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

Quick Facts

• Based on national averages for insurance, Root offers significantly cheaper rates than General Casualty
• General Casualty 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 rural neighborhoods

General Casualty or Root: Which Company has the Cheapest Car Insurance?

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. With so many ads from all sorts of companies offering big savings, you're probably wondering exactly how much you might be able to save.

You've maybe even narrowed your search down to General Casualty or Root as potential options, but between the two, which company will save you the most?

Looking at nationwide averages, Root has average rates that are around 55% a month less expensive than those from General Casualty.

However, Root may not be the lowest or best option for every driver out there. After all, car insurance carriers can offer drastically different rates to every driver depending on rating factors like your driving record, your age, where you call home, or even your credit score (among other things), so premiums could vary drastically from person to person.

Wanting to know if General Casualty or Root is really the right company for you? Keep on reading to see how average prices can change based on all of the factors we've mentioned above.

General Casualty vs. Root: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

General Casualty and Root only compete against each other in Arizona, where Root offers the cheaper average rates. Root drivers tend to pay about $87 per month less on average compared to drivers who use General Casualty for their auto insurance.

That being said, there's a lot more that goes into your insurance cost than just your home state. Continue reading to see how other variables will affect your rates.

Which is the Best Company For Young Drivers?

You might already know that teen drivers normally pay a lot more for car insurance than any other group of drivers. That's generally because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to get into accidents since they have less experience on the roads.

But still, even with seemingly sky-high prices, teen drivers can still find ways to save money. For example, 18-year-old drivers pay an average of almost 50% less a month by choosing Root over General Casualty.

Even so, both companies will offer you dramatically lower premiums by the time you turn 25. For example, average rates for General Casualty policyholders decrease about $150 and Root's premiums drop around $85 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

Drivers around retirement age typically enjoy some of the most affordable auto insurance rates out there. After all, they've likely been driving for quite some time, which usually decreases their chances of collisions and other infractions that can raise prices.

When looking at General Casualty and Root specifically, which carrier is best for retired drivers? Root gets the edge here, with average premiums coming in at about $57 per month compared to General Casualty's $124.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

You may not be aware, but insurance prices tend to be cheaper for married couples than they are for single drivers. That's normally because married drivers tend to own and insure more than one vehicle, which can often earn you a discount.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Root premiums coming in at around half of General Casualty's. The advantage for married policyholders with Root is also obvious, where drivers save about $60 per month.

General Casualty or Root: Average Rates by Gender

Because women are less likely to get into accidents and get tickets, they run a lower risk of filing a claim with insurance. So, insurance companies will tend to charge women less than men.

Normally, men see rates nearly 10% a month higher with General Casualty, and around 3% more with Root.

Looking at overall affordability, Root comes out as the cheapest option for both genders. On average, male drivers save about $80 per month and women save about $68 with Root compared to the average General Casualty policyholder.

General Casualty 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.

It's no secret that auto insurance can be pretty complicated. There are so many different coverages and terms that it can make it pretty confusing to find the right policy for you.

That being said, most policies end up falling into two different types of coverage -- liability coverage (which covers the other party's injuries and property damage if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which includes two additional coverages -- collision and comprehensive -- alongside liability coverage).

Looking specifically at state minimum liability limits, Root has the significant edge, with average monthly prices 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 a month to General Casualty's $195.

Is General Casualty or Root Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

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

It's no secret secret that at-fault accidents and speeding tickets lead to higher rates, but which company -- General Casualty or Root -- has the most affordable premiums for drivers with less-than-ideal driving records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use General Casualty for their insurance can typically expect their monthly bill to go up about 32% after getting a speeding ticket. Root policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of around 15%.

But Root tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have clean records and those with a recent ticket, offering prices that are $33 and $66 more affordable, respectively, compared to General Casualty.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

General Casualty drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates rise by over $55, while those who have insurance through Root will see about a $20 increase.

At the end of the day, the less expensive premiums come from Root, with average prices coming in at $79 compared to General Casualty's $146.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with a DUI?

On average, a DUI offense is going to cost you much more than a single collision or speeding ticket when it comes to your car insurance bill. On average, General Casualty will increase your premiums around 52% after a DUI, while Root's average rates climb by 0%.

