Lexington County upgrades could mean lower fire insurance bills, slower rate increases

Lower fire insurance bills may be coming soon for many Lexington County homeowners and businesses.

The stage is set for “substantially lower” bills in coming months after an industry adviser recognized improvements in fire protection, Fire Chief Brad Cox said.

His prediction follows an assessment by the Insurance Services Office that ranks county fire service as more effective today than four years ago.

That recommendation usually means rate reductions, which vary with each insurance company based on its own claim payments.

And the recognition by ISO just may mean slower rate increases – not necessarily lower rates – because some insurers are in the midst of a steady series of hikes to pay for repairs after damage from hurricanes across the Southeast.

Improvements noted by the ISO include the addition of 30 firefighters, location of more fire stations near neighborhoods, increased staff training and new partnerships with municipal forces to ensure adequate manpower at every fire.

It’s a major step forward but more progress is planned, Lexington County Administrator Joe Mergo said. “We still have a few holes that we need to continue to work on.”

That list includes adding up to a half-dozen stations to the 24 now open to allow faster response mainly in a few rural areas and more firefighters to keep pace with steady population growth.

County firefighters handle most areas except those covered by separate forces in Irmo, Cayce, West Columbia and Batesburg-Leesville.

Reliance on volunteers is waning amid requirements for more training that often is burdensome for those who take part as an avocation, Cox said. There are about 70 volunteers today, half of the number of five years ago.

This story was originally published April 19, 2015 at 11:27 PM with the headline "Lexington County upgrades could mean lower fire insurance bills, slower rate increases."