Auto insurance · Updated August 2026
Progressive vs The General
Compared on the NAIC's 2025 complaint data, AM Best financial-strength ratings, coverage lineups, and state-by-state pricing, the choice comes down to your driving record: Progressive for clean and nearly clean records, The General if coverage has been hard to line up. Neither is reliably cheaper. For the same driver in the same state, either can return the lower number.
By Dylan Leggett, licensed insurance agent · NPN 17875887
The short answer
Progressive prices clean records aggressively, and its largest auto , Progressive Direct, drew 0.74 on the NAIC's 2025 complaint index: about a quarter fewer complaints than an insurer its size is expected to generate. It writes eight lines, so auto, home, and renters can sit on one account. Its for serious violations varies by state, and its tiers won't always beat a specialist's price.
The General has specialized in non-standard auto since 1963, and an is a routine part of its quote rather than an exception. Down payments run low and quotes take minutes. The tradeoffs: it writes only auto, there is no discount, and its underwriter drew 3.86 on the 2025 complaint index, well above the median.
differ by state, and non-standard prices swing further than standard ones. The same violation can price opposite ways at these two companies. If The General's quote comes back higher than a standard carrier's for you, take the standard carrier.
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Side by side
Progressive vs The General: the data sheet
Sources are listed under the measured figures. How we compare
Progressive | The General | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Standard drivers, plus non-standard tiers | Drivers who need an SR-22, had a lapse, or are new to insurance |
| Who underwrites it | Progressive group companies | Permanent General Assurance Corp., part of American Family |
| Complaints per policyProgressive, by a wide margin | 0.74 367 complaints on $10.4B written | 3.86 151 complaints on $822M written |
NAIC complaint index, 2025, private passenger auto · Progressive Direct Ins. Co. vs Permanent General Assurance Corp. · 1.00 is the industry median | ||
| Financial strengthBoth strong; Progressive a step higher | A+ Superior | A Excellent |
AM Best financial strength rating · A++ is the highest issued | ||
| Coverage you can buyProgressive, if you want to bundle | 8 lines auto, home, renters, motorcycle, specialty property, rv, pet, life | 1 line auto |
| PriceNot rated | Filed state by state, priced to the driver. The main factors are below. | |
| Mobile appEffectively tied | 4.83 804,275 ratings | 4.69 227,464 ratings |
Apple App Store, August 2026 | ||
| SR-22 filing | Yes | Yes |
| Telematics program | Snapshot | None |
| Availability | All 50 states and Washington, D.C. | 46 states and Washington, D.C. |
| Known for | Bundling, Name Your Price, usage-based discounts | Low down payments, quotes in minutes, no prior insurance accepted |
In practice
Where they differ
They mostly serve different drivers
Progressive is a top-three national carrier, and most of its drivers carry standard policies. The General has built its whole operation around drivers with more complicated records. The two overlap at drivers with a ticket or a recent , and inside that overlap either company can come back cheaper.
Their complaint numbers sit far apart
On the 2025 NAIC figures, The General's underwriter draws roughly four times the complaints expected for a company its size, while Progressive's largest auto entity sits below the median. Part of that reflects the segment it serves: non-standard policies involve more lapses and cancellations, which produce more disputes at any insurer.
Only one of them bundles
The General concentrates on auto. Progressive writes eight lines, so renters, home and motorcycle coverage can sit on one account, though it places some home policies through partner carriers. For auto-only buyers, the difference doesn't apply.
Price
Which is cheaper: Progressive or The General?
Neither company is reliably cheaper. What sets the price:
The record sets the range. In non-standard auto, a DUI or a lapse can move a premium more than the choice of carrier does. National averages won't predict a specific rate.
Rates differ state by state. Both companies file rates with each state's regulator, and non-standard prices vary far more between states than standard ones do. The General sells in 46 states and Washington, D.C.
A low down payment is not a low price. The General asks for comparatively little at signing. The amount due up front and the six-month total move independently.
One application. Real prices from the carriers writing in your state.