Updated: May 20, 2024
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West Bend Mutual is the best option for full coverage, seniors, military members and young adults. For minimum coverage and customer service, Westfield is the ideal option. State Farm is best for teen drivers and those with bad driving records. Drivers with new cars will benefit the most from Travelers.
MoneyGeek analyzed the cheapest car insurance in Iowa for those who are concerned about service quality and want to save money.
BestCar InsuranceIowaBest Car Insurance in Iowa
Why Trust MoneyGeek? We created an insurance scoring system for providers in Iowa based on customer satisfaction, claims experience, affordability and financial stability using six independent sources.
These recommendations were updated in April 2023 to reflect the best car insurance options in Iowa up to this month.
West Bend Mutual is the best full coverage car insurance provider in Iowa. These are the top two insurers for full coverage in the state:
West Bend Mutual scored well in affordability and customer satisfaction. MoneyGeek researched cheap full coverage car insurance in Iowa for those looking to save money.
West Bend Mutual scored highly for customer satisfaction and affordability, making it the best provider for full coverage policies. It offers roadside assistance coverage and costs around $544 per year.
You might find few coverage options with West Bend Mutual, but it offers cheap policies and an excellent customer service experience.
West Bend Mutual only offers roadside assistance as basic coverage. Purchasing this coverage gives you access to emergency roadside assistance 24 hours a day. Depending on your limits, it may help you pay for services like towing, flat tire repair, lockouts, battery jump starts or other minor services.
The insurer also offers antique/classic car insurance. This is a rare coverage, but you can only benefit from it if you own a classic or antique car, motorhome or trailer.
Among several other insurers, West Bend Mutual offers the second-cheapest policies and ranks high for affordability. It has a high ranking for customer satisfaction, which means it scores well based on J.D. Power reports and customer complaint levels.
Westfield ranked well for customer satisfaction and affordability. It offers gap insurance and a coverage package that includes multiple extra coverages. You will pay an average of $717 per year for a policy with this company.
Although you can only get a few coverages with Westfield, the company does not charge pretty high rates and ranks well for customer satisfaction. It also offers gap insurance and a Wespak policy that includes many extra coverages.
A Wespak policy bundles home and auto insurance and provides many extra coverages that will benefit you more than a standard car insurance policy. These extra coverages include trip protection coverage, loan/lease coverage, replacement cost coverage, roadside assistance coverage and more.
You can also add gap insurance to your Westfield policy. This coverage covers the gap between your car’s actual value after an accident and the outstanding loan amount, offering you significant peace of mind. But it has a maximum limit of $5000.
Based on our analysis of 15 insurers, West Bend Mutual is the ideal option for car insurance as it's affordable and provides excellent customer service.
Westfield, the runner-up, also ranks well for customer satisfaction, but its policies are slightly more expensive than West Bend Mutual. The most affordable insurer is State Farm, but it doesn't rank well for claims management and customer service.
The rates mentioned are for a full coverage policy, and the insurers only qualified if enough data were available for essential categories.
