Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS)

The Building Code Effectiveness Grading Schedule (BCEGS) is a program administered by the ISO (Insurance Services Office, a subsidiary of Verisk Analytics) for the purposes of evaluating building departments in jurisdictions across the United States of America and grading their adoption and enforcement of building codes, awarding them a grade of 1 through 10. Five states (HI, ID, LA, MS, WA) do not participate in the BCEGS. Jurisdictions and municipalities with well-enforced and up-to-date building codes should be less prone to losses and experience lower loss severity (sometimes called ‘loss experience’ by insurance carriers), theoretically lowering insurance costs in the area and providing an incentive for communities to enforce building codes, with particular focus on wind and earthquake damage.