American General Car Insurance Review
The General provides standard car insurance with discounts across its product lineup, yet often charges higher rates than competing insurers. Furthermore, The General has received numerous complaints from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Policies from Allstate include both liability coverage required in most states as well as optional extras like roadside assistance and custom equipment coverage. Furthermore, it provides SR-22 forms to drivers who require them.
High-risk drivers
Car insurance is legally mandated in most states, yet can be costly for high-risk drivers. Insurance providers consider drivers high-risk when they have had tickets or accidents with multiple offenses (ie: DUI/DWI conviction). In order to find affordable car insurance policies drivers should compare quotes and shop around before purchasing one; also work on improving both their credit score and driving record as much as possible.
Most insurance providers provide discounts to help drivers reduce the cost of coverage, such as bundling policies together, paying premiums in full or taking a defensive driving course and insuring cars with safety features. Such discounts can significantly bring down policy premiums. Some companies such as State Farm offer a variety of policies at reasonable costs with an online quote tool designed specifically to find coverage best suited to individual budgets.
Your vehicle type can also have an effect on your rate; safer cars like Volvo or Subaru models typically have lower premiums than sporty sports cars. Furthermore, drivers with multiple at-fault accidents tend to pay more for full coverage policies; particularly if an incident caused extensive property damage, injuries to multiple people, or occurred within a work zone; your premium could likely increase significantly.
Discounts
Many drivers with poor driving records struggle to obtain car insurance from mainstream companies. The General specializes in nonstandard auto insurance coverage for those who have traffic violations, poor credit or coverage gaps; offering discounts and affordable rates while offering outstanding customer service both by phone or online with its mobile app receiving rave reviews from its users. It also offers roadside assistance should an accident occur.
The General offers multiple car insurance discounts to help drivers save money on premiums, such as its Safe Driver Discount for drivers with clean driving records for three to five years; double-deductible discount; which provides savings by increasing comprehensive and collision deductibles to an amount lower than usual for 45 days; as well as its Homeowner’s Discount available only to homeowners.
Personal Injury Protection or no-fault coverage from The General is also offered, offering coverage against medical expenses after an accident regardless of who is at fault. Rental reimbursement and towing coverage can also come in handy while your vehicle is being repaired; their policies are available across most states at very competitive rates compared to standard car policies.
Customer service
The General offers an assortment of insurance products, from auto and homeowners coverage to renters insurance and renter protection. Their online service center can assist customers with various issues as well as allow you to view policy documents and make payments from any device – customer service representatives are also available by phone, email and chat support for support services.
AM Best has awarded them with an A rating, reflecting its strong financial strength rating. Their nonstandard carrier rates offer affordable solutions for drivers with poor credit or who let their insurance lapse, including filing of an SR-22 form and roadside assistance through Nation Safe Drivers in select states.
Bankrate’s insurance team determined that The General is an excellent option for high-risk drivers; however, its services might not meet the needs of drivers with clean records. Rates tend to be higher compared with competitors but there are fewer discounts. Furthermore, customer service was poor with multiple complaints reported to Better Business Bureau.
The General is a nonstandard car insurer specializing in providing coverage to high-risk drivers. Their auto policies are available across 46 states and Washington D.C. Its premiums are comparable with average Arizona costs; however, there are fewer discounts than its competitors; customers may save money by being safe drivers who maintain an accident-free record for at least three to five years.
Complaints
The General offers car insurance policies to drivers with poor credit or moving violations in several states; however, the company has received many customer complaints regarding claim delays, unsatisfactory settlement offers and unexpected premium increases. In order to address these concerns effectively, The General has implemented a dedicated complaint department.
The General offers both Apple and Android users access to an app for managing premium payments and filing claims, finding nearby cash payment locations, as well as finding their bills due dates quickly. The General’s complaints department offers support via this channel as well.
If you are unsatisfied with your insurer’s customer service, contact its Ombudsman. These individuals have been trained specifically to assist in resolving disputes with insurance companies and often can help reach a compromise solution; however they cannot force an insurer to satisfy you.
In order to choose the appropriate car insurance provider, it’s essential that you review each company’s financial condition and customer satisfaction ratings. You can do this online through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Consumer Insurance Search page where you can compare complaint ratios, financial strength ratings and direct premiums written for insurance carriers. In addition, take note of their complaints index rating which measures complaints divided by market share.