The General Insurance Company Review

Is The General a good insurance company?
Written by Rene Todd Fields
Written by Rene Todd Fields

Environmental and natural resource advocate and business owner, Rene Todd Fields, has more than 10 years of experience working within both private and public sectors and enjoys helping individuals understand their options and make solid coverage decisions.

Updated

The General Insurance Company at a Glance

  • Founded in 1963
  • America’s premier specialty auto insurer
  • Offers high-risk auto insurance
  • Coverage available in 44 states
  • “A” (excellent) rating by A.M. Best
  • Also offers term life insurance
  • 24/7 phone and mobile app claims reporting
  • Strong financial stability

The General pros: Well-established carrier with more than 50 years’ worth of experience in the insurance industry. Highly rated by A.M. Best. 24/7 claims reporting via phone or mobile app. Strong financial stability. Coverage available in 44 states. Positive customer reviews.

The General cons: Poor claims process. Not BBB accredited. Not much information about claims process or coverage provided on official website. Official website could use a major update. Limited coverage options available. Limited info on website.

What Type of Insurance Does The General Offer?

The General is a specialized insurance company, with a focus on coverage for high-risk auto insurance. They offer the following insurance products.

  • Auto insurance
  • Term life insurance
  • Renters insurance
  • Homeowners insurance
  • Motorcycle insurance
  • RV/boat insurance

Your independent insurance agent can help you find more information about the coverage offered by The General, and help you decide if this insurance company is right for you.

Using our insurance company directory can help you find the best insurance companies that specialize in your specific coverage needs. The company directory can also help you get connected to an agent near you.

What to Know about The General

The General was founded in 1963, giving the carrier more than 50 years worth of experience in the insurance industry. The General® is a licensed insurance agency that is a subsidiary of PGC Holdings Corp. (PGC) which is an affiliate of American Family Insurance. Through its insurance company subsidiaries and their predecessors, PGC has been writing automobile insurance for over 50 years.

Today, The General still focuses its efforts on providing high-risk auto insurance solutions for drivers in need. Coverage is offered in 44 states across the country. The insurance company's LinkedIn profile states that The General has between 501 and 1,000 employees, with nearly 865 of them found on the social media platform. As far as financial size, A.M. Best places the carrier in the $2 billion or greater category.

Thanks to its wide reach and financial strength, The General has earned a reputation as a stable insurance company with a positive outlook for the future. A.M. Best, the leading global credit rating agency monitoring the insurance industry, gives The General an “A” rating, indicating the carrier is an excellent choice for insurance customers. High ratings from A.M. Best assure customers that The General can offer guaranteed, secure coverage from a financially sound carrier.

Established in 1899, A.M. Best is one of the oldest rating companies in the world. Reviews from A.M. Best indicate an insurance company’s financial strength and creditworthiness and are based on comprehensive evaluations of the company’s operating performance, business profile, and balance sheet. For customers who are not as familiar with insurance companies’ respective reputations, A.M. Best’s ratings system allows them to make an informed decision about who they can trust to meet their needs in the short term, and who will remain a strong, financially sound company in the long term.

What Discounts Does The General Offer?

The General makes information about their specific discounts readily available online. These discounts include the following.

  • Airbag discount: This discount is offered to customers who have factory installed airbags on their vehicle.
  • Anti-lock discount: This discount is offered to customers who has a vehicle equipped with anti-lock brakes.
  • Driving training discount: This discount is offered to customers who complete an approved driver course.
  • Good student discount: This discount is offered to students with good grades.
  • Homeowner discount: This discount is offered for auto insurance to customers who own a home.
  • Military discount: This discount is offered to active military personnel serving full time in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, a Reserve Corp/National Guard, or Coast Guard.
  • Multi-car discount: This discount is offered to customers who insure more than one vehicle on their policy.
  • Pay in full discount: This discount is offered to customers who pay their policy premium in full.
  • Select driver discount: This discount is available to customers who have more than one driver listed on their insurance policy. To be eligible, each driver must have at least five years driving experience and a clean driving record for the last three years.
  • Transfer discount: This discount is offered to customers who have continually maintained auto insurance with another company for the past six months.

