Root Car Insurance Review

Pros Explained

• Low rates: Root promotes itself as a low-cost insurance option for good drivers. As the company gives more weight to driving behavior than other insurers, it means good drivers can expect to pay less.
• Rewards good driving: The app monitors your driving during what’s known as the “test drive.” If the test drive finds that you practice focused driving, smooth braking, gentle turning, and being on the road during safe hours, then you can expect to receive a lower rate.
• Free roadside assistance: Every Root policy comes with this free perk. If you ever get stuck on the side of the road with an empty tank, a flat tire, or an engine problem, Root’s 24-hour roadside assistance will get you the emergency help you need.

Cons Explained

• Not available in all states: Currently, Root is only available in 30 states. Interested customers who live in any of the states not currently offering policies can sign up to be notified when Root becomes available locally.
• Not all drivers qualify: Root refuses to insure bad drivers, in part because the company claims that 30% of drivers cause nearly 45% of all accidents. This means that drivers with spotty records or less-than-stellar driving habits will not be able to use Root. In addition, in order to qualify for Root, you will have to allow the app to monitor your driving. If you are uncomfortable with this kind of oversight, you will not be eligible for a Root policy.
• Entirely app-based: Root is set up for customers to handle all of their insurance tasks entirely on the app. If you would like the personal service you’d expect from an insurance agent or even an insurer with a 24/7 phone number, Root may not be the right insurer for you.

Root Car Insurance Coverage

When you get a policy with Root, you can expect the following coverages:

Liability Coverage

Root’s liability coverages are as follows:

• Bodily Injury Liability: If you cause an accident that results in the bodily injury or death of another person, this kind of coverage can help pay for the associated costs.
• Property Damage Liability: This kind of liability can help pay for the costs associated with property damage caused by an accident where you are at fault.

Root customers can customize their policies by choosing their bodily injury and property damage liability limits, which is the maximum amount of money the insurer will pay per accident. Liability coverage is required in all states where Root currently sells policies.

Collision Coverage

If your car is damaged because of an accident, collision coverage will help to pay for repairing or replacing your vehicle no matter who is at fault. It is often required for leased vehicles or any cars that are paid for via a loan, but drivers who own their cars free and clear may choose to forgo this type of coverage if they feel confident that they can cover any repair costs out of pocket.

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage can help you pay to repair or replace your car when it is damaged because of something other than an accident. While leased vehicles may be required to carry it, most drivers generally do not have to. Root recommends that customers ask themselves if they could afford to replace a stolen or totaled car out of pocket to help determine if comprehensive coverage is right for them.

Rental Reimbursement Coverage

When your car gets damaged in an accident and needs repairs, you will need an alternate mode of transportation. Root’s optional rental reimbursement coverage will help pay for a rental car while your car is in the shop.

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

This kind of coverage can help you pay for property damage and medical expenses if you get into an accident where an uninsured or underinsured motorist is at fault. Uninsured motorist coverage is required in 19 states and the District of Columbia, while underinsured coverage is required in 16 states. Root offers guidance to help customers decide if they need these coverages.

Root Car Insurance Discounts

Unlike other insurers, Root does not offer a menu of potential discounts. Instead, the company builds your discounts into your policy quote, meaning you can trust that the quote you receive is for the lowest price available.

However, Root does offer a referral bonus to customers. If you refer a friend, and they take the driving test and receive a quote, both you and the referred customer will receive a cash payment. Customers can earn up to $1,000 by referring friends to Root.

Root Car Insurance Availability

Root does not yet have a presence in all 50 states. As of this writing, there is no Root availability in the following 19 states or the District of Columbia:

• Washington
• Idaho
• Wyoming
• South Dakota
• Kansas
• Minnesota
• Michigan
• Alabama
• Florida
• North Carolina
• New York
• New Jersey
• Vermont
• New Hampshire
• Massachusetts
• Maine
• Alaska
• Hawaii
• Rhode Island

Additionally, though Root will soon be available in Wisconsin, it is not yet up and running for customers to purchase policies.

