The General Auto Insurance Review 2023

Kayda Norman
By Kayda Norman  

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Our Take

3.0

NerdWallet rating 

The bottom line:

This company specializes in car insurance for high-risk drivers, but be wary of the high volume of customer complaints.

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Full Review

The General Auto Insurance
The General Insurance
NAIC complaints
Far more than expected
Ease of use
Average
Discounts
Average set of discounts
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Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Provides insurance to high-risk drivers who may not be able to get it anywhere else.
  • Can file an SR-22 form in most states for drivers who require it.

Cons

  • 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.

Full Review

The General earned 3 stars out of 5 for overall performance. NerdWallet’s ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula takes into account consumer experience, complaint data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and financial strength ratings.

Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, The General is an insurance company and agency that provides car insurance for high-risk drivers, including drivers in most states who need an SR-22 form. But it has far more customer complaints than other auto insurance companies of similar size.

Drivers with poor credit, moving violations, accidents or insurance lapses would be a good fit for The General, as well as drivers who have had difficulty in the past getting insured by other auto insurance companies.

» MORE: The best car insurance companies

Why you can trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our coverage so you can choose the insurance policy that works best for you. These carrier ratings are specific to auto insurance — a company's rating for other products may be different on our site. See our criteria for evaluating auto insurance companies.

In our auto insurance reviews, our editorial team considers both the customer and the insurer. These are some of the factors we take into account:

Financial strength. We use A.M. 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 both the kind of discounts a company offers and the total number of discounts available.

The General auto insurance coverage

When you're shopping for car insurance coverage, it's important to understand what car insurance coverage you want and what you’re required to buy. For instance, most states require a minimum amount of car insurance to drive a vehicle. Alternatively, if you want extra protection, you may be interested in full coverage insurance. Read about the most common types of car insurance coverage to see how they work.

The General offers rideshare insurance in California and Arizona, and gap insurance in California and Washington. You can also add accidental death coverage if you live in Tennessee, Colorado, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Arizona.

The General can provide you with an SR-22 insurance form. This document proves you have sufficient car insurance. Your state might require you to file one if you’ve been convicted of a DUI or another serious traffic offense, such as driving without insurance, or if your license recently was suspended or revoked.

» MORE: Compare car insurance rates

Auto insurance discounts

Car insurance discounts from The General vary by state. Depending on where you live, you may be eligible for these discounts:

  • Pay-in-full discount.

  • Multi-car discount.

  • Homeowner discount.

  • Good student discount.

  • Discount for having passive restraints in your vehicle.

  • Discount for completing a defensive driver course.

  • Safe driver discount (clean driving record for 3-5 years).

  • Previous insurance discount if you’ve had car insurance with another company during the past five years and switch to The General.

  • Military discount (Louisiana only).

New customers can also opt in to the “Double Deductible” discount. This lowers your premium if you agree to double your deductible amount on your comprehensive and collision coverage for the first 45 days of your policy.

🤓Nerdy Tip

First time shopping for auto insurance? Unsure of where to start? Check out our guide on how to shop for car insurance.

Pricing based on tracked driving habits

The General offers a Safe Driver Discount program, which uses an app to track your driving habits. Enrolling in the program — and maintaining safe driving habits — can result in lower insurance premiums. However, any discount may vary based on where you live.

Complaints and customer satisfaction

The General had far more than the expected number of complaints about auto insurance to state regulators relative to its size, according to three years’ worth of data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

More about The General auto insurance

Website: The General’s website offers plenty of useful information, including minimum requirements by state, a robust 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.

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.

Other insurance from The General

In addition to auto insurance aside, The General also sells these types of coverage through third parties:

Methodology

Insurer complaints methodology

NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2019-2021. 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.

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