The General Auto Insurance

The General Auto Insurance Reviews

About The General Auto Insurance

The General specializes in auto coverage policies for drivers who are high risk or who have poor credit scores. It offers affordable car insurance with low down payments and is geared toward those who might struggle to find policy providers. The General writes auto policies in 44 states.

Pros
  • Affordable
  • Caters to high-risk drivers
  • Low down payments
Cons
  • Penalty for canceling early
  • Limited info on website

Featured Reviews

San Jose, CA
Verified purchase
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 helpi...

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Minneapolis, MN
Verified purchase
No other insurance company would help me... I didn't think I was going to be able to drive again until I called The General and they told me they would help me get back on the roa...

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What is The General car insurance?

The General is a subsidiary of PGC Holding Corporation, which is an affiliate of American Family Insurance. The company provides auto insurance policies ideal for high-risk drivers and those with poor credit. Its coverage includes collision, comprehensive, liability, personal injury protection and roadside assistance options. It also offers SR-22 filing. Its coverage is available in 44 states.

How does The General work?

The General is known for its quick, easy and affordable online quotes, which help potential policyholders save time and money. It offers various policy and service options to suit drivers’ needs.

With the General, you can choose your desired coverage limits. Its restricted plans limit coverage to those specifically listed on your policy, and its medical payments insurance covers medical expenses for you or your family members affected by an automobile accident. Its additional protection options include uninsured motorist coverage and rental car insurance.

The General quotes and rates

With The General, you should be able to avoid surprise policy fees. It combines payment plans with electronic verification of your info and details about your vehicle when you purchase a policy. The company offers low down payments and affordable rates, and it accepts payment via credit card and electronic checks. It also provides split payment options.

Note that 10 percent of your unearned premium might be deducted if you cancel your policy early — however, this varies from state to state.

The General FAQ

Does The General have full coverage insurance?
Yes, The General does offer full coverage options. Each policy is different, though, so it's important to check the details of your plan if you need full coverage.
What states does The General cover?
The General writes policies in 44 states.
Does The General offer rental car coverage?
Yes, The General offers rental car coverage. Contact customer support to verify your policy includes this coverage.
Does The General do windshield repair?
Yes. The General offers windshield repair as part of its comprehensive coverage.

Is The General car insurance good?

Auto coverage from The General is a good option for high-risk drivers and those with low credit. Its plans are affordable, and you can get fast and easy quotes online. It also offers low down payments and split payment options. The General also provides full coverage, rental car, medical, personal injury protection and uninsured motorist insurance, among other policy options.

The General Auto Insurance Reviews

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    How do I know I can trust these reviews about Permanent General Auto Insurance (PGAC)?
    • 4,572,795 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
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    • Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
    Page 1 Reviews 0 - 10
    Claims HandlingCoverageStaff

    Reviewed Nov. 15, 2024

    The general is a scam; they will make up things and have you thinking everything is going to work out, but then they deny your claim based on some false allegations. I paid for extra coverage only for them to do nothing. My car was taken without my consent, and because it was an unauthorized driver that was driving the vehicle, they denied my claim. I feel like that's not fair. Kevin **, Robert **, Ethan **, and Sylvia ** are the agents I had; they all gave false information and false hope. They did any and everything to not help me. Sylvia is the one that denied my claim, claiming she had a video. She made up evidence and made me notarize a paper, just so she could put the blame on me and avoid looking like the bad person.

    Kevin told me to take fault for the accident so he could just turn it over to Robert, the investigator, so they could try to accuse me of insurance fraud if they ended up covering it, but they did not because I was not going to take responsibility for something I didn't do. My accident happened on October 25th and they just denied my claim on November 15th. Please do not go through them because you will not be covered. You'll be paying for an insurance company that will not help you; you will end up being taken advantage of. If anything happens, listen to the reviews. They have a bad score for a reason. The General takes advantage of people.

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    Customer ServiceCoveragePriceStaff

    Reviewed Sept. 4, 2024

    Beware when getting a quote. If you are asked if you pay rent or own your own home. Be sure and let them know if you do not have homeowners' insurance.

    Your quote is based on whether or not you have homeowners' insurance. They do not ask if you have homeowners insurance or that it's a prerequisite for car insurance. You will find that out when you get your first statement.

    Good luck in getting ahold of a live operator. Especially during an emergency. They usually call you back in 4 to 6 days later. They will also make you feel like you are the person at fault. Please ask the right questions and don't get taken. Also remember that paper statements will cost you money and they will load up your mailbox with unnecessary mail. You will get billed for any paperwork that they send you. usually, 3 to 6 months welcome letters a month.

