The General auto insurance

Overview

The General is a Nashville, Tennessee, auto insurance brand built around nonstandard auto insurance: coverage for drivers that standard insurers often charge heavily or decline, such as people with accidents or tickets, a gap in coverage, poor credit or a state order to carry an SR-22. It sells directly to consumers online, through its app and by phone, and is known nationally for television ads featuring Shaquille O'Neal.

Since the end of 2024, The General has belonged to Sentry Insurance, a mutual insurer based in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. The company describes itself as a subsidiary of PGC Holdings Corp., an affiliate of Sentry. The General does not report its own premium ranking: its policies are written by Sentry companies, so its premiums are counted in Sentry Insurance Group, which ranked #16 among U.S. private passenger auto insurers by 2025 direct premiums written according to NAIC market share data. That group total also includes Dairyland, Sentry's agent-sold nonstandard brand. Sentry has said The General will be its primary brand in the nonstandard market.

History

The company began in 1963 as Permanent General Agency, and its main underwriting company is still Permanent General Assurance Corporation. For much of its history the business operated as Permanent General Companies, selling under both the Permanent General and The General names. Private equity firm Capital Z Partners was its majority owner for about eight years before agreeing in September 2012 to sell PGC Holdings Corp. to American Family Insurance for $239 million. At the time, the company had about 750 employees, wrote business in 25 states and reported $270 million of direct written premium for 2011. The sale closed at the start of 2013.

The General started selling online in 2000 and launched its mobile app in 2018. In May 2016 it signed Shaquille O'Neal as its first real-life brand ambassador; O'Neal had insured a car with The General while in college.

In September 2024, Sentry agreed to buy The General from American Family. The deal closed on December 31, 2024, and The General's associates, about 1,300 people, joined Sentry on January 1, 2025. Sentry valued the transaction at $1.7 billion and called it the largest acquisition in its history. The General kept its Nashville headquarters.

Auto insurance coverage

The General sells liability coverage, including state-minimum policies, plus collision, comprehensive, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, gap insurance and roadside assistance. Its SR-22 service files the form with the state after you buy a policy; the company says an online purchase can produce the filing in minutes. It also handles FR-44 filings, the higher-limit certificate used in Florida and Virginia, and offers non-owner SR-22 coverage for people who need a filing but do not own a car.

Policies are written by Sentry group companies. The General's disclosures list Permanent General Assurance Corporation, Permanent General Assurance Corporation of Ohio, The General Automobile Insurance Company, Sentry Insurance Company, Dairyland Insurance Company, Viking Insurance Company of Wisconsin, Patriot General Insurance Company, Peak Property and Casualty Insurance Corporation, Middlesex Insurance Company and Dairyland National Insurance Company. In Texas, policies are written by Dairyland County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas or by Old American County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, an unaffiliated county mutual insurance company insurer. The General's agency also refers customers to other companies for renters, homeowners, life and some recreational-vehicle coverage.

Discounts and programs

The General lists discounts for prior insurance, good credit, multiple cars, homeownership and good students, plus a military discount in Louisiana only. Availability varies by state. There is no telematics or usage-based program on its site.

Payment flexibility is a large part of the pitch. In most states The General offers monthly payment plans, and quotes default to the lowest-cost plan available. Customers can choose a payment date and pay by credit or debit card, with cash payments accepted in some states. The app shows ID cards, takes split and scheduled payments, and starts quotes.

Roadside assistance is sold as an add-on. It covers towing, flat-tire changes with your spare, jump-starts, fuel and fluid delivery (you pay for the fluids) and lockouts, with up to three calls in a six-month membership period. Existing customers who add it may face a three-day waiting period.

Claims

New claims can be reported 24/7 by phone at 800-280-1466, online, or in the app, where you can send photos from the scene and track a claim. The team handling existing claims works weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time. Documents can be sent by email to [email protected], by fax to 833-464-9908, or by mail to a claims post office box in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, Sentry's hometown. The company says an adjuster usually makes contact within a few days of a reported accident.

The General is not included in the J.D. Power U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, which covers larger insurers.

Ratings and reputation

The General's website says its insurers carry an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best, current as of July 2026. The rating reflects the backing of the Sentry group, which AM Best also rates A+ (Superior).

Customer satisfaction scores are weak. In the J.D. Power 2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Study, released June 9, 2026, The General scored 606 in Florida, 13th of 14 ranked brands and well below the regional average of 639. It was not ranked in the study's other regions. Sentry's agent-sold Dairyland brand scored 624 in the same Florida ranking.

Who it suits

The General suits high-risk drivers who want to buy quickly online: people with violations, an at-fault accident, a coverage lapse or weak credit, and anyone who needs an SR-22 or FR-44 filed fast. Monthly payment options and cash payments in some states make it accessible on a tight budget. Drivers with clean records will usually find lower prices, more discounts and better service scores with standard carriers. Shoppers who prefer an agent can look at Sentry's Dairyland brand. For more on this market, see nonstandard auto insurers: who they serve and what to watch.

• Strengths: A+ (Superior) AM Best rating through Sentry; fast online SR-22, FR-44 and non-owner filings; monthly payment plans with flexible due dates; sold in 47 states.
• Weaknesses: 13th of 14 in Florida in J.D. Power's 2026 satisfaction study; short discount list with no telematics option; roadside service is an add-on limited to three calls per six months; brand and back-office changes are still underway after the 2024 sale to Sentry.

How to contact The General