Company Description
Root, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROOT) operates in the finance and insurance sector as the parent company of Root Insurance Company. According to company disclosures, Root is a technology-driven personal car insurance carrier focused on direct property and casualty insurance. The business centers on personal automobile insurance in the United States, using data science and mobile technology to shape how policies are priced and managed.
Founded in 2015 and based in Columbus, Ohio, Root, Inc. positions Root Insurance as a personal car insurance carrier that emphasizes a mobile-first experience. The company describes its approach as using advanced mobile technology and data science to measure real driving behaviors and determine rates. This focus on driving performance and safe driving habits is presented as central to its pricing models and to providing a personalized, easy, and fair insurance experience for drivers.
Business model and technology focus
Root, Inc. identifies itself as a technology company powering insurance solutions. Through Root Insurance, it offers direct-to-consumer personal automobile insurance, generating revenue from the sale of auto insurance policies in the U.S. The company highlights its use of smartphone-based measurements and large-scale driving data to inform underwriting and pricing. Root reports that the Root app has reached tens of millions of downloads and has collected tens of billions of miles of driving data, which it uses to refine its insurance offerings.
The company’s model places the mobile app at the center of the customer journey. Drivers interact with Root primarily through the app, from obtaining quotes to managing policies and handling claims. Root describes this as a fully digital customer experience, where policy changes, quotes, and claims management can be handled directly from a phone.
Products and geographic reach
Root Insurance focuses on personal auto insurance and, in certain states, renters insurance. The company states that it offers auto insurance to drivers in a broad list of U.S. states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Root Insurance also notes that it offers renters insurance in Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Tennessee, and Utah.
The company has highlighted its expansion activities, such as Root Insurance becoming available in Washington state, which completed its West Coast footprint by serving drivers in Washington, Oregon, and California. Root states that, through its presence across many states, it reaches a substantial portion of the U.S. population for its auto insurance offerings.
Use of data and pricing approach
Root emphasizes that its car insurance philosophy is based on how people drive rather than who they are. It reports that it leverages advanced mobile technology and data science to measure real driving behaviors, such as focused driving, smooth braking, and gentle turning, during a test drive period in the app. These measurements are used to determine rates, with safe driving habits placed at the forefront of its pricing models. The company presents this as a way to deliver personalized pricing and help safe drivers realize meaningful savings on their car insurance.
Root also notes that its pricing model is dynamic and data-driven, aiming to provide competitive, personalized quotes. In partnerships, such as its integration with the Kikoff personal finance platform, Root’s technology is used to generate instant, personalized car insurance quotes within partner environments, extending its mobile-first and data-centric approach beyond its own app.
Distribution and partnerships
Root, Inc. distributes its insurance offerings primarily through digital channels. The Root mobile app is central to onboarding and policy management, and the company also references access via its online presence. In addition, Root reports that it partners with tech-forward companies and independent insurance agents to provide multiple ways for customers to access its services. An example is the partnership with Kikoff, where Root’s quoting and purchase experience is embedded directly into the Kikoff app, allowing Kikoff users to obtain Root car insurance quotes and purchase coverage through an integrated experience.
Through such partnerships, Root aims to reach financially engaged customers and provide what it describes as transparent, personalized pricing and an integrated quote-to-purchase flow. The company portrays these collaborations as aligned with its focus on using technology and data to make car insurance more accessible and affordable for safe drivers.
Capital markets and investor communications
Root, Inc. is listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol ROOT. The company participates in investor conferences and maintains a regular schedule of earnings communications. It has filed Form 8-K reports describing the release of quarterly financial results via shareholder letters and investor presentations. These filings indicate that Root uses shareholder letters and updated investor presentations to provide financial highlights and discuss its industry context, with access typically made available through its investor relations channels.
The company’s Form 8-K filings also note that Root periodically prepares updated investor presentations containing information and financial highlights about the company and its industry. These materials are referenced as being made available through its investor relations website, and the filings clarify how such information is treated under securities law.
Industry classification and focus
Root, Inc. operates within the direct property and casualty insurance carriers industry in the broader finance and insurance sector. Its primary operational focus is on personal automobile insurance, with renters insurance offered in selected states. The company’s narrative emphasizes the combination of insurance expertise with data science and mobile technology to reshape how personal auto insurance is priced and delivered.
By centering its offering on smartphone-based driving data and a digital customer experience, Root positions itself within the subset of insurance carriers that rely heavily on technology and behavioral data. Its communications highlight the use of large-scale driving datasets and mobile engagement to support underwriting, pricing, and customer interactions.
Company positioning and strategy signals
In public statements, Root, Inc. describes itself as a technology company powering insurance solutions and as the parent company of Root Insurance, a technology-driven personal car insurance carrier. The company’s messaging focuses on personalization, fairness in pricing based on driving behavior, and a mobile-first experience. It also underscores its efforts to expand availability across U.S. states and to collaborate with partners whose users are focused on financial wellness and technology-enabled services.
Root’s participation in insurance and financial services conferences, as disclosed in its news releases, indicates ongoing engagement with institutional investors and the broader financial community. These events are used for one-on-one and group meetings with investors, supported by investor materials referenced in its communications.
FAQs about Root, Inc. (ROOT)
- What does Root, Inc. do?
Root, Inc. is the parent company of Root Insurance Company, a technology-driven personal car insurance carrier. It focuses on direct property and casualty insurance, primarily personal automobile insurance in the United States, using data science and mobile technology in its operations. - How does Root Insurance determine car insurance rates?
According to the company, Root uses advanced mobile technology and data science to measure real driving behaviors during a test drive period in its app. Factors such as focused driving, smooth braking, and gentle turning are used to determine rates, placing safe driving habits at the center of its pricing models. - Where is Root, Inc. headquartered?
Root, Inc. states that it is founded in 2015 and based in Columbus, Ohio. Root Insurance is also described as being headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. - In which markets does Root offer auto insurance?
Root reports that it offers auto insurance to drivers in numerous U.S. states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. - Does Root offer any products besides auto insurance?
Yes. Root states that it also offers renters insurance in selected states, specifically Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Tennessee, and Utah, alongside its core personal auto insurance offerings. - How do customers interact with Root Insurance?
The company explains that customers primarily use the Root mobile app to get quotes, complete a test drive, and manage their insurance. Through the app, drivers can handle quotes, policy changes, and claims management, creating a fully digital customer experience. - What role do partnerships play in Root’s distribution?
Root reports that it partners with tech-forward companies and independent insurance agents to broaden access to its services. For example, its partnership with Kikoff integrates Root’s insurance quoting and purchase experience directly into the Kikoff app, allowing Kikoff users to receive instant, personalized car insurance quotes and purchase coverage within that platform. - How does Root, Inc. communicate with investors?
Root, Inc. files Form 8-K reports indicating that it releases quarterly financial results through shareholder letters and hosts conference calls and webcasts. It also prepares updated investor presentations with information and financial highlights, which are referenced as being available through its investor relations channels. - What industry does Root, Inc. belong to?
Root, Inc. operates in the finance and insurance sector and is classified within the direct property and casualty insurance carriers industry, with a primary focus on personal automobile insurance. - Is Root, Inc. publicly traded?
Yes. Root, Inc. is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol ROOT. Company news releases and SEC filings reference this listing when describing the company.