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No one should have to pay full price for anything—even car insurance. Fortunately for drivers, nearly every company offers at least one discount to some customers. We researched The General car insurance to discover which discounts you may be eligible for. Read on to learn what we found about The General, and for more information about this insurer, read our company overview of The General car insurance.
Car Insurance Discounts from The General
While much larger for other major car insurance companies, the list of discounts is remarkably bare for The General. According to our research, we found that The General offers only one notable discount to its car insurance customers. The General gives this discount to customers who pay their policy’s premium in one lump sum. Depending on the policy, this could be 12 months, 6 months, or 3 months. This discount is not available in all states.
And that’s it. We couldn’t find any other mentions of discounts from The General. But this makes sense if you consider the drivers The General typically insures. By offering the lowest rates to drivers with poor driving records, bad credit, and other less-than-desirable driving habits, the safe driving discounts that are typically offered are not available to The General’s largest customer base.
Read more: Comparing The Benefits: 6-Month Vs. 12-Month Auto Insurance Policies
Safe Driver and Good Driver Discounts
Common offerings among car insurance companies are safe driver and good driver discounts. The General does not offer either of these to its customers. It may be hard to tell the difference between “safe” and “good” driver discounts. Generally, insurance companies give safe driver discounts to customers who avoid major violations. Good driver discounts typically reward drivers who go without accidents or filing a claim. Again, if you’re hoping to take advantage of a safe driver or good driver discount, look elsewhere. The General doesn’t offer them.
The General and Usage-Based Insurance Discounts
Usage-based insurance (UBI) has become a buzzworthy term in the car insurance industry. UBI involves car insurance companies using technology to monitor your driving habits and reward your good driving with lower rates. The General does not currently offer a UBI program or discount. Although this could change, the company’s focus on high-risk drivers makes UBI from The General unlikely.
How to Save on Car Insurance with The General
Without any major discounts, you may be wondering if it’s possible to save any money with The General car insurance. Don’t worry. You may still have a few options to lower your cost. Here are a few things to try:
Choose a Higher Deductible. Generally, higher deductibles give you lower rates. This is because you’re agreeing to take on more of the risk in case of an accident. The downside is that if you do happen to need to file a claim, you’re on the hook for the higher amount before the insurance pays its part.
Drive Safely. If you have a poor driving record, you won’t see immediate savings. But the longer you can drive without any accidents or violations on your record, the lower you can expect your rates.
Improve Your Credit Score. Generally, a bad credit score means you pay more for car insurance. If you take steps to improve your credit such as paying off debt and making payments on time you should see lower rates.
Ask for Discounts. Like we explained earlier, we found that The General only offers discounts to customers who pay their policy in full. But this could change, and there might be discounts we don’t know about. It can’t hurt to ask your insurance agent if any discounts are available to you.
Shop Around. We recommend that you ask for quotes from many car insurance companies. Shopping around can give you a better idea of what rates you can expect, and may help you lower your rate if you switch.
Car Insurance Quotes from The General
As mentioned, The General is one of the cheaper companies in the country for drivers who have a less-than-perfect driving history. See how much car insurance from The General could cost you, based on their rates we analyzed.
The General Car Insurance Reviews
How does The General stack up against the competition? We found the company rates poorly for claims and customer service. For the details, we have a complete rundown in our review of The General car insurance, covering everything from cost to customer satisfaction.
What This All Means to You
When it comes to discounts, The General is not the king. With only one discount that we could find offered to customers paying in full this company has other priorities. But this makes sense when you look at the big picture. The General is best for high-risk drivers who need car insurance but might have poor credit or driving history.
Before making any final decisions on your insurance company, it is important to learn as much as you can about your local insurance providers, and the coverages they offer. Call your local insurance agent to clear up any questions that you might have. Questions to consider asking include, “What is the best coverage plan for me/my family/my situation?” “What are the minimum coverage requirements in my state and what form of coverage do you recommend?” “Do you guys offer any bundle discounts if I take out both my auto insurance and home insurance with you?” and “What is the average rate of insurance quotes you guys offer?
Before making any big insurance decisions, use our free tool to compare insurance quotes near you. It’s simple, just plug in your zip code and we’ll do the rest!
Want a quote for The General car insurance? Call us at [mapi-phone /] and we’ll connect you with an independent agent. Or if you prefer, browse and shop around for car insurance company quotes.