Root insurance is a good option for car insurance if getting a low-cost quote is your top priority. Root, a usage-based auto insurance company, monitors your driving during a test-drive period with a mobile app and tailors your car insurance rates based on your performance.
Other major auto insurance companies offer usage-based programs as an add-on discount, but Root’s entire business model is built around a telematics monitoring technology. Because of this personalized approach, there is no average rate and no way to estimate the cost of a Root car insurance policy without taking a test drive.
In this article, we conducted a thorough root insurance review and telematic to help you understand what it means.
What is Root car insurance
Root auto insurance is ideal for drivers who want their car insurance rates to be determined by how safely they drive. This could be advantageous for demographics that are prone to high rates, such as young and inexperienced drivers.
Root Insurance uses a smartphone app with the help of a telematics to record your driving habits and then bases your rates primarily on driving behavior. The idea is that better drivers should pay less for car insurance. Root Insurance believes the result is a simple and more personalized experience compared to a traditional car insurance policy.
What is telematics?
Telematics is a method of tracking the movements of cars, trucks, equipment, and other assets using GPS technology and on-board diagnostics (OBD) to plot the asset’s movements on a computerized map. Telematics, also known as fleet tracking or GPS vehicle tracking, Root insurance uses this management tool for car insurance.
How telematics works
Telematics systems work by connecting a device to an asset, such as a GPS tracker or other data logging tool. The tool then collects key asset performance data.
So, what is the purpose of a telematics system in a car or truck? In the case of root auto insurance, the telematics system will store information in a database that your fleet management system can access. The database may be a remote cloud server or a server/computer on your network, depending on the telematics solution.
Root insurance is it legit?
Yes, root auto insurance is a legit auto insurance company that offers lower rates to good drivers. Drivers download the Root Insurance app and create an account, and the app monitors and scores their driving during a test drive period based on the following factors:
- Braking habits
- Turning habits
- Safe phone usage
- Driving during safe hours
If you have the Root Insurance app installed on your phone and have enabled location permissions, it will always track your driving; there is no need to log in to the app or the website for it to work. The app also knows if you’re driving, biking, or riding as a passenger in a plane, subway, or car, so Root won’t count these trips against your driving score. Users can view their scores in the Root app to see how the company evaluates their performance.
The test drive and free Root auto insurance quote take about three weeks to complete. If you decide to cancel your previous insurance policy and join Root, you can use the app to have Root notify your previous insurer on your behalf.
Root also provides a program called RootReady, which allows drivers of certain types of vehicles to use previously collected driving data instead of a test drive.
You can also use the app to add additional drivers to your Root policy. Without the test drive, Root must rely on standard demographic and location data to set rates and cannot provide discounts to other drivers for safe driving.
A step-by-step guide to obtaining root car insurance
When you install the Root app, it evaluates your driving based on the metrics listed above over the course of three weeks, which Root refers to as a “test drive.” The company will then let you know if you are eligible for coverage and, if so, will provide you with a quote.
If you fail the test drive, Root is unlikely to offer you coverage. You cannot retake the driver test if your score is not high enough to qualify for Root insurance.
Here’s how it works:
- Sign up for a Test Drive
- Allow Root to track your driving behavior to get a personalized quote
- Receive a quote, if Root decides to cover you
Sign up for a Test Drive
You can begin by visiting Root’s website or downloading the app and opting in to the quote process.
Allow Root to track your driving behavior to get a personalized quote
You must grant the app access to your phone’s GPS in order for it to measure driving behaviors such as hard braking, time of day driving, turn speed, miles driven, and driving routes.
You will Receive a quote, if Root decides to cover you
Root will either send you a quote or decline to cover you once monitoring is activated. The company is upfront about the fact that many drivers are refused a quote, claiming on its website that it only covers “good” drivers. This is good news for those who do receive a quote: by removing high-risk drivers from its customer base, Root can charge lower premiums overall.
Root Car Insurance Coverage
When you purchase a Root policy, you can expect the following coverages:
- Liability Coverage
- Collision Coverage
- Comprehensive Coverage
- Rental Reimbursement Coverage
- Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
Liability Coverage
Liability auto insurance for property damage and bodily injury pays for damage and injuries to others if you are at fault in an auto accident. Also this insurance covers judgments, court settlements, and legal fees.
The following are Root’s liability coverages:
Bodily Injury Liability: If you cause an accident that causes bodily harm or death to another person, this type of coverage can help pay for the resulting costs.
Property Damage Liability: This type of liability can help pay for the costs of property damage caused by an accident in which you were at fault.
Customers can tailor their policies by selecting bodily injury and property damage liability limits, which are the maximum amount of money the insurer will pay per accident. All states where Root currently sells policies require liability coverage.
Collision Coverage
If your car is damaged in an accident, collision coverage will help pay for repairs or replacement, regardless of who is at fault. It is frequently required for leased vehicles or vehicles purchased with a loan, but drivers who own their vehicles outright may choose to forego this type of coverage if they are confident that they can cover any repair costs out of pocket.
Comprehensive Coverage
To determine if comprehensive coverage is right for them, Root advises customers to ask themselves if they could afford to replace a stolen or totaled car out of pocket.
Rental Reimbursement Coverage
When your car is damaged in an accident and requires repairs, you will require alternate transportation. Root’s optional rental reimbursement coverage will assist you in paying for a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
This type of coverage can assist you in paying for property damage and medical expenses if you are involved in an accident caused by an uninsured or underinsured motorist.
Root insurance stock
Since its inception in 2015, Root Insurance has received more than $527 million in venture capital funding, and its IPO resulted in a valuation of $6.7 billion. This is higher than the $6.34 billion target because it sold 2 million more shares than expected at a price of $27 per share.
This root insurance stock share price also exceeded the $22 to $25 target, giving the company a total of $724.4 million in funding from the IPO.
However, the root insurance stock has dropped 82.9 percent in the last year and 69.1 percent in the last six months, and it is currently trading near its all-time low of $2.84, which it reached on December 29, 2021.
While the auto insurance company’s revenue increased faster than expected in the third quarter, its widening losses are concerning.
Root insurance customer service
You can reach root customer service team at 866-980-9431 or help@joinroot.com. If you’re not a Root customer, but you were in an accident with someone who has Root Insurance, you can file a claim with Root online here.
Root canal cost without insurance
A root canal can be very expensive if you do not have dental insurance. How much does a root canal cost without insurance? According to recent data, the average out-of-pocket cost of a root canal for a front tooth was around $1100. A root canal for a back tooth cost roughly the same, at around $9505.
The cost of a root canal without insurance will vary depending on a number of factors, including where you live and the condition of your teeth. A general dentist can usually perform a root canal, but if you need to see a specialist due to your specific situation, the cost of the root canal will typically increase.
Conclusion
Root Insurance Company is a disruptor in the auto insurance industry, aiming to provide good drivers with lower costs, greater transparency, and more value. However, because Root is a newcomer to the insurance industry, it lacks a long history of financial stability, good customer service, or customer satisfaction, so potential customers will have to rely on the company’s claims about itself rather than trusted ratings.
FAQs about Root insurance
Where is root insurance located?
ROOT is a registered servicemark of Root Insurance Company, Columbus, OH. Disclaimer for quotes: We reserve the right to refuse to quote any individual a premium rate for the insurance advertised herein.
Is root a good car insurance?
Root is a good insurance option for those looking to lower rates with better driving.
Is root a legitimate insurance company?
Yes, root auto insurance is a legit auto insurance company that offers lower rates to good drivers.
