Root Insurance is a relatively new insurance company that was founded in 2015 and has been steadily expanding its operations across the United States. With such a brief history, you may be wondering if Root auto insurance is legitimate.
In this review, you can see how Root Insurance stacks up against well-known insurers like State Farm, Progressive, and Geico. We examine the company’s industry standing, coverage, cost, and other factors to determine why Root is ranked among the best car insurance companies in the industry.
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Root Insurance Highlights
Root Insurance is based in Columbus, Ohio, but it also has offices in San Francisco, Chicago, and Phoenix. Root car insurance is unique in that it is a usage-based program. Customers use a mobile app to track their driving habits and set rates based on how frequently and safely they drive.
Drivers in Alabama, Alaska, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin, or Wyoming can now access the relatively new insurer.
Root does, however, have immediate plans to expand to include drivers in Alabama, Alaska, Washington, D.C., Hawaii, New Hampshire, and North Carolina. On the Root Insurance website, you can sign up for notifications about new state coverage.
Root Car Insurance Coverage
Root offers auto insurance that ranges from the state-mandated minimum coverage to full coverage, depending on the needs of the driver. All standard types of auto insurance are available to drivers, including:
- Collision
- Comprehensive
- Bodily injury liability
- Property damage liability
- Medical payments (MedPay)
- Personal injury protection (PIP)
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM)
Root does not currently provide any additional types of insurance. Customers, on the other hand, have access to the following benefits:
Rental reimbursement: Pays for rental car coverage while your car is being repaired following an accident.
Roadside assistance is included in all policies and pays for services such as towing, jump starts, and lockouts.
Root Car Insurance Cost
Car insurance rates are typically determined by factors such as your age, location, credit score, driving history, and marital status. While these factors are taken into account when calculating Root car insurance premiums, your rate is largely determined by your driving habits.
You can request a Root insurance quote online, or after using the Root mobile app for a few weeks, you can receive a quote tailored to your driving habits. During the “test drive” period, the app monitors driving habits such as smooth braking and gentle turning, as well as statistics such as how frequently you use your phone in the car and what hours you typically drive.
Drivers who practice safe driving and drive less at night and on weekends have the lowest Root premiums. Customers who own Tesla vehicles can also get a discount for using Autosteer mode.
According to customer reviews, Root’s usage-based auto insurance program allows them to save hundreds of dollars.
Root Car Insurance Reviews
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has given Root Insurance an A+ rating. While it is not rated by AM Best for financial strength, according to Business Insider, the company was recently valued at $3.7 billion. Though Root Insurance’s financials may not be as strong as those of other top providers, it is a fairly safe bet that the company will honor customer claims.
Positive Root Insurance Reviews
Many customers appreciate Root’s low car insurance rates and high-quality mobile app performance. Because the company is a tech startup, it stands to reason that its mobile app and online user interface are first-rate.
Here’s what some satisfied Root car insurance customers have to say:
“[The Root mobile] app is truly one of the best, and it delivers exactly what it promises.” It saves me more than $100 per month on car insurance and is very simple to use.” – Jessica G., courtesy of BBB
“At first, I was skeptical, but after [the test-drive period], Root offered me] much more coverage than I had, at half the price I was paying.” So far, [I’m] very pleased, and I highly recommend them to all of my friends.” – Gary M., courtesy of BBB.
Negative Root Insurance Reviews
The majority of negative comments about Root auto insurance mention a slow claims process and rate increases. Here are a couple of reviews from dissatisfied customers:
“After requesting a quote several months ago and participating in this company’s ‘test drive’ for several months before they would even give me a quote, I am convinced they must be selling clueless test drivers’ information to other companies for profit.” – Michele B., courtesy of BBB
“The claims procedure is a shambles. You have to go through a third-party company, and my check took nearly a month to arrive.” – Ahmed A. through BBB
Conclusion
If you consider yourself a safe driver, Root car insurance may be worth considering, as the company bases quotes on driving habits and road safety rather than demographic factors. You can apply for a quote online or by using the Root mobile app to take a test drive. This will give you a good idea of how much lower your rates could be.
Having said that, Root Insurance appears to have prioritized the development of its telematics mobile app over figuring out the claims process. Because the company is still in its early stages, customer experiences with claims may improve in the future.