The General insurance review 2023

The General car insurance

The General offers standard coverage types, several discounts and an online chat option for more convenient customer service, but the carrier falls short when it comes to endorsements. Additionally, The General is not included in J.D. Power customer satisfaction studies and the carrier has a high National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Complaint Index, indicating that some customers are not satisfied with the service.

The General may be a good provider for some high-risk drivers as it advertises competitive coverage options for drivers with bad credit, a lapse in coverage or a poor driving record.

The General offers the most common car insurance coverage types as well as SR-22 insurance. The carrier also offers roadside assistance in select states through Nation Safe Driver. However, The General offers few endorsements, which means it may not be the best option for drivers who want to customize their policy for more protection. The General auto insurance is available in all 50 states and Washington D.C.

Pros and cons of The General car insurance

Comparing pros and cons for various auto insurance companies you're considering may help you narrow down your choices. Here are some of the key perks and drawbacks we identified with The General auto insurance:

The General car insurance cost

Based on data provided by Quadrant Information Services, the average full coverage car insurance premium from The General is $1,864 per year. For a minimum coverage policy, the average premium is $1,067 per year. The General’s average full coverage rate is lower than the U.S. national average, which is $2,014 per year, but its minimum coverage rate is higher than the national average of $622 per year.

The General car insurance rates by driving history

The cost of car insurance may vary from person to person based on individual rating factors including your driving record. Insurance companies typically charge higher premiums for drivers with speeding ticket convictions and at-fault accidents on their record. Note that we did not include rates for a DUI as not all insurance companies will underwrite policies for drivers with a DUI. To get a quote for car insurance with a DUI, you could contact a local agent.

The General car insurance quotes by age

Another factor that may impact your car insurance rate is your age. Young and newly-licensed drivers typically pay higher rates as they have less experience behind the wheel. In the table below, you can see the average cost of car insurance for a teen on their parents' policy, as well as average rates by age for drivers with their own policy.

Average cost of car insurance for drivers on their parent’s policy

Average cost of car insurance for drivers on their own policy

The General car insurance discounts

The General offers a handful of discounts that may help you save money on car insurance. Here are some of the discounts available, keeping in mind that some discounts are not offered in all states.

The General car tools and benefits

The General has a blog on its website that may be useful for drivers looking to learn more about topics like whether you need insurance for a stored vehicle and how to separate car insurance policies after a divorce.

The General home insurance

The General does not underwrite its own home insurance policies. However, you may be able to purchase home insurance from several partner companies through The General Labs program. After submitting some information about yourself and your home, you’ll be matched with several home insurance providers in your area. You can also get personalized quotes to see how much you might pay for home insurance with a partner company.

The General customer satisfaction

When comparing insurance companies, looking at third-party ratings may help you learn more about a carrier's customer service, claims satisfaction and financial strength. Some of the most notable organizations that issue third-party ratings include AM Best for financial strength, the NAIC for number of customer complaints and J.D. Power for customer, claims and digital tools satisfaction. Due in part to The General’s small customer base, it does not receive as many ratings as some larger insurance companies with a bigger market share.

The General auto claims satisfaction

The General insurance reviews and ratings for claims satisfaction are mixed. The insurance company has an A (Excellent) rating from AM Best for financial stability, but is not scored in any recent J.D. Power studies for customer satisfaction or claim satisfaction.

The General has an overall NAIC Complaint Index of 3.28 and a rating of 1.83 for its private passenger auto insurance product, both of which are higher than the baseline of 1.0. This rating indicates that the NAIC receives more complaints about The General than expected for a company of its size.

How to file a claim with The General

There are a few ways to file a claim with The General. You can start a new claim online, call an agent or file a claim through the mobile app. If you prefer to speak with an agent to file a claim, you can call the company’s claims department at 1-800-280-1466.

The General availability

The General sells insurance in all 50 states and Washington D.C.

