Council Bluffs, IA Insurance Agency

Council Bluffs is where Smith Davis started in 1931 and where the agency is still headquartered. Our downtown office on 1st Avenue houses the largest of our three teams, including the commercial lines department that supports Papillion and Logan. If you have seen the Smith Davis name on a Council Bluffs jobsite trailer, a church bulletin or a Little League fence over the last ninety years, this is the office behind it.

What insurance does the Council Bluffs office handle?

The Council Bluffs office writes personal and commercial insurance for families and businesses in Pottawattamie and Mills counties and across the river in Omaha. It is also the agency's commercial lines hub: contractors, trucking, restaurants, churches, healthcare facilities and manufacturers are placed from here.

Personal insurance from this office

• Homeowners, condo and renters insurance
• Auto, motorcycle, boat, ATV and RV insurance
• Personal umbrella liability
• Life, health, Medicare supplement and long-term care

Business insurance from this office

• Contractors insurance, builders risk and bonds
• Commercial trucking, cargo and commercial auto
• General liability, commercial property and business owners policies
• Workers' compensation, EPLI and directors and officers
• Specialty programs for restaurants, churches, gyms, garages and healthcare facilities

Where is the office and when is it open?

Smith Davis Insurance, Council Bluffs (headquarters)
532 1st Ave, Suite 101, Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Phone: (712) 322-1600
Email: insured@smithdavisins.com

The office is in downtown Council Bluffs on 1st Avenue, a few blocks east of the Missouri River and the I-480 bridge into Omaha.

Which communities does the Council Bluffs office serve?

We serve all of Pottawattamie County and the Iowa side of the Omaha metro, with most Council Bluffs clients in Council Bluffs, Carter Lake, Crescent, Underwood, Treynor, Neola, Oakland, Avoca, Walnut and Minden, plus Glenwood and Pacific Junction in Mills County. Because we are licensed in Nebraska from every office, we also write policies for Omaha residents and businesses who prefer an agency on this side of the river.

What should Council Bluffs homeowners know about insurance right now?

Iowa homeowners premiums rose 28% in 2025, the third-largest increase in the country, to an average of $2,802 a year, according to Insurify data reported by the Iowa Capital Dispatch. Hail and wind drive most of it. Council Bluffs adds one more factor the rest of Iowa mostly does not have: the Missouri River.

Three things we see on Council Bluffs policies that families do not expect:

1. Flood is not covered, and more of Council Bluffs is in a flood zone than people think. Standard homeowners policies exclude flood. The 2011 and 2019 Missouri River floods reached parts of Pottawattamie County, and neighborhoods west of I-29, near Lake Manawa, and along Indian Creek and Mosquito Creek can fall in FEMA Zone AE, where a lender requires flood insurance. If you are not in a mapped zone, a preferred-risk NFIP or private flood policy often costs a few hundred dollars a year. We check the flood map on every Council Bluffs home we quote.

2. Roof age now sets your rate and your coverage. Most carriers writing Iowa have moved to actual cash value (depreciated) roof settlements once a roof passes 10 to 15 years, and some will not write a roof over 20 years old at all. After a hailstorm, the difference between ACV and a replacement cost roof endorsement can be $8,000 to $15,000 out of pocket. We check settlement terms on every homeowners quote.

3. Older homes are underinsured for what it costs to rebuild them. Council Bluffs has a large stock of pre-1940 homes with plaster, hardwood and brick that costs far more to replace than the market value suggests. A home that would sell for $180,000 can cost $300,000 to rebuild. We run a replacement cost estimate rather than insuring to the purchase price.

What auto coverage does Iowa require, and is it enough?

Iowa requires minimum liability limits of 20/40/15: $20,000 bodily injury per person, $40,000 per accident, and $15,000 property damage. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage must be offered but can be declined in writing. Those minimums are among the lowest in the country.

Council Bluffs sits at the I-80 and I-29 interchange with the heaviest truck traffic in Iowa, and a single at-fault accident there can exceed $15,000 in property damage before anyone is treated for an injury. Most Council Bluffs households we insure carry 100/300/100 with matching uninsured motorist limits, and the cost difference from state minimum is usually under $20 a month. If you commute to Omaha, note that Nebraska's minimums are 25/50/25; we are licensed in both states, so the policy follows you.

Who will I work with at the Council Bluffs office?

Joe DiSalvo, Agent
Joe has been in insurance since 2008 and is licensed in property and casualty, life, health and variable annuities. He works with Council Bluffs families and business owners on everything from a first auto policy to a full commercial program.

Pam Kreitzinger, Commercial Lines Lead
Pam has been in insurance since 1974 and leads the commercial department that serves all three offices, with deep experience in contractors, trucking and specialty accounts.

Kim Arfman and Dorothy Johnson, Commercial Account Managers
Kim joined Smith Davis in 2002 after starting in the industry in 1991; Dorothy brings more than 26 years of experience. Together they service the agency's commercial book day to day.

Sheila Plageman and Thea Duke, Personal Account Managers
Sheila is a Licensed Customer Service Representative; Thea has more than 10 years in personal lines. They handle home, auto and umbrella service for Council Bluffs households.

Beth Wilson, Director of Operations
Beth has more than 23 years in insurance and runs agency operations across all three offices.

Why choose an independent agency in Council Bluffs?

An independent agency represents you, not one insurance company. When a carrier raises Iowa rates 28% in a year, a captive agent has to deliver that news. An independent agent re-shops your policy across the other carriers we represent and moves you if it makes sense.

Smith Davis is a member of ISU Steadfast, a national network of independent agencies, which gives a Council Bluffs agency the carrier access and claims leverage of a much larger firm. Ninety-plus years in the same town is not a slogan; it is the reason a claims adjuster returns our call.

Frequently asked questions about insurance in Council Bluffs

Do I need flood insurance in Council Bluffs, IA?
If your home is in a FEMA high-risk zone (Zone AE or A), your lender will require it. If you are outside a mapped zone, it is optional but often inexpensive, and homeowners policies never cover flood. Check your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or ask us to check it for you.

How much does homeowners insurance cost in Council Bluffs?
Iowa's average premium was about $2,800 in 2025 per Insurify. In Council Bluffs we see full replacement cost quotes for a typical 1,500 to 2,500 square foot home ranging from roughly $2,000 to $4,000 per year, depending on roof age, construction, deductible structure and claims history.

Can I insure my Council Bluffs home and my Omaha business with one agency?
Yes. Smith Davis is licensed in Iowa and Nebraska from every office, and cross-river households and businesses are a large share of what the Council Bluffs office does.

Does Smith Davis write commercial trucking insurance?
Yes. Commercial trucking, cargo and commercial auto for owner-operators and small fleets are written from the Council Bluffs office, which sits at the I-80/I-29 interchange.

How do I file a claim?
Report claims directly to your carrier 24/7 (the number is on your ID card and in the GloveBox app), then call us at (712) 322-1600 during office hours so we can follow the claim and step in if it stalls.

About the Author

Jeff Brehmer, CIC, CPIA, is President and Owner of Smith Davis Insurance, an independent insurance agency serving Southwest Iowa and Eastern Nebraska since 1931 from offices in Council Bluffs, Papillion and Logan. He can be reached at (712) 322-1600 or insured@smithdavisins.com.

Last Updated: August 2026

Sources

• Iowa homeowners premium increases (Insurify data): Iowa Capital Dispatch
• Iowa minimum auto liability requirements: Iowa Department of Transportation
• 2019 Missouri River flood impacts in Pottawattamie County: MAPA 2019 Flood Impacts appendix
• FEMA flood zone lookup: FEMA Flood Map Service Center