Company review
The General Car Insurance Review
Updated August 2026
The General is the opposite of a generalist. While the giant carriers compete hardest for clean-record suburban drivers, The General built its entire business around the drivers those companies surcharge or turn away — coverage lapses, recent accidents, tickets, and court-ordered filings. The cartoon commercials are the surface; underneath is one of the longer-running non-standard books in the country, with roots going back to 1963.
That specialty matters more in Florida than in most states. Florida suspends licenses aggressively, requires an FR-44 filing after DUI-related convictions, and has one of the country's larger populations of drivers who have carried a lapse at some point. The General is not trying to win a clean-record bidding war — it is trying to be the company that says yes when the record is complicated.
| Founded | 1963 (as Permanent General) |
| Ownership | Part of the American Family Insurance group (since 2012) |
| AM Best financial strength | A (Excellent) |
| How it sells | Direct online/phone, backed by heavy national advertising |
| Telematics program | No branded usage-based program |
| Writes SR-22 / non-standard | Yes |
Source: Company disclosures and AM Best public ratings
What 'non-standard' actually means here
Non-standard is industry shorthand for drivers the mainstream market prices reluctantly: a lapse in coverage, an at-fault accident, a DUI, too many points, or no prior insurance history at all. A specialist like The General underwrites for acceptance first — quick online quotes, low down payments, and monthly plans built for people who need proof of insurance today, not after a week of underwriting review.
The trade-off is that non-standard quotes often default to Florida's bare minimums — $10,000 in PIP and $10,000 in property damage liability — which leaves a lot uncovered after a serious crash. When you compare a General quote against others, check what limits it actually includes before you compare the price. Since 2012 the company has operated inside the American Family Insurance group, and it carries an AM Best rating of A (Excellent), so the specialty is in appetite, not financial footing.
SR-22 and FR-44 filings: core business, not a favor
Some carriers file SR-22s grudgingly; for The General, filings are the franchise. A Florida SR-22 is a certificate the insurer files with the state after violations like driving without insurance, and the filing itself is cheap — typically a one-time fee of about $15–25. What actually moves the premium is the violation underneath it, which is exactly the risk a non-standard specialist is built to price. Our guide at /sr22-insurance-florida/ walks through when Florida requires the filing and how long it lasts.
Florida's FR-44 is the stricter cousin, required after DUI-related convictions and only used in Florida and Virginia. It forces liability limits of 100/300/50 — far above the state's usual minimums — so an FR-44 policy is a fundamentally bigger purchase, and the spread between carrier quotes on a DUI profile tends to be wider than on almost any other. The General writes FR-44 business routinely; our /fr44-insurance-florida/ guide covers what the filing requires. Either way, a filing profile is precisely the situation where comparing several quotes pays off most.
How The General prices, and what to watch
The General sells direct — online or by phone, with no agent network — and its quote flow is engineered for speed: answer a short set of questions, get a number, bind with a small down payment. It has no branded telematics program, so there is no usage-based discount to chase; pricing rides on the record, the vehicle, the ZIP code, and the payment plan you pick.
The thing to watch is the total cost of the payment plan, not just the down payment. Non-standard policies frequently carry installment fees that add up across a six-month term, and a slightly higher quote paid differently can cost less overall. That is not a knock on The General specifically — it is how the segment works — but it is one more reason to put two or three quotes side by side before binding.
Profiles The General tends to fit
Educational patterns from how the company positions itself — not a recommendation. The only way to know your price is to compare quotes.
- Drivers who need an SR-22 or FR-44 filing in Florida and want a company that treats it as routine business
- Drivers with a coverage lapse, recent accident, or points that push mainstream quotes up sharply
- Drivers who need proof of insurance quickly and value a low down payment over the lowest total cost
- Drivers comfortable buying and managing a policy online or by phone rather than through a local agent
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Compare ratesFrequently asked questions
Does The General file SR-22s and FR-44s in Florida?+
Yes — financial-responsibility filings are core business for The General, not an accommodation. That includes Florida's FR-44 after DUI-related convictions, which requires 100/300/50 liability limits. The filing fee itself is small (typically about $15–25); the record underneath it is what drives the premium, so compare a filing quote against other non-standard writers and mainstream carriers that accept filings.
Is The General expensive?+
It depends entirely on the profile. For a clean-record driver, a non-standard specialist's quote is often not competitive — that is not who it prices for. For a driver with a lapse, an accident, or a filing requirement, it can land well below a standard carrier's surcharged offer. Statewide, full coverage in Florida typically runs about $2,786–$2,953 a year, so the gap between quotes on a complicated record is worth real money.
Who owns The General, and is it financially solid?+
The General is the consumer brand of the Permanent General companies, founded in 1963 and part of the American Family Insurance group since 2012. It carries an AM Best rating of A (Excellent). The non-standard specialty describes its underwriting appetite, not its financial strength.
What coverage limits will a General quote include?+
Unless you ask for more, non-standard quotes in Florida often start near the state minimums — $10,000 PIP and $10,000 property damage liability — which is thin protection after a serious crash. An FR-44 policy is the exception: the filing itself forces 100/300/50 limits. Always compare quotes at the same limits, not just the same price.
ShowMyRates is an independent comparison service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The General. Company names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners. Information reflects public company disclosures and may change; verify details with the insurer. See our editorial policy.
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