| West Bend Mutual | MoneyGeek Score (out of 100)93 | Annual Premium$544 | Satisfaction Score (out of 5)4.93 | Affordability Score (out of 5)4.74 | Claims Score (out of 5)3.30 | Coverages Score (out of 5)1.25 | Stability Score (out of 5)3.00 |
| USAA | MoneyGeek Score (out of 100)93 | Annual Premium$586 | Satisfaction Score (out of 5)5.00 | Affordability Score (out of 5)4.44 | Claims Score (out of 5)2.50 | Coverages Score (out of 5)2.50 | Stability Score (out of 5)5.00 |
| Westfield | MoneyGeek Score (out of 100)90 | Annual Premium$717 | Satisfaction Score (out of 5)4.63 | Affordability Score (out of 5)3.48 | Claims Score (out of 5)3.10 | Coverages Score (out of 5)3.75 | Stability Score (out of 5)3.00 |
| State Farm | MoneyGeek Score (out of 100)90 | Annual Premium$509 | Satisfaction Score (out of 5)3.90 | Affordability Score (out of 5)5.00 | Claims Score (out of 5)2.10 | Coverages Score (out of 5)2.50 | Stability Score (out of 5)5.00 |
| American Family | MoneyGeek Score (out of 100)89 | Annual Premium$721 | Satisfaction Score (out of 5)3.84 | Affordability Score (out of 5)3.45 | Claims Score (out of 5)2.70 | Coverages Score (out of 5)5.00 | Stability Score (out of 5)3.00 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance Co | MoneyGeek Score (out of 100)88 | Annual Premium$688 | Satisfaction Score (out of 5)3.23 | Affordability Score (out of 5)3.69 | Claims Score (out of 5)3.30 | Coverages Score (out of 5)3.75 | Stability Score (out of 5)5.00 |
| GEICO | MoneyGeek Score (out of 100)86 | Annual Premium$760 | Satisfaction Score (out of 5)4.02 | Affordability Score (out of 5)3.16 | Claims Score (out of 5)2.20 | Coverages Score (out of 5)2.50 | Stability Score (out of 5)5.00 |
| Travelers | MoneyGeek Score (out of 100)86 | Annual Premium$795 | Satisfaction Score (out of 5)3.56 | Affordability Score (out of 5)2.90 | Claims Score (out of 5)2.50 | Coverages Score (out of 5)3.75 | Stability Score (out of 5)5.00 |
MoneyGeek’s analysis shows Westfield is the ideal insurance provider if you want the best customer service regardless of the cost. The following companies ranked the highest for customer services in Iowa:
Westfield scored well for satisfaction and coverages but is more expensive than some other insurers. You will pay a higher price for good service.
Ranked fourth for affordability, so it doesn’t charge more for excellent customer service.
Scored highly for customer satisfaction
Scored well for coverages
Offers extended coverages on packaging home and auto insurance policies
It doesn’t offer common coverages like accident forgiveness and rideshare insurance
Lower score for affordability
Lower score for claims
Westfield offers policyholders coverages like replacement cost coverage, trip protection coverage and loan/lease coverage when packaging their home and auto insurance policies with a Wespak policy.
The company also provides common coverages like gap insurance, rental car or travel reimbursement and roadside assistance. Gap insurance helps you cover the remaining auto loan balance if your vehicle is totaled.
Westfield offers 24/7 roadside assistance in case your car breaks down. It covers services like towing, jump-starts, unlocks, roadside winching and more.
We analyzed data from J.D. Power reports and customer complaint levels and found Westfield ranks well for customer satisfaction. MoneyGeek found that the company offers good customer support and doesn’t charge that much more for this level of service.
You can consider an insurer’s customer service satisfactory if it offers efficient responses to your complaints and suggestions, promptly addresses any issues you might have and settles any claims you file.
MoneyGeek analyzed Westfield as the best insurer based on these factors and data from J.D. Power. Although this insurer ranks slightly lower than Western National in customer satisfaction, it has a higher claims management score.
For minimum coverage, Westfield is the best option for policies that meet the state's recommended minimum coverage amount while offering affordable costs and excellent service quality.
The following insurers are the best options for minimum coverage in Iowa:
Westfield scored well for customer satisfaction and has a high affordability score. While buying the cheapest car insurance in Iowa will cost less, it will offer less liability coverage and won't cover damages to your vehicle.
An affordable minimum coverage policy at an average cost of $184 per year
Scored well in customer satisfaction
High score in affordability
Scored lower in claims management
Lower score in coverages
Westfield offers the fifth-most affordable minimum coverage policies among other insurers in Iowa and scores high for affordability based on our rating system. It also ranked sixth for customer satisfaction among 15 other insurers, showing that there are few customer complaints and the insurer offers excellent customer support. We evaluated customer satisfaction after analyzing data from J.D. Power and customer complaint levels.
The insurer does not publicize any auto insurance discounts on its site, so a call to an agent may help you determine if there are other ways to save on a policy with this company.
You can consider a minimum coverage policy good if the insurer charges affordable rates and provides ways to lower your premium through discounts.
Westfield's policies are slightly more expensive than State Farm's, but its customers have higher satisfaction levels and it also offers more coverage at a suitable price. This insurer is the best option for minimum coverage in Iowa.
MoneyGeek found that West Bend Mutual is the best option for young adults in Iowa. We ranked this company after analyzing its affordability and service quality of full coverage policies for 20-year-old drivers in Iowa.
