The General Auto Insurance Review [2024]: Should You Consider It?

The General is an auto insurance agency that caters to drivers without a perfect driving history. Through an easy quote process, you can get a sense of what your rates can be and what discounts you qualify for.

Learn about the coverage you can get and whether this insurer can be a good fit for you in our in-depth The General car insurance review.

The General auto insurance: Is it worth it?

Pros	Cons
Fast quote process that lets you compare rates from other companies Auto insurance for drivers that had accidents or tickets in the past Clear and transparent pricing	Not available in all 50 states Limited coverage options Few discounts available
Our verdict: The General provides coverage for drivers who previously had accidents or received traffic tickets. However, this coverage often comes with a high insurance premium. You may also not get as many coverage options or discounts as other insurers, which makes The General a better fit for drivers who find it difficult to get auto insurance elsewhere.

What is The General?

The General is an insurance provider that was founded in 1963 under the Permanent General Agency name. It changed its name to The General in 1997.

The company’s mission has remained the same over the years. It aims to provide car insurance coverage to individuals who had past accidents or traffic tickets. Today, the company has more than 1 million customers.

Year founded	1963
Types of coverage	Liability protection Comprehensive coverage Collision coverage Uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance
Discounts available	Anti-lock brakes discount Anti-theft discounts Daytime running lights discount Airbags and passive restraints discount Multiple vehicles discount Recent auto insurance discount
Where you can use it	The General mobile app on Android and iOS Online at The General website
Customer support	Call 844-328-0306 Schedule a call online Chat with a customer representative Send a message via the online contact form
Availability	46 states and Washington, D.C.

What insurance does The General offer?

The General offers basic coverage options that most drivers need. These include:

• Liability protection: Liability insurance coverage helps pay for the costs of injuries or property damage from an at-fault accident. Most states — except for New Hampshire and Virginia — require carrying a minimum amount of liability coverage.
• Comprehensive coverage: Comprehensive insurance helps pay for the cost to repair or replace your vehicle in the event that it’s stolen or damaged in a covered incident. A covered incident includes fire, vandalism, and falling trees, among other events.
• Collision coverage: Collision insurance helps cover damages to your vehicle due to a crash with another vehicle or a stationary object. Comprehensive and collision insurance are collectively known as full coverage. They’re optional unless you’re financing or leasing your vehicle.
• Uninsured motorist insurance: Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage helps pay for damage or medical payments or bills following an accident caused by someone who doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough coverage.

These coverage options are fairly limited compared to many other insurance companies. However, you may be able to qualify for roadside assistance, towing services, and other additional coverage through The General insurance agent.

In addition to auto insurance, The General offers a number of other policies, including:

Homeowners insurance Renters insurance Motorcycle insurance Boat insurance Motor home insurance Travel trailer insurance

Phone insurance Life insurance Health insurance Pet insurance Commercial insurance

The General offers its insurance products in 46 states and Washington, D.C.

The General auto insurance: How cheap is it?

The General auto insurance premium can often be high because it specializes in drivers who have a previous accident or ticket record. Your driving history is one of the top factors that affect car insurance rates.

Drivers with a clean history may get the best rates by getting car insurance quotes from multiple companies and comparing them.

How to find discounts

The General offers a limited selection of discounts compared to many other auto insurance companies. The discounts it offers include:

• Safety features discounts: The General offers discounts for having certain safety features such as an anti-theft system, anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights, airbags, and passive restraints.
• Multi-vehicle discount: The General gives a discount when you include more than one car in your auto insurance policy.
• Recent auto insurance discount: The General helps people who had a lapse in their auto insurance coverage by providing a discount for having car insurance within the last five years.

How to maximize savings

There are several things you can do to save money on car insurance, even with a record of past tickets of accidents.

• Work on improving your credit. Raising your credit score can help you secure a better auto insurance rate. Take steps to quickly improve your credit score by paying down debt, paying your bills on time, and disputing any credit errors.
• Be a safe driver. Having a clean record can help you get more affordable coverage. Focus on staying safe while driving, avoid speed, and refrain from texting or using your phone.
• Opt for a higher deductible. Increasing your deductible or changing your coverage limits can reduce your car insurance payments. However, remember you’ll have to pay more out of pocket before your insurance will kick in in the event of an accident.
• Ask for discounts. Even if you don’t qualify for discounts right away, continue to check back. You may qualify for other discounts from The General in the future.

How to get an insurance quote from The General

Figuring out how to get car insurance using The General’s quote process only takes a few minutes, thanks to its online quote tool.

Make sure to have the following information before you begin your insurance quote:

• Basic personal information: Such as your name, address, marital status, and more.
• Basic contact information: Such as your email address and phone number.
• Vehicle information: Such as the make, model, and year. You also need an average of how many miles you drive each year.

Once you’ve gathered the required information, you can start the quote process:

1. Enter your ZIP code.

2. Answer some basic questions, including when you last had insurance, what type of residence you live in, and your email address.

3. Provide information such as your name, date of birth, gender, marital status, and phone number.

4. Enter your vehicle’s make, model, and year. Add information about whether you own or finance your vehicle.

5. Receive your quote from The General. It also offers a comparison section to view quotes from other car insurance providers.

The General Auto Insurance FAQs

Bottom line

The General is an insurance company that may offer drivers with records of accidents or traffic violations, such as speeding or DUI, get the auto insurance coverage required by their states. The company has many positive reviews from policyholders and a strong rating from the Better Business Bureau.

However, The General has limited coverage options and a few discounts to offer. Drivers who have clean records may prefer exploring the best car insurance companies to explore other options they have.

Methodology

FinanceBuzz researches a number of factors in each auto insurance provider to create our reviews. These factors include cost and discounts, complaints and customer satisfaction, coverage, and ease of use. We also gather information from sources such as J.D. Power, AM Best, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), and the Better Business Bureau to ensure we provide the most useful information to our readers.