The General Auto Insurance: Is it Right for You?

Established in 1963, the General Automobile Insurance Services, Inc., or simply The General, is a licensed insurance agency, a subsidiary of Permanent General Assurance Corporation, and is situated in Nashville, Tennessee. The General is available in 47 states and the District of Columbia and unavailable in Michigan, New Jersey, or Hawaii.

The company changed its name to The General in 1997 and created an animated military general as their mascot, who is famous for exclaiming, "For a great low rate you can get online, go to The General and save some time!" Shaquille O'Neal, retired professional basketball player, famously endorses the company and has appeared in many commercials since 2016.

Is The General a Good Insurance Company?

When it comes to financial strength, The General is in good shape and gets an A rating, which is regarded as Excellent. This indicates that this insurance agency has a strong record of meeting its contractual commitments.

The Better Business Bureau accredits the company with an A+ rating and 4.66/5 stars, which means that The General car insurance meets their responsibilities to customers. This is also evident in their low NAIC index of 1.21, meaning that there aren't very many customer complaints filed against them.

The General is a great resource for drivers with a spotty driving history, DUIs or other factors that make them uninsurable. Drivers with absurdly high rates due to their risk profile often find much better deals through The General, which rates very well for high-risk drivers overall.

Remember that The General Auto Insurance is not an insurance carrier but an agency that is a subsidiary of PGC Holdings Corp, which is an affiliate of American Family Insurance.

American Family's COVID-19 Assistance Through the General

Shaquille O'Neal announced that The General has added more flexible payment plans to help consumers who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. These include allowing clients to pay half of their balance to help reinstate or avoid termination of a policy, as well as restoring coverage within 90 days. Customers who need payment assistance are encouraged to call an agent at 1-800-280-1466. Or you can see which insurance company will give you the lowest rate by calling 855-214-2291.

The General: Best High-Risk Insurance Agency

The General Auto Insurance is recognized for offering affordable insurance to people with a history of traffic tickets or accidents, as well as coverage for young drivers and those with poor credit. While most firms raise pricing or refuse to insure high-risk drivers, The General has fair starting rates for these individuals.

The firm is also delighted to assist anybody who needs to get an SR 22 certificate to show that they have the minimum level of insurance required by their state. These are individuals who have had several traffic citations, have had their license revoked or suspended, have been convicted of a DUI, or have been in an at-fault collision while driving without insurance.

The General Auto Insurance offers "non-standard" car insurance, which means that high-risk drivers with points on their license or even DUIs can find affordable rates.

The General may be ideal for drivers who:

• Are high-risk drivers
• Are new, young and/or teen drivers
• Have a poor credit score
• Have multiple accidents and/or traffic violations on record
• Have never had insurance before

Insurers who cover high-risk drivers, on the other hand, often charge more than insurers that cover low-risk drivers. If you have a clean driving record, a strong credit score, and are regarded a clean driver, you'll likely find cheaper coverage elsewhere.

General Insurance Mobile App

The General's mobile app is available to assist you in managing everything from any location and at any time. On their website, The General has a mobile app and a customer service chat option. The General's "Hi Marley" opt-in text message service can offer information or questions about claims. Whether you need to get vehicle insurance quotes, pay a bill, access your ID cards, or file a claim, the mobile app makes it simple. With convenient tools and alerts and a new way to pay in cash or credit cards, you may use multiple, split, and scheduled payment methods to pay your bills.

How To File a Claim with The General

Customers are encouraged to submit a claim with The General via the website, the app, or by calling an agent at 1-800-280-1466. Claims services are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You'll be asked where the incident happened, when it happened, and if you filed a police report when you make a claim. You should also give the contact information of the other parties involved or property owner if you have it. Following the submission of your claim, a claims adjuster will be assigned to you and will call you to schedule an inspection and advise you on the next steps.

Does The General Car Insurance Offer Full Coverage?

Yes, drivers can get complete coverage from The General vehicle insurance. The term "full coverage" refers to a driver's option to buy comprehensive and collision insurance, as well as uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. The General's coverage options differ in each state, but they always meet or exceed the state's minimal liability insurance requirements. State-specific coverage restrictions and criteria will also differ.

Auto Insurance Coverage from The General:

• Collision Coverage
• Comprehensive Coverage
• Liability Coverage
• Medical payments Coverage
• Personal injury protection Coverage
• Underinsured and underinsured motorist Coverage

Depending on your area, you may be able to add optional insurance coverage to your policy, like:

• Custom equipment coverage
• Loan/Lease payoff
• Rental reimbursement
• Restricted coverage and non-owner policies
• Roadside Assistance, Towing and labor

If your state requires proof of minimum insurance coverage as a result of your accidents or traffic tickets, The General insurance may assist you in obtaining the necessary SR-22 or FR-44 paperwork.

How To Get a Car Insurance Quote

With The General Auto Insurance, you have to put a down payment for auto insurance coverage to secure a quote. Your down payment on a quote is based on several factors including your location, age, driving record and the type of vehicle that you drive. Depending on which state you live in, your credit score may come into play as well but perhaps not as heavily as it would with an insurer who won't work with high-risk drivers.

