By: Cristina | Last updated July 11, 2019 
Root Insurance Co is a car insurance company founded in 2014. It currently operates in 25 states (Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah) but promises to expand its services to the entire country by the end of this year.
Car insurances are a tricky business and you have to pay attention to a lot of factors when choosing the best car insurance policy for your needs. You have to consider the coverage of a policy, the deductible, the premium and much more. You have to pay attention to any hidden fees and you have to read the terms carefully before signing up anything, to avoid getting scammed.
Root Car Insurance - What are its features?
Root Insurance Co is a bit different than most car insurance companies because it operates in a different way than most. When you want to get car insurance, you usually have to get in touch with an agent, go to an office and sign a lot of papers. The process of getting the insurance comes with delays in some cases, until the paperwork is completed.
Root Insurance prefers to approach things differently. Instead of all the lengthy and time-consuming steps you have to take, with Root Insurance you do everything from your smartphone. Root has a very smart and complex app that tests your abilities as a driver and offers you a customized insurance rate, based on your driving skills.
How does it work?
People who are interested in getting a car insurance from Root have to download the app and create an account. The app is compatible with Android and iOS smartphones. The sign up process is straightforward and takes under a minute to complete.
The next step is to take Root Insurance’s ‘test drive’. The test drive is a period of approximately 2, 3 weeks during which your driving will be monitored and analyzed by the app’s complex algorithm. The software needs your GPS to be enabled at all times in order to work and it also uses your phone’s motion sensors. It can make the difference between the person sitting in the driver’s seat and in the passenger seat and it can know whether you are on a bus, car or bike.
What does the app monitor?
The app analyzes several factors in order to gather data about your driving skills. It looks at the way you brake and how often you do it, at your speed of turns, when are you driving the most (during what hours of the day), how many times you stop and start the car and more. All the results are noted on your ‘driver scorecard’. The scorecard is available to you anytime you want to consult it, in the app.
What happens after the test drive?
Once it gathers enough data, the app calculates your score and gives you an insurance rate, based on how good of a driver you proved to be. Root Insurance repeatedly claims on its website that it doesn’t encourage reckless driving and it doesn’t offer car insurances to them. If you are driving drunk, if you are not a smooth driver, you’ll get a higher rate or you can even be rejected.
On the other hand, if you follow the rules and drive carefully, with consideration towards those around you, you can save a lot of money with this insurance company, because you can be offered really good rates. You can save up to 52% compared to other insurance companies.
What does Root Insurance cover?
Root Insurance is very versatile when it comes to coverage and you can choose the package that best suits your needs. Here’s what can be covered by the policy: road assistance (included with every policy), property damage, bodily injury, collision, comprehensive (this type of coverage pays for damage to your vehicle caused by something else than an accident), medical payments, uninsured and underinsured motorist bodily injury, rental, personal injury protection.
