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Atchison fire rating improves, could lower insurance costs

By Brian Hagen

04/18/2018

(KAIR)--City of Atchison residents could see a reduction in their homeowner or commercial property insurance.

That comes as the city's Public Fire Protection Classification improves.

Word of the achievement was brought to the Atchison City Commission Monday by City Manager Becky Berger. "We went from a class 4 to a class 3," Berger told the Commission. "That's important because it has a positive impact on our local insurance rates, so we would encourage all citizens to contact their insurance broker and see if they can get a reduction in their property insurance."

According to a news release, the improvement is based on a November 2017 re-evaluation of the City's preparedness for fire emergencies.

Prior to that, the last evaluation was conducted in 2012.

The rating is determined by the Insurance Services Office, which uses a number of factors for its findings. "A lot of that was due to the improvements that the 911 dispatching system and then also our water upgrades contributed to that,” Berger said.

Mayor Allen Reavis took note of the role the water-related improvements played in receiving the new rating. "Heard a lot of criticism about expanding that water, and that we didn't need it and all that," Reavis said. "MGP has not shutdown once since we opened that tank, because the water was low. Now that our fire insurance rate is going down, I hope those people who like to be critical of these projects understands the purpose. This is huge."