Avanti Group is an independent insurance agency based in Johnston, Iowa — built on the belief that insurance done right requires understanding risk before recommending coverage, not after.
We serve individuals, families, and business owners across Iowa and the Midwest. For some clients, the right solution is straightforward — efficient, well-priced protection that holds up when something goes wrong. For others — particularly business owners and clients with layered exposures — effective protection requires structured analysis, proactive planning, and someone willing to ask harder questions than most agents do.
Whatever the complexity of your situation, our standard is the same: clarity before coverage, and protection that actually holds up when it matters.
Our Story
Avanti Group was founded by Rich Bales with a specific frustration in mind: too many clients were finding out their insurance was wrong at the exact moment it was supposed to work — at a claim.
The industry moves fast and quotes first. We built Avanti to operate differently — starting every client relationship with a structured risk review before a single quote is built, because the gaps that cost people the most are the ones no one looked for.
What started as a one-person operation has grown into a team of advisors serving hundreds of clients across personal, commercial, life, and specialty lines. Our retention rate and client satisfaction record reflect what happens when you treat insurance as a long-term relationship rather than a transaction.
With 200+ five-star Google reviews and a growing presence across Iowa and the Midwest, Avanti has built its reputation the only way that actually lasts — by doing right by the people who trust us with their protection.
How We Work
Before we recommend coverage for any client — personal or commercial — we make sure we understand the full picture. For business clients, that means running a Business Risk Diagnostic™: a structured process that maps real exposures, stress-tests current or proposed coverage against actual claim scenarios, and positions the account correctly in the market.
For personal clients, it means asking the right questions about what you own, how it’s structured, and where the gaps are — rather than running a quick quote and calling it done.
We’re independent, which means we represent you — not any single insurance company. We go to market across dozens of carriers to find the right fit for your situation, and we stay in your corner when a claim happens.
Our Team
Avanti Group operates as a collaborative firm with a team of advisors, each building deep expertise in their specific markets. Our team includes specialists across commercial lines, personal lines, and life and disability — with defined processes, shared standards, and a long-term perspective on what it means to protect a client well.
We’re actively growing. Every advisor who joins Avanti does so because they share the same belief: that the right way to do this job is to lead with the client’s risk — not the path of least resistance.
Our Community
Avanti Group is based in Johnston, Iowa and we’re active members of the Des Moines business community. We work with clients across the state and the Midwest — but we’re local, and that matters to us. When you call our office, you reach someone who lives and works in this community, knows the market, and has a genuine stake in the relationships we build here.