Insurance Agent Forum

[Undercover]

Do you have a resource that can convert an address to a protection class? I've tried calling ISO, but they don't seem to know what they're selling.

Do you just "know" the protection class since you sell in one area more or less? My problem is that I sell all across Washington state (will soon be adding other states, too), but my carrier doesn't determine PC automatically in their rating system.

[1manshow]

Did you try Welcome to the WSRB Home page ???

[Undercover]

Originally Posted by 1manshow

Did you try Welcome to the WSRB Home page ???

Nope, didn't come across that in my Googling, and my carrier rep didn't mention it. Their PROTECTION service looks like the perfect solution for WA - I registered and will take it for a test drive when my account is activated.

I'm still interested in a similar service that will work across multiple states, although it's not pressing as my non-res licenses are pending.

Thanks for the link!

[1manshow]

Try googling "public protection classes"

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

Our software automatically calculates it. Pretty accurate.

[Undercover]

Originally Posted by 1manshow

Try googling "public protection classes"

I keep coming back to ISO as the only provider of a service that can do this on a national basis. Their LOCATION service seems to fit the bill while also including a lot of other things. I've contacted them again, and hopefully I'll have better luck getting to someone who knows the product and can give me pricing.

[Undercover]

Originally Posted by CHUMPS FROM OXFORD

Our software automatically calculates it. Pretty accurate.

What software are you using, and would it be available to me via a local install or over the web, etc.?

[djs]

My quoting software makes the inquiry and returns the protection class. I don't ever even think about it. I wouldn't have any idea how to do it any other way.

Protection class is determined by 2 major factors (and probably a whole bunch of little ones), which are the responding fire department and accessibility of water. If you can bind a protection class 9/10, then you're pretty safe, realizing that 1-5 mean they have water available, 6-10 means they don't. Water being a source that can deliver 300 gallons a minute for 2 hours, usually a fire hydrant within 1000 feet.

After a while, you get to know what fire departments are rated at. For instance, in my town, I can assume virtually everyone is a 2, a 3 at worse case. I go one town over, everyone is a 3.

Now, in California, we have fireline numbers to worry about as well. Doesn't matter how much water you have if you live on the side of a hill in a dry valley. Fireline will bump you out. I can bind protection class 10, but not a bad fireline number.

Dan

P.S. Your carrier / quoting software should deal with protection class for you. I've never seen one not. ISO is probably confused, since agents don't normally make this request, at least I wouldn't think so.

[1manshow]

Same here, carrier software and comparative rater automatically assign protection class, but I can still remember the old days and ISO manual pages to thumb through It's a wonder we even had time to write any amount of business with manually rating and all !

[Soaringagent]

Usualy the protection class come out once you submit the quote.