Based on that criteria, the following companies offer the most suitable policies for young adults:
West Bend Mutual ranked well for affordability and customer satisfaction. Insurance for drivers in their 20s will generally cost less than for teens, but it will still be more expensive than for seniors. If you’re concerned about the cost, you can find the cheapest car insurance in Iowa for young adults by shopping around.
Ranked highly for affordability, costing an average of $652 per year
Scored well for customer satisfaction
Offers good student and distant student discounts
Offers limited coverage options
Lower claims score
West Bend Mutual charges affordable rates to insure young adults in Iowa and got the second-highest affordability scores in MoneyGeek’s analysis. It also ranked high for customer satisfaction among other insurers based on our analysis of J.D. Power reports and other available data.
Young drivers can benefit from various West Bend Mutual discounts, including good and distant student discounts. However, you can only benefit from a good student discount if you’re a full-time student with an excellent academic record. The distant student discount applies to students who reside 100 or more miles away from home.
The insurance provider also offers roadside assistance coverage that helps you by providing emergency roadside assistance and can pay for various services like battery jump starts, gasoline delivery, flat tire repair and more.
Young adults should choose an insurer that offers affordable rates, excellent customer support and discounts and coverages tailored to young drivers.
Our analysis shows that West Bend Mutual and Westfield are ideal for young drivers. However, West Bend Mutual stands out as it offers better service and affordable rates. It also has a satisfactory claims management score, showing it will handle your claims reasonably.
MoneyGeek found West Bend Mutual offers the best auto insurance for seniors after analyzing several companies based on policy cost and service quality for a full coverage policy for senior drivers.
The following companies are the ideal choices when it comes to buying auto insurance for seniors in Iowa:
West Bend Mutual ranked well for affordability and customer satisfaction. Drivers in their 60s don’t pay different rates than drivers in their 30s and 50s, but rates tend to rise for drivers in their 70s. To save money, you can look for the cheapest car insurance in Iowa for seniors.
Ranked second for affordability, charging an average of $545 per year.
Scored highly for satisfaction
Offers limited coverages
Lower claims score
West Bend Mutual is one of Iowa's most affordable car insurance options for senior drivers. The company also has high customer satisfaction scores, which show that it responds to customer complaints and suggestions effectively.
With this company, you won't have to worry about unexpected car breakdowns since it offers 24/7 emergency roadside assistance anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. This coverage may help you pay for services like towing, minor repairs, battery jump starts, lockouts, etc. It also offers antique or classic car insurance for owners of classic vehicles, trailers and motorhomes.
It’s important to note that this insurer scored lower for coverage options and claims processing. Keep this information in mind if those are factors that are important to you when selecting an insurer.
The ideal company for senior drivers should offer several discounts since policies are already expensive for such drivers. Besides discounts, you should also look for coverages like roadside assistance and personal injury protection (PIP).
West Bend Mutual is Iowa's second-most affordable car insurance provider for seniors. It offers excellent customer support for such drivers, making it the most suitable option for seniors.
MoneyGeek found that State Farm is the ideal insurer for drivers with various driving violations on their record.
Our analysis included ranking insurers based on affordability and service quality of full coverage policies for drivers with violations. These companies stood out based on that analysis:
State Farm charges the least for a policy among other insurers. It also ranked well for customer satisfaction. On average, drivers with a speeding ticket pay $132 more per year, while those with a DUI and an at-fault accident pay $385 more and $198 more per year, respectively.
You can save on premiums by shopping for the cheapest car insurance in Iowa for drivers after an incident.
Ranked well for affordability, costing around $559 annually
Scored well for customer satisfaction
Offers coverages like roadside assistance and rental car or travel reimbursement
Doesn’t have effective claims management
Doesn’t offer accident forgiveness and new car replacement coverage
Lower score for coverage options
You can opt for State Farm’s policies if you want the lowest premiums, as the company scored the best for affordability among other insurers in Iowa. It also scored well for customer satisfaction, so you won’t have to worry about service quality.
Drivers with bad driving records can benefit from State Farm’s roadside assistance and rental car or travel reimbursement coverages. With roadside assistance, it could be easier to get your car back on the road after it breaks down as this coverage will pay for the cost of towing, delivery of gas, oil, battery, change of tire and various other services.
