Best car insurance companies in Iowa

Auto-Owners is the best car insurance company in Iowa, based on our latest best car insurance companies rankings, with an overall rating of 4.73. State Farm is the second-best auto insurance company in Iowa, with an overall rating of 4.48.

Below is a list of the top Iowa insurance companies based on price, NAIC complaint ratio and AM Best financial ratings. The total Insurance.com score is calculated out of five using these factors.

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Table
CompanyAM BestJD PowerNAICAverage annual premiumInsurance.com score
Auto-OwnersA+6630.54$1,4614.73
State FarmA++6470.79$1,3064.48
TravelersA++6130.52$1,2384.25
ProgressiveA+6380.71$1,5894.12
GEICOA++6220.69$1,7163.88
AllstateA+6291.1$2,1263.25
USAAA++7591.18$1,1654.5

Cheapest car insurance companies in Iowa

Comparison shopping is key to finding the best deal on auto insurance. Get quotes from several different insurers and compare their rates. You may be surprised at the difference in rates from one company to another.

We gathered price quotes from all the major insurance providers in Iowa and compiled a list of the cheapest car insurance companies. Based on a rate analysis by Insurance.com, USAA is the cheapest auto insurance company in Iowa, with average rates of $1,319 annually or $110 a month, but it is only open to military families. Travelers offer the cheapest full coverage car insurance in Iowa open to all drivers, with average rates of $1,449 per year or $121 per month.

CompanyState minimum liability50/100/50 liability100/300/100 liability with $500 deductible
Travelers$321$381$1,449
Auto-Owners$307$344$1,772
GEICO$253$324$1,871
State Farm$300$385$2,005
West Bend Insurance Company$247$312$2,036
IMT Insurance$265$276$2,066
Progressive$211$308$2,079
Allstate$642$789$3,046
Iowa Farm Bureau$320$379$3,212
Grinnell Mutual$609$697$3,670
USAA$186$282$1,319

*USAA offers car insurance only to military members and their families.

Average cost of car insurance in Iowa

The average cost of car insurance in Iowa is $2,228 a year for a full coverage policy with a coverage level of 100/300/100 for a driver age 40, according to a rate analysis by Insurance.com. For the state minimum coverage, the average annual cost in Iowa is $330.

Auto insurance calculator

Average auto insurance rates in Iowa
50314 - Des Moines
For a 30-year-old male
State minimum
$622 Full coverage
$566 Liability only

Top 5 most & least expensive cities for auto insurance in Iowa

Most Expensive

CityHighest annual rateHighest monthly rate
Des Moines$616$51
Council Bluffs$597$50
Davenport$590$49
Carter Lake$589$49
Sioux City$587$49

Least Expensive

CityLowest annual rateLowest monthly rate
Corydon$410$34
Promise City$411$34
Harpers Ferry$414$34
Centerville$414$34
Fort Atkinson$414$34

The Iowa Insurance Division says...

Iowa law requires minimum liability coverage:

  • $20,000 of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident;
  • $40,000 because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident; and
  • $15,000 because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.
  • Many drivers find that the right amount of insurance coverage for them may be above those minimums for liability and may also include coverage for property damage in the form of comprehensive or collision coverage.
- The Iowa Insurance Division

Iowa car insurance requirements

You need car insurance with minimum coverage levels of 20/40/15 in Iowa, which costs $330 each year or $28 each month.

Minimum liability insuranceLiability insurance covers sums that an insured becomes legally obligated to pay because of bodily injuries or property damage, or financial losses caused to other people. requirements for Iowa:

  • Bodily injury liability (BI): $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident
  • Property damage liability (PD): $15,000 per accident

Cheapest car insurance companies for minimum liability coverage in Iowa

According to Insurance.com, IMT Insurance has the cheapest state minimum liability coverage at $276 per year or $23 each month. USAA offers cheaper rates but is available only to military veterans and their family members.

Here are the most affordable car insurance companies for state minimum coverage in Iowa.

