How to Request an ISO Re-Evaluation (And What to Do Before You Do)

Most fire departments have made improvements since their last ISO evaluation. Most of those improvements aren’t reflected in their published rating.

That’s not ISO’s fault. ISO evaluates communities on a default cycle — typically every 10 to 15 years, depending on your state and your current classification. If your department has added training programs, expanded your pre-incident planning coverage, or upgraded apparatus since your last evaluation, that progress is invisible to ISO until someone asks them to look again.

Requesting a re-evaluation is how you ask.

Here’s what most departments don’t know: the process is free, it’s entirely within your control to initiate, and the upside — a one or two-class improvement — can reduce community insurance premiums by hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

Here’s what they also don’t know: showing up unprepared is worse than not requesting at all.

This guide covers both.

Why You Shouldn’t Wait for ISO to Come to You

ISO proactively surveys communities on a long cycle. Depending on your state and classification, ISO may not return for a scheduled evaluation for a decade or more.

That means a department that has genuinely improved — through better training documentation, a stronger pre-plan program, or upgraded apparatus — may be carrying an artificially elevated rating for years. Every year that rating stays where it is, your community’s homeowners and businesses are paying a premium surcharge they’ve already earned their way out of.

A proactive re-evaluation request closes that gap on your timeline, not ISO’s.

The numbers: For a community of 5,000 households paying an average of $1,400/year in homeowner’s insurance, a one-class improvement can represent $350,000 to $700,000 in annual savings across the community — year after year. That math makes the case for preparing carefully before you make the request.

What Happens During an ISO Re-Evaluation

ISO’s evaluator reviews your department across four scoring categories of the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS):

FSRS Category	Weight
Fire Department (apparatus, personnel, training, pre-plans)	50%
Water Supply (hydrants, flow rates, distribution)	40%
Emergency Communications (dispatch, notification)	10%
Community Risk Reduction (code enforcement, public ed, investigation)	Up to 5.5 bonus points

The evaluator will review documentation at your station, conduct an apparatus inspection, assess your water supply and hydrant program, and evaluate your dispatch and communications setup.

Nothing about the evaluation is subjective. The FSRS is a point schedule. Every category has a defined maximum score, and the evaluator is checking whether your documentation supports a claim to those points.

Here’s the thing most departments don’t internalize: the evaluation is won or lost on paper before the evaluator arrives. Capabilities that aren’t documented don’t get scored. A department that runs excellent training but keeps informal records will score below a department that runs adequate training and documents every session.

Before You Request: The Preparation Work

This is where most departments underperform.

A re-evaluation request triggers ISO to schedule a formal visit. If you request before your documentation is ready, ISO’s evaluator will score what they find — not what you intended to fix.

Give yourself three to six months of preparation before making the call. Here’s what to cover:

1. Run Your Own FSRS Self-Assessment

Work through the Fire Suppression Rating Schedule before ISO does. Score yourself honestly across each category and identify where your largest point-recovery opportunities are. The FSRS is publicly available from Verisk/ISO.

If you want a faster starting point, the ISO Readiness Assessment at freedomfromdissonance.com walks through the key scoring categories and surfaces your highest-priority gaps.

2. Audit Your Training Records

ISO awards points for documented training hours. The FSRS requires that company officers and firefighters complete a minimum number of training hours annually. Informal training — drills, hands-on sessions, ride-alongs — can earn credit, but only if it’s logged.

Before your evaluation, verify that:

• All training hours for the past 12 months are recorded with dates, duration, topics, and attendees
• Company officers and firefighters meet FSRS minimum hour thresholds
• Records are organized and accessible for review

Departments that track training informally — a whiteboard, a shared spreadsheet, scattered paper logs — consistently leave points on the table. Consolidate everything before you make contact with ISO.

