This Big Fish Should Outpeform Progressive
2026-03-16 15:16:00 ET
Progressive (NYSE: PGR) is a well-known insurance company, having the "defensive" qualities of insurance without giving up growth. Root (NASDAQ: ROOT) , a much smaller auto insurer, has quickly been capturing market share. Both have a lot in common, but which should prove to be a better pick?
Progressive and Root primarily offer personal lines of auto insurance. Being larger, Progressive offers a more diverse product line. Commercial lines make up about 13% of premiums written, while property makes up about 4%. It is still primarily exposed to trends in auto insurance.
Younger and smaller, Root almost solely underwrites personal auto lines, focused on doing this well. While it offers homeowners and renters lines, these are not meaningful, and Root does not segregate them from total net premiums earned. This makes it more of an auto pure play for now. Being smaller gives it a better profitable growth angle too. Between 2023 and 2025, Root grew premiums written from $733 million to $1.5 billion. In that same period, Root's combined ratio improved from 133.2% to 98.2%.
NASDAQ: ROOT
ROOT Trading
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