Root Insurance Reviews: Is It Legit or Scam | How it Works


The root insurance company came into existence in the year 2015, and it is the first tech-driven insurance company outside the health industry. It is the next biggest thing in insurance as they offer something other insurance companies do not; Low premiums!

You will wonder how a new company will be able to afford a price lower than the average market; that is because they charge based on the drivers’ actions while driving and driving records. Unlike the other insurance, this has nothing to do with your credit card score.

You get to pay lower and start wondering how they can decide who gets charged less or more. Well, nobody gets charged more than their previous insurance. Root insurance ensures they are charged less due to their artificial intelligence app that helps monitor a driver’s pattern, then calculate the premium afterward.

The premiums are usually lower than the other auto insurance.

Traditional auto insurance relies on your driving history and demographic information to determine your rates; root also makes use of this, but to a lesser extent, what matters is what the app detects during the test driving period.

Bad or high-risk drivers are not given high premiums or covered totally.

What is Root Insurance?

The root is an insurance company (basically auto insurance) headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

Using usage-based insurance tech, they offer auto insurance based on a driver’s pattern, which collects information about driving habits through telematics captured by the driver’s smartphone.

They calculate premiums based on the data collected compared to traditional insurance that uses driving history and credit scores.

It is an emerging company, and it is only available in 31 states of the US.

How does it work?

It is quite straightforward, you insure a car through the following simple steps:

  • Sign up for a test drive: this is done by either visiting the Root website or downloading the app. Opt in for a quote process, and you will be ready to take your test drive in just a few clicks.
  • Allow Root to access your phone functionality: Root works with your phone GPS to track driving behaviors such as time of day driving, turn speed, smoothness of riding, hard brakes, speed, and others. The app uses machine learning to determine the driver’s safety, generating a low premium if the driver passes the test. They can run on very low premiums because they do not cover high-risk drivers, which means those with their policies have very low tendencies to get into an accident due to their reckless driving.
  • Receive a quote if Root decides to cover you: after monitoring is complete, Root will either send you a quote or decline to cover you. The company does not have any issues with rejecting high-risk drivers. High-risk drivers do not receive a quote and as such premium is relatively low to other traditional auto insurance.

Read: Farmers Insurance Review 2023: Pros & Cons| Legit Or Scam | How It Works

The test drive takes how long?

The monitoring period is up to 4 weeks though it is three weeks on average. You can check from the app the time you have left on the test drive.

You can also find out your score in the days you have completed and use the opportunity to improve your scores if your numbers are low. The rating is 1-10.

What are drivers eligible for Root insurance?

Low-risk drivers whose driving patterns are detected by the company app. There are no two ways to it, nor is there a backdoor to the app from the user end. You must activate the app and allow it to monitor your drive during the period.

We tend to behave in order when we are being watched, which is one way this company chooses to keep drivers in line.

If you know you are being observed, you will drive adequately, making the road safe for everyone.

What drivers are not eligible for Root Insurance– Reviews

High-risk drivers are not given a quote. If you still cannot keep your head down by monitoring your driving through the app, then you will incur a huge loss for the company.

So the company outrightly rejects drivers who do not pass the test drive.

What are the biggest strengths of Root insurance?

  • Low, flexible, and transparent rates: who would not want to insure his/her car using the lowest rates available in the market? None!  Rather than demographics and credit score, Root insurance uses its app to monitor and give you a low premium for your insurance.
  • Reward good drivers: drivers who are good at driving, drive within safe hours, use breaks properly, does not operate the phone while driving get perfect low quotes. Maintaining this standard becomes essential for them to reduce future premiums.
  • Free roadside help: they assist drivers who have issues with their cars on the road.
  • Fast claims: In case of accidents, they are fast in processing fees to ensure your damages are covered. Like in other insurance, you won’t wait forever to get your car fixed if you encounter an accident.

What is the biggest weakness of Root insurance?

Customer services complaint:

There has been a lot of complaint from customers about poor customer service. The company is new in the market and is putting a lot of effort into upgrading its services and it is the major issue they have now poor services.

Customers have to wait long queues online to get their issues fixed. With time, their customers’ services will improve as they have implemented plans.

Read: Ambetter Health Insurance Review 2023| Pros & Cons | Legit & Scam

Not every driver can qualify:

Unlike other auto insurance, not every driver can qualify for Root insurance.

Although it is not a major weakness, not being able to cover all looks like a weakness to consumers, but Root insurance’s target market is not all drivers but rather the good and careful ones.

So it is a good strategy for the company.

