The Proposal: a public-safety plan from Democratic mayoral candidate Stephanie Miner

Title: Stephanie Miner’s 50-Point Plan for a 21st Century City called “RENEWING the PROMISE of SYRACUSE” (under Section Three: Public Safety, Strategy #21, Pg. 26)

From: From Stephanie Miner, the Democratic candidate for mayor

Type: Mayoral goals, as outlined on her Web site

URL: http://www.minerformayor.com/page/coming-soon  

Her plan can be downloaded from the Web site.

What She Says:

“As a result of having a top rated fire department property owners in the City of Syracuse pay lower home owners insurance than in other communities.  That is an incredible asset.  The peace of mind and financial savings that have come from our sustained investment in our fire and emergency medical services have created incredible value that acts as a draw to residents and businesses for our city.”

The Facts:

1. “…having a top rated fire department...”

That’s accurate.  On the Syracuse Fire Department Web site, it says that the department iss an “ISO Class One Fire Department.”

ISO stands for Insurance Service Organization.  It is a national company based in New Jersey that provides information to insurance companies, which helps the companies set insurance rates.  The group’s evaluators assess nearly every fire department in the country based on “many factors including the number of personnel on duty, training level of personnel (paid or volunteer), the amount of water the fire department can get to a fire, and the amount and quality of equipment used (such as fire engines and hand tools… ISO gives a ranking of 1 through 10, with 1 being the best and 10 being no protection at all.”

2. “… property owners in the City of Syracuse pay lower home owners insurance than in other communities.” 

Miner is comparing home owners insurance in Syracuse to insurance rates in communities with a lower fire department rating.  Lindsay McCluskey, Miner’s communications director, cited an example in The Post-Standard reporting on Lafayette to illustrate how a fire department’s rating affects home insurance rates.  In June, The Post-Standard reported, “Insurance costs for town buildings went up 4.25 percent because a rating service downgraded the Lafayette Fire Department’s service.  That rating drop means insurance costs could rise for homeowners, owners of commercial buildings or anyone who buys insurance for a building in Lafayette, said town board member Adrian Shute, who owns an insurance company in town.” 

But Lindsay McCluskey, Miner’s communications director, said Miner did not have any particular community in mind. Miner’s point, said McCluskey, is that, as a “general fact,” a higher rating from the Insurance Service Organization for a fire department means lower insurance premiums for a community.  

3. “As a result of having a top rated fire department property owners in the City of Syracuse pay lower home owners insurance than in other communities.”

Experts agree that a fire department’s rating by the Insurance Service Organization is one of many factors that determine the premiums homeowners pay for their insurance. But just how much of an effect is unclear.

Paul Parpucci with Allstate Insurance Company in Syracuse said that a city’s fire department makes a “small impact” on home insurance premiums in a city.  If a paid, professional fire department is near the house, Parpucci said, the insurance rate tends to be a bit lower.  If a volunteer fire department is close to the home, Parpucci said, the insurance rate on that home tends to be a little bit higher.  Syracuse does have a paid, professional department. 

Tabitha Nelson with GEICO in Syracuse agreed. The better-rated the fire department, Nelson said, the lower the insurance rate.  This is because a home insurance rate, Nelson said, is “based on the ability to put out a fire before there is significant damage done to the home.”

Scott Holeman, director of the National Association of Insurance Commissions, said several factors contribute to a home insurance rate.  These factors include:

Conclusion:

Miner’s descriptions of the Syracuse Fire Department is accurate, as is the general connection she makes between the Fire Department’s rating and lower insurance rates. It’s unclear how much of an effect the rating has. And Miner does not specify what she means by her promise to “sufficiently fund” the fire department to keep that rating.

(Michelle San Miguel is a senior with dual majors in broadcast journalism and international relations.)

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