An independent insurance agent can provide better discount information and premium quotes for coverage through The General. When it comes to auto coverage, independent insurance agents work hard to help get you the most out of your money.

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The General Customer Service

The General offers 24/7 phone or mobile app claims reporting for its policyholders. The carrier also provides the following customer service options.

  • Online bill pay and account management
  • Online quotes
  • Customer service availability - Facebook response hours: Monday - Friday: 8am to 5pm. Claims reporting is available over the phone or by mobile app.


Hours (Eastern)


Monday-Friday 24/7


Saturday 24/7


Sunday 24/7

The best way to assure a great customer service experience is to work with an independent insurance agent. Independent insurance agents can help handle claims and other affairs for you, so you can relax and enjoy your coverage.

The General FAQ

What is The General's average claim response time frame?

The General offers claims reporting through a couple of mediums. However, the insurance company does not provide an official claims response time frame promise. The length of the process usually depends upon the complexity of the claim. The General does encourage customers to file claims as soon as it’s safe to do so.

What is The General's customer service availability?

The General allows customers to file claims over the phone 24/7 or by mobile app. The carrier’s social media presence extends across Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, which makes them a bit more accessible to customers.

What is The General's claims process?

The General offers a couple of options for claims reporting. However, the insurance company does not offer much on their claims process on their official website or social media platforms. If customers have questions about filing or the claims process itself, they can contact the carrier via phone or mobile app, or get in touch with their independent insurance agent.

Does The General's insurance create a user-friendly experience for customers?

The General’s official website could certainly use an update. The carrier does not provide much information about their claims process. Online bill pay is available, as is 24/7 claims reporting via phone or mobile app, which are nice, modern customer service features. So, while The General is not terrible in terms of user-friendliness, they could stand to update a few of their features.

The General Customer Reviews

consumeraffairs.com
5 Stars
“Fastest, cheapest priced auto insurance I have come across in my search. I have looked into about 5 other major insurance companies and not only do they change your quote at the last minute, it's a long process to even get to the end. The app is so helpful and easy to use as well!” —Leanne of Pottstown, PA


consumeraffairs.com
5 Stars
“I saw the ad for the General on TV. I didn't feel like calling several Insurance companies and repeating all my info, so with the ad I had seen several times on TV, I decided to see how fast and affordable this company would be and to my surprise, it was fast, easy, and affordable. I had to send them proof of insurance before and a payment and I was done. All the paperwork you need for the General is on their site and it's self explanatory for what you need.” —Joni of Lacey, WA


consumeraffairs.com
5 Stars
“I found their website to be very easy to use. They were very helpful and very efficient in starting my policy. The woman I worked with online was very helpful and patient in helping me submit all the necessary paper work.” —Mary of San Jose, CA


consumeraffairs.com
“Never received noticed my insurance dropped me, I received an email 8 days after and didn’t get the “official mail” for almost two weeks after. They never sent me any notification and I was driving around without insurance for over a week; it could of gone very badly. Not happy.” —Ian of Tiverton, RI


consumeraffairs.com
“This insurance company is the worst! They are not timely as they claim to be - my car was hit, not my fault, I have been without a car for over a month - they take forever to get anything processed and refuse to represent your best interest to the other insurance company...I recommend you do not get this insurance!!!!!” —Gina of Roseville, CA


TrustedChoice.com's Final Review

We award The General Insurance Company a final rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars. The insurance company has been around for more 50 years now, which is significant within the insurance industry. However, it seems the carrier has not used this time to their advantage. Though The General has received high ratings through A.M. Best, they haven’t been accredited through BBB. While coverage is offered in 44 states, their catalog is kind of limited, with a focus on high-risk auto insurance. The insurance company provides 24/7 claims reporting via phone or mobile app, and online bill pay. Currently it is easy to say many positive things about this carrier. So, our recommendation is that if you are in the market for high-risk auto insurance, review your options for trusted carriers with your independent insurance agent, and perhaps look further into The General.

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