Root Auto Insurance Review: What to Know (2024)

 

Root Auto Insurance Review: What to Know (2024)

On average, Root auto insurance is $65 per month. Root car insurance is about $25 cheaper compared to the NAIC average. Root Insurance determines your auto insurance rates based on your driving habits, credit history, and driving record. Root also offers renters and homeowners insurance which can be bundled with an auto insurance policy for a discount.

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.

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.

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 help@joinroot.com 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.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Complete Guide to Compare Car Insurance Quotes

6 Types of Insurance Every American Family Should Consider