National General
- Offers a $500 emergency expense allowance after a covered claim.
- Lots of coverage options to choose from.
- Can file an SR22 if you need one.
- Far more than the expected number of complaints to state regulators relative to its size.
NerdWallet's take on National General car insurance
National General earned 3.4 stars out of 5 for having lots of discounts and a solid digital experience, but poorly rated customer experience.
Best for: Some drivers looking for cheap car insurance who have a recent DUI or poor credit history.
Not ideal for: Drivers looking for the cheapest car insurance, or drivers who want a highly rated customer experience.
Where National General car insurance stands out
Coverage options. In addition to its standard coverage, National General offers optional types of insurance, like accident forgiveness and auto replacement coverage, that you can add to a basic policy.
Discounts. National General has a wide range of discounts, including a usage-based insurance discount called DynamicDrive.
Where National General car insurance falls short
Customer experience. National General receives far more complaints for its size than expected and ranks poorly on customer surveys conducted by J.D. Power.
Affordability. In the four states where we have pricing data – North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington – National General is often a relatively expensive option for car insurance.
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How much does National General car insurance cost?
Our rate analysis of National General is based on available data from four states: North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington. We recommend getting quotes on your own to get a good idea of what you could pay for car insurance.
Across those four states, National General car insurance costs an average of $215 per month or $2,575 per year for a full coverage policy, according to our November 2025 analysis. That’s compared to the national average of $2,300 per year.
The cost of car insurance depends on personal details like your age, car, driving record and the amount of coverage you have. Because of this, costs are different for everyone. To find which insurer is cheapest for you, compare car insurance rates from more than one company before you buy a policy.
National General auto insurance rates by age
National General’s car insurance rates vary across age groups. Although it was often more expensive than average in the states where we had data, you may get a cheaper rate depending on where you live.
Here are National General's average car insurance rates for drivers of different ages:
Young drivers. The average cost of National General car insurance for 20-year-old drivers is $7,766 per year, or $647 per month. That's compared to the national average of $4,684 per year.
While car insurance costs for teens and young drivers are highest of any age group, it usually gets easier to find cheap coverage after a few years of safe driving. It can be much cheaper for a young driver to join a parent’s or guardian’s existing car insurance than it is to get a stand-alone policy.
Adult drivers. The average cost of National General car insurance for 40-year-old drivers is $2,519 per year, or $210 per month. That's compared to the national average of $2,232 per year.
As you age, take stock of your insurance needs and shop again for coverage if a major life event has happened, like if you moved into a new house or bought another car. If you’ve paid off an older car and could afford to replace it out-of-pocket, you may be able to drop your comprehensive and collision coverage and lower your rates.
Senior drivers. The average cost of National General car insurance for 60-year-old drivers is $2,441 per year, or $203 per month. That's compared to the national average of $1,988 per year.
Unlike some other insurance companies, National General doesn’t offer a stand-alone discount for seniors. But if you no longer drive as much as you used to, you might qualify for lower rates with National General’s low-mileage discount.
- More National General auto rates by age
Age Company median rate National median rate 20 $7,766 $4,684 30 $2,702 $2,375 35 $2,575 $2,300 40 $2,519 $2,232 50 $2,525 $2,074 60 $2,441 $1,988 70 $2,800 $2,125
National General auto insurance rates by driver profile
You may be able to find relatively cheap car insurance with National General if you have a recent driving violation on your record. In the states where we have data, we found that National General may have cheaper rates than average after a DUI.
National General may also offer cheap car insurance if you have a poor credit history. It might surprise you that your credit-based insurance score, which is tied to your credit history, can affect your insurance costs. In fact, it could be even more impactful than a ticket or accident.
Below are National General's average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers:
Poor credit. The average cost of National General car insurance for drivers with poor credit is $3,730 per year, or $311 per month. That's compared to the national average of $3,850 per year.
If you’re able to build your credit, shop again for car insurance to check if your rates went down.
