Root Auto Insurance Review: What to Know (2024)

Are you searching for cheap Root auto insurance? Root Insurance is a usage-based car insurance company that measures your driving habits to calculate monthly insurance.

But did you know Root has other insurance products that can be bumdled with auto insurance coverage?

Don’t worry – we’ll explain how you can save money on Root car insurance and how the company helps you drive safely.

Check out this Root auto insurance review to determine how much Root insurance costs and where you can buy it.

Continue reading to learn more about Root auto insurance. If you want to compare multiple insurance quotes in your area right now, enter your ZIP code in the free online quote tool above.

How much is Root auto insurance?

The average cost of Root car insurance is $65 per month, which is much lower than USAA and Geico’s average. However, Root auto insurance quotes vary for each person.

Let’s look at how much full coverage auto insurance costs from Root.

Root Auto Insurance Coverage Limit Summary

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) reports the average cost for full coverage car insurance is $90 a month. However, Root insurance rates are 28% cheaper than average.

Are other auto insurance companies more expensive than Root?

Multiple factors determine whether affordable Root auto insurance is available to you, and one of the essential factors when determining your rates is which company you choose.

Let’s review a list of the top insurance companies in the United States and how they compare them to Root Insurance.

• Allstate – $318/month
• American Family – $224/month
• Farmers – $288/month
• Geico – $179/month
• Liberty Mutual – $398/month
• Nationwide – $229/month
• Progressive – $283/month
• Root – $65/month
• State Farm – $235/month
• Travelers – $287/month
• USAA – $161/month

Liberty Mutual and Allstate are $200 more expensive than Root car insurance rates. To maintain affordable Root auto insurance rates, you’ll have to practice safe driving habits.

Can my driving record affect Root auto insurance quotes?

Yes, it can. Speeding tickets can increase your rates by 15% or more, but accidents drive up car insurance rates by 24%.

But does DUI have any significant increase? Explore the list of companies below to see how DUIs impact Root car insurance rates.

Comparing Root Auto Insurance Rates by Driving Record and Company

Root Insurance is more affordable than some of the best companies despite its market share in the auto insurance industry. But DUIs have the most impact on car insurance rates across the board.

How can bad credit affect Root auto insurance rates?

Bad credit can drive up your car insurance rates by 39%. However, good credit can shave off between 20% and 40%, depending on the company.

Root doesn’t give any specific values for credit-based auto insurance, but let’s look at the effects credit could have on Root insurance rates.

Root Auto Insurance by Credit Score

On average, bad credit auto insurance is about $429 per month. However, Root car insurance rates can be as low as $96 per month, even with bad credit.

Expect your Root auto insurance rates to increase if you have bad driving habits.

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Can I qualify for Root auto insurance discounts?

You won’t find many car insurance discounts at Root Insurance company.

If you pay money in advance, you could receive a discount. You may earn a discount if you set up automatic payments, also.

And if you’re interested in Root home insurance, you can save about 12% more when you bundle Root homeowners and car insurance together.

Take it a step further and raise your deductible to save at least 5% more on Root insurance per month.

What auto insurance coverage does Root Insurance offer?

Root Insurance is smaller compared to the competition, but they have all the basic coverage options you need. Here’s a list of the car insurance coverages that are available at the internet-based company.

• Collision coverage
• Comprehensive coverage
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage
• Personal injury protection (PIP)
• Medical payments (MedPay)
• Rental car reimbursement
• Roadside assistance
• Bodily injury liability
• Property damage liability
• Rideshare reimbursement coverage
• SR-22 coverage

Root usually doesn’t accept most high-risk drivers, but SR-22 certification is available at the company.

One of  Root Insurance company’s unique options is rideshare reimbursement coverage.

Rideshare reimbursement refunds the money you paid for rideshare services while your vehicle is being repaired.

Can I add other insurance products to my Root auto insurance policy?

Root Insurance also writes home and renters insurance. Use this opportunity to bundle your auto insurance policy and save hundreds of dollars. (For more information, read our “Dollar-a-Day Insurance“).

How does Root auto insurance work?

Root car insurance is a usage-based car insurance program that provides monthly insurance rates based on your driving habits, such as hard braking, night driving, etc.

Good driving behavior could secure cheaper rates, but frequent hard braking and excessive speeds can drive up your monthly rates.

