For a 40-year-old driver with a clean record, Des Moines car insurance averages about $201 a month ($2,408 a year) for full coverage, based on the rates insurers had filed with state regulators as of Aug. 31, 2026. That’s 3% above the Iowa average of $196 a month. Progressive has the lowest full-coverage average among the four major insurers we compared (Farm Bureau Financial Services, Grinnell Mutual, IMT Insurance and Progressive), at about $143 a month.
Des Moines costs a little more than the Iowa average for our benchmark driver: about $5 a month more than the state average and about $33 a month more than in Ankeny, its northern suburb.
Our data covers 11 ZIP codes with a Des Moines mailing address, from about $192 a month in 50312 to $213 in 50314.
Cost data comes from the auto rates insurers file with state regulators, priced across all 11 Des Moines ZIP codes in our data, compiled by Quadrant Information Services and updated as new rates are filed.
Rates as of Aug. 31, 2026. Page reviewed Oct. 7, 2026.
How Much Is Car Insurance in Des Moines, IA?
Full coverage in Des Moines averages $2,408 a year, or about $201 a month, for our benchmark driver. Liability-only coverage at Iowa’s 20/40/15 minimum averages $550 a year ($46 a month), and 50/100/50 liability with comprehensive and collision averages $2,527 ($211 a month).
- Full coverage (100/300/100, $500 deductibles): $2,408 a year ($201 a month)
- 50/100/50 with $500 deductibles: $2,527 a year ($211 a month)
- Liability only (20/40/15): $550 a year ($46 a month)
- Polk County: $2,261 a year ($188 a month) for full coverage
- Iowa average: $2,348 a year ($196 a month) for full coverage
- ZIP code range: $192 (50312) to $213 (50314) a month for full coverage
Cheap Car Insurance in Des Moines: Companies Compared
- Lowest average among the four major insurers we compared, full coverage: Progressive, at about $143 a month ($1,719 a year).
- Next lowest: IMT Insurance, at about $174 a month, then Farm Bureau Financial Services and Grinnell Mutual, effectively tied at $240 and $246.
- Lowest liability-only average (20/40/15): Progressive, at about $25 a month, then IMT Insurance at $34.
- State Farm (Nov. 2025 rates)*: about $151 a month for full coverage, from its November 2025 rates.
- Also on our list: Travelers at about $129 a month, USAA at $131, West Bend at $148, Auto-Owners at $154 and GEICO at $176 (USAA sells only to military families).
- Most expensive in our data: Grinnell Mutual and Farm Bureau Financial Services, effectively tied at about $246 and $240 a month.
Progressive has the lowest full-coverage average among the four insurers in our Des Moines rate data. The recent published statewide Iowa rate studies we reviewed most often rank Travelers cheapest for full coverage: five of the six we checked put it first and one ranks Progressive, apart from USAA, which sells only to military families. For liability-only coverage at 20/40/15 limits, Progressive has the lowest average among these four insurers, at about $25 a month, followed by IMT Insurance at $34.
Full-coverage averages by insurer in Des Moines
Monthly, for the same driver and car. Insurers marked with an asterisk in the table below aren’t in the chart.
Rates insurers filed with state regulators, compiled by Quadrant Information Services, as of Aug. 31, 2026. Benchmark 40-year-old driver, 100/300/100 with $500 deductibles.
| Insurance Company: | Minimum Liability 20/40/15 (Yearly): | Minimum Liability 20/40/15 (Monthly): | Full Coverage (Yearly): | Full Coverage (Monthly): |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Progressive | $295 | $25 | $1,719 | $143 |
| IMT Insurance | $411 | $34 | $2,083 | $174 |
| Farm Bureau Financial Services | $478 | $40 | $2,878 | $240 |
| Grinnell Mutual | $1,015 | $85 | $2,953 | $246 |
| State Farm (Nov. 2025 rates)* | $431 | $36 | $1,815 | $151 |
| Travelers* | $676 | $56 | $1,549 | $129 |
| USAA (military families)* | $473 | $39 | $1,570 | $131 |
| West Bend* | $425 | $35 | $1,779 | $148 |
| Auto-Owners* | $456 | $38 | $1,849 | $154 |
| GEICO* | $462 | $39 | $2,113 | $176 |
| Des Moines average | $550 | $46 | $2,408 | $201 |
This table uses Des Moines ZIP codes only. See how we calculated these rates. Your own price depends on your car, driving record and coverage, so compare free car insurance quotes before you buy.
Des Moines Car Insurance Rates by ZIP Code
Across the 11 Des Moines ZIP codes we price, full coverage for our driver ranges from about $192 a month in 50312 to $213 in 50314, a gap of $254 a year. West-side ZIP codes such as 50311 and 50312 are the least expensive in our data, and 50314, just north of downtown, is the most expensive.