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      Claims HandlingPriceStaff

      Reviewed Aug. 20, 2024

      This is the worst company ever. You pay for what you get. Yes, the prices are low, but if you ever need them, you will go to hell. I had a small, very minor accident and the adjuster gave me hell trying to get my Car fix. My payment was always on time, but when it came To me needing them to get my car fixed they gave the Body hell. At first, they declined my claim altogether even though I sent them all the information they needed. Then they said they cannot find the information and pictures I sent them so I had the Body Shop sent it to them again.

      Be aware of who you do been with then they said I had a bill of $37. It’s like signing up with the mafia once you’re in. It’s hard to get out. I will say the lady I originally spoke with, but that the policy for me was really nice. But when you deal with the claims department if you ever have to deal with them do not expect them to help you in anyway, and you have to stay on top of them because they will not reach out to you. I am so glad I am not with them anymore.

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      Customer ServiceStaff

      Reviewed Aug. 10, 2024

      Purchased insurance through The General on 7/11 for $108. Not even a week later received a bill for an additional amount of $111 due on 7/26. Call and asked why I was due already two weeks later and the lady informed me my bill is $255 a month, for 2 vehicles. Tried speaking to me like I was stupid when in fact the agent I spoke with originally didn't tell me the facts, said my bill was going to be $108 monthly, even the the website said that. I spent in total probably three hours on the phone with them, didn't get anywhere. RUDE, RUDE, RUDE! I wouldn't recommend them if they were the last insurance agency on the planet.

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      Customer Service

      Reviewed July 22, 2024

      I will keep it simple - they do not answer the phone - ever! They lie, transfer you to different depts., but a lot of effort into not helping you - it would be easier for them to just answer the phone. They make up reviews...

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      Price

      Reviewed July 13, 2024

      Insurance itself was decent, but we found better price with another company so when we transferred is when we ran into problems... The General insurance company is the worst unethical company to deal with. Now I have a collection due to their inaccuracy.

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      CoveragePriceStaff

      Reviewed July 9, 2024

      I Really Like The General Auto Insurance. They are very nice and very patient. They gave me a affordable quote in the middle of the month. But I had to wait till I got my money from SSI, To accept this Insurance. Plus I had been looking for a 12 months policy for long time, and couldn't find one till I found out about the General. They were very kind, Convenient to process my Policy. I was really happy That finally I came across a Insurance that cared. You will not go wrong by picking The General.

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      Verified purchase
      Customer ServiceCoverageStaff

      Reviewed June 6, 2024

      This is by far the worst insurance company and my policy just started. We received a quote online for our Chevy Camaro and Malibu. Since the quote was lower than what we were currently paying we decided to go with The General. When it was time to make our first monthly payment we noticed that one of the listed vehicles were wrong. We looked further in the policy and noticed that the covered vehicle was a 2011 Chevy HHR with a totally different VIN from our 2011 Chevy Camaro. This means the entire time we have been driving our Chevy Camaro was not covered. Because we wanted more answers on how this could’ve happened we decided to call customer care and waited on hold for 45 min.

      Once we were able to speak with a supervisor, she was very rude and abrasive when it came to answering questions regarding this complexed error. The supervisor at The General had the nerve to blame us for having the random vehicle and VIN-number on our policy. How could it be our fault if we do not have known, nor own the vehicle in question? We then asked the supervisor is it possible that the underwriting team could have made a mistake and she said “even if there was, an e-signature was done online”. Which that type of response, as soon as our time is up, we will not be renewing with The General. This is by far the worst experience we have ever had with a car insurance provider. New customers “SHOP ELSEWHERE”!!!!

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      Customer ServicePrice

      Reviewed May 28, 2024

      Worst Insurance company EVER. They mistakenly withdrew payment twice. 7 phone calls and 2 1/2 weeks for them to give back the money they stole. Every call was an answer of, "Nothing we can do. We know it was our mistake but will take a few more days to send the money back." They are thieves and liars. Even if you spend a little more, worth it. This company is a joke.

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      Coverage

      Reviewed May 15, 2024

      Beware if you have just liability insurance they will not cover anything that you are pulling. It doesn't matter if it is a horse trailer boat etc. It will not be cover. They will not insurance anything over 3500. It weighs too much to have comp and collision. The General needs to be put out of business.

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      The General Auto Insurance Company Information

      Company Name:
      Permanent General Auto Insurance (PGAC)
      Website:
      www.thegeneral.com