Glossary

Public Protection Classification (PPC)

A 1 to 10 grade, assigned by Verisk's ISO unit, of how well a community's fire department, water supply and dispatch can fight a house fire.

Also called: PPC, ISO PPC, ISO fire rating, Verisk PPC, ISO fire protection class

Public Protection Classification is the grade Verisk, through its ISO unit, gives a community's fire protection. Class 1 is the best and Class 10 means the area's fire suppression program does not meet Verisk's minimum criteria. The fire department counts for about half, the water supply for about 40% and emergency communications for about 10%, with a few added points for community risk reduction such as prevention and education.

Insurers use the class to price the fire portion of a homeowners policy, and some use it for eligibility. Many communities carry a split class, written like 5/9 or, in the newer notation, 5/5X. The first number applies to homes within 5 road miles of a responding station and 1,000 feet of a hydrant or other creditable water source. The second applies to homes within 5 miles but farther from water. Homes beyond 5 road miles generally fall in Class 10.

The class follows the address, not the city name. Most but not all insurers use it, and communities can raise their grade by upgrading staffing, equipment or water mains. Ask the agent which class they used. The fire protection class and your rate guide shows how the number moves premiums, and rural homes: fire protection, wells and long drives covers the challenges of Class 10 homes.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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Related terms

Fire protection class The 1 to 10 number on a home insurance quote that reflects how close and well equipped the nearest fire department and water source are. Construction class The category an insurer assigns a house by its walls and structure, such as frame, masonry veneer, masonry or fire-resistive, used for rating and rebuild cost. Rating territory A geographic area, often a ZIP code or county, that an insurer prices as a unit because losses from weather, fire and theft differ from place to place. Underwriting guidelines An insurer's internal rules for which homes it will write, which it will decline, and what conditions, limits or surcharges apply to the ones it accepts. ISO (Insurance Services Office) The industry organization, now part of Verisk, that drafts standard homeowners policy forms, rating data and fire protection grades that insurers use or adapt.

Related guides

Fire protection class (ISO PPC) and your rate Your fire protection class grades local fire service from 1 to 10. How split classes work, why a hydrant 1,000 feet away matters, and how to find your class. How insurers decide whether to insure a home Underwriters weigh the house, your claims and credit history, and their own exposure, then accept, set conditions or decline. What they check and why. Rural homes: fire protection, wells and long drives Rural homes pay for distance from the fire station, wells, septic and outbuildings. What drives price and availability, and what to do about it. What affects your homeowners insurance rate Location and rebuilding cost set most of a homeowners premium; roof, age, claims, credit, deductible and discounts adjust it. Which factors you can change.

Related insurers

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Berkshire Hathaway's Wilkes-Barre small-business insurer, which sold homeowners policies through agents from 2018 and has been leaving the line since 2024.