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Root home insurance review October 2020
Last updated:
Put down roots with wide coverage in 12 states, as long as you bundle car insurance too.
- Get a quote if you use Root’s car insurance.
- Pick something else if you need top-rated customer service.
AZ, CO, CT, IL, IA, MO, NE, NV, OH, OK, OR, UT
Available states
Online quotes
Details
Pros
- 16 coverage options, including some not offered everywhere
- Convenient, app-based policy management
- Bundling opportunity for Root car insurance customers
Cons
- Only available in 12 states
- You’re required to buy its car insurance first
- A high number of customer complaints
| New home discount discount | No |
|---|---|
| New homeowner discount | No |
| Home safety features discount | No |
| New policy discount | No |
| Bundling discount | Yes |
| No claims discount | No |
| Other discounts | No |
| Personal property coverage | Yes |
|---|---|
| Valuable personal property | No |
| Theft coverage | Yes |
| Fire coverage | Yes |
| Flood coverage | No |
| Identity theft coverage | Yes |
| Homesharing | No |
| Dwelling coverage | Yes |
Expert review
Review by
Sarah George
sarah.george@finder.comSarah George is a writer at Finder who unravels complicated topics about insurance, business and finance. She's been wordsmithing for nearly five years, after earning an English education degree. Her insurance know-how has been featured on CarInsurance.com. You can usually find Sarah sipping hot tea and talking through movie plots in her downtime.
Expert review
Root’s home insurance provides an ample list of coverage that should work for most homeowners. The main benefit of choosing this insurer is a discount for bundling your car and home policies — a plus if you already use Root car insurance. Plus, you’ll be able to manage both policies in the same place.
The main downside to Root is its steep number of complaints, which could be concerning to homeowners who value the best customer service experience. Whatever your situation, weigh your home insurance options against Root’s quote to make sure you’re choosing the best option for you.
What home insurance coverage does Root offer?
You can take care of essential home insurance needs using this coverage:
- Dwelling. Root shoulders the responsibility for repairing or replacing your home due to damage from a fire, storm or any other covered reason.
- Personal liability. This coverage pays for your legal fees and any court settlements if someone sues you for injury or damage.
- Medical payments. This coverage takes care of medical bills if someone is injured on your property — without getting lawyers involved.
- Personal property. Replace your personal belongings like jewelry, electronics and furniture if it gets damaged for a covered reason.
- Additional living expenses. Root will pay your living expenses for up to 12 months if your home gets damaged beyond livable conditions.
- Roof. Repair or replace your roof if harsh weather leads to damage.
What additional options does Root offer?
Root provides a suite of options to bolster your home’s protection:
- Defamation liability. You’re protected if someone sues you for statements that may have harmed their reputation.
- Mold liability. Cover all your bases with court cases, including if someone claims you were responsible for medical problems or property damage from mold.
- Extended dwelling. Add 25% to 50% more dwelling coverage in case repair costs exhaust your standard dwelling limit.
- Water backups. Protection for your floors or belongings if they’re damaged by plumbing or sump pump overflows.
- Service lines. Repair pipes or wires going to your home if they’re damaged by storms, water or another covered reason.
- Mine subsidence. If you live near a mine and the mining work damages your home, this protects you from making major home repairs on your own.
- Earthquake. Get assistance with stabilizing your home or making repairs after an earthquake.
- Roof wind or hail. Keep your roof strong and sturdy after stormy winds or hail with this coverage.
- Identity theft. Resolve problems and pay for expenses caused by a stolen identity, like lost money or legal costs.
- Equipment breakdown. This rare offering helps you repair damage to your appliances caused by mechanical or electrical problems.
What home insurance discounts can I get with Root?
With Root, you can discount your premiums by 10% for buying your car and home insurance together.
Pros and cons of Root home insurance
Pros
- Solid coverage options. Your home stays well protected with Root’s 16 coverage offerings, including extra liability and appliance coverage. Other companies like State Farm or Farmers may offer eight to 10 options.
- In-app policy management. You can manage your home and car policy’s details through its app, managing your account in one convenient place.
- A chance for Root policy bundling. Current Root drivers have a discount opportunity in eligible states for buying their home and auto together.
Cons
- Available in 12 states. You can only buy Root home insurance in a few states. Those include Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah.
- You have to buy Root car insurance first. Root requires you to use its car insurance before you can apply for home insurance.
- Poor customer service. Root receives a much higher number of complaints than other businesses for its size, a possible sticking point for many potential customers.
- Only one discount available. Root only offers a discount for buying your car and home insurance together, which is required to get home insurance. Most home insurers offer a variety of discounts.
Root home insurance reviews and complaints
Root holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), as of August 6, 2020. However, the BBB published around 220 customer complaints about Root’s service. Many complaints involve customers wanting to cancel their policies because of premium hikes or poor communication. Some customers complain about unexpected charges or premium charges that are higher than agreed upon.
Root has also received a 5.36 rating on the 2019 National Association of Insurance Commissioners complaint index. The index assigns companies a rating based on the number of customer complaints compared to business size. Since the national standard score is 1.00, anything above 1.00 shows too many complaints.
Alternatives to Root
How to apply for Root home insurance
Root keeps its home insurance application an exclusive process for its car insurance customers. You can start the process using these methods:
- App. If you’re a first-time customer, you’ll need to qualify for Root’s car insurance policy. Then, you can get a quote for its home insurance through the app.
- Phone. Call for a home insurance quote at 844-208-0665 if you’re already a Root car policyholder.
- Email. For online questions, email help@joinroot.com.
What info do I need to apply?
You’ll typically need this information when applying for home insurance:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Home address
- Estimated home value
- Value of personal items you own
- Safety features
- Policy start date
- Chosen coverage and limits
- Payment details