Root Customer Service

As an app-based insurer, Root funnels customers through the app for the majority of customer service issues. The app is where your insurance card is stored (although Root will also mail you a paper card), where you file a claim, and how you can refer a friend to receive a cash bonus. The app is available for iOS and some Android devices. The Root app enjoys a 4.7 out of 5 star rating on Apple, but only a 3.7 out of 5 star rating on Google Play.

Customers can also access their account via the Root website, where they can file a claim and search for answers to frequently asked questions. If you need to speak to a live customer service representative, Root does offer a toll-free number. You can call 866-980-9431 Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET for any general queries. If you need to talk to someone about a claim, you can call 866-980-9431 about a new claim or 866-489-1985 about an existing one Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET.

As Root was only founded in 2015, it is not yet rated by AM Best, which rates insurers on financial strength. This kind of rating is an important facet of choosing an insurer, as customers want to know that their insurance company is financially stable and will be there for them if they need to make a claim. The fact that Root is not rated by AM Best may give some potential customers pause.

Another important aspect of understanding a company’s customer service record is knowing how many complaints are lodged against it. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) compiles consumer complaints about insurers and compares that information with the industry average.

NAIC sets the industry average complaints at 1.0, meaning a company with a score of 0.5 has half the number of complaints as the average. Root Insurance Company currently has a score of 3.19, meaning it receives nearly four times the average number of complaints compared with the industry average, which is definitely enough to give a person pause.

Other Insurance Provided by Root

Though Root is primarily an auto insurance provider, it also offers both homeowners and renter’s policies.

How to Make a Car Insurance Claim with Root

Root customers can easily file a claim on the app or via the website. The site asserts that filing a claim takes about three minutes no matter which way you choose.

If using the app, you will simply answer a few questions about the accident, then take some pictures and submit the claim. Root will handle the process from there, reaching out to you to complete the claim. The claims process online is not clearly spelled out on the website, but it will presumably follow a similar set of steps.

Root will send you either a paper check or an electronic payment to pay for your claim. It will not pay the repair shop directly. It’s also important to note that Root’s roadside assistance does not cover a tow truck in case of an accident. If another driver is at fault, their insurance should cover the cost of your tow, and if you are at fault, your collision coverage will pay for it. If you do not carry collision coverage, however, you will be required to pay for the tow out of pocket.

Root Car Insurance Cancellation Policy

Root’s website does not clearly spell out the steps required to cancel a policy. The only indication of how to cancel is on the “terms and conditions” page, which states the following: “Termination or cancellation of an insurance policy with Root is governed by the various state insurance laws and regulations.”

This may be sticky for some customers, as Root insurance is set up to automatically renew every six months. That said, as premiums may adjust with each six-month policy, Root does alert you of your policy price prior to each renewal. You will have time to cancel the upcoming policy if you so choose.

Get a Root Car Insurance Quote

To get a quote, you will start by answering a few questions on Root’s website. Once you have provided your name, birthdate, address, marital status, and cars to insure, it will be time to download the Root app. With the app set up on your smartphone, you begin the test drive, which will take approximately two to three weeks. If Root is willing to offer you a policy, the company will then contact you with a quote.

Compare Other Car Insurance Reviews

It’s generally accepted that getting multiple auto insurance quotes is the best practice to ensure that you are getting top value for your policy needs. As Root determines its quotes through the driving test, customers interested in comparing their rates with other insurers will need to do some advance planning, as it’s not possible to simply get a quote from Root in an afternoon like you can with other insurance companies.

Just because Root claims to save good drivers up to 52% doesn’t mean you should take the company’s word for it. Comparing the policies and prices offered by Root with similar policies offered by other companies will be the best way to determine if you’re getting the coverage and value you need.

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