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Last updated: December 12, 2024
Root Car Insurance Pricing
How much you can expect to spend on car insurance with Root
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Root Insurance bases its rates on how each customer drives. A customer’s behavior behind the wheel gets more weight than anything else when it provides a quote. Root claims its safe driving discount could shave up to $900 per year off auto premiums for some customers. Below, we detail how much you can expect to pay for auto insurance with Root, how you can get your premiums even lower, and some of the best aspects of the company in general.
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Car Insurance Rates for Root Insurance
Root calculates car insurance costs primarily based on a customer’s driving behavior, rather than traditional demographic factors. The process involves using the Root mobile app to track and analyze driving habits over a test period. The app collects data on various aspects of driving, such as smooth braking, gentle turning, focused driving, and driving during safe hours. This data is then used to generate a driving score, which is the main determinant of the insurance rate. While Root also considers other factors like age, ZIP code, and previous insurance, these play a secondary role compared to the driving score.
| Category | Average annual cost of insurance from Root | Average monthly cost of insurance from Root |
|---|---|---|
| Full coverage | $984 | $82 |
| Minimum coverage | $728 | $61 |
Saving Money With Root Discounts
Root automatically includes car insurance discounts into your rate when you get a quote. Here are some of the discounts they offer:
Bundling
Root offers discounts to policyholders who purchase renters or homeowners insurance along with auto insurance.
Full Payment
Customers who pay their policies’ premiums in full with Root could receive a discount as well.
Safe Driving
Like many auto insurance companies, Root offers customers discounts for safe driving. It uses its mobile app to measure driving behavior and determine a policyholder’s driving habits.
Focused Driving
Policyholders could also receive a focused driving discount of up to an additional 10 percent off annual premiums. Root defines focused driving as drivers who ignore texts and keep their attention on the road.
Favorite Features
Roadside Assistance
Root includes roadside assistance with every auto policy it sells. Customers can use the service for a jump-start, tow truck, or locked vehicle three times per vehicle during a six-month policy term, with a cap of $100 per incident. No states require roadside assistance, as it’s an add-on and not insurance coverage.
FYI:
Every auto policy with Root has roadside assistance.
Rental Car Coverage
The company also provides rental car coverage as an add-on to its car insurance policies. Customers can choose between a car rental or Lyft reimbursement.
In What States Is Root Available?
As of July 2024, Root is available in 33 states and the District of Columbia. Here are the states where Root is not available:
- Alaska
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Vermont
- Washington
- Wyoming
Cancellation Policy
Root customers who wish to cancel their policies can do so by visiting the Root app or by calling 866-980-9431. If a customer cancels their policy before the end of its term, the company will refund any amount on a daily prorated basis.
TIP:
You can cancel your auto insurance via the Root app.
Company Background
In 2015, Root began with the goal of changing the car insurance pricing model. While less than a decade old, Root has expanded throughout the U.S. rapidly, as well as added insurance options beyond auto policies.
- 2015: Root began offering car insurance in Ohio from its headquarters in Columbus.
- 2017: Root launched Lyft on Us and expanded into Arizona.
- 2018: Root added four new states to its coverage area: Kentucky, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
- 2019: The company moved into California and increased its insurance options to include renters policies.
- 2020: Root Home, its homeowners insurance, joined the Root portfolio in 13 states.
- 2021: Root partnered with Carvana to develop integrated auto insurance solutions for Carvana’s online car-buying platform.
- 2022: The company entered the car insurance market in Alabama and Florida.
Contact Information
You can reach the Root customer service team by phone, email, and online chat Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET:
- Call 866-980-9431.
- Email help@joinroot.com.
- Speak to an agent via live chat: https://www.joinroot.com/contact/.
File claims:
- Online: https://claims.joinroot.com/portal/fnol?_ga=2.26705784.49507576.1580850431-423594291.1580319025
- Via the Root app
- By phone: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Call 866-489-1985 for existing claims or 866-980-9431 for new claims.
- By mail:
- Attn: Claims Department
- 80 E Rich Street, Suite 500
- Columbus, OH 43215
Conclusion
Root bases its auto premiums on each customer’s driving habits. The company utilizes technology through its app to rate drivers and complete policy paperwork. By focusing on how policyholders actually perform behind the wheel, Root helps customers save up to $900 annually on auto insurance premiums.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Root car insurance legit?
Yes, Root is a legitimate car insurance company that also offers homeowners and renters coverage. Founded in 2015, it’s been accredited with the Better Business Bureau since 2017. It is also a publicly traded company that is licensed to operate in 34 states.
How does Root determine a person’s driving habits?
The Root app works with your smartphone sensors to gather and analyze data while you drive. The company analyzes these areas:
- Smooth braking: Motorists who give themselves plenty of time to brake, as frequent, sudden braking can suggest driving too closely to the car ahead or inattention to the road
- Gentle turning: People who ease into and out of each turn by slowing down
- Safe hours: Drivers who don’t take late-night trips, especially on the weekends
- Speed: People who don’t exceed the speed limit
Drivers who avoid distracted driving, stay within the speed limits, brake smoothly, turn gently, and drive during safer hours get lower rates.
Does Root always monitor a customer’s driving?
Users must disengage the Root app to stop the company from monitoring their driving habits. Root uses its app to gauge how safe users’ driving is during a test period of several weeks. Once a customer has purchased Root car insurance, they can stop the app’s tracking.
Does Root offer insurance to anyone who applies?
No, Root does not offer insurance to anyone who applies. Because it bases its insurance premiums on the driving habits of a customer, the company routinely denies auto insurance to those who perform poorly during the test period. This practice keeps rates low for safe drivers it insures because it weeds out the unsafe drivers.
Writer
As a freelance journalist with more than two decades of experience, Sarah Hamaker has covered auto insurance, restaurant and convenience store industries, women in real estate, staffing/HR issues, parenting topics, and more. Sarah’s articles have appeared in a variety of publications and websites, including the Washington Post, NACS Magazine, and CREW Network. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications with a journalism emphasis and a Master of Arts in language and linguistics from Marymount University.
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