Home Insurance in Van Buren County, Iowa
With a median home value of $114,600, Van Buren County is 45% lower than the Iowa median.
The typical home in Van Buren County was built around 1970. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild. About 41% of homes were built before 1960, about 4 points above Iowa's 38%.
Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. The housing stock in Van Buren County is 87% single-family homes, 1% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 8% mobile or manufactured homes.
About 43% of owner-occupied homes in Van Buren County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
The vacancy rate is 17%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 82% of occupied homes in Van Buren County are owner-occupied.
48% of homes in Van Buren County are primarily heated with propane. Homes heated with propane and wood can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
The top hazards for Van Buren County, per FEMA's National Risk Index, are strong wind (Relatively Moderate), hail (Relatively Low) and tornado (Relatively Low).
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Van Buren County has 40 active NFIP flood policies on file.
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 | $114,600 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1970 |
| Owner-occupied share | 82% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 43% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Strong Wind (Relatively Moderate), Hail (Relatively Low), Tornado (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 40 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,342 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Sources
- 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)