Businesses and some homeowners in Mount Holly might soon catch a break on their insurance premiums thanks to efforts made by firefighters.
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey’s office said last week the Mount Holly Fire Department improved its response rating from Class 5 to Class 2, following an inspection earlier this year.
The North Carolina Department of Insurance’s rating scale is essentially an attempt to gauge the effectiveness of a community’s fire mitigation efforts. Insurance companies generally use that information to offer lower premiums in towns and city’s with better protection, according to the agency.
Out of the state’s more than 1,500 fire districts, just 2.5 percent have earned a Class 2 rating, according to Causey’s office. Only 1,673 fire districts nationwide hold a comparable rating.