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The General car insurance review Oct 2020
Last updated:
Find affordable coverage even if you need an SR-22 or have a spotty driving record
finder.com's rating: 3.5 / 5
★★★★★
- Get a quote if you have a history of accidents or claims or need an SR-22.
- Pick something else if you have a good driving record or want extra perks.
optional
Roadside assistance
New car protection
Accident forgiveness
Details
| States served | All states except Hawaii Massachusetts Michigan and New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Roadside assistance | Optional |
| Accident forgiveness | No |
| New car protection | No |
| Pay schedule | 12 months, monthly |
| Claims methods | Phone, App |
| Rideshare coverage | No |
| SR-22 support |
Yes |
Pros
- High-risk drivers welcome
- Instant online access
- SR-22 support
- Flexible payments
- Transparent quoting
Cons
- No-frills policies
- Claims by phone or app only
- Limited discounts
- Website lacks info
| Anti-theft device discount | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bundling discount | Yes |
| Defensive driving discount | No |
| Good student discount | Yes |
| Loyalty discount | No |
| Homeowner discount | Yes |
| Military discount | Yes |
| Safety device discount | Yes |
| Special employment discount | No |
| Usage-based discount | No |
Expert review
Review by
Jing Jun Ma
jing.junma@finder.comJing Jun Ma is an innovations expert at Finder. With a decade of experience in digital marketing and programming, Jing is a tech and data guy. He wrangles data to make it useful for consumers facing a decision.
Expert review
The General is ideal for basic, affordable coverage for high-risk drivers who have trouble getting coverage elsewhere. If you have a less-than-perfect driving record or need an SR-22 and you live in a state that’s included in The General’s service area, The General might have the lowest rates you can qualify for.
However, if you’re a low-risk driver or you’re looking for more comprehensive coverage, you may want to explore other companies that may be able to offer wider or more specialized coverage for a lower price.
What's in this guide?
The General car insurance rates
Most drivers pay around $67 a month for car insurance with The General, although your cost may differ based on your car model, address and age. Compare sample monthly car insurance rates for The General policyholders across the US.
| CA | NY | TX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 year old man | $136 | $442 | $309 |
| 18 year old woman | $152 | $413 | $273 |
| 25 year old man | $80 | $297 | $86 |
| 25 year old woman | $80 | $305 | $79 |
| 35 year old man | $49 | $197 | $55 |
| 35 year old woman | $54 | $248 | $58 |
| 45 year old man | $47 | $191 | $52 |
| 45 year old woman | $53 | $274 | $60 |
| 56 year old man | $59 | $179 | $47 |
| 56 year old woman | $66 | $197 | $47 |
How to apply for The General
To get car insurance coverage with The General, start by getting a quote online, calling to speak with a representative or connecting with an agent.
Online
- Visit The General’s website and enter your zip code. Click Get quote.
- Enter general information about your location, credit and prior insurance. Click continue.
- Enter your driver information, date of birth, marital status, etc. Click continue.
- Enter your vehicle information, year, make, model. Then click continue.
- Review coverage options and policy details, then continue if you are satisfied.
- Create a password and enter your contact information, then continue.
- Enter your garaging or parking address, then continue.
- Answer the application questions, then continue.
- Enter driver details including license number, SSN and full name, then continue.
- Enter your vehicle details and VIN, then continue.
- Review all policy details, then continue.
- Enter your payment information and proceed to purchase your policy.
Phone. You can also purchase coverage by contacting The General by phone. Whether you need help finishing your quote or prefer to deal entirely by phone, start by calling 866-378-1042.
Agent. Use the agent locator tool on The General’s website to find out how to apply for coverage through an agent.
The General insurance locations near me
You can see if you live near one of the company’s agency locations. Agent availability can be hit or miss, especially if you live in a rural area.
Search for an agent or location near you, using the agent locator:
- Go to The General’s main website and scroll down to the bottom. Click Find a Local Agent under the About Us links.
- Enter your ZIP code and tap Search.
- View the map or listed results. Click the location to find that agent’s contact information.
- Call or visit the location in person.
What discounts can I get with The General?
Although The General specializes in no-frills auto insurance for high-risk drivers, it offers several standard auto insurance discounts.
- Airbag. Qualify for a discount if your car is equipped with factory-installed airbags.
- Antilock brakes. Get a discount if your car includes antilock brakes.
