Root Auto Insurance Review 2024
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Our Take
The bottom line:
Safe drivers may save with Root, which sets its rates primarily based on driving history, but its customer service and complaint records are poor.
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Pros & Cons
Pros
By refusing to cover risky drivers, Root can keep rates down.
Can get an SR-22 if you need one.
Can do just about anything from the app.
Cons
More likely to decline coverage than other companies.
Not yet available in all states.
Full Review
NerdWallet was not able to rate Root for overall performance because there is no financial strength or complaints rating information available for the company. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer experience, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and financial strength ratings.
Root Insurance makes a promise most other companies don’t: auto insurance rates based primarily on how you drive. To get an auto insurance quote from Root, you first take a “Test Drive,” where you let the company’s app track your driving behavior for a few weeks. The better your driving, the better the quote.
You may especially benefit from this type of pricing if you’re a safe driver but have high car insurance rates, which is usually the case for teens and young adults.
Drivers with poor credit may also want to consider Root, as the company has promised to eliminate credit scores from its pricing model by 2025. As it stands now, most insurance companies use credit-based pricing. Only California, Hawaii and Massachusetts ban insurers from the practice.
But while Root may offer you low rates for acing its Test Drive, know that the company has had a high number of complaints compared with many other insurers in past years.
» MORE: The best car insurance companies
How Root auto insurance works
Most companies rely heavily on your demographic information, credit and driving history to set rates. Root does, too, but it factors in that data to a lesser extent so that more of your quote is based on how you drive during your two- to three-week Test Drive.
Here’s how it works:
Sign up for a Test Drive. You can either begin from Root’s website or download the app and opt in to the quote process.
Allow Root to track your driving behavior to get a personalized quote. You’ll have to allow the app access to your phone’s GPS to measure driving behaviors, including hard braking, turn speed, miles driven, driving routes and what time of day you drive. Root claims that the app can tell whether you’re a passenger through machine learning, so you shouldn’t get penalized for the behavior of another driver while you’re riding in their car.
Receive a quote, if Root decides to cover you. After monitoring is up, Root will either send you a quote or decline to cover you. The company is upfront that many drivers are refused a quote, saying on its site it covers only “good” drivers. By eliminating risky drivers from its customer base, Root can charge lower premiums overall.
Root auto insurance coverage
When you're shopping for car insurance coverage, it's important to understand what car insurance coverage you want and what you’re required to buy. For instance, most states require a minimum amount of car insurance to drive a vehicle. Alternatively, if you want extra protection, you may be interested in full coverage insurance. Read about the most common types of car insurance coverage to see how they work.
Root offers standard types of coverage, as well as:
Roadside assistance, included in Root policies at no additional charge. While most insurers offer roadside assistance for a monthly or per-use fee, Root covers up to three incidents per six-month policy term, up to $100 per incident.
Rideshare option for rental coverage. Most auto insurers offer rental reimbursement coverage, which pays for a rental while your car is in the shop due to a covered wreck. Root has the same coverage but is a little more flexible, allowing customers to instead be reimbursed for rides from Lyft. With each claim, the option is the customer’s, but Root says it can help you decide.
SR-22 availability. You can get an SR-22 form, a certificate you file with your state that proves coverage, from Root Insurance. Like most interactions with the insurer, you do this through the app.
» MORE: Compare car insurance rates
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.
First time shopping for auto insurance? Unsure of where to start? Check out our guide on how to shop for car insurance.
Auto insurance discounts
Root doesn’t offer many discounts. However, rates are based on your driving behavior, which essentially gives you a safe driver discount.
Other ways to save include:
Buying more than one insurance policy from Root.
Paying for your policy upfront.
More about Root auto insurance
Website: Root has an intuitive website with an extensive FAQ, a blog and other informational material. You can sign up and start a quote online, but you have to take the Test Drive to get the quote, so you’ll finish the process on your smartphone.
App: Root policies are entirely app-based, so you can view your policy documents and ID cards, pay bills, file and track claims, summon roadside assistance and more with your smartphone. You can even request an SR-22 or change your policy from the app, available on both Apple and Android devices.
Other insurance from Root Insurance
In addition to auto insurance, Root offers renters insurance. It sells homeowners policies and other insurance products through its partner, Homesite.
Methodology
Auto insurance ratings
NerdWallet’s auto insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints and discounts. Our “ease of use” category looks at factors such as website transparency and how easy it is to file a claim. Using our editorial discretion, we also consider customer satisfaction surveys. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Insurer complaints
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2018-2020. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Customer service number: You can contact Root Insurance at 866-980-9431.
Email: You can contact Root Auto Insurance customer service at [email protected].
You can add vehicles to your auto policy within the Root mobile app. Tap Auto Policy, then Profile Information to make changes to vehicles, drivers and address information.
