Sheldon Whitehouse

Farmers, business owners and homeowners shared stories about climate change and its impact on their insurance prices at a roundtable with Democratic elected officials in Des Moines.

The event was hosted by state Rep. Josh Turek, D-Council Bluffs, who is running for U.S. Senate, and U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.

"We've basically driven by all the exit ramps," Whitehouse told reporters following the event. "And now we have a very simple question in front of us. Do we make the big polluters clean up after themselves? Or do we just drive on into climate upheaval? That's the very simple choice that we have."

Turek said Iowa has experienced some of the steepest insurance rate hikes in the country because of extreme weather, citing floods, hailstorms and derechos.

"We’re seeing insurance providers leave the state altogether because of the increase of severe weather," he said. "All of this comes down on working class Iowans that are already struggling just to keep food on the table, just to keep a roof above their head."

Effect of Greenfield tornado 'almost paralyzing' two years later

Stacie Eshelman, executive director of the Greenfield Chamber/Main Street & Development, recounted the EF4 tornado that ripped through the community in 2024, destroying her home and many others.

As the community recovers, she said many residents aren't able to rebuild their homes the way they were before the storm because their insurance didn't cover the entire value.

"People are insuring what they can afford right now instead of insuring what their asset is, and so you can rarely build back for what you lost," she said. "And so people that were solvent, had no debt, owned their home, owned their vehicles now have mortgages and vehicle payments and things."

In addition to the economic cost, Eshelman said the emotional cost of the disaster is still taking a toll.

"We’re almost two years out from our devastation, and anytime the siren blows, even if it’s a test, or the wind seems just a little off, it’s almost paralyzing for a lot of us," she said.

Farmers tell stories of rising crop insurance rates

Ellen Walsh-Rosmann, a farmer and owner of the Milk & Honey restaurant in Harlan, said the cost of her farm insurance is going to double from last year.

"Farming is already gambling," she said. "That's why we don't gamble. You can lose your entire farm in three minutes during a hailstorm."

She said the current crop insurance system favors monoculture and it encourages farmers to grow crops in risky areas.

"Farmers can plant in floodplains and along rivers and places that flood every year, and they just know that it’s fine because they’re going to get a crop insurance payment out of that," she said.

Instead, she said federal crop insurance should reward conservation practices and charge higher premiums for poor management.

"We spread the risk around, not just growing all corn," she said of her farm. "Because if you have a derecho kind of storm all the corn’s going to be down but maybe the beans will be OK and maybe your small grains might just be a little tattered. So you can at least spread that around a little."

Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union, recounted the damage that his farm suffered in a derecho several years ago, as well as from other weather events like high winds and hail.

"After we got through all those things and tried to recover as best we could, our property insurer left the state," he said. "And we spent months looking for someone else who could come in and insure our farm."

When he did find a new insurer, Lehman said his insurance costs went up by about 30%.

"Our cost went way up to have comparable — not the same, not as good — but comparable insurance," he said. "And our costs continue to stay high as well."

Sheldon Whitehouse plans to endorse Josh Turek in Senate race

Whitehouse has traveled the country bringing attention to the increase in insurance rates and its connection to climate change and extreme weather.

Introducing himself at the roundtable, he called himself a "soon to be colleague of Josh."

Whitehouse has not endorsed in the Democratic primary, where Turek faces state Sen. Zach Wahls, D-Coralville. But he told reporters after the event he plans to do so.

He suggested Turek could take up the mantle of former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa.

"I enthusiastically hope that that is the case," he said.