Lowest-priced Des Moines ZIP codes
Highest-priced Des Moines ZIP codes
Search the table for your ZIP code. The last column shows how far each ZIP code is above or below Des Moines’ average.
| ZIP Code: | Minimum Liability 20/40/15 (Yearly): | Minimum Liability 20/40/15 (Monthly): | Full Coverage (Yearly): | Full Coverage (Monthly): | Full Coverage vs. City Average: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50309 | $551 | $46 | $2,414 | $201 | About average |
| 50310 | $550 | $46 | $2,453 | $204 | +1% |
| 50311 | $536 | $45 | $2,315 | $193 | -4% |
| 50312 | $534 | $45 | $2,304 | $192 | -4% |
| 50313 | $542 | $45 | $2,398 | $200 | About average |
| 50314 | $570 | $48 | $2,558 | $213 | +6% |
| 50315 | $576 | $48 | $2,470 | $206 | +2% |
| 50316 | $561 | $47 | $2,460 | $205 | +2% |
| 50317 | $550 | $46 | $2,347 | $196 | -2% |
| 50320 | $548 | $46 | $2,451 | $204 | +1% |
| 50321 | $531 | $44 | $2,322 | $194 | -3% |
Your ZIP code matters
Does Better Coverage Cost More in Des Moines?
Full coverage at 100/300/100 limits costs less on average than 50/100/50 in our Des Moines data: $2,408 a year compared with $2,527, with the same $500 deductibles. The full-coverage package doubles the per-person injury limit, triples the per-crash limit and doubles the property damage limit, and it raises uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage to 100/300. Grinnell Mutual and IMT Insurance charge less for 100/300/100 than for 50/100/50 for our benchmark driver.
Is Car Insurance Going Up in Des Moines?
Yes, for our benchmark driver. Comparing the same insurers in the same Des Moines ZIP codes, full coverage averaged $2,307 a year nine months earlier and $2,408 in rates as of Aug. 31, 2026, a 4.4% increase. Progressive raised its average 31.0%, while Farm Bureau Financial Services’, Grinnell Mutual’s and IMT Insurance’s averages were unchanged. State Farm’s latest rates are from November 2025, so it’s left out of this comparison. Liability-only coverage at 20/40/15 limits rose 3.8%, led by Progressive, which raised its liability-only average 37.2%.
What Shapes Car Insurance Costs in Des Moines
Polk County averages about $188 a month for full coverage, the 50th-most expensive of the 70 Iowa counties we price, and the suburbs pull that average down.
Every suburb we price costs less than the city: West Des Moines averages about $182 a month, Clive $181, Johnston $175 and Urbandale $177. Where you live is one of the factors Iowa insurers use, so neighboring cities can be priced differently.
How Des Moines Car Insurance Compares With Other Iowa Cities
More Iowa cities and towns are in the Iowa rates by city table, and you can compare states on our car insurance rates by state page.
Ankeny, about 10 miles north, averages $168 a month, and Ames, about 30 miles north, $167. Cedar Rapids averages $195.
What Car Insurance Is Required in Des Moines?
Drivers in Des Moines follow Iowa’s rules. Every policy must include at least:
- Bodily injury liability of $20,000 per person and $40,000 per crash
- Property damage liability of $15,000 per crash
- Uninsured, hit-and-run and underinsured motorist coverage, unless you reject it in writing
Our Iowa requirements guide covers the details and the penalties for driving uninsured.
How to Lower Your Car Insurance Rate in Des Moines
- Compare Progressive and IMT Insurance first. They have the two lowest full-coverage averages among the four major insurers we compared in Des Moines, about $143 and $174 a month.
- Quote several insurers. Among the four major insurers we compared in Des Moines, the lowest and highest averages are about $103 a month apart for the same driver and car.
- Keep uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Iowa policies include it unless you reject it in writing, and it pays for your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance, too little or drives off.
- Compare at every renewal. Over the past nine months, Progressive has raised its average 31.0%, so the order in our table can shift.
- Ask about discounts and check your deductible. Many insurers lower rates for a clean driving record, paying in full or insuring more than one car, so ask which car insurance discounts you qualify for. Our full-coverage prices use $500 deductibles. A higher deductible lowers your premium but means you pay more yourself after a claim; see how your deductible works.
- Price a bundle. Pairing your auto policy with a home or renters policy usually earns a multi-policy discount. See home insurance costs in Des Moines, then compare free home insurance quotes.
Ready to compare
How We Calculated Des Moines Car Insurance Rates
Insurers must file their rates and rating rules with each state’s insurance regulator. Quadrant Information Services uses those filings to calculate what each insurer would charge a specific driver, and InsuranceQuotes analyzes those prices. This page uses rates in effect on Aug. 31, 2026.
- Sample: 44 full-coverage premiums from four insurers across 11 Des Moines ZIP codes, plus the same number of liability-only and 50/100/50 premiums.
- Insurer count: our Iowa averages come from four insurers, fewer than in most states, so they can move more when one insurer changes its prices. We publish them as calculated, without adjustment.
- Driver: a single 40-year-old driver, licensed 24 years, with good credit and no accidents or violations, driving a 2024 Toyota Camry LE they own, for personal use.