Rental car or travel reimbursement can help you cover meals and lodging costs when you travel or the rental cost of a vehicle. It can also pay for deductible repayment in case of an accident, but certain limits apply.
Since driving violations significantly increase premiums, an insurer that offers various discounts and lower rates would be the most suitable for drivers with bad driving records.
State Farm is the cheapest car insurance company for drivers with violations, earning it the top spot in our comparison. American Family offers various discounts, but its policies are expensive compared to State Farm.
Travelers is the best option for an insurance policy if you have recently gotten a new car. MoneyGeek ranked it the highest based on affordability and service quality for drivers with a 2022 model car in Iowa that offers new or better car replacement coverage.
The companies that offer the best insurance policies for drivers with new cars are:
Travelers is the least expensive among its competitors and ranked well for customer satisfaction. The new car replacement coverage replaces your car with the same make and model if you total it within the first few years.
Offers the most affordable policies at an average cost of $887 per year
Ranks well in customer service
Provides new car replacement coverage
May not handle your claims effectively as it has a poor ranking for claims management
Lower score for customer satisfaction
You won’t have to spend much money to buy insurance with a new car since Travelers offers the most affordable policy in Iowa. It has above-average scores for customer satisfaction, so you can expect good customer support from this insurer.
The Premier New Car Replacement by Travelers can benefit new car owners since you can get a brand new car of the same make and model if you total your vehicle within five years of the purchase. The insurance company also offers accident forgiveness. This coverage will protect you from an increase in your premium due to an accident if you have previously remained accident-free for a specified time.
Travelers ranked lower for customer satisfaction and claims management, so keep that in mind if those factors are important to you.
The best insurer for drivers with new cars is the one that offers new car or better car replacement coverage, as a new car is a significant expense. Travelers offers new car replacement coverage at an affordable price and also ranks well for customer service, which means you won’t have difficulty filing claims if the need arises.
MoneyGeek’s analysis shows West Bend Mutual is the best insurance company for drivers with a military background.
While USAA ranks lower in terms of claims and affordability, it is tailored for military families and is the best option for those drivers in most states.
Ranked highly for affordability
Highest customer satisfaction score among other insurers
Offers multiple discount opportunities
Lower score for claims management
Scored low in coverage options
West Bend Mutual is the best option for military families in Iowa. It offers affordable rates and earned a high score for satisfaction. However, it offers fewer coverage options, and its claim management process is lacking.
With West Bend Mutual, drivers can take advantage of safe driving, multiple car and anti-lock brakes discounts to further lower their premiums. They can also utilize two additional coverage options, including roadside assistance and antique/classic car coverage.
MoneyGeek recommends choosing an insurer that balances cost, service quality and financial stability for the best car insurance in Iowa. Although we have researched many options, you can also evaluate potential insurers by following these steps.
MoneyGeek collected customer service data from J.D. Power and the NAIC complaint index and analyzed the results to help find the insurers with the best customer service. However, you can consult these sources yourself to learn about these ratings. The Iowa Department of Insurance website is also a relevant resource.
The quotes we have included in this guide are averages of sample Iowa drivers and might differ from your actual rates based on your circumstances and background. We recommend gathering quotes from at least three different companies to have an idea of insurance costs.
There are many instances when insurance companies advertise particular coverage or discounts that aren’t available in every U.S. state. You should always confirm with the insurer if they offer the specific coverage you’re looking for in your location.
You should also look at the financial stability ratings of a company to know if they could quickly settle your claims. Although large companies are usually financially stable, smaller regional companies might struggle financially and have a harder time paying out claims.
Before shopping for insurance policies, you should understand your needs and background since the best insurance company will depend on your current situation. The following are the commonly asked questions about the best car insurance in Iowa.
MoneyGeek analyzed that West Bend Mutual offers the best car insurance in Iowa, with a MoneyGeek score of 93 out of 100. It’s also the best option for seniors and young adults. The company charges an average of $544 per year for a policy.
The best cheap car insurance in Iowa is Westfield, scoring 92 out of 100 based on MoneyGeek’s scoring system. The company’s average cost for a policy is $184 per year.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick has analyzed the property and casualty insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. Currently, he leads P&C insurance content production at MoneyGeek. Fitzpatrick has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.