State minimum auto insurance coverage in Iowa
CompanyLiability insurance premiumMonthly liability insurance premium
IMT Insurance$276$23
Progressive$308$26
West Bend Insurance Company$312$26
GEICO$324$27
Auto-Owners$344$29
Iowa Farm Bureau$379$32
State Farm$385$32
Travelers$381$32
Grinnell Mutual$697$58
Allstate$789$66
USAA$282$24

*USAA offers coverage only to military veterans and their family

Cheapest car insurance cost in Iowa by age

In Iowa, car insurance rates are higher for teenagers as they are more prone to accidents due to their lack of experience on the road.

IMT Insurance offers the cheapest car insurance for a 16-year-old driver in Iowa at $4,328 per year.

Car insurance rates will decrease as teens age and keep a good driving record. Car insurance rates for adults 25+ and seniors 60+ are lower than those for teens and young adults. 

In Iowa, Travelers offers the cheapest car insurance for a 25-year-old driver and a 65-year-old driver at $1,728 per year and $1,262 per year, respectively. USAA offers cheaper rates but is available only to military veterans and their families. 

Compare car insurance rates by age

Select your age group and age below to see the insurance company and its
average annual and average monthly premium rates.

Table
Graph
IMT Insurance$4,328$361
Auto-Owners$5,422$452
GEICO$5,424$452
USAA$5,871$489
Travelers$6,052$504
State Farm$6,170$514
Progressive$6,991$583
West Bend Insurance Company$12,052$1,004
Grinnell Mutual$12,677$1,056
Allstate$13,034$1,086
Iowa Farm Bureau$16,510$1,376
Yearly premium

*USAA offers car insurance only to military veterans and their families.

Cheapest car insurance companies in Iowa by driver profile

Drivers with accidents or tickets are considered a higher risk and will pay more. 

However, the severity and frequency of the incidents will also play a role in the insurance rates. For instance, drivers with one minor accident may see a smaller rate increase than those with multiple major accidents.

Below are average Iowa rates by company for drivers with accidents and tickets on their driving record.  

CompanyClean recordAccidentSpeeding ticket
Travelers$1,449$2,051$2,120
State Farm$2,005$2,276$2,141
Progressive$2,079$3,014$2,615
Auto-Owners$1,772$2,341$2,730
GEICO$1,871$3,293$2,930
Allstate$3,046$4,472$3,346
USAA$1,319$1,954$1,642

*USAA offers car insurance only to military veterans and their families.

Compare auto insurance rates by city in Iowa

Auto insurance rates vary not just by state, but also by city. Cities have different levels of risk based on factors like accident rates, claimAn insurance claim is a request you make to your insurance company for coverage after your car is damaged or you have an accident. You can file a claim online, by phone, or in writing. costs, weather and more. That means where you live in Iowa will impact what you pay. Below, we've gathered Iowa car insurance rates by city for comparison.

CityAnnual insurance premium
Altoona
$1,441
Atkins
$1,618
Des Moines
$1,585

Car insurance rates change regularly, influenced by changes in the cost of repairs, claim rates and other factors. Recent years have seen car insurance rates rise across the country, but not every state has seen the same increases.

We've tracked car insurance premium trends in Iowa to show you how things have changed and help you prepare for potential changes in the future. Take a look at the chart below.

We partnered with Quadrant Information Services to field average auto insurance rates in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. National and state average rates are based on three coverage levels: state minimum, 50/100/50 liability-only, and full coverage with 100/300/100 liability and $500 deductibles. 

Unless otherwise indicated, averages are based on our full coverage data set. This data set is based on:

  • Bodily injury liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per incident
  • Property damage liability of $100,000 per incident
  • Comprehensive and collision deductibles of $500
  • 40-year-old driver
  • Honda Accord LX
  • Good credit
  • A clean driving record
  • 12-mile commute, 10,000 annual mileage

The car insurance rates for drivers with accidents and tickets are averaged based on rates for the following accidents and tickets: 

Accidents:

  • 1 at-fault property damage accident over $2k
  • 1 at-fault property damage accident under $2k
  • At-fault bodily injury accident
  • Poor credit
  • DUI/DWI first offense

Tickets:

  • Reckless driving
  • Speeding ticket 1- 10 MPH over limit
  • Speeding ticket 11- 29 MPH over limit
  • Speeding 30+ over limit

Learn more about our data and methodology.

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