GEICO vs. Root: Which Company is the Best Fit for You?

Quick Facts

• Looking at the national averages for auto insurance, Root offers significantly less expensive premiums than GEICO
• GEICO may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Root Insurance
• Root tends to be a much more affordable option for policyholders who live in urban areas

GEICO or Root: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

Are you considering a new insurance policy? You've probably seen commercials and billboards from companies offering hefty savings, but exactly how much money can you save by switching?

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to GEICO or Root as potential options, but which carrier will save you the most?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, GEICO is quite a bit more expensive than Root, with prices averaging $185 a month compared to just $65 with Root.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean Root will be the cheaper option for every driver. Insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how clean your driving record is, where you live, how old you are, how good your credit score is, and a ton of other factors. So, at the end of the day, rates from every company will differ quite a bit from person to person.

So, if you want to find out which of GEICO or Root is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each carrier broken down by lots of different rate factors.

GEICO vs. Root: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

GEICO and Root only compete against each other in Arizona, where Root offers the cheaper average prices. Root drivers tend to pay about $66 per month less on average compared to drivers who use GEICO for their auto insurance.

There's a lot more that goes into your car insurance cost than just where you live. Continue reading to learn more about how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

Young drivers -- especially teens -- normally pay a lot for auto insurance compared to older drivers. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

Even so, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their insurance. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 65% less a month by choosing Root over GEICO. It's worth noting that GEICO offers car insurance in 50 different states compared to Root's one, which can skew the average rates a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

But both carriers will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for GEICO policyholders lower over 55% and Root's prices reduce more than 60% over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Once you approach retirement age, you'll typically enjoy the most affordable auto insurance rates you'll ever find. You've been on the road for years, and all that experience pays off when it comes to your monthly premiums for car insurance.

But who has the best prices for retired drivers between GEICO and Root? Root gets the edge, with premiums for drivers 65 and older $91 more affordable than the national average for GEICO.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Married drivers tend to get slightly cheaper insurance rates than those who are single. This usually boils down to married policyholders having more than one vehicle on their policy -- something quite a few car insurance companies will reward with discounts.

For single policyholders, the difference in average prices between these two carriers is significant, with Root rates coming in at around a third of GEICO's. The advantage for married couples with Root is also obvious, where drivers save about $100 per month.

GEICO or Root: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into accidents and get speeding tickets, they run a lower risk of filing a claim with insurance. So, insurance companies will tend to offer women more affordable prices.

Men usually pay around 4% more a month than women with GEICO, and about 3% with Root.

When it comes to the cheapest premiums for each gender, Root comes out as the lowest option for both genders, with average prices $123 less for men and $117 cheaper for women.

GEICO vs. Root: Compare State Minimum vs. Full Coverage Rates

*State minimum value indicates liability-only policies at each state's minimum bodily injury and property damage (BI/PD) limits

**Full coverage indicates state minimum BI/PD limits with collision and comprehensive coverages added to policy.

Auto insurance can be a complicated subject for most people. There are a variety of different coverages that account for many different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause a collision.

That being said, the most common policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's property damage and injuries if you cause an accident) and full coverage (which includes collision and comprehensive coverages that protect your own car, in addition to what you get with a liability policy).

Looking specifically at state minimum limits for liability insurance, Root has the significant edge, with average monthly rates coming in at $46. If you want a full coverage policy with the same state minimum limits, Root again has the edge, with policies averaging around $84 per month to GEICO's $269.

Is GEICO or Root Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

It's no secret -- drivers with good records end up getting the best deals on their insurance. But that's not to say you can't save money if you don't have the best driving record, either.

Speeding tickets and collisions will most likely raise your premiums, but is GEICO or Root less expensive for drivers with less-than-perfect records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use GEICO for their auto insurance can generally expect their monthly bill to go up about 23% after getting a speeding ticket. Root policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 15%.

But Root has cheaper rates for drivers in both categories, offering prices that are 50% and 55% less expensive, respectively, compared to GEICO.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Both carriers will raise premiums pretty significantly if you get into an at-fault collision with GEICO raising by about 43%. Root has a less extreme increase, but you can still expect to pay nearly 30% more than you were prior to your first accident.

At the end of the day, the more affordable prices come from Root, with average rates coming in at $79 compared to GEICO's $200.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

If you get a DUI charge on your record, it's probably going to cost you more than a simple ticket or even a collision. GEICO drivers usually see a 58% raise in their car insurance premiums after a DUI charge, while Root will normally climb prices by around 0%.