(California, Hawaii and Massachusetts don't allow insurers to use credit when determining car insurance rates.)
Speeding ticket. The average cost of National General car insurance after a speeding ticket is $4,006 per year, or $334 per month. That's compared to the national average of $2,931 per year.
Car insurance companies treat tickets differently. In some cases, your first ticket won’t raise your rates. If you’re having trouble finding cheap car insurance after a speeding ticket, shop around.
At-fault crash. The average cost of National General car insurance after an at-fault crash is $6,926 per year, or $577 per month. That's compared to the national average of $3,405 per year.
Car insurance is likely to get more expensive after an accident no matter your insurer. That said, you may be able to get accident forgiveness from National General, a feature not always offered by other insurers.
DUI. The average cost of National General car insurance after a DUI or DWI is $4,227 per year, or $352 per month. That's compared to the national average of $4,265 per year.
If your license is suspended after a DUI and your state requires you to confirm that you have insurance, National General may be able to file an SR-22 certificate for you so that you can get your license back.
Insurance companies use terms like “nonstandard” or "high-risk" to refer to drivers who usually pay more for insurance. You might be in this category if you have had multiple car accidents or speeding tickets, a lapse in coverage or a serious offense like a DUI.
National General auto insurance discounts
National General offers multiple discounts that you may be able to use to lower your car insurance costs. Depending on your state, you may be able to save by:
Bundling auto and home insurance policies with National General.
Paying your premium in full, up front.
Driving few enough miles to qualify for a low-mileage discount.
Anti-theft features in your car.
Insuring multiple vehicles.
Maintaining safe driving habits.
Going paperless.
If you’re looking for the cheapest auto insurance rates possible, you may need to buy the minimum car insurance your state requires. However, we don’t recommend this if you can afford a policy that has more coverage. A minimum-coverage policy can leave you without enough insurance coverage following a serious accident.
National General car insurance coverage
National General's full coverage car insurance includes the standard types of coverage offered by most insurers:
- Liability insurance
Liability car insurance pays for others’ injuries or property damage you cause in a car accident, up to your auto policy limits. There are two types:
Bodily injury liability covers others’ medical expenses after an accident where you are at fault.
Property damage liability covers the repair costs to other vehicles, fences, mailboxes or buildings from an accident.
Is it required? Yes. Every state, except for Virginia and remote parts of Alaska, requires drivers to have a minimum amount of liability car insurance in order to drive legally.
- Personal injury protection
Also known as "no-fault insurance," PIP covers your own injuries and medical expenses after a crash, regardless of who's at fault, up to your policy limits. Depending on your state, PIP could also help pay for:
Lost wages if you're unable to work due to your injuries from a car accident.
Services you can't perform because of an accident, such as house cleaning or child care.
Funeral costs if an injury from an accident leads to death.
A small death benefit as a cash payout.
Is it required? Personal injury protection is required in the following states: Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Oregon and Utah.
- Medical payments coverage
Medical payments coverage, or MedPay, helps pay for your medical expenses or funeral costs after a car accident, no matter who's at fault, up to your policy limits. It also pays for medical bills if you or one of your family members is hit by a car while on foot, riding a bike or traveling as a passenger in someone else’s car.
Is it required? MedPay is required in Maine and New Hampshire, and can be purchased as an optional add-on in most other states. In a few states, MedPay can't be purchased because personal injury protection is required.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays out if you're in an accident where the at-fault driver has no liability car insurance, or not enough to cover your injuries or property damage. It can also be used to pay for your passengers’ and household family members’ injuries.
Is it required? Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is required in Washington, D.C., and the following states: Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
- Collision insurance
Collision insurance reimburses you to fix or replace your car if you crash into another car or object. It can also pay for hit-and-runs, rollovers and damage caused by uninsured or underinsured drivers.
Collision insurance becomes less useful the older your car is. That's because it reimburses you for repairs only up to the actual cash value of your car, minus your deductible.
