
What’s Factored in Fire and Rates?
Your home’s distance from a fire department is not the only factor involved in determining your insurance rates as far as fire hazards are concerned. In fact in some cases, being close to a fire department may not offer you the kind of discount you would like. Some fire departments, especially those in rural areas, may have older or less effective equipment and fewer employees. While this isn’t necessarily a real indicator of the department’s success at putting out blazes, it can have a reduced affect on insurance discounts. But a home located near a brand new fire department with up-to-date equipment might benefit from more substantial discounts.
Proximity to a fire department or hydrant isn’t the only way you can reduce your home insurance rates. Having smoke detectors and fire extinguishers throughout your home and investing in an indoor sprinkler system will also help to drop your insurance premiums while keeping your family and property safer.
Every insurance company has its own way of creating policy rates based on a number of factors. Give us a call at Heritage Insurance and allow us to help you compare insurance companies and find the one that best suits your budget and Moose Jaw home insurance needs.