Ponds and insurance

[Cliff_Johns]

Does having a pond close to your buildings still reduce insurance costs? It used to be that the fire departments would have pumpers that would pull water from a near-by pond, thus if you had such a pond, your insurance would be lower.

However, we've been told by our agent that that is not true anymore. Does anyone have a different experience?

If it matters, this is for a farm in Carbon County Pa.

Cliff

 

[kootch88]

Does having a pond close to your buildings still reduce insurance costs? It used to be that the fire departments would have pumpers that would pull water from a near-by pond, thus if you had such a pond, your insurance would be lower.

However, we've been told by our agent that that is not true anymore. Does anyone have a different experience?

If it matters, this is for a farm in Carbon County Pa.

Cliff

The insurance companies now use Zip Codes in every case that I am aware, and the experience rating (loss experience) for a particular zip code are what determines rates. I'm an insurance agent, so I have some experience with this.

 

[hosspuller]

Another point ...The fire responders that serve your area have a rating. Depending on that rating, your home premium rises or falls. My FD recently got an upgrade... I got a decrease when I pointed that out to the ins agent.

 

[kootch88]

At my camp if you have a fire it is pretty certain to be a total loss, so my insurance for my camp is higher than my big house down here in the civilized world.

 

[forgeblast]

Our local fire company asks on a form every year where the nearest pond is to the house. It might be good to just let them know.

 

[Storm56]

Does having a pond close to your buildings still reduce insurance costs? It used to be that the fire departments would have pumpers that would pull water from a near-by pond, thus if you had such a pond, your insurance would be lower.

However, we've been told by our agent that that is not true anymore. Does anyone have a different experience?

If it matters, this is for a farm in Carbon County Pa.

Cliff

I owned an insurance agency in PA for 22 years, just retired this year. The answer to your question is basicly no. if your home is within site of 10 or so other homes some carriers offer a discount even though you are not within 1000 feet of a fire hydrant. Often called something like a Suburban Rule.

The short list of reasons why companies no longer offer the discount you ask about is that things can happen to ponds like going dry, people removing them, or when needed, access is not available.

 

[rickyb01]

Storm56 hit the nail on the head

 

[Cliff_Johns]

Thanks for the replys -- especially storm56. My question is answered

 

[jonyyuma]

There was an exemption if the pond was a certain depth and it had a standpipe to it...Not sure about your local exemptions.. What people fail to see , is that a truck must stay acertain distance from the pond, and it must have a hard suction hose and strainer for a pond operation.. A lot of VFD's have a dump tank arraingement for ferrying water..Or their own water tankers to carry water..

 

[Ken45101]

The rural department I was on had a portable pump to carry to a water source.

As for rating by zip code, our zip code includes the village which has hydrants, and places that are 30 minutes from the nearest hydrant.

I think drop tanks have become fairly standard since I was on that department and standard procedures here are to call for mutual aid tankers with the initial response.

Ken