- Coverage: full coverage is 100/300/100 liability with $500 comprehensive and collision deductibles and 100/300 uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. We also price 50/100/50 with the same deductibles, and liability-only coverage at Iowa’s 20/40/15 minimum, with 20/40 uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and no comprehensive or collision.
- Calculation: for each insurer we take its lowest eligible price in each ZIP code and average those prices across the ZIP codes. The overall average is the mean of every insurer-and-ZIP price. Monthly figures are annual premiums divided by 12 and rounded.
- Rankings: we name a cheapest insurer only where it’s priced in at least half the ZIP codes and its lead over the next insurer isn’t so wide that it looks like an outlier. Annual prices within 3% of each other are called effectively tied.
- Rate changes: we compare the same insurer in the same ZIP codes, for the same driver and coverage, in rates as of Nov. 30, 2025, and Aug. 31, 2026. State Farm isn’t in the August 2026 rates, so it’s left out of rate-change comparisons; the other four insurers are in both sets of rates. Rate-change percentages are calculated from the annual premiums shown; other percentages use the rounded monthly figures.
- Insurers marked *: priced from recent published Iowa rate studies, scaled to our benchmark driver. They aren’t included in our averages or rankings. The State Farm row shows its November 2025 rates, so it isn’t included in our averages or rankings.
- What this isn’t: a quote. These are modeled prices for one driver profile, calculated from insurers’ rate filings. Your price depends on your ZIP code, vehicle, driving record, coverage choices and discounts.
Coverage requirements come from Iowa law and the Iowa Insurance Division. We refresh these figures when new rate data is released.
More Des Moines Car Insurance Breakdowns
The table below comes from an additional InsuranceQuotes rate analysis with its own driver profile, so its prices differ from the Des Moines averages above. Use it to compare age groups with each other.
How Does Age Affect Car Insurance Costs in Iowa?
In this analysis, a 17-year-old pays about 2.4 times what a 39-year-old pays for full coverage, and prices keep falling into a driver’s 60s.
| Age: | State Minimum: | Monthly: | Full Coverage: | Monthly: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | $1,510 | $126 | $5,825 | $485 |
| 18 | $1,325 | $110 | $5,289 | $441 |
| 20 | $1,054 | $88 | $4,537 | $378 |
| 22 | $839 | $70 | $3,729 | $311 |
| 24 | $729 | $61 | $3,352 | $279 |
| 29 | $547 | $46 | $2,654 | $221 |
| 34 | $518 | $43 | $2,494 | $208 |
| 39 | $510 | $43 | $2,434 | $203 |
| 44 | $496 | $41 | $2,340 | $195 |
| 49 | $495 | $41 | $2,285 | $190 |
| 54 | $446 | $37 | $2,087 | $174 |
| 64 | $438 | $37 | $1,993 | $166 |
| 74 | $545 | $45 | $2,210 | $184 |
| 76 | $614 | $51 | $2,377 | $198 |
Des Moines Car Insurance FAQ
For our benchmark driver, full coverage in Des Moines averages about $201 a month ($2,408 a year) and liability-only coverage about $46 a month, based on the rates insurers had filed with state regulators as of Aug. 31, 2026. Full coverage is 3% above the Iowa average of $196 a month.
Progressive has the lowest full-coverage average in our Des Moines rate data, at about $143 a month, followed by IMT Insurance at $174. For liability-only coverage, Progressive has the lowest average, at about $25 a month. Five of the six recent published statewide Iowa rate studies we reviewed rank Travelers cheapest for full coverage, apart from USAA. Rates vary by driver, so compare quotes for your own car and ZIP code.
Yes, in our data. Des Moines full coverage averages about $201 a month, while West Des Moines averages $182, Urbandale $177 and Ankeny $168.
In our data, 50312 has the lowest full-coverage average in Des Moines, at about $192 a month, and 50314 the highest, at about $213. The ZIP code table on this page lists all 11.
In our Des Moines data, full coverage (100/300/100 with $500 deductibles) averages about $201 a month and liability-only coverage at 20/40/15 limits about $46, a difference of about $155 a month ($1,858 a year). Liability-only coverage won’t pay to repair or replace your own car after a crash, a theft or a storm. Iowa law doesn’t require full coverage, but a lender or leasing company may.
Yes, for our benchmark driver. Comparing the same insurers and ZIP codes, Des Moines full coverage rose 4.4% over the past nine months, from about $2,307 to $2,408 a year. Progressive raised its average 31.0%. Liability-only coverage at 20/40/15 limits rose 3.8%.
For our benchmark driver, full coverage in Des Moines averages about $201 a month. Nearby, Urbandale averages about $177, Ankeny about $168 and Ames about $167. Urbandale, Ankeny and Ames are cheaper; prices depend mostly on ZIP code, so compare quotes for your own address.
- About the Author
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Michael Giusti is a senior insurance analyst, business journalist, and university professor with over 20 years of experience. He serves as department chair at Loyola University New Orleans and contributes to Insurance Thought Leadership, U.S. News, and other leading financial outlets.