Is it required? Collision insurance isn't mandatory in any state, but most lenders require it if you finance or lease your car. And when you buy collision insurance, you'll likely have to also get comprehensive insurance, which pays for damage to your car from non-traffic-related causes.
- Comprehensive insurance
Comprehensive insurance reimburses you to fix or replace your car after non-traffic-related causes, such as:
Weather events, like hail, floods or tornadoes.
Falling objects, such as tree limbs.
Fire or explosions.
Hitting an animal.
Car theft and broken windows.
Earthquakes.
Vandalism or civil disobedience, such as a riot.
Comprehensive insurance becomes less useful the older your car is. That's because it reimburses you for repairs only up to the actual cash value of your car, minus your deductible.
Is it required? Comprehensive insurance isn't mandatory in any state, but most lenders require it if you finance or lease your car. And when you buy comprehensive insurance, you'll likely have to also get collision insurance, which pays for damage to your car from traffic-related causes.
Optional coverage
National General also offers these optional types of car insurance coverage in its Custom360 auto coverage packages:
Accident forgiveness. Your rates won’t go up after your first at-fault accident if you have a policy with accident forgiveness. This coverage is only available in some states.
Who might need it? If you qualify for it and can afford the cost of adding it, accident forgiveness could be worth having. Usually, the cost of car insurance will go up after an accident. The cost of car insurance is $215 per month with a clean record, and it's $577 after a crash.
Diminishing deductible. For every year that you’re claims-free, you receive a credit toward your account that you can use on a comprehensive or collision claim. You can gain up to $500 of credit.
Who might need it? You may want to add diminishing deductible to your policy if you’re a safe driver who can stack up multiple credits. You may not need to add it if you’re comfortable paying your entire deductible after a future crash.
Roadside assistance. This coverage provides towing, lockout, gas delivery, tire changes and other roadside services.
Who might need it? You might need roadside assistance if you want the peace of mind that you’d get help if you were stranded during a trip. Before you buy it, make sure you don’t already receive this coverage from another service, like AAA.
Auto replacement. If you total your car, auto replacement coverage would pay to replace your car with a current or newer model year version, depending on your car’s age.
Who might need it? You might need auto replacement coverage if you drive a new car and you want to make sure it would be replaced with a similar model after a crash. On the other hand, if the cost of this coverage is more than you want to pay in exchange for receiving a current or new model car after a crash, it might not be for you.
Emergency protection plan. The emergency protection plan pays set amounts of money toward medical expenses, a hospital stay and ambulance services. It may also help cover the cost of a rental car and lost personal property, as well as other benefits.
Who might need it? It could be worth having the emergency protection plan if you can afford it, especially if you don’t have health insurance that you could rely on after an emergency.
Portable electronics coverage. This coverage helps pay for phones and other portable electronics if they’re damaged or lost while in a vehicle.
Who might need it? You may need this coverage if you often take multiple portable electronics with you in your car. The coverage could be worth the peace of mind as long as it fits in your budget.
Transportation expense coverage. If your main vehicle is in the shop after a covered loss, this coverage could help to pay for a rental car, rideshare or fare for other forms of transportation.
Who might need it? Rental reimbursement coverage could be worth having if you depend on your car to get to work or school and you drive it almost every day. You could pass on it if you live somewhere with other transportation options, like a train or buses.
Full safety glass coverage. Allows you to skip the deductible if you need to make a glass-only claim.
Who might need it? This might be a nice coverage option to have if you have a large auto insurance deductible. Normally, you’d have to pay the deductible when you make a claim. But if the damaged glass costs less to replace or repair than your deductible, you’d have to pay for it by yourself.
Rideshare coverage. Your regular car insurance policy won’t cover you while you use your car for Uber, Lyft or another ridesharing company. Rideshare insurance helps cover the gap between your personal policy and the insurance the rideshare company has.
Who might need it? You may need this if you drive for a rideshare company. While these companies provide their own insurance coverage, that coverage may not be enough to fully cover you while you’re working.
Emergency expense allowance. National General covers food, lodging and travel expenses up to a daily limit so you won’t be stranded after a covered claim.
