With a change of fire protection coverage areas, some Catawba County residents could see a 45 percent reduction in their fire insurance rates.
"This is the advantage of six-mile districts," said David Weldon, Emergency Services director for Catawba County. "It will reduce the number of homes that are unrated."
The county approved a proposal to put the area on a grid of six-mile coverage areas for fire departments rather than the current five-mile. The move may reduce most home owners' insurance rates, but how much of a reduction will depend on the carrier.
Catawba County Board of Commissioners' Chairwoman Kitty Barnes asked how customers affected by the change would be identified.
"It won't be by insurance agents if they are affected," Weldon said. "The best way to get that information out is through the local fire chiefs and Dave Hardin (Catawba County Public Information officer)."
The six-mile insurance rate maps will be in effect for Bandys, Catawba, Cooksville, Mountain View, Propst and Sherrills Ford-Terrell fire departments. Conover, Hickory, Long View, Maiden, Newton, Oxford and St. Stephens will stay with five-mile maps.
With departments in Catawba County being on a five-mile map, any areas outside the five-mile radius were considered unrated. These areas would be charged a higher fire insurance rate as they were considered outside the service area of any local department.
With the six-mile map in effect, any resident living more than five miles, but less than six miles, from a department would be given a rating and therefore a reduction in insurance rates. The change will affect 672 homeowners in Catawba County. Areas with the highest number of affected residents are Propst, 219, and Bandys, 213.
According to information distributed by the county, the owner of a $100,000 house with smoke detectors could save an average of $105 per year on insurance.
The change will go into effect at the Monday, May 4, commissioners' meeting, when the minutes from Monday night's meeting are approved.
Weldon urges residents to get in touch with their local fire chief to determine if they are affected by the change.
In other action, commissioners approved giving the N.C. Department of Transportation the right of way on Rocky Ford Road, contiguous to the Blackburn Landfill property. The acquisition was approved in order to receive a permit necessary for a driveway access to the planned Biodiesel Research Facility.
The area concerned in the agreement is a 60-foot wide stretch along the road frontage, as well as 10-foot by 70-foot site triangles reserved as easements of either side of the driveway to ensure safe access to the site.
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