Our Take
Root is an app-based insurer offering personalized premiums based on driver behavior, through the help of a telematics test drive. Coverage is available in most states, though industry ratings are limited.
Pros:
- Safe drivers may get good rates.
- Feature-rich mobile app.
Cons:
- Not rated by AM Best or J.D. Power.
- Not available in all states.
Root car insurance review
Jerry did not give Root a star rating due to a lack of available data. Each year, Jerry revises its rating system and may rate this insurer in the future.
Founded in 2015, Root is an insurer that offers behavior-based auto insurance to drivers in 35 states. The insurer prefers safe drivers, including those with a clean record and good habits behind the wheel.
Root premiums are determined primarily by driver behavior. While potential customers can get an initial quote online, they are encouraged to take the Root app for a 30-day “test drive” before finalizing their quote for the most accurate and personalized pricing. Root drivers can purchase full coverage auto insurance as well as features like roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement.
Since Root premiums are based on calculated driver profiles, this insurer doesn’t offer many of the optional discounts commonly available through other insurance companies.
Who is Root best for?
Root’s tagline is “car insurance for good drivers,” so it stands to reason that this insurer may be a good choice for drivers with a clean driving record and good habits behind the wheel. Additionally, Root may be a good option for drivers who:
- Are willing to download a telematics app and have their driving habits tracked.
- Can afford to wait before purchasing new coverage.
- Don’t regularly drive at night.
Root says the most accurate quotes are available after a test drive period, where you’ll drive normally while the app tracks your habits. After the test drive, Root offers a personalized quote.
Because the Root app runs in the background, all of your drives will count toward your personal score — and therefore, your available discounts. If you’re a first responder, drive for a living or regularly need to be on the road late at night, Root may not be the right fit.
How much does Root car insurance cost?
The average cost for state minimum car insurance with Root is a good deal higher than the national average, according to our analysis of over 400,000 policies quoted to real Jerry customers from 24 unique insurers.
Your premium is traditionally determined by many factors, including your age, location, the type and age of vehicle you drive, your driving record, other drivers on your policy and the amount of coverage you want. Some insurers, like Root, weigh personalized driver data more heavily, basing premiums primarily on detected behavior behind the wheel and safe driving habits.
Root car insurance rates
Here’s a look at Root’s car insurance rates quoted for real Jerry customers:
|
Monthly Quote
|
Car Make Model Trim
|
Has Full Coverage
|
Date of Policy
|
|---|---|---|---|
| $230 | KIA Soul LX | Yes | June 26, 2025 |
| $636 | Ford Fusion S Hybrid | Yes | June 26, 2025 |
| $224 | HYUNDAI ACCENT SE | Yes | June 26, 2025 |
| $357 | Jeep Patriot Sport | Yes | June 26, 2025 |
| $153 | Toyota 4runner Limited | Yes | June 26, 2025 |
| $669 | Yes | June 26, 2025 | |
| $147 | HYUNDAI TUCSON LIMITED | Yes | June 26, 2025 |
| $60 | Honda Cr-z EX | No | June 26, 2025 |
| $345 | Jeep Patriot Latitude | Yes | June 26, 2025 |
| $323 | Nissan Sentra SV | Yes | June 26, 2025 |
Root car insurance discounts
Root doesn’t offer traditional auto insurance discounts. Instead, the insurer says that savings for safe driving and a clean history are built into policies.
Many insurers offer ample discount opportunities, though. Some provide discounts to drivers who are homeowners, insure multiple vehicles, insure a good student or have a military or other type of affiliation.
If you rate shop with Root, be sure to compare quotes from other insurers with all eligible discounts included to find the best price.
Does Root offer insurance based on driving behavior?
Unlike most other insurers, Root exclusively offers insurance based on driving behavior, which is tracked and analyzed through the Root mobile app. This telematics app tracks things like driver speed, quick acceleration, hard braking, nighttime driving, phone use while driving and the routes taken.
