Root Auto Insurance: Trustworthy?

Root Insurance is a relatively new insurance company, founded in 2015, that offers affordable car insurance by only insuring good drivers. Root sets itself apart from traditional car insurance companies by offering rates based on a driver's history rather than using demographic information.

The company has received mixed reviews. While some customers praise the low rates and easy-to-use app, others have complained about unexpected rate increases and claim denials. Root has also been accused of falsely advertising full coverage and tracking drivers even when they are not driving. Root is not yet available in all states.

Root Insurance's pricing model

The company also considers other factors, such as standard factors that are mathematically predictive of risk or fraud. However, Root is committed to keeping rates primarily based on driving behaviour and has promised to remove credit scoring from its pricing model by 2025.

Root's pricing model also takes into account the fact that the company only insures good drivers. By eliminating high-risk drivers, Root experiences fewer accidents and claims, resulting in lower costs that are passed on to customers in the form of reduced rates.

Root's pricing model offers savings of up to $900 per year for good drivers, with the potential for additional discounts through its focused driving programme. The company's rates are also influenced by factors such as drivers listed on the policy, cars listed on the policy, driving records, and accident rates in the driver's area.

Customer reviews

Positive reviews of Root Auto Insurance praise the company for its low rates and easy-to-use app. One customer reported saving $1,000 a year on their auto insurance with Root, while another praised the company for not increasing their insurance bill every other month. The Root Insurance app has a 4.47/5 star rating on Apple and a 3.4/5 star rating on Android.

However, negative reviews of Root Auto Insurance criticise the company for raising rates unexpectedly and denying coverage. Several customers have complained that Root refused to pay out on their claims, even in the case of full-coverage insurance. One customer reported that Root cancelled their policy after a week, giving them just 10 days to find new coverage. Another customer claimed that Root logged them as a driver when they were actually a passenger.

Coverage options

Root Insurance offers a range of coverage options to its customers. The company provides standard insurance policies, including liability coverage, medical coverage, comprehensive coverage, collision coverage, and uninsured motorist property damage.

Liability coverage includes both bodily injury and property damage components. The bodily injury component covers medical, funeral, and lost wage expenses for individuals other than the driver in the event of an accident. Property damage covers the costs of damage to other vehicles or property in an accident. Both components of liability coverage are required by law in all states.

Medical coverage includes personal injury protection and medical payments coverage. Personal injury protection covers medical expenses and lost wages for the policyholder and their family members, regardless of who is at fault in an accident. It is required by law in 17 states. Medical payments coverage helps pay for injuries to the policyholder or their family members in an accident, regardless of fault. It is available in states that do not require personal injury protection.

Comprehensive coverage pays for damage to the policyholder's vehicle caused by something other than an accident, such as theft, flooding, vandalism, or weather-related damage. Collision coverage pays for damage to the policyholder's vehicle in an accident, regardless of who is at fault.

Root Insurance also offers uninsured motorist property damage, which covers damage to the policyholder's property caused by an uninsured driver. This coverage is required by law in eight states. Additionally, the company provides rental car reimbursement coverage and roadside assistance at no additional charge.

The Root app

The app is used to sign up for an account, request a quote, and allow Root to track driving behaviour via GPS to measure driving habits such as braking, turning, speed, driving time, and route consistency. After the test drive period, users can review their insurance quote on the app. The app also features a Driver Scorecard, which provides tips to improve driving behaviour and a notification system to alert users about the status of their insurance claim.

In addition to insurance policies, the Root app also offers roadside assistance, allowing users to request help for issues such as towing, jump-starts, and lockouts directly through the app. Overall, the Root app seems to be well-designed and user-friendly, providing customers with convenient access to their insurance information and claims processing.

Pros and cons

Pros

Root Insurance is a usage-based insurance company that offers affordable car insurance by only insuring good drivers. It bases insurance rates mainly on driving behaviours instead of focusing on credit scores, driving history and demographics. The company claims that people with good driving habits will receive lower rates. Root Insurance is highly rated on the Apple App Store and has positive reviews from customers who have saved money by switching from other providers. The Root app is easy to use and allows policyholders to manage their insurance products and policies, file claims, and track progress and status updates. The app also includes a Driver Scorecard that gives tips to improve your driving score. Root Insurance also offers roadside assistance with all policies and does not charge an additional fee for this service, unlike most other insurers.

Cons

Root Insurance has received numerous negative reviews and a high number of complaints compared to other insurers. Customers have reported issues with denied coverage, poor customer service, and unexpected price increases. Root Insurance is also not available in all U.S. states. While the company claims to base rates primarily on driving behaviour, it does consider other factors such as where you live, your credit, your driving record, marital status, type of vehicle, age, and prior insurance coverage. Root Insurance has also been accused of false advertising and scamming customers by signing them up for policies that do not provide the promised level of coverage. There have been reports of customers being involved in accidents and then being told by Root that they were not fully covered, even though they had specifically requested full coverage. Root Insurance has also been known to cancel policies without providing a valid reason and give customers very little time to find new coverage.

Frequently asked questions