Insurance company review • Root
Root Car Insurance Review: How Driving-Based Pricing Works
This Root car insurance review explains an insurer that prices mainly on how you drive. Root's app measures driving behavior during a test drive period using your smartphone's sensors, then uses that data to help set your rate. In July 2026 Root said it sells auto insurance in 37 states, covering more than 80% of the U.S. population.
This review covers how Root works, its strengths and trade-offs, and who should compare beyond it.
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How Root's test drive works
After you download the app, Root uses your smartphone's sensors to measure real-world driving behaviors, such as focused driving, smooth braking, and gentle turns, during a test drive period. Root then uses that information, along with other factors, to price your policy. Root says safe drivers can save, but results vary, and drivers with risky habits may see less favorable prices.
Root at a glance
| Item | What we found | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Driving behavior from phone sensors | Careful drivers may benefit |
| Buying | App or website | Self-service; fewer in-person options |
| States | 37 states as of July 2026 | Not nationwide |
| Claims | In the app | Convenient for simple claims |
Based on Root's July 2026 announcement and public materials.
Pros and cons
Potential advantages
- Pricing that can reward careful driving
- Fully app-based experience
- Broad and growing state footprint
Potential drawbacks
- Requires phone-based tracking
- Less suited to drivers who share cars or drive late at night
- Not available in every state
Who Root may fit
- Careful drivers comfortable with app tracking.
- Drivers whose traditional rating factors do not reflect how safely they drive.
See Root vs. Metromile and is driving tracking insurance worth it?.
Coverage to match before comparing
| Item | What to check |
|---|---|
| Liability limits | Bodily injury per person and per accident, and property damage. Many drivers choose 100/300/100 or higher. |
| Uninsured and underinsured motorist | Limits that match your liability limits, and whether property damage is included. |
| Collision and comprehensive | Included on each vehicle that needs them, with the same deductibles. |
| Medical payments or PIP | Included where required or wanted, at the same limits. |
| Optional coverages | Rental reimbursement, roadside assistance, gap, and glass terms. |
| Drivers and vehicles | Every household driver and the correct VINs and garaging address. |
| Term and fees | Six-month vs. annual pricing, installment fees, and any broker fees. |
A lower price that reflects lower limits or missing coverage is not a like-for-like saving.
Coverage terms to match on every quote
| Coverage | What it pays for | What to match |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | Injuries you cause to others | Per-person and per-accident limits, such as 100/300 |
| Property damage liability | Damage you cause to others' property | Same limit on both quotes, such as $100,000 |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist | Your injuries when the at-fault driver lacks enough coverage | Same limits; ideally equal to your liability limits |
| Collision | Damage to your car from a crash | Same deductible |
| Comprehensive | Theft, fire, hail, flood, animal strikes, glass | Same deductible; note any glass option |
| Medical payments or PIP | Medical costs for you and passengers | Same limit; PIP rules depend on your state |
| Rental and roadside | Transportation during repairs; towing | Same daily and total limits |
Limits shown are examples, not recommendations. State minimum requirements differ.
Ways to lower your premium
- Compare at least three quotes with identical coverage every year or two, and whenever your premium jumps at renewal.
- Raise collision and comprehensive deductibles to an amount you could pay tomorrow without strain.
- Drop collision and comprehensive on an older car only when the car's value is low enough that you could replace it yourself.
- Ask about every discount: multi-policy, multi-vehicle, good student, defensive driving, paperless, paid-in-full, and safety equipment.
- Try a driving-data program if you drive carefully and are comfortable sharing driving data. See usage-based insurance.
- Keep continuous coverage. Even a short lapse can raise future rates.
- Report accurate mileage. Lower annual mileage can mean a lower premium.
- Bundle auto with renters or homeowners insurance where the combined price is lower.
Discounts to ask about
| Discount | Who it may fit | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-policy | Households with renters or home insurance | How much it saves on the total, not just auto |
| Multi-vehicle | Households with two or more cars | Whether every car must be on one policy |
| Good student | Students with qualifying grades | Grade requirements and proof needed |
| Defensive driving | Drivers who complete an approved course | Which courses qualify and how long the discount lasts |
| Telematics | Careful, low-mileage drivers | Whether the program can raise your rate |
| Paid in full and autopay | Drivers who can pay upfront | How installment fees compare |
| Safety and anti-theft | Newer vehicles with safety features | Which features qualify |
Discount names, amounts, and availability vary by insurer and state.
Coverage you should think twice about cutting
Some coverage cuts save very little and expose you to large losses. Be cautious about:
- Buying only the state minimum liability. Minimum limits can be exhausted by a single serious injury, leaving you personally responsible for the rest.
