At Farm Bureau Financial Services (FBFS), we’re proud of our beginning. Take a stroll through Farm Bureau’s rich history, and join us as we celebrate more than 85 years of serving our clients.
How Did Farm Bureau Financial Services Begin?
The history of FBFS is deeply intertwined with the history of the United States. In the years around World War I, our nation’s farming industry was growing rapidly and becoming more complex. At the time, not many insurance companies understood the unique needs of farmers and farm operations.
Farm Bureau entered and filled the gap, providing the insurance coverage that farming communities were missing.
Iowa Farm Bureau Mutual opened doors for business on May 10, 1939, with just 12 agents and 3,308 policies. Initially, it offered auto insurance and then expanded to farm liability products and fire protection.
In the years that followed, the Iowa Farm Bureau Mutual company developed innovative coverage options for clients:
- 1940: Added basic medical expense endorsement to the automobile policy
- 1943: Introduced farm protector coverage to provide liability protection against farming accidents
- 1953: Offered fire and allied coverages for farm and town property
- 1967: Introduced workmen’s compensation coverage
Growing Through the Years
The Iowa Farm Bureau Mutual company continued to add policies throughout the years. By the end of 1967, the company wrote more farm coverage policies than any other casualty company in Iowa. Nearly 183,000 casualty policies were in force, as was $88,268,500 of crop hail coverage.
In 1967, FBFS paid two of the largest single losses to date:
- $45,500 for hail damage and destruction of corn and bean crops
- $95,000 to a member who lost his home, farm buildings and machinery in a tornado
In 1971, FBFS introduced the iconic FB symbol, representing Farm Bureau and its affiliated companies. The American Farm Bureau adopted the symbol in 1986, and it is still part of our brand identity today.
In 2006, Farm Bureau introduced Farm Bureau Member’s Choice: one combined policy, with one premium and one deductible for a client’s car, home, boat, motorcycle and more.
We also launched “We Make Insurance Simple,” a campaign that promotes the key benefits of Member’s Choice. The company later embraced that slogan to represent the fundamental way we do business.
Relocating Our Headquarters
In July 1974, Farm Bureau Financial Services moved to its new headquarters in West Des Moines, Iowa, where it's still located today.
The Future of Farm Bureau Insurance and Our Agents
Today, we’re building on the foundation of the service-to-members organization we launched in 1939.
- Our 850 agents and 1,400 field associates serve more than 40,000 client/members.
- We offer more than 30 insurance products ranging from property-casualty insurance to life insurance.
- Our farm and ranch coverage is recognized as some of the best in the country, ranking No. 1 in farm market share in our eight-state region.
- In recent years, Farm Bureau Mutual achieved a record $2.6 billion in fire and casualty direct written premiums.
We are continually adding products and services to support the communities and families we serve, such as our first usage-based insurance program, Driveology®, in 2017. As of 2025, the average client/member savings per vehicle with Driveology® is more than 25%.
Be Part of Farm Bureau’s Rich History
The vibrant history of Farm Bureau Financial Services spans more than 85 years, thanks to the help of hundreds of dedicated Farm Bureau agents. Our agents understand that being part of Farm Bureau is more than just selling insurance products. It’s about building relationships within the community and being there for people when it matters most.
If a future protecting the lives of your neighbors sounds appealing, learn more about the opportunities available at Farm Bureau today.