Car insurance pre-dates broad distribution of cars. The first recorded policy was issued in 1897 to Gilbert Loomis of Ohio. Production of the Model T, regarded as the first affordable automobile that made vehicle travel available to the masses, was not introduced until nearly 10 years later. And just like the car, evolving from combustion-only to electric, self-driven to semi-autonomous in some cases, insurance has changed and innovated over the last 120 years, adding rate calculations, moving to digital data storage and adding additional services like roadside. However, the method for calculating insurance rates based predominantly on age, vehicle and mileage has been standard since 1937. An insurance startup, Root Insurance, was founded to innovate this model, defining rates on how you drive, not who you are.

We sat down with Sarah Woods, Director of Product Management to learn more about Root and their roadside program.