But if you end up with a DUI charge and are looking for more affordable prices, Root tends to be more affordable for the average driver, with monthly premiums coming in at about $57 to General Casualty's $186.

How does Credit Score Impact General Casualty and Root Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take into account your credit score when determining rates? This isn't true for everyone (Michigan, for example, has banned the use of credit score as an auto insurance factor) but it does affect several policyholders out there.

Insurance companies argue that those with poor credit scores are less likely to pay their bills on time each month, which raises the risk involved on their end, while the opposite is true for those with good credit.

So, which carrier offers the best premiums for drivers with poor, average, or good credit?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Root will generally reward you the most. For policyholders with "excellent" credit scores, Root comes in nearly 47.57 cheaper. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 49% with Root compared to average prices from General Casualty.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Root typically offers lower premiums than General Casualty when it comes to drivers with less-than-stellar credit. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 53% per month less with Root compared to General Casualty, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around 59% a month.

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

The amount of time you spend behind the wheel of your car plays a big role in your monthly prices. Usually, those who drive less will end up with less expensive rates since there's less of a chance of causing a collision and filing an insurance claim.

In this case, neither General Casualty or Root report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. That being said, Root comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car every year, with average premiums of $65 a month for both.

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

Where you live can have a substantial impact on your monthly auto insurance payment. Normally, if you live in a rural area with fewer cars on the road, you'll pay a little less for insurance, while the opposite is true for people in urban areas.

Root boasts the lowest average premiums for drivers in every type of area, no matter if it's urban, suburban, or rural.

For drivers in urban ZIP codes, Root Insurance's average prices are about 49% less than General Casualty. People who live in suburban areas pay around 55% less with Root compared to General Casualty. Those in rural areas can expect to save about 56% with Root compared to General Casualty.

General Casualty vs. Root Discounts

No matter why you might be in the market for a new car insurance policy, you're always going to want to save as much money as you can. That's where insurance discounts comes into play.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to nail down the carrier that has the most discounts for your unique driver profile and to find all the discounts you're eligible for.

Luckily, we did the hard work for you and broke down all of the different discounts offered by both General Casualty and Root so that you can see which carrier can save you the most money each month.

General Casualty knocks Root out of the park when it comes to the sheer number of discounts available, offering seven more discounts than Root.

Both carriers offer several of the same discounts -- like discounts for being a good driver and paid in full discounts -- but General Casualty also offers discounts for advance quote, anti-theft, defensive driver, and more.

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

Final Thoughts: Is General Casualty or Root Best for You?

So, we've broken down the average rates for many of the factors auto insurance companies look at, and walked through the different discounts each company offers, too. But, when it comes down to it, which carrier is the best one for you, your vehicle, and your wallet?

Root might be best for you if....

• You haven't received any speeding tickets or been in an accident in the last few years.
• Your neighborhood is in a city.
• You've started working from home and don't have much of a commute.

General Casualty might be best for you if...

• You want to save extra money with discounts.

Hopefully, this guide helps you get a good idea of the differences between General Casualty and Root. We also hope we've given you the information you need to make the best decision about your car insurance.

At the end of the day, the sure-fire way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your auto insurance policy is to compare quotes from multiple carriers, not just General Casualty and Root. Luckily, Compare.com does all the hard work for you. Simply enter your ZIP codes below and get multiple quotes from some of the best insurance companies in your area, all for free.

General Casualty vs. Root FAQs

Is General Casualty or Root cheaper?

Root is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $65 per month with Root and $139 for General Casualty. However, that doesn't mean Root will be the cheapest company for everyone, since there are a variety of different variables (things like age, driving record, gender, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, General Casualty or Root?

Unfortunately, the answer truly is "it depends.". No one carrier is "better" for everyone -- it all boils down to your unique car insurance profile.

Why do General Casualty and Root offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use a lot of different factors when calculating the premiums they charge. Variables like gender, where you park your vehicle, your driving record, age, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both General Casualty and Root calculate rates using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different premiums. The best way to determine which company is the most affordable for you is by comparing personalized quotes from many different carriers.

How do I know if General Casualty 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 a handful of companies and finding the one best suited for your individual budget. Luckily, Compare.com makes it easy for you to do just that. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top car insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the lowest rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't General Casualty 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.