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

Quick Facts

• In general, Root offers significantly cheaper prices than Progressive
• Progressive may help you save more money -- they offer more discounts than Root Insurance
• Root has more affordable rates for policyholders whose driving record contains an at-fault collision

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

So, you're thinking about switching to a new insurance policy. After all, you've seen ads from all sorts of companies offering hefty savings. But exactly how much can you save by switching?

You might have narrowed it down to Progressive or Root as potential options, but between the two, which company will offer you less expensive prices?

Looking at the national average rates for both carriers, Progressive is quite a bit more expensive than Root, with rates averaging $180 a month compared to just $65 with Root.

That being said, Root may not be the cheapest or best option for each driver out there. Auto insurance companies vary their premiums depending on things like how good your credit score is, where you live, how old you are, how clean your driving record is, and a variety 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 Progressive or Root is really the best for you, keep reading to see average premiums for each carrier broken down by many different rate factors.

Progressive vs. Root: Average Car Insurance Rates by State

Progressive and Root only compete against each other in Arizona, where Root offers the cheaper average prices. Root drivers tend to pay about $104 per month less on average compared to drivers who use Progressive for their car insurance.

There's a lot more that goes into your auto 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?

Teen drivers will almost always have the most expensive insurance rates of any other group of drivers. It's because teen drivers are statistically much more likely to cause collisions and other accidents that will result in an insurance claim.

However, that doesn't mean teen drivers can't still save money on their auto insurance. Just look at the table above -- where 18-year-old drivers who have Root for their insurance pay over 70% less than those who use Progressive. It's worth noting that Progressive offers car insurance in 44 different states compared to Root's one, which can skew the average premiums a bit, but the difference here is still considerable.

Even so, both carriers will offer you dramatically lower prices once you turn 25. For example, average premiums for Progressive policyholders decrease around $300 and Root's rates lower about $85 over that time.

Which is the Best Company for Retired Drivers?

When it comes to insurance, patience and experience pay off, with drivers around retirement age paying some of the lowest prices you can find.

So, which company offers the best premiums to retired drivers? Root gets the edge here, with average rates coming in at around $57 a month compared to Progressive's $131.

Which is the Best Company for Married Drivers?

Single drivers tend to get offered slightly more expensive car insurance prices than married couples. That's because policies for married drivers normally cover more than one vehicle, which several companies will give you a discount for.

For those who are single, the difference in average rates between these two carriers is significant, with Root premiums coming in at about a third of Progressive's. The advantage for married policyholders with Root is also obvious, where drivers save more than 60% a month.

Progressive or Root: Average Rates by Gender

Women typically to pay less for auto insurance than men. This is because men are statistically more likely than women to get pulled over for speeding or get into a collision, which leads to increased risk for insurers and, therefore, higher prices.

Men usually pay around $5 per month more than women with Progressive, but with Root, the difference is closer to $2 a month.

Looking at the data for each carrier specifically, Root comes out on top for both men and women, with average rates $117 less for men and $114 cheaper for women.

Progressive 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.

For most people, car insurance isn't the easiest topic to understand. There are lots of different coverages that account for a variety of different things. Some protect you and your car, while others only provide coverage for other people's property and health if you cause an accident.

But most policies that drivers look at fall into two categories -- liability coverage (that covers property damage and bodily injury for other drivers if you cause a collision) and full coverage (which generally refers to having collision and comprehensive coverages in addition to what you get with 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 about $84 per month to Progressive's $250.

Is Progressive or Root Better for Drivers with Spotty Records?

You've probably seen plenty of commercials from auto insurance companies offering great premiums for good drivers, but that doesn't mean people with less-than-perfect driving records can't save money, too.

At-fault collisions and speeding tickets will most likely raise your prices, but is Progressive or Root cheaper for drivers with spotty records?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Speeding Tickets?

Policyholders who use Progressive for their insurance can normally expect their monthly bill to go up around 17% after getting a speeding ticket. Root policyholders can expect a less drastic increase of about 15%.

Even so, Root tends to offer the best prices for both drivers who have a recent ticket and those with clean records -- their rates are around 62% less expensive for drivers with clean records and 63% more affordable for those with a ticket.

Which Company is Best for Drivers After an Accident?

Progressive drivers who get in an accident can expect to see their rates increase by over 30%, while those who have insurance through Root will see around a 30% increase.

At the end of the day, Root offers the most affordable premiums for drivers with an at-fault accident on their records, with average rates coming in at $79 compared to Progressive's $214.

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, Progressive will increase your prices about 16% after a DUI, while Root's average premiums climb by 0%.