Root Insurance requires that you download the mobile app before you sign-up. After you get a login, the app will take you through a test drive phase.

The Root mobile app measures your driving behaviors using telematics built into the app to determine eligibility and car insurance rates.

Let’s examine six factors that determine your Root auto insurance rates.

• Turn speed
• Night driving
• Overall speed
• Hard braking
• Miles driven
• Distracted driving

You’ll be approved for a Root car insurance policy if your driving behavior scores show that you practice safe driving. A poor insurance score could disqualify you from an insurance policy.

However, you can always shop with another company if you’re denied coverage.

How long is Root’s test drive phase?

The Root Insurance app uses telematics to monitor your driving for three weeks. After three weeks have passed, the company determines whether you qualify for a Root car insurance policy.

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Where can I buy Root auto insurance?

Many shoppers like the bargain Root Insurance provides, but the web-based company isn’t available everywhere.

Root insurance is only available in a few states despite its online presence.

Here are the states where Root provides coverage.

Root Insurance Availability

Root insurance is currently limited to 31 states. They could grow in the next few years, which could extend the company’s coverage area. For now, it is not available in the 19 other states.

Root Auto Insurance: Pros and Cons

Root insurance is one of the cheapest car insurance companies around, but there are some disadvantages. Let’s examine the pros and cons of Root car insurance.

• Pros
  • Rideshare reimbursement coverage is available
  • Cheap auto insurance rates
  • SR-22 filings are available
  • Customers can manage insurance policies from the Root mobile app
• Cons
  • Only available in 31 states
  • Poor customer service ratings
  • Declines car insurance coverage to high-risk drivers

Did you see more disadvantages that we didn’t list? You may have found a few benefits that we missed.

Does Root auto insurance have good ratings?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t. Root Insurance doesn’t have any ratings from A.M. Best or J.D. Power.

The only rating for Root is from the NAIC. The NAIC gave Root a below-average rating.

What do customers say about Root auto insurance?

Root Insurance has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). However, the customer reviews for Root show a 1.31-star rating.

A little less than half of the complaints against the company have not been resolved.

How do you file a Root auto insurance claim?

Customers who need to file a Root car insurance claim should follow these steps.

1. Open the Root Mobile App from your smartphone or tablet
2. Press “File a claim or get roadside assistance” at the bottom of Root’s home screen
3. Click on “File a claim” to report an accident
4. Enter all the information requested
5. Take photos of the damage, location of the incident, and the other driver’s car
6. Root insurance will contact you with details on how you can process your claim

Minor accidents, such as fender benders, are processed much faster, but total loss accidents could take a few weeks.

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How do you cancel Root auto insurance?

You can cancel Root car insurance by phone. Contact the Root insurance customer service phone number at 1-866-980-9431 to cancel. Or you can use the app to cancel your insurance policy.

If you don’t have your smartphone, email Root at [email protected] to speak to a customer service representative.

Let them know you want to cancel. Be sure to have your policy number when contacting them.

Root Auto Insurance Facts

Before we end the Root car insurance review, let’s look at five facts about Root.

• Root Insurance has about 901 employees
• Root earned over $294 million in 2020
• Root Inc. was founded by Alex Timm and Dan Manges in 2015
• The Root headquarters is located in Columbus, OH
• Root, Inc. is listed on the NASDAQ as “ROOT”

Root earned more than some of its competitors during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the company may be expanding in the recent future.

Root Auto Insurance: The Bottom Line

The usage-based insurance program Root provides drivers more control over how much they pay per month. But your monthly Root car insurance rates are determined by your driving habits.

Once you pass the Root test drive stage, you’ll need to maintain safe driving habits to keep your Root auto insurance rates low.

And if you need to save money, consider bundling with renters or homeowners insurance to save a little more per month.

But before you buy Root auto insurance, compare multiple companies to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Now that you know more about Root auto insurance, use our free online quote tool to compare multiple insurance companies in your area.

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Frequently Asked Questions: Root Auto Insurance

Do you want to know more about Root? Read more below.

#1 – Is Root Insurance legit?

Yes, it is. Root Insurance is a usage-based insurance company that provides auto, home, and renters insurance online.

#2 – Is Root Insurance available 24 hours a day?

Root Insurance provides 24/7 service through its claim department and roadside assistance service.

#3 – How long has Root Insurance been in business?

Root Inc. has been around for over six years.

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