Home Insurance in Bernard, Iowa
With a median home value of $169,200, Bernard is 29% lower than the Dubuque County median.
Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. The typical home in Bernard was built around 1950. About 64% of homes were built before 1960, about 27 points above Dubuque County's 37%.
The housing stock in Bernard is 93% single-family homes, 2% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 4% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In Bernard, about 71% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
About 94% of occupied homes in Bernard are owner-occupied. The vacancy rate is 5%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy.
Homes heated with propane and fuel oil can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. Most homes in Bernard - 69% - are primarily heated with propane.
FEMA rates Dubuque County's overall risk as Relatively Low, led by hail (Relatively Moderate). Dubuque County had 93 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full Dubuque County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
In Iowa, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,342 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $169,200 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1950 |
| Owner-occupied share | 94% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 71% |
| Top county hazard | Hail (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP policies in Dubuque County | 93 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,342 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Nearby towns
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)