Restricted availability:

The insurance is only available in 31 of the 50 states in the United States. This means that you have to be in certain areas to be able to access the services rendered by them.

You cannot use the insurance if you are in places out of these 31 states.

The states that are covered include:

Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin. 

App-based only:

You can only get access to this insurance by downloading the app. There is no physical office you can walk into for registration, which is a downside.

Some percentages of the driving population cannot operate android/ IOS phones. This makes the insurance unavailable to them.

Insurance coverage options

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Therein the options covered by Root insurance:

  • Collision: damage to your car caused by accident is covered.
  • Comprehensive: damage caused by other things apart from accidents for example, natural disasters, are also covered.
  • Full coverage: you can decide what you want to get covered for or if you want to be covered for all (collision and comprehensive).
  • Liability: covers the third party from the damages you caused. The victims of the accident you caused are covered up to about $250,000 per accident.
  • Medical payments: your medical expenses are covered if you are injured.
  • Personal injury protection: indirect losses to you and your passengers, such as wage losses and medical expenses, are covered.
  • Rental car reimbursement:  when your car is in repair, Root pays for the rent of the car you will be using during the period.
  • Roadside assistance: covers roadside assistance under $100; services include towing, battery jump, and emergency assistance, among others.
  • Uninsured motorist:  Root insurance pays for your car damage if the other driver that caused the accident does not have enough insurance coverage.

 Root insurance and the rest

S/NNAMEROADSIDE ASSISTANCENEW CAR PROTECTIONACCIDENTFORGIVENESSSAFE DRIVER DISCOUNTSTATES AVAILABLE
1ROOTYES52%31
2BRANCHOPTIONALNO10
3LIBERTY MUTUALOPTIONALYESYES30%50 STATES & DC
4AAAYESYESYESYES7
5ELEPHANTOPTIONALYES10%8
6USAOPTIONALYESYESYES50 STATES& DC
7CLEAR COVEROPTIONALYES16
8ARRPOPTIONALYESYESYES50
9ALLSTATEOPTIONALYESYESYES50
10PROGRESSIVEOPTIONALYES30%50 STATES & DC

Is it legit or a scam?– Root Insurance Reviews

Root insurance works and is very much legit.

Read: The General Insurance Company Review | Legit Or Scam?

Frequently asked questions about Root insurance reviews

What is ROOT?

The root is the first car insurance company founded on the relentless pursuit of fairness. they use an app to rate drivers based on how they drive—not just their demographics. Root could save good drivers up to $900 a year by not insuring bad drivers.

How does Root works?

You’ll choose and buy your plan—it starts with a great rate that could last up to 60 days. Then you’ll begin the test drive. The Root app measures your driving (braking, turns, focused driving, and how much you drive) and uses that information to calculate your final rate.
Why 60 days? You’ll receive your final rate after 30 days if you’re a good driver. The better driver you are, the better your rate will be. Then, you’ll have another 30 days to accept your final rate or cancel.

What is different about Roots’ insurance from day one?

If you’re offered insurance from day one, you’re insured as soon as you choose and buy your policy. This means you’re covered by Root while you complete your test drive to determine your final rate. Unfortunately, Root doesn’t work for everyone. If you can’t be insured beyond the test drive, you will know based on your state’s laws as soon as possible. That way, you can find coverage with another carrier.

How do I get ROOT insurance from day one before taking the test drive?

The root is expanding nationwide quickly and creating different insurance models to fit the needs and laws of each state. Depending on where you live, you may have the option to have Root Insurance immediately.

How will I know I will save money with ROOT? How much exactly will I save?

You won’t know until you do the test drive—it primarily depends on your driving skills and habits—but many of our customers have saved hundreds compared to their previous rates.

Where is ROOT available now?

Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. We’re also rapidly expanding into other states—check out our availability map to see if your state is coming soon.

When will ROOT be available in my state?

Root car insurance is going nationwide as quickly as possible. Because each state is regulated differently, it takes longer to get into some states.

What if I move to another state?

Policyholders can transfer states if Root is offered in the new state.

What if ROOT is available in my state but I have an out–of–state license?

Not a problem. In most cases, as long as Root is available in your state, you can still sign up for the test drive or be added to a policy. Let us know if you have any trouble.

Which phone does Root support?

The root is available for iPhones (5s and above) and most Android phones. Check the Google Play Store to see if your Android phone is supported.

Why doesn’t Root ensure everyone?

This one is simple—because 30% of drivers cause nearly 45% of all accident costs. Good drivers should not have to pay for other people’s bad driving, so they only insure good drivers. That means good drivers save.

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