SmartFinancial, however, offers free, no-obligation car insurance quotes. Your zip code and other personal details, such as your age, credit history, and family insurance exclusions, are required for the General car insurance quote and with any other insurance company. If you decide to purchase a policy after receiving an online quote, they'll need the following information for all drivers and cars in your household in order to provide you with a premium estimate:

Information for a Car Insurance Quote

• Address
• Driver's license number
• Name
• Vehicle identification number

If you're not interested in finding out about a cheaper insurance policy, you may purchase your coverage from The General online. With a click, customers can select their payment option and submit the application. All you have to do after is to print your insurance card and you're ready to go!

Find Affordable Car Insurance

Car Insurance Discounts With The General

Policyholders may take advantage of a variety of savings from General Insurance, which vary depending on the state in which you reside. The General has the second-fewest discount choices of all the major insurers, with a total of 20. In comparison to organizations like AAA, Travelers, Farmers, and MetLife, this is the second-lowest amount of discounts available in the business. State Farm is the only business that offers lower discounts but this also indicates that the firm is financially sound at the very least.

Teens, New Drivers and Students

If you are a teen or inexperienced driver, insurance companies may rate you as a high-risk driver because of a lack of experience and no insurance coverage history. The General does not penalize according to age. If you are a new driver, you may get some fair rates from The General Auto Insurance. There is an excellent student discount that needs verification from the student of being on the Honor Roll, Dean's List, having a 3.0 GPA or better, having a B average or above, or ranking in the top 20% of their class academically.

Driver Safety Course and Military Members

Additionally, people who show paperwork verifying completion of an official military or state accident prevention course are eligible for a driver training discount. Active military personnel located in Louisiana who are serving full-time in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Reserve Corps/National Guard, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard are eligible for a military discount with the General.

Homeowners and Good Drivers

If you are a homeowner with homeowners insurance, you are eligible to receive a discount on your auto insurance coverage, as well as a multi-car discount if you insure more than one car on your policy. Furthermore, several states provide discounts for good driving, having liability-only vehicle insurance, having a limited coverage, and having visitor personal injury protection.

Other Discounts

• Defensive Driver (for drivers 50+ who graduate an approved driver education course)
• Driver's Ed (for drivers 21 and under who complete a voluntary teen driving course)
• Married policyholders
• Discounts for those in occupations where drivers are statistically in fewer accidents)
• Senior Driver (only for drivers who are 55+)

The General offers a limited number of vehicle-related discounts. These options include:

• Anti-lock Brakes
• Anti-theft (passive or active)
• Passive Restraint
• Vehicle Recovery
• Newer Car (if the car is a 94' or newer)

How Much Does The General Auto Insurance Policy Cost?

Individual criteria like as your driving record, location, age, vehicle and how you use it, normal mileage, credit-based insurance score, and other criteria that differ by U.S. state are all considered by insurers. Your premium is also influenced by the amount of insurance coverage you intend to buy. Car insurance coverage through The General costs about $2,300 a year on average. Of course, factors like location will greatly affect rates.

Does The General Offer Rental Car Insurance?

Yes, The General rental car insurance is usually included in a driver's car insurance if they carry liability, collision and comprehensive insurance. You'll also usually get reimbursed for a car rental if yours is being repaired for a covered claim. You can add rental reimbursement to your policy by using the app. Check your policy for limits per day and maximum days limits on the app as well. If you have a full-coverage policy with The General, you will have damages to rental car covered if you have an accident. Otherwise, you may only be covered for the other driver's losses and injuries if you only carry liability on your personal policy.

Are The General and National General the Same?

No, but they both offer auto insurance. National General also offers RV and home insurance, but The General only offers auto insurance. The General is the same as General Auto Insurance.

Does General Auto Insurance Offer Non-Owner Car Insurance?

Yes, and having a non-owner car insurance is a great idea for people who do not own a car and want to lower their rates over time. A lapse in coverage, for any reason, will raise your rates. If your rates are so high that you've given up the idea of having a car for a while, know that your insurance rates will increase due to a lapse. Buy a cheap non-owner car insurance policy instead so you can lower your rate while at the lowest rate possible. A non-owner policy is much cheaper than a standard car insurance policy. Also people will rest easier if you borrow their car if you're insured with this type of policy. However, damages to the person whose car you're borrowing will not be covered with a non-owner liability policy. There's no such thing as a non-owner collision policy, unfortunately.

Save Now by Comparing the General with Other Insurers!

You can get a vehicle insurance quote from The General easily online. Unlike many other insurers, The General does not require you to provide personal information like Social Security number (although it is encouraged) in order to obtain a vehicle quotation. If you want to get the best auto insurance rates available on the market for you, it's a good idea to compare car insurance quotes for free by letting SmartFinancial do the footwork for you after you fill out one form with all your relevant information. You can start by entering your zip code below. Your information will only be used to match you with the insurer offering the best rate for your situation.