Root car insurance coverage options
Root offers standard coverage types including collision, comprehensive, bodily injury liability, property damage liability, medical payments, personal injury protection and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
| Coverage | Definition |
|---|---|
| Collision insurance | An optional coverage type that pays to repair or replace your car if it’s damaged in a collision with another vehicle. You can only file an accident-related claim for your vehicle’s repairs if your policy has collision coverage. |
| Comprehensive insurance | An optional coverage type that covers damage to your vehicle caused by non-collision hazards, such as car theft, falling tree branches, hail and other unexpected events. |
| Bodily injury liability (BI) | Pays others’ medical costs in an accident you cause, up to your policy limits. It’s mandatory in most states. |
| Property damage liability (PD) | Pays for repairs or replacements of any vehicles or objects you damage in a crash, up to your policy limits. It’s mandatory in most states. |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | Helps cover medical expenses for you and your passengers after a car accident, regardless of who caused it. This is required in some states. |
| Medical payments | Additional coverage outside of PIP that pays for medical care for you and your passengers after an accident, regardless of who caused it. This is optional in most states. |
| Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) | Covers you, your passengers and any property damage in a case where the other driver is at fault but doesn’t have insurance, or carries insufficient coverage to pay for your costs. This is required in some states. |
- Emergency roadside assistance can help cover the cost of tows, jump starts, tire changes and fuel delivery if you are stranded with your vehicle. Root roadside coverage can be used up to three times per six-month policy period.
- Rental car reimbursement pays for a rental vehicle while yours is in the shop for covered repairs, up to your chosen daily limit.
Industry ratings of Root car insurance
Root isn’t yet recognized by some industry rating agencies, like AM Best or J.D. Power. Among those this insurer has received, Root’s NAIC complaint index is higher than expected and its CRASH Network score is average.
| Rating | Root’s score |
| NAIC consumer complaint index | High. |
| CRASH Network report card | C. |
-
NAIC
-
CRASH Network
Root auto insurance customer reviews
Hundreds of Jerry customers who have used and reviewed Root’s auto insurance have rated the company well.
How to contact Root
Drivers can contact Root by phone or app to request a quote, file a claim or get roadside assistance reimbursement. Drivers who don’t need immediate assistance can contact Root via email.
Contact by email: Customers can email help@joinroot.com. Root says it aims to respond to all customer emails within 48 hours.
Contact by phone: Customers can reach Root by phone to ask questions, file a claim or get a quote at 866-980-9431, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m ET. Claims department hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Contact through the app: You can start a quote, request customer assistance or file claims through the Root mobile app at any time.
Drivers can also initiate an insurance quote online through the Root website.
Methodology
We looked at over 400,000 actual policies quotes from real Jerry customers during 2024 across 24 different insurance companies. The pricing data included both those with clean driving records as well as those with a violation.
How we rate car insurance companies
Jerry’s team of car insurance expert writers and editors analyze real customer ratings and industry reports to get a holistic view of an insurer’s performance. Our rubric emphasizes the shopping and claims experiences, customer complaints and reviews, repair shops’ evaluations of insurers, policy and quote pricing, and state availability.
We regularly reassess insurers’ star ratings and fact-check these reviews to ensure they’re accurate and up-to-date.
These individual factors roll up into one weighting system as follows:
20% Financial strength.
20% Complaints.
20% Industry ratings.
20% Customer ratings.
20% Cost and discounts.
Stephanie Colestock is a seasoned writer specializing in personal finance. With over 14 years of experience, she crafts insightful and accessible content on a wide range of financial topics, including insurance, credit and debt management, banking, investing, retirement planning, and household finances.
Her bylines appear in top-tier publications such as TIME, Fortune, MSN, Forbes, USA Today, Money, Fox Business, and CBS. Stephanie’s deep understanding of complex financial concepts and her ability to communicate them clearly have made her a trusted voice in the industry.
When she’s not writing, Stephanie enjoys helping individuals make smarter financial decisions through her engaging and well-researched articles.
Annie is a writer and editor at Jerry with more than a decade of experience writing and editing digital content. Before joining Jerry, she was an assistant assigning editor at NerdWallet. Her past work has appeared in the Associated Press, USA Today and The Washington Post. Her work has been cited by NorthWestern University and Harvard Kennedy School. Annie served as a spokesperson for NerdWallet during her time at NerdWallet and has been featured in New York Magazine, MarketWatch and on local television and radio stations.
Previously, she worked at USAA and newspapers in Minnesota, North Dakota, California and Texas. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota.