- Deductible doubling. Get discounted rates when you double your deductible for the first 45 days of your policy.
- Defensive driving. Drivers who complete an approved defensive driving course may get discounted rates.
- Homeowner. Lower your premium just for owning a home.
- Lump-sum payment. Get a discount for paying your policy premiums in a single, lump-sum payment rather than monthly installments.
- Military. Active service members could get discounted rates if they qualify and live in specific areas.
- Multi-vehicle. Get a discount for insuring multiple vehicles under the same policy.
- Specified driver. You may get a discount if you only allow experienced drivers to drive your car. They must have at least five years of experience and a clean driving record.
- Switch and save. Save extra money by switching to The General with six months of continuous coverage from another car insurance company.
What car insurance coverage does The General offer?
- Bodily injury liability. This coverage protects you if you injure someone with your car, but it doesn’t cover damage to you or your car.
- Collision pays for damage to your car when your car hits or gets hit by another car.
- Comprehensive covers damage to your car from anything other than a collision, such as hail, theft or fire.
- Medical payments. For an additional fee, this pays for medical bills if anyone is injured in your car.
- Property damage liability protects you if your car damages someone else’s property, like another vehicle.
- SR-22. An SR-22 certificate of insurance helps those with driving violations get back on the road with current insurance.
- Towing and roadside assistance helps you if your car breaks down and you need services like a flat tire change, tow or battery jumpstart.
- Uninsured or underinsured motorist covers you for damage and injuries caused by a driver without enough insurance to pay those expenses.
Who qualifies for a policy with The General?
The General claims that most drivers qualify for a policy, including those with previous accidents or needing to file an SR-22. We tested the limits through The General’s online quoting tool, finding that you’ll get denied if you have four or more major at-fault accidents or claims in the last three years.
You can have up to 10 minor incidents on your record and still get a quote. These parameters are pretty flexible, even for a high-risk insurance company.
But if you have any incidents like speeding or failing to stop, expect your rates to hike up. With each minor incident we added to the sample quote, the quote went up $500–$1,000.
How does The General bundling work?
The General doesn’t give specifics on whether you can get discounts when buying multiple policies. It’s typical for companies specializing in high-risk drivers to offer fewer discounts than standard.
The General partners with other companies to offer several types of policies for your convenience:
- Motorcycle
- Homeowners
- Renters
- Condo
- Motor home, RV or trailer
- Boat
- Life
- Health
- Business
The General car insurance reviews and complaints
The General boasts an impressive A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), as of October 2020. It also holds a composite score of 4.5 of a possible 5 stars, based on customer reviews. Despite its ratings, over 200 customer have filed BBB complaints, citing issues with billing, unauthorized payments and denied claims.
Keep in mind that customer reviews don’t tell the entire story. Most customers only go online if they have a negative experience, which is why you don’t see as many positive reviews.The General® user reviews
Alexander Easy to get a quote , and definitely the best price I've been quoted by...read full review
Ready to get insured?
Snag affordable coverage for high-risk drivers, a marketing claim backed by our rate analysis which showed premiums less than $80 a month.
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Pros and cons of The General
The General offers high-risk drivers all the coverage and discount options you’d expect from a standard insurance company, though without some extras like gap or equipment coverage.
Pros
- High-risk drivers welcome. Many insurance companies won’t cover high-risk drivers, but The General specializes in this area. Yet a policy could come with a high premium, and there are limits to who’s accepted.
- Instant online access. Once you’ve signed up and paid for a policy, you can download and print your card immediately.
- SR-22 filing. This service helps drivers who need to send confirmation of car insurance coverage to their state.
- Flexible payments. You can change your payment due date once per policy period, or typically every six months. This flexibility comes in handy if your paycheck is late or you have an unexpected bill.
- Transparent quoting. The General’s online quote tool shows your coverage, discounts, fees, down payment and monthly premium. And if you don’t like your quote, you can compare several competitors on the same page.
Cons
- No-frills policies. The General keeps costs down by offering the basics of car insurance coverage.
- Claims handled by phone or app. You can’t file a claim online, an issue if you prefer instant results or don’t like extra apps on your phone.
- Website lacks information. The General’s website lacks specific information about coverage options, discounts and features.
Compare The General to competitors
See how The General stacks up to similar companies in terms of coverage and benefits. Check the Compare box to see up to four companies side by side.
Alternatives to The General
Frequently asked questions about The General
Car insurance ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
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