Who might need it? You might need this coverage if you don’t want to worry about having to cover these expenses after your car breaks down. Emergency expense allowance could pair nicely with roadside assistance coverage.
National General usage-based program
DynamicDrive is National General’s usage-based insurance program. It may help some drivers qualify for cheaper rates. You can participate in this program by using the DynamicDrive app.
DynamicDrive measures your driving based on your speed, braking, driving time of day and phone usage while driving. You earn a discount for signing up for DynamicDrive, and you may receive a later discount for driving well.
Is National General a good insurance company?
National General doesn’t rank as highly as other insurance companies for its customer experience. It has a high complaint rate and is rated below other companies in customer surveys that focus on buying and the claims process.
Complaints: National General receives far more complaints than expected for its size, according to NerdWallet’s analysis of three years of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Shopping: National General ranks below average in J.D. Power’s Insurance Shopping Study, which measures how consumers feel about the buying process.
Claims satisfaction: National General ranks last in J.D. Power’s Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, which measures how consumers feel about the claims process.
See what you could save on car insurance
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More information about National General car insurance
There are a few ways that you can contact National General if you have questions about your coverage or need to make a claim.
Customer service: Call 1-888-293-5108 or send an email to service@ngic.com.
Website: National General’s website allows you to get a quote, report a claim and pay bills online. It also features a learning center where users can find out more about topics like coverage options, common insurance terms and which factors affect their rates.
App: National General offers a mobile app where you can make a payment, view your policy information, access your insurance card, contact claims service and find your agent.
How we review auto insurance companies
Our editorial team considers these factors when reviewing auto insurance companies:
- Financial strength
We use AM Best ratings to confirm an insurer’s long-term financial stability and ability to pay claims. NerdWallet does not recommend companies with a rating lower than a B.
- Complaints
These ratings are based on complaints to state regulators relative to a company’s size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The best auto insurance companies have fewer than the expected number of complaints.
- Ease of use
This category looks at how easily consumers can interact with an insurer through its mobile app and website. This includes how much coverage information is offered online, whether a user can start and track a claim online and get a quote and mobile app scores based on the Apple and Google Play store ratings.
- Discounts
We look at the kind of discounts a company offers and the total number of discounts available.
Read our full auto insurance methodology.
We nerd out on car insurance
Our goal is to give you what you need to make smart decisions about your car insurance.
Here’s why you can trust NerdWallet:
We do our homework. We regularly evaluate and review many of the insurance companies we write about. And all of our content is fact-checked before publication. This means the star ratings you see on our reviews are accurate and up-to-date.
We analyze the data. We update our average car insurance rates every month. To do that, we analyze more than 500 million rates from across the country. These rates are provided by Quadrant Information Services.
We are unbiased. NerdWallet’s content is never influenced by our business partners and advertisers. Learn more about how we write in our editorial guidelines.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a car insurance quote from National General?
How do I get a car insurance quote from National General?
You can get a quote online or through an agent or by calling the company directly at 1-800-462-2123.
How do I file a claim with National General?
How do I file a claim with National General?
You can report your claim online or call 1-800-468-3466. You can also call your agent.
Does National General offer rideshare insurance?
Does National General offer rideshare insurance?
Yes, National General offers rideshare coverage, but only as an option for drivers with a Custom360 policy, a two-tier package of auto coverage options that National General offers.
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary, trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high standards for journalism by reading our editorial guidelines.
- 1.J.D. Power. 2025 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study. Accessed Dec 19, 2025.
- 2.J.D. Power. 2025 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. Accessed Dec 19, 2025.
Methodology
Insurer complaints methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2022-2024. To assess how insurers compare to one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
Auto insurance ratings methodology
NerdWallet’s auto insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints and discounts. Our “ease of use” category looks at factors such as website transparency and how easy it is to file a claim. Using our editorial discretion, we also consider customer satisfaction surveys. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines and full ratings methodology for auto insurance.
