Fire-Resistive

Fire-Resistive Definition

Fire-resistive construction is a building rating system used by insurance agents to issue casualty insurance and establish policy rates.

Explanation

The Insurance Service Office, Inc. has six ISO comprehensive building construction fire risk categories.

These assist insurance companies in establishing rates for commercial property based on the property’s construction materials’ susceptibility to fire damage.

Code 1: Construction in this category uses wood, brick stone or brick veneer, wood ironclad or stucco on wood for exterior walls.

These building materials have the highest susceptibility to be damaged by fire..

Code 2: Construction in this category uses masonry material for exterior walls and combustible roof and flooring.

Code 3: Commercial construction in this category uses noncombustible materials, such as metal, asbestos or gypsum, for exterior walls, flooring and supports.

Code 4: Construction in this category adds a noncombustible floor and roof to the Code 3 materials.

Code 5: Construction in this category has roofing, flooring and exterior walls constructed from materials, such as masonry. Those materials will resist fire for at least one hour, but less than two hours.

Code 6: This construction has the highest fire-resistance rating.

The roof, flooring, and exterior walls are all constructed of fire-resistant materials, such as masonry, that will resist fire for at least two hours.

The American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) developed a fire risk rating for residential property.

The AAIS rating incorporates ratings from the ISO, and also includes factors such as access to fire departments and neighborhood hydrants in the AAIS fire rankings.