The General
- Provides insurance to high-risk drivers who may not be able to get it anywhere else.
- Can file an SR22 form in most states for drivers who require it.
- Far more than the expected number of complaints for auto insurance.
- Drivers who aren’t considered high-risk will likely have a better experience with other carriers.
NerdWallet's take on The General auto insurance
The General earned 4.2 out of 5 stars for its easy-to-use website and mobile app as well as its discount offerings.
Best for: Drivers who fit into the “high-risk” category and need an SR22.
Not ideal for: Drivers who don’t struggle getting coverage from other companies.
Where The General car insurance stands out
Specialized offerings. The General helps nonstandard drivers get coverage by providing SR22 support. The SR22 insurance form is proof of auto insurance that your state might require after a serious driving offense, such as getting a DUI or driving without insurance coverage.
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.
Digital experience. The General’s website includes lots of ways for you to learn about your policy and the minimum requirements in your state.
Where The General car insurance falls short
Expensive rates. While The General might help some drivers get coverage, its rates are typically much more expensive than those of other companies.
Coverage options. You may not be able to get helpful types of optional coverage — like new car replacement or rideshare coverage — depending on where you live.
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How much does The General car insurance cost?
The General car insurance costs an average of $353 per month or $4,234 per year for a full coverage policy, our November 2025 analysis found. Compare that to the national average for a full coverage policy, which is $2,300 per year.
For minimum coverage, The General car insurance costs an average of $101 per month or $1,208 per year, according to our November 2025 analysis. The national average is $52 per month, or $627 per year.
» MORE: Compare car insurance rates
The General auto insurance rates by age
Your age plays a big part in how much you can expect to pay for car insurance. In fact, young drivers often pay more, on average, than any other group of drivers — even those with a recent DUI.
Here are The General's average car insurance rates for drivers of different ages:
Young drivers. The average cost of The General car insurance for 20-year-old drivers is $7,757 per year, or $646 per month. The national average for this age group is $4,684 per year, or $390 per month.
Adult drivers. The average cost of The General car insurance for 40-year-old drivers is $3,977 per year, or $331 per month. The national average for this age group is $2,232 per year, or $186 per month.
Senior drivers. The average cost of The General car insurance for 60-year-old drivers is $3,849 per year, or $321 per month. The national average for this age group is $1,988 per year, or $166 per month.
- More The General auto rates by age
Age Company median rate National median rate 20 $7,757 $4,684 30 $4,820 $2,375 35 $4,234 $2,300 40 $3,977 $2,232 50 $3,840 $2,074 60 $3,849 $1,988 70 $4,422 $2,125
The General auto insurance rates by driver profile
Insurers aren’t only looking at your age and vehicle when calculating your car insurance rates. Personal details like your driving record and even your credit history can affect how much you’ll pay for coverage.
As an example, here are The General's average full coverage rates for 35-year-old drivers with different backgrounds:
Poor credit. The average cost of The General car insurance for drivers with poor credit is $7,067 per year, or $589 per month. The national average for this group of drivers is $3,850 per year, or $321 per month. (California, Hawaii and Massachusetts don't allow insurers to use credit when determining car insurance rates.)
Speeding ticket. The average cost of The General car insurance for a driver with a speeding ticket is $4,444 per year, or $370 per month. The national average for this group of drivers is $2,931 per year, or $244 per month.
At-fault crash. The average cost of The General car insurance for a driver with an at-fault crash is $5,505 per year, or $459 per month. The national average for this group of drivers is $3,405 per year, or $284 per month.
DUI. The average cost of The General car insurance for a driver with a DUI is $4,862 per year, or $405 per month. That's compared to the national average, which is $4,265 per year, or $355 per month.
The General auto insurance discounts
Depending on your state, you may be able to save on auto insurance by:
Paying your policy in full.
Insuring multiple cars.
Owning a home.
Being a good student or having a student driver with good grades on the policy.
Having passive restraints in your vehicle.
Completing a defensive driver course.
Maintaining a clean driving record for three to five years.
Having previously had car insurance with another company during the past five years before switching to The General.
If you’re looking for the cheapest auto insurance rates possible, you may want to buy the minimum car insurance needed to drive in your state. Read our cheap car insurance article to see average minimum car insurance rates by company and state.
The General car insurance coverage
The 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
The General also offers gap insurance, which pays the difference between your vehicle’s current market value and how much you owe if you’re financing or leasing the car.
When shopping for car insurance, it's important to understand what coverage you want and what you’re required to buy. Most states require a minimum amount of car insurance to drive a vehicle, but if you can afford it, we recommend getting full coverage insurance.
Is The General a good insurance company?
State regulators received far more than the expected number of complaints about The General’s auto insurance, relative to other companies of its size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. This is an indicator that some drivers aren’t happy with the support they receive from The General.
See what you could save on car insurance
Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.
More information about The General car insurance
Customer service: Call 844-328-0306, fill out the online form or chat with an agent.
Website: The General’s website offers plenty of useful information, including minimum requirements by state, an FAQ page and the ability to chat with a live representative. Current customers who log in to the website can:
Make payments.
Start a claim.
Get an auto insurance ID card.
Mobile app: The General’s app is compatible with Apple and Android devices. It allows you to pay premiums and file claims, and offers on-demand phone support. You can also use the app to find nearby locations to pay your bill in cash.
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 The General?
How do I get a car insurance quote from The General?
You can start the quote process online. Enter your ZIP code on The General’s homepage, and then fill out the form with your email address and details about your car and who will be driving it. Otherwise, call 844-328-0306 or schedule a callback on the site.
In which states does The General sell auto policies?
In which states does The General sell auto policies?
The General sells car insurance in 46 states and Washington, D.C.
Who owns The General insurance?
Who owns The General insurance?
The General is part of PGC Holdings Corp. It became an affiliate of Sentry Insurance in 2024.
How can I contact The General?
How can I contact The General?
You can reach The General customer service at 844-328-0306, fill out a form online or use the website’s chat feature.
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.
