Denison's top fire rating could trim some insurance bills, city says

Homes and businesses in Denison may cost less to insure because the city's fire protection holds the highest grade in a national rating system, according to city officials. State regulators say the insurance company decides whether a policyholder saves anything, and how much.

The city's resolutions archive lists Resolution No. 4232, dated Monday, Sept. 21. The resolution recognizes Denison's Class 1 classification from the Insurance Services Office, known as ISO. The grade itself is not new. The city says it took effect Jan. 1, 2024, and replaced a Class 3 rating.

The minutes of the Aug. 21, 2023, meeting of the Denison City Council record officials saying the rating could reduce premiums on residential and commercial property. At that meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Robert Crawley presented a proclamation that honored Denison Fire Rescue for earning the grade.

The Texas Department of Insurance says a better class does not bring a set discount. Each insurer uses its own experience to decide what the rating is worth, so the effect differs from company to company. The agency tells property owners to ask their insurer how the rating applies to their own policy.

Where a property sits can also change its class. Under state guidance, the first number in a split classification applies to property within five road miles of a fire station and within 1,000 feet of a creditable water supply. Property farther from water can get a different class.

ISO grades fire protection in cities across the country. According to Verisk, the review scores four main areas: the fire department, emergency communications, water supply and community risk reduction. Texas Department of Insurance guidance puts the Class 1 threshold at 90 points, with most of the available points assigned to the fire department and the water system.

Denison credits the upgrade to work inside its department. A presentation at the city's 2025 summit listed more training, relocated fire apparatus, added fire-marshal positions, computerized operating procedures and larger crews sent to structure fires. As of January 2024, the city reported three stations and 62 career firefighters. They covered Denison and 90 square miles of surrounding Grayson County.

Statewide, the average annual homeowners premium rose from $2,374 in 2022 to $3,489 in 2025, according to the Texas Department of Insurance. The agency says changes in coverage amounts, as well as rates, affect premiums.

The fire department's 2025 strategic plan proposes a fourth station at Preston Harbor and scheduled construction to begin in fiscal 2026. The plan also reports an application for a federal SAFER grant to pay for 21 firefighter positions for three years. The plan presents the grant as an application, not an award.

In Cooke County, Gainesville holds a Class 2 rating. According to the city's insurance-rating page, Gainesville reached that grade in 2015 after it held Class 4.