3. Count and Assess Your Pre-Incident Plans

The FSRS awards pre-incident planning points based on the percentage of target hazards in your first-due area that have documented pre-plans. ISO uses a tiered target hazard framework — they’re looking for coverage of your highest-complexity and highest-occupancy buildings.

Before requesting your evaluation:

• Generate a complete list of target hazards in your first-due area
• Count how many have current, documented pre-incident plans
• Calculate your coverage percentage
• Prioritize completing pre-plans for any high-tier hazards (hospitals, schools, large commercial, industrial) that are missing documentation

The gap most departments don’t see: ISO doesn’t just count whether pre-plans exist — they evaluate quality. A pre-plan without building construction type, utility shutoff locations, and occupant load data may not earn full credit. Review your existing plans against NFPA 1620 requirements before the evaluator does.

4. Document Your Hydrant and Water Supply Program

Water supply is 40% of your FSRS score — the single largest category. ISO evaluators want to see:

• Hydrant inspection and flow test records compliant with NFPA 291
• Flow test results documented with location, date, and GPM readings
• Hydrant distribution relative to structures in your service area

If your hydrant flow testing is current but undocumented, that documentation work needs to happen before your request. ISO cannot award points for flow rates they can’t verify.

5. Review Apparatus and Equipment Records

ISO awards points for apparatus that meets NFPA 1901 standards, is properly staffed, and has documented maintenance. Before evaluation:

• Ensure apparatus maintenance logs are current
• Verify annual pump tests have been conducted and recorded
• Confirm hose and ladder testing records are up to date

How to Actually Request a Re-Evaluation

Once your documentation is in order, the process is straightforward.

Step 1: Contact ISO’s Public Protection Department

ISO — now part of Verisk Analytics — handles re-evaluation requests through their public protection classification program. You can initiate a request by:

• Visiting verisk.com and navigating to the Public Protection Classification section
• Contacting your state fire marshal’s office, which can facilitate the request
• Submitting a written request on department letterhead to ISO’s regional office

There is no fee to request a re-evaluation.

Step 2: Describe the Improvements You’ve Made

ISO may ask for a brief description of changes since your last evaluation. Be specific: new apparatus, training program changes, expanded pre-plan coverage, hydrant program updates, staffing changes. Give them a clear picture of what’s changed — this supports their prioritization of your request.

Step 3: ISO Schedules Your Evaluation

ISO assigns an evaluator and contacts your department to schedule. Expect a lead time of several months depending on evaluator availability and your region. Use that time to continue documentation work.

Step 4: Prepare for Evaluation Day

When the evaluator arrives, you want:

• A designated point of contact (fire chief or training officer) who can locate all records immediately
• Training logs organized by year and by member
• Pre-incident plans accessible and labeled by location
• Apparatus maintenance records ready for inspection
• Hydrant flow test results with a distribution map

For a single-station department, expect the evaluation to take most of one full business day.

How Long Until Your Rating Changes?

After the evaluation, ISO processes results and issues a new PPC classification. The timeline from evaluation to published rating change is typically 60 to 90 days, though complex evaluations can take longer.

Once the new rating is published, insurance carriers can begin reflecting it in their underwriting models. Individual policyholders typically see the benefit at their next policy renewal after the new rating is effective.

The Bottom Line

A re-evaluation request isn’t complicated. Showing up unprepared is the mistake.

The departments that see the biggest improvements treat the evaluation as a deadline, not a starting gun. They spend months getting their documentation in order, running an honest self-assessment, and closing their largest gaps before the evaluator sets foot in the station.

Start with the assessment. Know where you stand before you make the call.

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Sources

• Verisk/ISO Public Protection Classification Program — verisk.com/insurance/ratings
• NFPA 1620: Standard for Pre-Incident Planning — National Fire Protection Association
• NFPA 291: Recommended Practice for Fire Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants — National Fire Protection Association
• NFPA 1901: Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus — National Fire Protection Association
• ISO Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) — available through Verisk/ISO Public Protection

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