Root Insurance is a relatively new insurance company, founded in 2015. It offers affordable car insurance by only insuring good drivers. Unlike traditional car insurance companies, Root sets insurance rates mainly based on driving behaviours instead of credit scores, driving history, and demographics. Root's rates are high compared to leading providers, but its app has high ratings and reviews. Root has mixed online reviews, with a 4.3-star rating on Trustpilot and a nearly 1.3-star rating on the BBB. It is only available in 34 states. Root can be a good option for cost-effective usage-based insurance, but it is recommended to shop around and compare options to get the best deal.
What You'll Learn
- Root Insurance offers a highly-rated app that allows users to manage their policy, request roadside assistance, file a claim, and more
- Root Insurance offers a unique pricing model that bases rates on driving habits
- Root Insurance is a legitimate company, but not all drivers will qualify for a policy
- Root Insurance has a below-average customer service reputation
- Root Insurance is not available in all 50 U.S. states
Root Insurance offers a highly-rated app that allows users to manage their policy, request roadside assistance, file a claim, and more
The Root app allows users to do almost anything. Users can pick their coverage, view insurance cards, request roadside assistance, file a claim, and more. The app also allows users to earn cash offers for referring friends. For example, if a friend takes the test drive and gets a quote, both parties will receive a reward.
The Root app has received positive reviews from customers, with praise for its ease of use, fast customer service, and affordable prices. One user claimed to have saved around $90 per month by switching to Root, while another praised the company for its amazing coverage and ease of switching to a new vehicle.
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Root Insurance offers a unique pricing model that bases rates on driving habits
Root Insurance is a relatively new insurance company, founded in 2015, that offers a unique pricing model based on driving habits. Unlike traditional car insurance companies, Root uses technology to set rates based on driving behaviour. The Root app uses mobile technology to measure and analyse driving habits, such as braking, speed of turns, driving times, route consistency, and mileage. This data is collected over a few weeks, after which Root provides a quote based primarily on how safely a person drives. Root claims that their best drivers save up to $900 per year.
Root's pricing model rewards good drivers and offers them affordable rates. The company is committed to eliminating as many factors as possible from their pricing model, such as credit score, that are not mathematically predictive of risk or fraud. Root's model also ensures that good drivers do not have to pay for other people's bad driving.
Root's app has received positive reviews for its ease of use, with a rating of 4.7 out of 5 in the App Store. The company has also received positive reviews for its customer service, with customers reporting a speedy claims process and helpful staff. Root's overall ratings are mixed, with a 4.3-star rating on Trustpilot and a 1.2-star rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Root Insurance is currently only available in 34 states. The company has also received some negative reviews from customers who experienced raised rates after the first six months of coverage.
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Root Insurance is a legitimate company, but not all drivers will qualify for a policy
Root Insurance is a legitimate company that offers auto, home, and renters insurance. The company is a relatively new insurance provider, having been founded in 2015. Root Insurance sets itself apart from other insurance companies by primarily basing its insurance rates on a customer's driving behaviour.
Root Insurance has received mixed reviews. While the company has an average to high rating on Apple and Android devices, it has a high volume of customer complaints through the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Root Insurance has twice as many complaints as similar-sized companies, with the primary issues being delays in claim handling, sudden drops in coverage, and raised rates.
Root Insurance is only available in 34 states, and the company may deny coverage based on driving behaviour. Drivers who want to purchase a Root Insurance policy must participate in an initial test drive to see if they qualify for coverage. Root Insurance is, therefore, a legitimate company, but not all drivers will qualify for a policy.
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Root Insurance has a below-average customer service reputation
Root's customer service reputation is a significant drawback to its cheap car insurance rates. The company's rates are based primarily on a customer's driving habits, as monitored through its mobile app. While this approach can lead to lower rates for good drivers, it may also result in policy cancellation or rate increases if driving habits change. Root also offers limited coverage options and does not provide additional discounts.
Despite Root's below-average customer service reputation, it has received positive reviews for its easy-to-use app, affordable rates, and quick claims process. Some customers have praised Root for its fast customer service and friendly staff. Root's app has a 4.47/5 star rating on Apple and a 3.4/5 star rating on Android devices.
Overall, while Root Insurance offers the potential for lower rates, its customer service issues and limited coverage options may be a concern for some customers. It is important for customers to carefully consider their priorities and compare Root with other insurance providers before making a decision.
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Root Insurance is not available in all 50 U.S. states
Root Insurance is a usage-based auto insurance company that bases its insurance rates on a person's driving behaviour. The company was founded in 2015 and is currently available in 34 states.
Where Root Insurance is Available
Root Insurance is available in the following 34 states:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Where Root Insurance is Not Available
Root Insurance is not currently available in the following 16 states:
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- New York
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
However, Root Insurance plans to expand to these states in the future.
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Frequently asked questions
Root Insurance is a usage-based insurance company that offers affordable car insurance by only insuring good drivers. After downloading the Root app, you'll need to give the app access to your phone's GPS to allow it to monitor your driving behaviours for three weeks. Root will then either send you a quote or notify you if it can't provide coverage.
Some pros of Root Insurance include its highly-rated mobile app, the inclusion of roadside assistance with all policies, and the ability to obtain an SR-22 certificate if necessary. On the other hand, Root offers limited discounts, is not available in all U.S. states, may deny coverage more than other companies, and a price increase is possible if your driving habits change.
Root Insurance has mixed online reviews. While the company has a 4.3-star rating on Trustpilot, it holds a 1.3-star rating from customer reviews on the BBB. Root has responded to over 100 complaints in the past year alone, with 46% of reviews complaining about raised rates after the first six months of coverage.
Root Insurance doesn't offer the standard discounts you may get with other insurance providers. However, you can save money by maintaining a good driving record, focusing on driving and avoiding distractions (to obtain the Focused Driving discount), and using advanced safety features on Tesla vehicles.