Auto insurance · Updated August 2026
Bristol West vs The General
Bristol West and The General both specialize in non-standard auto, both write only auto, both file SR-22s as routine business, and AM Best rates both A. Two things separate them. Bristol West's underwriter drew 1.59 on the NAIC's 2025 complaint index against Permanent General's 3.86, and Bristol West sells through independent agents and brokers while The General quotes direct in minutes. Neither is reliably cheaper. For the same driver in the same state, either can return the lower number.
By Kevin Lee, licensed insurance agent · NPN 19669698
The short answer
Bristol West has written auto since 1973 and is a member of the Farmers Insurance Group. Bristol West Insurance Company drew 1.59 on the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, 54 complaints on $713 million of private-passenger premium, against 3.86 for The General's . It files , offers flexible down payments, and covers financed cars that need full coverage. The tradeoffs: it sells through independent agents and brokers rather than direct, and it writes in 43 states against The General's 46 and Washington, D.C.
The General has written auto since 1963 and is part of American Family Insurance Group. The quote runs direct on its site, an SR-22 is a routine part of the flow, and down payments run low. Its iOS app holds 4.69 stars across 227,464 ratings, and it writes in 46 states and Washington, D.C. The tradeoffs: its underwriter, Permanent General Assurance Corp., drew 3.86 on the NAIC's 2025 complaint index, 151 complaints on $822 million of premium, and there is no discount.
differ by state, and non-standard prices swing further than standard ones. For the same driver in the same state, either can return the lower number. If a standard carrier quotes you under both, take the standard carrier.
About two minutes. No effect on your credit score.
Side by side
Bristol West vs The General: the data sheet
Sources are listed under the measured figures. How we compare
Bristol West | The General | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Drivers with tickets, lapses, or financed cars that need full coverage | Drivers who need an SR-22, had a lapse, or are new to insurance |
| Who underwrites it | Bristol West insurance companies, part of Farmers | Permanent General Assurance Corp., part of American Family |
| Complaints per policyBristol West, ahead of The General | 1.59 54 complaints on $713M written | 3.86 151 complaints on $822M written |
NAIC complaint index, 2025, private passenger auto · Bristol West Ins. Co. vs Permanent General Assurance Corp. · 1.00 is the industry median | ||
| Financial strengthTied at A | A Excellent | A Excellent |
AM Best financial strength rating · A++ is the highest issued | ||
| Coverage you can buyTied | 1 line auto | 1 line auto |
| PriceNot rated | Filed state by state, priced to the driver. The main factors are below. | |
| Mobile appEffectively tied | 4.77 6,170 ratings | 4.69 227,464 ratings |
Apple App Store, August 2026 | ||
| SR-22 filing | Yes | Yes |
| Telematics program | None | None |
| Availability | 43 states | 46 states and Washington, D.C. |
| Known for | SR-22 filings, flexible down payments, Farmers agent availability | Low down payments, quotes in minutes, no prior insurance accepted |
In practice
Where they differ
Same segment, different complaint records
Both companies write non-standard auto, where policies involve more and cancellations and complaint counts run high at any insurer. The 2025 NAIC numbers still split them: Bristol West Insurance Company drew 1.59 complaints against the expected rate for its size, and Permanent General drew 3.86, more than twice it.
How you reach them
The General quotes and sells direct on its site, often in a few minutes. Bristol West sells through independent agents and brokers. Both paths price from the same state rate filings.
Who stands behind each one
Bristol West is a member of the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies. The General is part of American Family Insurance Group and writes as Permanent General Assurance Corp. AM Best rates both companies A, in the Excellent category.
Price
Which is cheaper: Bristol West or The General?
Neither company is reliably cheaper. What sets the price:
The record, not the brand, sets the range. A DUI, an SR-22 requirement, or a lapse resets the price at both companies. Two non-standard quotes for the same record can still land far apart, and the direction changes by state.
Availability decides some matchups. The General sells in 46 states and Washington, D.C. Bristol West sells in 43 states. Where only one of them writes, the comparison answers itself.
A low down payment is not a low price. Both companies compete on money due at signing, and both offer flexible pay plans. The figure that decides the comparison is the term total, not the first payment.
One application. Real prices from the carriers writing in your state.