Root has the overall cheapest rates for drivers with a DUI on their records at $57 per month, but it's worth noting that Progressive's average rates come from 44 states compared to just one for Root, so the data may be skewed slightly.

How does Credit Score Impact Progressive and Root Rates?

Did you know many auto insurance carriers take your credit score into account when determining premiums? Certain states and companies do not allow for credit score to be used as a car insurance factor, but it does affect quite a few policyholders out there.

The reasoning insurance carriers use is that drivers with good credit will be more likely to pay their bills on time; so they'll reward them with cheaper prices, while those with poor credit will generally be forced to pay more.

Looking at Progressive and Root specifically, which carrier has the best premiums for policyholders at different credit levels?

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Good Credit?

If you have a great credit score, Root will typically reward you the most. For drivers with "excellent" credit scores, Root comes in more than 60.29 less expensive. Drivers with "good" credit scores usually save around 62% with Root compared to average prices from Progressive.

Which Company is Best for Drivers with Bad Credit?

Root typically offers lower rates than Progressive when it comes to drivers with a below average credit score. Drivers with "fair" credit pay about 64% a month less with Root compared to Progressive, and those with "poor" scores typically save an average of around 68% monthly.

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

How much you drive can have a considerable impact on your monthly auto insurance bill. That's because the fewer miles you drive, the less likely you are to be in a collision and file an insurance claim.

In this case, neither Progressive or Root report increasing prices for drivers with higher annual mileage figures. Still, Root comes out as the lowest for drivers at both intervals, whether they put 6,000 or 12,000 miles on their car annually, with average rates of $65 per month for both.

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

Where your home is can have a large impact on your monthly car insurance payment. Normally, policyholders who live in less densely populated rural areas will pay quite a bit less than urban drivers since there are a lot fewer vehicles on the roads where they live.

Root boasts the most affordable average premiums for drivers in all types of areas, no matter if they're urban, suburban, or rural.

Those in rural areas can expect to save about $96 with Root compared to Progressive. People who live in suburban areas pay around $119 less with Root compared to Progressive. For policyholders in urban ZIP codes, Root Insurance's average rates are about $130 less than Progressive.

Progressive vs. Root Discounts

You want to save as much money as you can, right? The best way to do that is by utilizing as many insurance discounts as possible.

But with what seems like a million different discounts out there, it can be hard to find all the ones you can take advantage of 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 compared all of the different discounts offered by Progressive 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.

Progressive blows Root away when it comes to the sheer amount of discounts available, offering 34 different discounts to Root's five.

A couple of those are overlapping for things like discounts for being a good driver, paid in full discounts, and paperless discounts. Progressive also offers discounts for ABS, advance quote, advanced safety feature, and more.

On the other hand, Root has a proprietary discount of their own -- a auto-steer discounts.

Final Thoughts: Is Progressive or Root Best for You?

You've seen the effect certain factors have on your auto insurance and the different discounts companies offer. But, when it comes down to it, is Progressive or Root the best carrier for you and your specific profile and needs?

Root might be best for you if....

• Your driving record contains an at-fault accident.
• You want the most robust protection via a "full coverage" policy.
• You're of retirement age and want to take advantage of lower premiums.

Progressive might be best for you if...

• You're thinking about moving to another state -- Root Insurance is only available in AZ.
• You're looking for the carrier with the most discounts.

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

At the end of the day, the best way to make sure you're getting the best deal on your insurance policy is to compare quotes from several carriers, not just Progressive 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 car insurance companies in your area, all for free.

Progressive vs. Root FAQs

Is Progressive or Root cheaper?

Root is the cheaper of the two carriers when looking at national average prices, with policies averaging $65 a month with Root and $180 for Progressive. However, that doesn't mean Root will be the lowest company for everyone, since there are several different variables (things like gender, age, driving record, etc.) that play a role in how much you pay.

Who is better, Progressive or Root?

Sadly, the answer truly is "it depends.". Neither carrier is necessarily "better" for each policyholder -- it all depends on what your unique auto insurance profile looks like.

Why do Progressive and Root offer me different rates?

Insurance companies use lots of different factors when calculating the rates they charge. Variables like where you live, age, where you call home, gender, and sometimes even things like your credit score can all come into play. Both Progressive and Root calculate premiums using different formulas, so it's likely they'll offer different prices. The best way to determine which company is the cheapest for you is by comparing personalized quotes from a bunch of different carriers.

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

The only way to find the car 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, sites like Compare.com do all the hard work for you. Just enter your ZIP code and you'll get quotes from dozens of your local top insurance carriers for free. That way, you can guarantee you're getting the most affordable rate. And maybe you'll find that the best company for you isn't Progressive 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.