Using smartphone technology to track your driving habits, Root Auto Insurance is for drivers with a good driving history. If you have a poor driving history, this is not the company for you. Initial car insurance quotes can be quite affordable, but, based on customer complaints, renewal rates can increase substantially.
Auto Insurance Review: Root Car
score733.5/5
complaints
5/5
satisfaction
1/5
discounts
pros
No paperwork required to get started
Manage your policy in the mobile app
Roadside Assistance included in every policy
cons
Must have a newer-model smartphone to use the app
Not good for those with poor driving history
Complaints of high renewal rates
Foregoing traditional car insurance coverage methods, Root Auto Insurance relies on smartphone technology to examine their customers’ driving behavior to provide them with more affordable rates. Initially, this could be great for drivers looking for cheap car insurance. However, based on customer complaints, those affordable rates jump up dramatically when it’s time to renew their policy.
How Does Root Car Auto Insurance Rate?
Root Auto Insurance has not been rated by many of the notable authorities that rank car insurance companies like J.D. Power and AM Best.
Customer Complaint Ratio
Root Car
Each year, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners tracks the number of complaints filed against car insurance companies. The national median complaint ratio is 1. Root Auto Insurance received a customer complaint ratio of 2.61 for 2019, meaning they received more complaints than the national median.
Root Car Insurance Features
Unlike most other car insurance companies, Root Auto Insurance offers car insurance primarily based on its customers' driving habits. It relies on smartphone technology using its mobile app to track driving habits.
- Type of FeatureDescription
- Online ClaimsYou can file and track claims right in the app.
Root Car Auto Coverage
Root Auto Insurance includes a full range of car insurance coverage options so customers can choose exactly what they want in their policy:
- Type of CoverageDescription
- CollisionThis coverage pays for damage to your vehicle when you are at fault.
- Personal Injury ProtectionThis coverage is for medical expenses plus lost wages for you and your family members regardless of who is found to be at fault.
- UninsuredUninsured motorist property damage: When someone damages your property, this coverage will pay to repair it. Uninsured/Underinsured motorist bodily injury: In the event you are injured and the other driver does not have insurance or sufficient insurance, this coverage pays for your medical expenses.
Optional Insurance Features and Coverage
Root Auto Insurance does not include much beyond the most common coverage options. They do include a rental car coverage option though. If your car is in the shop for repairs, that specific coverage option will pay for a rental car.
- Type of OptionDescription
- Roadside AssistanceIncluded in every policy, this coverage helps you when you need a tow truck, lock your keys in the car, have a flat tire or other car trouble.
- Medical PaymentsAs the name implies, this coverage helps pay for your or your family members’ injuries regardless of who is found at fault in the accident.
Other Root Car Insurance Products
As a new company, Root Auto Insurance hasn’t branched out too much in other areas, although it does have one additional insurance product:
- Type of ProductDescription
- Renters InsuranceCurrently available only in Missouri, Ohio and Utah, renters insurance covers the contents of your home and car and your personal property when you travel. It also pays expenses for you to stay elsewhere if you cannot stay in your home due to damage. In addition, if someone is injured on your property, this coverage may help pay for their medical expenses.
How to Make a Car Insurance Claim With Root Car
You can go online to the Root Auto Insurance website to file a claim, or open the Root app and file a claim by clicking on the “File a Claim” button. Answer the questions, submit photographs of your car’s damage and Root Auto Insurance will get in touch to complete the claim.
Contact Root Car Car Insurance
Methodology and Assumptions
To evaluate and review auto insurance companies, MoneyGeek carefully weighs factors such as price, financial strength, policy features, customer satisfaction, service and other leading indicators. MoneyGeek also references publicly available data from industry leaders such as J.D. Power, AM Best and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the Better Business Bureau. Learn more about MoneyGeek’s review methodology here.
sources
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "Root Ins Co Customer Complaint Ratio Report." Accessed March 26, 2020.
- Better Business Bureau. "Root." Accessed April 3, 2020.
