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Nationwide offers the cheapest auto insurance rates in Iowa at about $881 a year or $73 monthly, on average. That’s below the average Iowa car insurance rate of $1,321 a year.

However, cheap isn’t everything, and an Insurance.com analysis of rates, complaints, and financial stability found State Farm to be the best insurance company in Iowa.

Many factors go into your insurance premium. Insurance companies use your driving record, the type of car you drive and the coverage you select to determine your annual car insurance cost. 

Read on to compare Iowa insurance rates by company, age and more.

Key takeaways

  • State Farm is the best car insurance company in Iowa overall, with below-average rates and a low complaint ratio.
  • Nationwide is the cheapest car insurance company in Iowa at $881 per year.
  • Geico also has the cheapest rates for teens, and Nationwide offers the cheapest rates for adult and senior drivers.

Average cost of car insurance in Iowa

The average car insurance rate in Iowa is $1,321 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 $263.

Best car insurance companies in Iowa

State Farm is the best car insurance company in Iowa, based on a 2023 analysis by Insurance.com, with an overall rating of 4.45. Nationwide is the second-best auto insurance company in Iowa, with an overall rating of 4.41. 

Below is a full 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.

Best car insurance companies in Iowa
Insurance companyAM BestAverage annual rateNAIC Complaint ratioInsurance.com score
State FarmA++$ 1,1100.524.45
NationwideA+$ 8810.664.41
Auto-OwnersA++$ 1,2700.644.32
GeicoA++$ 1,1470.774.19
USAA*A++$ 1,1480.993.74
TravelersA++$ 1,0881.033.72
American FamilyA$ 1,4870.573.63
FarmersA$ 1,4230.773.29
AllstateA+$ 1,5120.953.12
ProgressiveA+$ 2,1490.732.87

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

Cheapest car insurance companies in Iowa

Don't just go with the first insurer you come across. Comparison shopping is the key when it comes to finding the best deal on auto insurance. Get quotes from several different insurers and compare their rates. You may be surprised at how much difference there can be in rates from one company to another.

We have gathered price quotes from all the major insurance providers in Iowa and put together a list of the cheapest car insurance companies. Based on a rate analysis by Insurance.com, Nationwide is the cheapest auto insurance company in Iowa, with average rates of $881 annually or $73 a month.

CompanyState minimum50/100/50 liability only100/300/100 liability with $500 comp/coll deductible
Nationwide$ 293$ 299$ 881
Travelers$ 327$ 382$ 1,088
State Farm$ 186$ 241$ 1,110
Geico$ 180$ 208$ 1,147
USAA*$ 150$ 248$ 1,148
Auto-Owners$ 168$ 203$ 1,270
Farmers$ 332$ 406$ 1,423
American Family$ 416$ 482$ 1,487
Allstate$ 386$ 445$ 1,512
Progressive$ 190$ 265$ 2,149

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

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.

Geico offers the cheapest car insurance for teen drivers in Iowa at $2,859 per year for a full coverage policy.  

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, Nationwide offers the cheapest full coverage car insurance for adult drivers (25-55 year-olds) and senior drivers (60-75 year-olds) at $888 per year and $763 per year, respectively. 

Cheapest car insurance by age in Iowa
Age (group) Company Group Avg. Annual Premium
Teens (16-19)Geico$ 2,859
Teens (16-19)State Farm$ 2,870
Teens (16-19)USAA$ 2,887
Teens (16-19)Auto-Owners$ 3,029
Teens (16-19)Nationwide$ 3,123
Teens (16-19)Travelers$ 3,293
Teens (16-19)American Family$ 3,515
Teens (16-19)Allstate$ 3,654
Teens (16-19)Farmers$ 5,373
Teens (16-19)Progressive$ 6,821
Young Adults (20-24)Nationwide$ 1,561
Young Adults (20-24)Travelers$ 1,655
Young Adults (20-24)State Farm$ 1,743
Young Adults (20-24)USAA$ 1,766
Young Adults (20-24)Geico$ 1,851
Young Adults (20-24)Allstate$ 1,857
Young Adults (20-24)Farmers$ 1,942
Young Adults (20-24)American Family$ 2,046
Young Adults (20-24)Auto-Owners$ 2,085
Young Adults (20-24)Progressive$ 3,434
Adults (25-55)Nationwide$ 888
Adults (25-55)Travelers$ 1,099
Adults (25-55)State Farm$ 1,123
Adults (25-55)USAA$ 1,152
Adults (25-55)Geico$ 1,216
Adults (25-55)Auto-Owners$ 1,288
Adults (25-55)Farmers$ 1,407
Adults (25-55)American Family$ 1,460
Adults (25-55)Allstate$ 1,580
Adults (25-55)Progressive$ 2,257
Seniors (60-75)Nationwide$ 763
Seniors (60-75)State Farm$ 1,000
Seniors (60-75)Travelers$ 1,000
Seniors (60-75)Geico$ 1,018
Seniors (60-75)USAA$ 1,058
Seniors (60-75)Auto-Owners$ 1,140
Seniors (60-75)Farmers$ 1,289
Seniors (60-75)American Family$ 1,330
Seniors (60-75)Allstate$ 1,427
Seniors (60-75)Progressive$ 1,962

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

Cheapest car insurance companies in Iowa by driver profile

Drivers who have 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 a single minor accident may see a smaller increase in their rates compared to those with multiple major accidents.

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

Cheapest car insurance companies for tickets and accidents in Iowa
CompanyClean recordAccidentTicket
Nationwide$ 838$ 1,417$ 1,138
State Farm$ 896$ 1,021$ 958
USAA*$ 1,035$ 1,506$ 1,262
Geico$ 1,060$ 1,827$ 1,542
Travelers$ 1,068$ 1,526$ 1,510
Auto-Owners$ 1,206$ 1,558$ 1,305
American Family$ 1,378$ 1,378$ 1,727
Farmers$ 1,416$ 2,013$ 1,937
Allstate$ 1,575$ 2,184$ 1,735
Progressive$ 1,934$ 2,915$ 2,527

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

Methodology

Insurance.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services in 2022 to field rates from up to six major insurers in every state across most ZIP codes. Driver profile: male, age 40, driving 2021 Honda Accord LX with full coverage of 100/300/100 with comprehensive and collision; $500 deductible.

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 
  • Single vehicle accident 

Tickets: 

  • Distracted driving ticket
  • Speeding ticket 1- 10 MPH over the limit 
  • Speeding ticket 11- 29 MPH over the limit 
  • Talking on a cellphone ticket 
  • Texting ticket 

Insurance.com analyzed rates from more than 34,000 ZIP codes, 56 million quotes, and 136 companies. Rates sourced from Quadrant Data Services are for comparison purposes only; your rates may differ.  

Compare auto insurance rates by city in Iowa

Cedar Falls
$1,264/year
Centerville
$1,387/year
Des Moines
$1,250/year
Ely
$1,267/year
Iowa City
$1,140/year
Kalona
$1,260/year
Lawton
$1,276/year
Story City
$1,175/year