Root has the overall cheapest premiums for drivers with a DUI on their records at $57 a month, but it's worth noting that GEICO's average rates come from 50 states compared to just one for Root, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact GEICO and Root Rates?

Did you know many insurance companies take your credit score into account when determining rates? This isn't true for everyone (California, for example, has banned the use of credit score as a car insurance factor) but it will come into play for lots of drivers.

Car insurance carriers argue that someone with good credit is more likely to pay their bills on time, which makes them less risky to insure. Because of that, policyholders with good credit will often be rewarded with less expensive premiums.

Looking specifically at Root and GEICO, which company has the best rates for drivers at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have solid credit, Root will usually reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Root comes in just under 58.78 more affordable. Drivers with "good" credit scores generally save about 63% with Root compared to average prices from GEICO.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Root typically offers lower rates than GEICO when it comes to drivers with bad credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay around 66% a month less with Root compared to GEICO, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of about 69% per month.

Is GEICO or Root Better for Drivers who Work from Home or Have Short Commutes?

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on how much insurance companies will charge for coverage. Usually, those who drive fewer miles will end up with cheaper prices since there's less of a chance of causing an accident and filing an insurance claim.

As you can see in the table above, annual mileage doesn't have much of an impact on how much Root charges. However, there's a small difference in monthly premiums for GEICO, with policyholders who drive the least paying around $8 less each month compared to those who drive 12,000 miles yearly. Still, for drivers in both categories, Root is the more affordable company.

GEICO or Root: Compare Rates for Urban, Suburban, and Rural Drivers

We've already mentioned how your home state can play a role in how much you pay for auto insurance, but the type of area you live in can have a substantial impact as well. Normally, those who live in urban areas will pay more than drivers in rural areas because of the number of vehicles that are on the roads where they live.

When comparing these two carriers side-by-side, Root generally comes out as the lowest option for drivers in all areas, regardless of if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about 64% with Root compared to GEICO. People who live in suburban areas pay around 68% less with Root compared to GEICO. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Root Insurance's average premiums are about 64% less than GEICO.

GEICO vs. Root Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can, and the best way to do that is by taking advantage of as many car insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be challenging to find all the ones you qualify for or to nail down the company that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both GEICO and Root so that you can see which one offers the most discounts and see which ones you might be able to take advantage of.

GEICO knocks Root out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering 23 more discounts than Root.

Both companies offer several of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a good driver, paid in full discounts, and paperless discounts -- but GEICO also offers discounts for ABS, anti-theft, commercial drivers license, and more.

On the other hand, Root has a few proprietary discounts of their own like auto-steer discounts and homeowner discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is GEICO or Root Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts carriers offer. That's all well and good, but at the end of the day, which carrier is the right company for you and your specific profile and needs?

Root might be best for you if....

• You've received a ticket for speeding recently and don't want to see your rates increase.
• Your credit is less-than-stellar.
• You want to save money while purchasing car insurance for a teenager.

GEICO might be best for you if...

• You value the experience that comes with a large national insurance company.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a better idea of the difference between GEICO and Root and that you can now make a more informed decision when it comes to your auto insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several companies, not just GEICO and Root. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code below and get free quotes from dozens of top car insurance carriers in your area, all in just a few minutes.

GEICO vs. Root FAQs

Is GEICO or Root cheaper?

Root is the less expensive of the two companies when looking at national average premiums, with policies averaging $65 per month with Root and $185 for GEICO. Even so, that doesn't mean Root will be the most affordable company for everyone, since there are multiple different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, GEICO or Root?

Sadly, the real answer is "it depends.". No single carrier is "better" for every policyholder -- it all comes down to what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do GEICO and Root offer me different rates?

Insurance carriers use many different factors when calculating the prices they charge. Variables such as gender, your driving record, where you park your car, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all be taken into consideration. Both GEICO and Root use different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different rates. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a range of different companies.

How do I know if GEICO or Root is right for me?

The only way to find the auto insurance carrier that's right for you is by getting quotes from multiple carriers and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, sites like Compare.com make it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your information once and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance companies for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the best premium. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't GEICO or Root at all, but another you hadn't even thought of!

Methodology

All of the data referenced in this article has been gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. We analyzed more than 2.5 million rows of carrier-reported data to calculate the average rates referenced above. All rates are based on an insurance profile of a single-vehicle policy for a driver that owns a 2016 Honda Accord. For more information on how we calculate rates, please reference our data methodology.