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According to Insure.com’s analysis, Travelers has the cheapest car insurance rates for most drivers in Iowa at $1,238 annually. However, your rates may be higher or lower based on personal factors such as your driving record, ZIP code and vehicle type.

To comply with Iowa’s car insurance laws, drivers must carry at least the minimum liability coverage required. It consists of $20,000 for bodily injury per person, $40,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $15,000 for property damage per accident.

However, many vehicle owners prefer to invest in full-coverage car insurance for better coverage and added protection.

Here’s a breakdown of the cheapest car insurance company in each category.

Cheapest overall: Travelers
$1,238/year
National avg. rate
Cheapest for at-fault accident: State Farm
$1,482/year
Avg. rate after an at-fault accident
Cheapest for speeding ticket: State Farm
$1,394/year
Avg. rate after speeding ticket

Key Takeaways

  • Travelers offers Iowa drivers the cheapest car insurance rate at $1,238 annually, which is around 24% lower than the state’s average cost.
  • In Iowa, you can find the cheapest car insurance from State Farm at an annual cost of $1,482, even if you have a history of at-fault accidents.
  • Based on Insure.com’s analysis, the 52246 ZIP code has the cheapest car insurance rates for Iowa drivers, with an average cost of $1,305 a year.

Cheap car insurance companies in Iowa

Travelers offers the cheapest car insurance in Iowa, with an average price of $1,238 per year. It’s 24% less expensive than the average car insurance cost in Iowa. The rates will vary based on factors such as your driving history, age, ZIP code, and the make and model of your car.

When shopping for auto insurance, compare rates from multiple companies to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Below are the annual rates for car insurance from the cheapest car insurance companies.

CompanyAverage annual rates
Travelers$1,238
State Farm$1,306
West Bend Insurance Company$1,311
Auto-Owners$1,461
Progressive$1,589
IMT Insurance$1,634
Geico$1,716
Iowa Farm Bureau$1,796
Allstate$2,126
Grinnell Mutual$2,591
USAA*$1,165

*Note: USAA only offers coverage to military members, veterans and their families.

How we choose the cheapest car insurance companies in Iowa

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170+

Carriers reviewed
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53M+

Quotes analysed
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34K+

ZIP codes examined

Cheapest ZIP codes for car insurance in Iowa

The cheapest ZIP code for car insurance in Iowa is 52246, with an average annual cost of $1,305. Find below the most affordable ZIP codes for auto insurance rates in Iowa.

ZIP codeCityAverage annual rates
52246Iowa City$1,305
52241Coralville$1,311
52245Iowa City$1,333
52242Iowa City$1,338
50014Ames$1,338
50010Ames$1,344
52240Iowa City$1,353
50021Ankeny$1,365
50023Ankeny$1,377
50131Johnston$1,378

Auto insurance premiums vary significantly from city to city, so drivers need to be sure they’re getting the best deal. Insure.com has done the research for you. Get more information on auto insurance rates by city below.

Car insurance rates in Iowa by city

Cheapest car insurance in Iowa by age

Teen drivers in Iowa pay higher insurance rates than adult drivers because they are more likely to get into accidents and file claims. A 16-year-old driver pays $4,554 more than a 40-year-old driver in Iowa, based on Insure.com’s analysis.

The table below shows the cheapest car insurance rates for drivers of different ages:

Age groupFull coverage annual premiums
Teens (16-19)$4,422
Young Adults (20-24)$2,575
Adults (25-60)$1,629
Seniors (65-75)$1,468

Cheapest car insurance in Iowa by driver history

Insurers consider your driving history to be one of the most important factors in setting insurance rates. If you’re involved in an at-fault accident or convicted of a traffic violation, your premiums may increase. On the other hand, having a clean record makes you a low-risk driver and can lead to cheaper car insurance.

Cheapest car insurance after a speeding ticket in Iowa

Here are the top three companies that offer cheap car insurance after a speeding ticket:

  • State Farm: $1,394 per year
  • Travelers: $1,811 per year
  • Progressive: $1,998 per year

According to Insure.com data, a single speeding ticket can increase your rates by 33% or $534 in Iowa.

Getting a speeding ticket can be costly. You will have to pay a fine, and your insurance rates may go up. If you’re looking for the cheapest car insurance costs in Iowa, below are some insurers that offer cheap car insurance after a speeding ticket.

CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after accident% Increase$ Increase
State Farm$1,306$1,3947%$88
Travelers$1,238$1,81146%$573
Progressive$1,589$1,99826%$409
Auto-Owners$1,461$2,25254%$791
Allstate$2,126$2,33610%$210
Geico$1,716$2,68857%$972
USAA*$1,165$1,45024%$285

*Note: USAA only offers coverage to military members, veterans and their families.

Cheapest car insurance after an accident in Iowa

Below are the top three insurance companies that provide affordable car insurance rates after an accident.

  • State Farm: $1,482 per year
  • Travelers: $1,753 per year
  • Auto-Owners: $1,931 per year

State Farm has the cheapest auto insurance rates for Iowa drivers after an at-fault accident at $1,482 a year.

If you’re responsible for an accident, expect your car insurance rates to increase. However, you can still shop around to find affordable car insurance rates.

Below, you’ll find a list of companies that offer affordable car insurance for drivers with an accident on their record.

CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after accident% Increase$ Increase
State Farm$1,306$1,48213%$176
Travelers$1,238$1,75342%$515
Auto-Owners$1,461$1,93132%$470
Progressive$1,589$2,30245%$713
Geico$1,716$3,02076%$1,304
Allstate$2,126$3,12147%$995
USAA*$1,165$1,72648%$561

*Note: USAA only offers coverage to military members, veterans and their families.

Cheapest car insurance after a DUI conviction in Iowa

Below is a list of the top three companies offering affordable car insurance following a DUI conviction.

  • State Farm: $1,394 per year
  • Progressive: $1,677 per year
  • Travelers: $1,889 per year

If you’ve recently been convicted of a DUI, you might be concerned about how it will impact your car insurance rates. Most insurance companies will consider you a high-risk driver and increase your premiums. But some insurers offer relatively affordable rates.

The table below outlines the insurance companies that offer the most affordable car insurance rates following a DUI conviction.

CompanyAverage annual premiumNew rate after accident$ Increase% Increase
State Farm$1,306$1,394$887%
Progressive$1,589$1,677$886%
Travelers$1,238$1,889$65153%
Allstate$2,126$2,794$66831%
Geico$1,716$3,087$1,37180%
Auto-Owners$1,461$3,547$2,086143%
USAA*$1,165$1,922$75765%

*Note: USAA only offers coverage to military members, veterans and their families.

Average car insurance cost in Iowa

Full coverage insurance typically costs more than minimum liability insurance, but for most drivers, the additional expense is worthwhile. On average, full coverage car insurance in Iowa is $265 less than the national average.

Full coverage limits vary, but getting a policy with limits of 100/300/100 is recommended for added protection.

What is full coverage car insurance in Iowa?

Full coverage car insurance covers bodily injury liability, property damage liability, collision and comprehensive coverage. Collision insurance helps pay for repairs if your car is damaged in an accident, while comprehensive insurance protects against damage from non-collision events like theft or natural disasters.

In Iowa, if you’re leasing or financing your car, your lender might require you to purchase collision and comprehensive insurance on top of the state-required liability coverage.

Final thoughts

When it comes to car insurance, everyone is looking for ways to save. However, skimping on coverage to save a few dollars now could end up costing you more down the road.

Make sure you’re adequately protected and take into account your specific needs before buying an auto insurance policy. Car insurance rates vary, so compare quotes from at least three different companies to get the cheapest coverage in Iowa.

Methodology

Insure.com gathered data from Quadrant Information Services to get car insurance rates in Iowa. The rates are based on a sample profile of a 40-year-old male and female driving a Honda Accord LX with a good insurance score and no violation on record for a full coverage insurance policy with limits 100/300/100 and $500 comprehensive and collision deductibles.

We analyzed 53,409,632 insurance quotes from 170 insurance companies across 34,588 ZIP codes nationwide.

To determine car insurance rates for high-risk drivers with a history of traffic violations, we used a sample profile of a 40-year-old male and female driver who own a Honda Accord LX.

We also used sample profiles of drivers from different age groups: Teen drivers (Age 16-19), young drivers (Age 20-24), adult drivers (Age 25-60) and senior drivers (Age 65-75)

We determined the premiums for a high-risk driver with the following incidents applied

  1. 1 At-fault property damage accident over $2K
  2. 1 At-fault property damage accident under $2K
  3. At-fault bodily injury accident
  4. Poor credit
  5. DUI/DWI first offense
  6. Speeding 30+ over limit
  7. Speeding ticket 1-10 MPH over limit
  8. Speeding ticket 11-29 MPH over the limit

These are sample rates, and your exact rates may vary.

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Shivani Gite
Contributing Writer

 
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Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions.

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