October 24, 2018

What’s the Root test drive—and how can it help good drivers save more?

At Root, your car insurance rate is based primarily on how well you drive. 

The better you drive, the more you could save. 

The technology powering our test drive tells us how your driving is doing. We measure your behaviors behind the wheel through the Root app on your smartphone. 

It’s easy. You drive your car like you always do. While you’re driving, our app measures things like braking, turning, and the time of day you’re behind the wheel. It usually takes a few weeks to receive your final score. And with Root, drivers with high scores don’t pay for the underachievers. In fact, we only insure good drivers, which helps us keep their rates low.

Most traditional car insurance companies only base their rates on demographics like age, credit score, and ZIP code, but at Root, your driving score is the No. 1 factor that goes into your rate.

Get rolling on your test drive 

1. Scan your license in the Root app. We’ll walk you through everything. 

2. Once your test drive starts, keep an eye on your driving score during the first week. The average Root test driver checks their score twice a day.

3. See what areas you’re scoring well on and what areas need work. We’ve found that doing this makes you an even safer driver and can lead to a better rate.

4. Share your scorecard with friends, and invite them to the test drive, too. Earn achievements, and share them.

5. If you’re offered a final quote when your test drive finishes, you could save hundreds annually with Root. You can customize your policy through the app, and we can even help you cancel your previous policy.

Keep in mind that the Root experience differs from state to state, and we're always iterating to make our features—and your experience—better. So, your test drive could be slightly different than what we've described above. But you’re sure to get helpful feedback on your driving, either way.

Root really is car insurance all in an app. And we’re always adding features—referrals, achievements, ways to share—to make the app even better. The more you explore, the more achievements you earn. 

If you still have questions about how the test drive works, you can learn more here about all the data points we look at while you’re behind the wheel. And don’t worry—the motion of your phone is actually different when you’re the driver versus the passenger.

Ready to start your test drive?