Other The General perks worth considering

In addition to auto and home insurance, The General also offers some unique perks and other insurance products:

• Mobile app: The General has a highly-rated mobile app which customers can use to start a new claim, download their ID cards, make payments, get a new insurance quote and more. The app receives 4.7 out of 5 stars from iOS users and 4.8 out of 5 stars from Google Play users.
• The General Labs: The General Labs tests out new insurance products and services and relies on customer feedback to improve its offerings. For example, health, renters, mobile phone and pet insurance are currently being tested through The General Labs programs.
• Motorcycle insurance: The General sells motorcycle insurance policies that are underwritten by Dairyland. There are a handful of coverages to choose from, as well as several discounts for potential savings.

The General corporate sustainability

The General does not advertise any information on its website about corporate sustainability or volunteer programs.

Not sure if The General is right for you?

While The General could be a good insurance provider for some people, it may not be the best car insurance company for everyone. If you're not sure The General is right for your insurance needs, you could consider quotes from these companies:

The General vs. Good2Go

Like The General, Good2Go specializes in auto insurance for high-risk drivers. Good2Go offers a wide selection of discounts and advertises low minimum coverage rates, but the carrier doesn't write policies in every state. Like The General, Good2Go refers customers interested in homeowners insurance to a third party partner.

Learn more: Good2Go Insurance review

The General vs. SafeAuto

SafeAuto may be another good option for high-risk drivers, but the carrier only offers coverage in 20 states. SafeAuto offers homeowners insurance underwritten by Hippo Insurance as well as motorcycle, renters, watercraft and business insurance through other underwriting partners. While SafeAuto does not offer the most robust coverage options, it does have many discounts that could help you save money on your auto insurance.

Learn more: SafeAuto Insurance review

The General vs. DirectAuto

If you're a high-risk driver looking for policy customization, DirectAuto may be a good option. The carrier offers several endorsements including collision insurance, comprehensive insurance, towing coverage, rental reimbursement and roadside assistance. Compared to The General, DirectAuto offers more discounts as well as an app-based safe driver rewards program, called DynamicDrive, which uses telematics to track your driving habits for potential savings. DirectAuto is only available in 14 states, and like The General, has a high NAIC Complaint Index.

Learn more: DirectAuto Insurance review

Is The General a good insurance company?

Based on our Bankrate insurance team's in-depth analysis, The General may be a good auto insurance provider for high-risk drivers looking for comprehensive digital tools and a variety of discounts. However, if you have a clean driving record, other car insurance companies may offer better customer service ratings and more options for policy customization.

Methodology

Bankrate utilizes Quadrant Information Services to analyze 2023 rates for ZIP codes and carriers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Rates are weighted based on the population density in each geographic region. Quoted rates are based on a 40-year-old male and female driver with a clean driving record, good credit and the following full coverage limits:

• $100,000 bodily injury liability per person
• $300,000 bodily injury liability per accident
• $50,000 property damage liability per accident
• $100,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
• $300,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
• $500 collision deductible
• $500 comprehensive deductible

To determine minimum coverage limits, Bankrate used minimum coverage that meets each state’s requirements. Our base profile drivers own a 2021 Toyota Camry, commute five days a week and drive 12,000 miles annually. 

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes. 

Age: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the ages 16-60 (base: 40 years) applied. Depending on age, drivers may be a renter or homeowner. Age is not a contributing rating factor in Hawaii and Massachusetts.

The rates for drivers ages 16–20 added to their parent's policy reflect the good student and driver's training discounts applied. The rates for drivers aged 16-20 on their own policy do not include the good student and driver's training discounts. Additionally, 25-year-old rates are based on the driver as a renter and 30+ on the driver as a homeowner. 

Incidents: Rates were calculated by evaluating our base profile with the following incidents applied: clean record (base), single speeding ticket and single at-fault accident.

Bankrate Scores

Our 2023 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impacts policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories. 

Like our previous Bankrate Scores, each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. This year, our 2023 scoring model provides a more comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and better highlighting where they fall short.

• Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, 2023 quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best and the NAIC, were analyzed.
• Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
• Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways an auto insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.

Tier scores are unweighted to show the company's true score in each category out of a possible five points.