Root vs Progressive: Which is Better for You?
- The Zebra's pick: Progressive
- Progressive is more expensive but has significantly better ratings than Root.
- Your experience with Progressive and Root will vary based on individual rating factors.
Why you can trust The Zebra
Kristine joined The Zebra in 2019 as an in-house content researcher and writer, with a property and casualty insurance license. Before joining The Ze…
Credentials
- Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
- 6+ years of Experience in the Insurance Industry
Beth joined The Zebra in 2022 as an Associate Content Strategist. A licensed insurance agent, she specializes in creating clear, accessible content t…
Credentials
- Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
- Associate in Insurance (AINS)
- Professional Risk Consultant (PRC)
- Associate in Insurance Services (AIS)
Ross joined The Zebra as a writer and researcher in 2019. He specialized in writing insurance content to help shoppers make informed decisions.
Ross h…
Credentials
- 5+ years in the Insurance Industry
Root vs. Progressive: What's the difference?
The Zebra's choice: Progressive
Progressive is more expensive but received better ratings than Root.
Root:
- Cost: $47/month for full coverage
- Customer service: 3.5
- Claims handling: 2.5
- Digital experience: 4
- Trust: 2
- Overall rating: 2.9
Root comes out on top when it comes to cheaper rates
Progressive:
- Cost: $90/month for full coverage
- Customer service: 4
- Claims handling: 2.8
- Digital experience: 4.8
- Trust: 4.8
- Overall rating: 4
Progressive takes the win for customer service, claims handling, digital experience and trust scores
Root vs. Progressive: discount comparison
See below for a comparison of the companies' discount options for car insurance.
| Discount comparison | Root | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Good student | ✓ | |
| Multiple policies | ✓ | ✓ |
| Anti-theft device(s) | ✓ | |
| Good driver | ✓ | |
| Defensive driver | ||
| Affinity membership alum | ||
| eSign or ePay | ||
| Telematics | ✓ | ✓ |
| Annual Mileage | ✓ |
Telematics options: Root vs. Progressive
Each of these companies stands as a solid option for drivers interested in usage-based insurance. Telematics sits at the heart of Root's product, powering its entire pricing strategy. Progressive's Snapshot, like Root, prices premiums based on an app that evaluates how you drive.
Learn more in our comparison of Root car insurance vs Progressive Snapshot.
Root is one of the most prominent telematics-first insurance companies. Root uses its telematics app to gather information and calculate premiums for its customers. Rates are then set based on the insured's driving habits and frequency, rather than solely on demographic and historical information like past driving record or credit history.
Snapshot is Progressive's telematics option. The app tracks drivers' behavior while behind the wheel (including hard braking, speeding and more) to give a more accurate level of risk. Good drivers stand to save an average of $145 on their premium according to the company.
Zebra Tip: Turn to Root for telematics
Root's intuitive app and usage-based pricing model places it at the forefront of insurance technology.
Roadside assistance: Root vs. Progressive
Find below summaries of the roadside assistance offerings available from Root and Progressive.
Root
Every Root policy includes roadside assistance, helping drivers in the event of car trouble. One of the few extra coverages available from Root is rental car coverage. If you purchase this coverage, Root will reimburse costs up to a specific amount for a rental car until your vehicle is fixed or replaced after a collision. Root also reimburses its customers for rides through Lyft.
Progressive
Progressive partners with a company called Agero to provide roadside assistance. These services can be used for more than just your car — it also applies for boats, motorcycles or RVs. When added to your policy, Progressive's roadside assistance program offers:
- Fuel delivery
- Flat-tire changes
- Battery jump-start
- Battery recharge for EVs
- Lock-out services
- On-scene labor
- Winching services
Root vs. Progressive: home insurance
Root and Progressive both offer homeowners insurance that can be bundled with car insurance. Consult our comparison below to find out which company might be the best fit for you and your home.
Root homeowners insurance review
Root partners with Homesite to allow existing auto insurance customers to bundle homeowners insurance. Root home insurance is not available as a standalone insurance policy — a customer must be enrolled in Root's car insurance program to be eligible and could receive a 10% discount by bundling.
Though the company is seen as financially stable, it receives more customer complaints than average. Customers looking for top-notch customer satisfaction may do well to look into a policy with a more established insurance provider. In addition, Root homeowners insurance quotes can only be found via the company's mobile app, not its website.
- Customer satisfaction (J.D. Power) — Not rated: Root’s home insurance partner, Homesite, is currently unrated by J.D. Power.
- Claims satisfaction (J.D. Power) — Not rated
- Financial strength — Excellent: Homesite’s financial outlook is considered stable by AM Best.
- NAIC Rating — Above average: Homesite received more customer complaints than average, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Progressive homeowners review
Progressive offers homeowners insurance in all 50 states plus Washington D.C. While the company provides basic coverage options, homeowners looking for more robust policies might find Progressive's options lacking.
- The Zebra Customer Satisfaction Survey – 4.1/5: While a rating above 4 stars is sufficient, Progressive home ranked last overall among the 15 carriers surveyed.
- J.D. Power Rating – Below average: J.D. Power rates Progressive auto insurance as below-average in overall customer satisfaction.
- Financial Strength – Superior: A "Superior" financial strength rating from AM Best shows Progressive has a solid ability to pay out claims.
- NAIC Rating– Poor: The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) received significantly more customer complaints than average regarding Progressive homeowners insurance in 2020.
Which company comes out on top?
Progressive
Progressive is much more established compared to Root, although it has middling ratings and reviews for homeowners insurance. However, if you're already a Root car insurance customer, Root home insurance may be a good option, especially with the 10% bundling discount.
Root vs. Progressive: homeowners discount comparison
Progressive and Root both offer home insurance discounts for customers. Compare these discounts head-to-head below.
| Discount comparison | Root | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Claims free | ||
| Recent home buyer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-policy | ✓ | ✓ |
| Early signing | ✓ | |
| Newer/more durable roof | ✓ | ✓ |
| Protective devices (smoke/burglar alarms, etc.) | ✓ | ✓ |
| New home construction | ✓ | ✓ |
Zebra tip: Research potential discounts when choosing an insurance company
Both Progressive and Root offer a competitive selection of home insurance discounts. Be sure to do your due diligence to ensure you qualify for as many of these discount opportunities as possible when signing your contract.
Other insurance products and bundling options
Root and Progressive offer a variety of insurance products, along with the option to bundle policies for extra savings. Compare product offerings from the two carriers below.
| Other products | Root | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Boat insurance | ✓ | |
| Condo insurance | ✓ | ✓ |
| Life insurance | ✓ | |
| Homeowners insurance | ✓ | ✓ |
| Travel trailer insurance | ✓ | |
| Renters insurance | ✓ | ✓ |
| RV insurance | ✓ | |
| Motorcycle insurance | ✓ | |
| Mobile home insurance | ✓ | |
| Umbrella | ✓ | |
| ATV insurance | ✓ | |
| Pet insurance | ✓ | |
| Commercial insurance | ✓ |
Find the best insurance policy for your needs.
Related Questions
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About The Zebra
The Zebra is not an insurance company. We publish data-backed, expert-reviewed resources to help consumers make more informed insurance decisions.
- The Zebra’s insurance content is written and reviewed for accuracy by licensed insurance agents.
- The Zebra’s insurance editorial content is not subject to review or alteration by insurance companies or partners.
- The Zebra’s editorial team operates independently of the company’s partnerships and commercialization interests, publishing unbiased information for consumer benefit.
- The auto insurance rates published on The Zebra’s pages are based on a comprehensive analysis of car insurance pricing data, evaluating more than 83 million insurance rates from across the United States.
