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Checked against official sources · Last reviewed October 13, 2026

What homeowners insurance costs in Iowa: average premium, 2023 $1,342 a year in Iowa vs. $1,737 countrywide · 34th highest of 51 · All states (HO-3 policies; NAIC)

If your insurer won't renew your policy

Iowa's personal lines law (Iowa Code 515.129B) says an insurer "shall not refuse to renew" your policy unless, at least 60 days before the end of the policy period, it delivers, mails or electronically sends you written notice that it won't renew. The notice "shall include or be accompanied by a written explanation of the insurer's specific reason or reasons for the nonrenewal." Moving your policy to an affiliated company in the same group is not counted as a nonrenewal.

This changed recently. House File 2265, passed in 2024, raised the notice from 30 days to 60 days, effective January 1, 2025.

A related rule (Iowa Code 515.129C) says that at least 60 days before your term ends, the insurer must send you a renewal policy, an offer to renew (with the renewal premium and due date), or a nonrenewal notice, and must also send that information to your agent. If the insurer doesn't follow this notice rule, your policy "shall be extended on the same terms and conditions for another policy or contract term or until the effective date of similar insurance" you buy, whichever comes first. The insurer can require you to pay the premium for that extra time.

If you didn't get the reason with the notice, Iowa Code 515.125 says the insurer must, when you ask in time, "state in writing the reason for cancellation or nonrenewal." [1][2][12][13]

If your insurer cancels mid-term

Once a personal lines policy has been in effect for 60 days or more, Iowa Code 515.129A says a cancellation notice "is not effective unless" it is based on one or more of these reasons:

- Nonpayment of premium, or of dues or fees required to keep the coverage. - Fraud or material misrepresentation by you (or with your knowledge) in getting, keeping or claiming under the policy. - Actions by you that "substantially change or increase the risk insured." - You acted in a way you knew or should have known broke a term or condition of the policy. - A change in the risk that "substantially increases a hazard insured against" after the policy was issued or renewed.

How much notice: Iowa's general rule (Iowa Code 515.125) says a cancellation notice is not effective unless mailed or delivered at least 30 days before the cancellation date, or at least 10 days before when the reason is nonpayment of premium. [8][13]

Last resort: the Iowa FAIR Plan

The Iowa FAIR Plan Association is "an unincorporated mandatory risk-sharing facility established by state law to provide basic property insurance to qualified applicants who are not eligible for insurance in the voluntary insurance market." State law (the FAIR Plan Act, Iowa Code chapter 515F) says the plan is not a state agency and its debts are not the state's.

When an insurer cancels or won't renew basic property coverage for a reason other than nonpayment, Iowa Code 515F.39 requires it to tell you that you "may be eligible for basic property insurance through the FAIR plan," with the notice. That's why the plan's name shows up on these letters. The plan itself says that notice doesn't mean you must go to it: "It depends on the reason for the cancellation."

Things to know before you apply:

- The plan says it "should be considered a last resort" and that its policies "provide less coverage than the voluntary market companies." - Only a licensed insurance agent can submit an application, and the plan says every Iowa-licensed property and casualty agent is required by state law to help you apply. - To qualify, you must have received a notice of rejection, nonrenewal or cancellation from an insurer within the past six months. - Every property is inspected, and all policies pay losses at actual cash value (replacement cost minus depreciation).

Details on coverage, limits and how to pay are on our Iowa FAIR Plan page. [3][4][9][10][14][15][16][17]

Iowa's market and recent changes

We found few official Iowa figures on homeowners availability; these are the dated facts we could verify from official sources:

- January 1, 2025: the 60-day nonrenewal notice took effect (House File 2265). - FAIR Plan funding: the plan's member insurers were assessed $2,000,000 in 2023 (the previous assessment was in 2018). The plan announced no assessment in 2024, 2025 or 2026 (notice dated Sept. 10, 2026). - 2026 bill that stalled: Senate File 2233, on insurers' claim timelines and how property insurers calculate losses, was introduced Feb. 9, 2026. As of Oct. 13, 2026, its bill history showed no action after a subcommittee recommendation on Feb. 19, 2026.

The plan says it has "helped over 183,000 people," that almost half of its policies are from small towns and rural areas, and that it has policies in 93 Iowa counties. [2][16][17][18][19]

Discounts and grants

We found no Iowa law requiring insurers to give a discount for a FORTIFIED roof or other storm mitigation, and no state insurance grant program for roofs, as of Oct. 13, 2026.

One state housing program can help with roofs for lower-income homeowners, but you don't apply to it directly. The Iowa Economic Development Authority's Roofing Replacement program uses federal Community Development Block Grant money to help communities replace roofs on single-family homes of low- and moderate-income owners, with up to $30,000 per unit. Communities apply; the 2026 application window ran March 18 to May 22, 2026, so it was closed as of Oct. 13, 2026. Homeowners get help only through a community with a funded project. [20]

Flood is a separate policy

The Iowa Insurance Division says "flood and earthquake are generally not covered by regular homeowners insurance." It also reminds Iowans that "a typical flood policy takes 30 days to go into effect." For flood zones and flood insurance, see our sister site FloodHawk. [11][21]

If your insurer goes broke

The Iowa Insurance Guaranty Association "provides coverage in the event a property and casualty insurer becomes insolvent," paid for by assessments on member insurers, according to the Insurance Division's homeowners page. [11]

Where to get help

The Iowa Insurance Division takes complaints about insurers and agents if your policy was issued in Iowa. It says the online complaint form is "the preferred & most efficient method." Gather your policy, letters, claim numbers and dates first; without specific policy information the Division may not be able to move forward.

What happens next: the Division sends your complaint to the insurance company, asks it to respond, and explains its review to you. It says the process "can take up to 30-45 days."

Phone: (515) 654-6600, toll free within Iowa (877) 955-1212. The complaints line (Market Regulation Bureau) is (515) 654-6640. See the Division's complaint page. [5][7]

Questions people ask