- Rejecting uninsured motorist coverage. It protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little. See uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
- Dropping collision on a financed car. Lenders and lessors usually require it.
- Letting the policy lapse between vehicles or during a move.
How insurers set your price
Most insurers price a policy using your driving record, years licensed, age where allowed, the vehicle, where it is garaged, annual mileage, coverage limits, deductibles, prior insurance history, and, where state law permits, a credit-based insurance score. Each insurer weighs these factors differently, which is why quotes for the same driver can differ by hundreds of dollars. Improving the factors you control, especially your record and continuous coverage, pays off over several renewals.
Switching insurers without a gap
If a new quote is lower, switch carefully so you are never uninsured:
- Confirm the final price after the insurer verifies your information.
- Set the new policy to start on or before the date the old one ends.
- Give the new insurer your lender or lessor information if the vehicle is financed.
- Save your new ID cards and declarations page.
- Cancel the old policy effective the same day, and ask about any refund of unused premium.
- If you have an SR-22, confirm the new insurer files it before the old filing ends.
How to check any insurer before you buy
Before you buy from any company, take a few minutes to check it:
- License. Confirm the insurer is licensed in your state through the state insurance department's company lookup.
- Complaints. The NAIC's Consumer Insurance Search shows complaint counts and a complaint index for each company, where 1.00 is the expected level for the company's size.
- Financial strength. Ratings from agencies such as A.M. Best describe an insurer's ability to pay claims.
- Legal name on the quote. Large groups write policies through several companies with different rates and rules. Make sure you know which one issues your policy.
- Claims process. Ask how claims are reported, whether there is a preferred repair-shop program, and how quickly adjusters respond after storms.
How we approached this review
We built this review from public sources rather than test purchases or claims we filed ourselves. That approach has limits, so it helps to know what we looked at and what we did not:
- What we reviewed: the company's own website and policy descriptions, its press releases and investor materials where available, state availability statements, and independent reporting.
- What we compared: how the product is bought and serviced, how it is priced, which coverages it offers, and the trade-offs that matter for different kinds of drivers or households.
- What we did not do: assign star ratings, publish prices of our own, or claim personal claims experience. Prices are individual, and claims experiences vary widely from one customer to the next.
Products, states, and terms change. Before you buy, confirm current details with the company and read the policy documents, which control over any summary, including this one.
Questions to ask before you buy
Whatever company you are considering, a short list of questions can prevent surprises later:
- What is the legal name of the company that will issue my policy, and is it licensed in my state?
- Which coverages and limits does this price include, and what would it cost to raise liability limits?
- How will my price be recalculated at renewal, and which factors can raise it?
- Are there installment, late, or cancellation fees?
- How do I report a claim, and will I work with a staff adjuster or an outside firm?
- If I use a driving-data or app feature, what data is collected and how long is it kept?
- What happens if I move to another state where the company does not sell?
Write down the answers, or ask for them in writing, so you can compare companies on the same terms.
What to have ready for a quote
These details help produce accurate quotes.
- Driver details. License numbers and dates of birth for every household driver.
- Vehicle VINs. And annual mileage for each vehicle.
- Driving history. Accidents and violations in the past three to five years.
- Current declarations page. To match limits and deductibles.
- Garaging address. Where each vehicle is kept.
Root car insurance FAQs
Is Root a real insurance company?
Yes. Root is a licensed, publicly traded auto insurer.
How does Root price insurance?
Mainly on driving behavior measured by your phone during a test drive, plus other factors.
How many states is Root in?
37 as of July 2026, per Root.
Do I have to use the app?
Yes; Root is app-based.
Can Root raise my price?
Driving data can lead to a less favorable quote for risky driving.
How are claims filed?
In the app.
Is Root cheap?
It can be for careful drivers; compare matching quotes.
Does Root sell home insurance?
Root focuses mainly on auto insurance.
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Important information
Independent agency. Blake Insurance Group LLC is an independent insurance agency. Licensed insurance producer NPN 16117464. Licensed states: AZ, AL, TX, CA, NY, OH, FL, NC, VA, GA, OK, NM, IA, KS, MI, NE, SC, SD, WV, IL, NJ, PA, TN, and WA. Which insurance companies we can quote depends on our current appointments, the product, and your state. Mentioning a company on this page does not mean we represent it.
Independent review. This review is based on public information reviewed in October 2026, including company websites, press releases, and public reports, and our own analysis. Blake Insurance Group is not affiliated with the company reviewed, is not stating that it is appointed with that company, and does not present ratings, test purchases, or claims results of its own. Company names are trademarks of their owners and are used for identification only.
Availability. Coverage, prices, discounts, and eligibility vary by insurer, state, and applicant, and are subject to underwriting. The issued policy controls.
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