Examined Sep 25, 2026 Paid through Tremendous Not in CA, MS or ND Root pays you about $10 once you finish a test drive of up to 30 days and view a quote, under referral terms last updated in June 2023.
Root's own answer to how much: “Generally the reward is $10, however payout amounts may vary depending on your state and any promotions active at time of your referral.” It is paid whether or not you buy a policy, through a vendor called Tremendous, as a gift card, digital Visa, ACH transfer, PayPal or a charitable donation, and Root says not all of those are available in every state. The referral page also says $4,766,814 had been paid in referrals as of May 2023, a figure it has not updated since.
What pays what
| You, downloading through a policyholder's link, finishing the test drive and viewing a quote | Generally $10 |
|---|---|
| Buying a policy afterwards | Nothing extra, and not required |
| You, if you do not qualify for a quote after the test drive | $0 |
| Anyone in California, Mississippi or North Dakota | $0 |
| You, on the same policy as the customer whose link you used; Root employees and immediate family | $0 |
The Referral Program is limited to US residents and is not available to employees and immediate family members of Root Insurance Company, or its affiliates.
The terms add that the referral program is subject to availability and while supplies last. The referral page says annual and state limits apply, without stating them.
Do this, in this order
- Check your state first. “The Referral Program is not available in all states, including California, Mississippi, North Dakota, and anywhere that Root Insurance Company does not offer insurance.” The program is limited to US residents. You must be at least 18, or the age of majority where you live, to use Root's site at all.
- Get the link from a policyholder, and use it to download the app. Only an active Root policyholder can send paid referrals, and you cannot be on the same policy.
- Take the test drive with the app running. Root's help page says the test drive takes up to 30 days and measures things like braking, turns and focused driving. For qualifying users Root offers insurance from day one at a rate that could last up to 6 months, then the test drive sets the final rate; otherwise you drive first and get a quote after a few weeks.
- View the quote, then decide about the policy separately. “You have successfully completed your test drive when you are offered a quote or your existing Root policy is not cancelled based on your telematics score.” Root says it gives at least 30 days to accept a new rate. Buying changes nothing about the reward.
- Claim in the app, and claim promptly. Root says you can be paid immediately or within 7 business days depending on the form you choose. Rewards are issued at Root's sole discretion and may be withheld for fraud or a breach of the terms.
Where Root's documents disagree, and what they do not say
Two dates, 28 months apart. The Referral Program Terms and Conditions read “Last updated on June 2, 2023”. Root's site-wide Terms and Conditions read “Last updated on October 30th, 2025”. Both were on the live pages on September 25, 2026. The referral terms still describe a reward email and a Tremendous selection; the referral page now says you claim right in the app.
The program can end, and unclaimed rewards go with it. “Root Insurance Company has the right to cancel the Referral Program or to change these Terms & Conditions at any time. Any unclaimed Referral Program rewards will be forfeited if and when Root Insurance Company cancels the Referral Program.” No end date is printed.
The amount and the limits are left open. Generally $10 is the only figure; the state variations, promotions, annual limits and state limits are not published. The customer who shares a link may not sell, solicit or negotiate insurance, discuss policy terms, or give advice about coverage, so the friend sending you the link cannot tell you what the policy covers.
Maryland and California are told something different. The referral page says that for Maryland residents and California residents, telematics is not used and the represented savings do not apply, and for California that the referral program is not applicable. Root also reserves the right to refuse to quote any individual.
Is it worth your time?
If you are shopping for car insurance and Root is on your list, ask a Root customer for their link before you download the app. It costs nothing, the $10 does not depend on buying, and the quote is the thing you wanted anyway. Then claim the reward the day it appears.
If you have no interest in a Root policy, $10 is thin pay for up to 30 days of an app scoring your driving, and in California, Mississippi and North Dakota there is no pay at all. If you are the policyholder sharing a link, Root says you can refer as many people as you like while you stay an active policyholder, subject to the annual and state limits it does not publish.
