Experts warn climate change could lead to higher insurance costs for Iowans

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As the climate warms, experts are warning that Iowans could start to see insurance cost hikes.

William Gutowski, professor emeritus of meteorology at Iowa State University, said that every one of the Earth’s 10 hottest years on record has been in the last decade. He said that 2024 specifically broke all previous records.

“When those temperature changes lead to the types of extreme events and damages that we have seen more of in recent years, that plays out in increased costs, which then show up as higher insurance rates,” Gutowski said.

States like California, Texas and Florida have seen rising insurance costs due to climate change-fueled natural disasters, but David Courard-Hauri, professor