If you’re weighing The General against Progressive after a DUI, a lapsed policy, or a stack of tickets, the short answer is that both work — but they serve different kinds of high-risk drivers. The General leans into pure non-standard coverage, while Progressive blends usage-based discounts with a wider range of driving records.
One company is a specialist built around drivers who’ve been turned away elsewhere. The other is a mainstream carrier that also happens to accept rougher records, sometimes at a steeper price depending on the violation.
How These Two Companies Actually Differ
The General built its entire business model around drivers that standard insurers tend to avoid. If you’ve had a DUI, an at-fault accident, or a coverage lapse, you’re exactly who they’re pricing for. That focus shows up in how fast they quote and how comfortable they are filing an SR-22 (the state-required proof of financial responsibility) on your behalf.
Progressive works differently. It’s a full-line carrier that happens to run a high-risk tier, which means you get pooled alongside drivers with clean records too. That can help or hurt you depending on your specific violations — a single speeding ticket might land a better rate here than at a specialist insurer, while a DUI could push you toward their higher-risk pricing bracket.
Want a deeper breakdown of each company’s approach before deciding? The The General review covers eligibility and the claims process in detail, and the Progressive review walks through how their high-risk tier tends to be priced.
Rates, SR-22 Filing, and Usage-Based Discounts
Price is where these two split the most. The General tends to quote aggressively for drivers who’ve been flatly denied elsewhere, but that convenience usually comes with fewer built-in discount opportunities. Progressive, on the other hand, offers its Snapshot program — a usage-based tool that tracks driving habits and can lower your premium over time if you drive carefully.
Here’s the catch with Snapshot: a rough driving pattern during the tracking period can actually raise your rate instead of lowering it. That’s a real risk for someone who’s already flagged as high-risk on paper. The General doesn’t run an equivalent telematics discount, so what you see at signup stays closer to what you’ll pay going forward, aside from normal renewal adjustments.
SR-22 filings are handled by both companies, but the process and turnaround can vary by state. If your state requires proof of financial responsibility after a violation, checking the SR-22 cost with The General breakdown will give you a clearer sense of what that filing fee typically adds on top of the base premium.
Get a quote built for drivers with DUIs, tickets, accidents, or a lapse in coverage.
SR-22 handled for you
The General can file the paperwork your state requires after a violation.
Low down payment options
Start a policy without a large upfront cost, even with a rough record.
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🔒 A straightforward quote process built for high-risk drivers.
What You Need to Know Before You Switch
Neither company can promise the lowest rate for every driver — your specific violations, your state, and even your zip code shift the math considerably. What tends to matter most is how recent the incident is. A DUI from several years back usually prices differently than one from last month, regardless of which carrier you pick.
Bundling also plays a role in the total cost comparison. Progressive often lets you combine auto with renters or home coverage for an added discount, something The General doesn’t emphasize as heavily in its non-standard lineup. If you’re only shopping for a single auto policy with an SR-22 attached, that difference may not move the needle much for you.
One more practical point worth flagging: switching carriers mid-SR-22 period can create a gap in your filing if the timing isn’t handled carefully. Confirm the new policy is active and the SR-22 has been re-filed with your state before canceling the old one — a lapse here can undo the progress you’ve made toward getting your license fully reinstated.
It also helps to get quotes from both before assuming one is automatically cheaper. Rates for high-risk drivers move around more than standard policies, and a company that looks expensive on paper can sometimes beat a specialist once discounts and fees are factored in.
✅ Read the Full The General Review →
Conclusion
The General usually makes more sense if you’ve been denied by traditional insurers and just need a policy with SR-22 support set up quickly. Progressive tends to fit better if your record has a single violation and you want the chance to lower your rate through a usage-based program over time.
Either way, the smartest move is running quotes from both before deciding — the price difference for your exact driving history can be larger than either company’s general reputation suggests.