The Insurance Services Office, an organization that rates fire protection services across the country, recently announced that the Public Protection Classifications, or PPC, for both the Morongo Basin and the City of Twentynine Palms have improved. Insurance companies use PPC when underwriting and calculating fire insurance premiums. The PPC for the county’s South Desert region, which includes the Morongo Basin, improved one classification to 03/3X, in which 1 is best and 10 is worst. The PPC for the City of Twentynine Palms also improved one classification, to 02/2X. The quality of the fire department and its equipment and training make up 50 percent of the score, while the water supply system makes up 40 percent, and the fire alarm and communications systems make up 10 percent of the PPC score. Better scores usually result in lower insurance premiums for residents and business owners so check with your insurance company to see if you qualify for a rate reduction due to this new rating.
