Does Root track me 24/7 and drain my battery?

Does the Root app drain your battery and follow you everywhere? I’ve heard it tracks your location all the time. Is that true? I had a State Farm app for a while and it was so annoying asking to turn on my location constantly.

Root does use your phone’s GPS and motion sensors, but it isn’t tracking you 24/7 the way people think. The app only records driving data when it detects a trip. If you’re walking your dog or riding a bus, it shouldn’t count that as driving (though it occasionally mislabels trips, which you can correct in the app).

As for battery life, most drivers say the app uses a little extra power but not enough to kill your phone. It helps if you:

1. Keep location access set to “Allow only while using the app”
2. Close unused apps while driving
3. Plug in when you’re using navigation

Root does collect trip data like speed, braking, acceleration, and location during each drive, which they say is used only for rating and claims investigation (This is the case with telematics programs across the board, too). Still, if you’re privacy-conscious, it’s fair to know Root collects more driving data than traditional insurance companies.

If you like the idea of usage-based pricing but want less tracking, you could look at:

• Nationwide SmartMiles (tracks mileage only)
• Allstate Milewise (good for low-mileage drivers)
• Progressive Snapshot (behavior tracking but less location detail)

If you’re unsure what fits you best, The Zebra has agents who can compare pay-per-mile and telematics options without pushing one company on you.