What Does The General Full Coverage Auto Insurance Cover?
The General’s full coverage auto insurance is often a practical and affordable option for most drivers—but is it right for you?
Written by Melanie Krieps Mergen
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
The General full coverage auto insurance includes collision coverage and comprehensive insurance in addition to basic liability coverage, as well as uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Having full coverage ensures damages to your own vehicle will be covered after an accident.
Is full coverage
car insurance
even necessary? It’s a challenging question to figure out, but for most drivers, it’s a financially sound coverage decision to make. While sticking with a liability-only policy will give you a cheaper car insurance premium, it wouldn’t cover damages to your own vehicle after an accident, which could end up costing you far more in the long run.Here’s a look at what full coverage car insurance from The General entails so you can determine whether it’s the right option for you.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversWhat does The General full coverage insurance cover?
Full coverage
is a phrase that’s tossed around a lot in the auto insurance world, but what exactly it implies can vary somewhat from provider to provider. Generally, “full coverage” implies the addition of car insurance coverage types
to a policy beyond basic liability coverage.Full coverage insurance from The General includes a combination of the following:
- Liability insurance:Nearly every state requires a minimum amount of liability coverage, which can cover expenses for others’ injuries, vehicle repairs, and property damage if you’re found at fault after an accident.
- Collision insurance:Collision coverage covers damages to your own vehicle after a collision with another vehicle or a stationary object.
- Comprehensive insurance:Comprehensive insurance covers your vehicle after a wide range of events beyond collisions, including theft, natural disasters, vandalism, or hitting an animal.
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance: After an accident, this insurance type covers various expenses for you and your passengers, from medical costs to lost wages to vehicle repairs, if another at-fault driver doesn’t have sufficient coverage of their own.
One of the major differences between full coverage and a basic liability insurance policy is that you’re adding protection for your own vehicle.
Does full coverage really cover everything?
No, unfortunately—while full coverage gives you quite a bit more protection than a basic liability insurance policy, no full coverage car insurance policy covers absolutely everything.
Even after selecting a full coverage policy, there still might be additional car insurance types worth considering based on your priorities and driving habits. The table below offers a few examples of additional coverage types you could add to your car insurance policy from The General.
Other types of The General auto insurance coverage
Type of coverage | Description |
|---|---|
Gap insurance covers the difference between the current value of your vehicle and the balance left on your car loan if it becomes totaled. | |
Medical payments (MedPay) coverage can help cover medical and/or funeral costs if you or a passenger are injured in an accident. | |
Similar to MedPay, PIP coverage helps pay for medical expenses due to an accident, and it’s a requirement for The General customers in no-fault states . | |
If car troubles have you in a bind, roadside assistance coverage from The General covers towing, battery jumpstarts, fuel delivery, lockout services, and 24-hour road service. |
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Beyond car insurance, The General offers a number of other insurance products, including commercial auto, health, pet, home owner, and renters insurance.
Is full coverage car insurance from The General worth it?
For a driver with a clean driving record and strong credit—especially those who drive newer vehicles—a full coverage car insurance policy from The General is likely going to be worth it for the added protection it provides for your own vehicle. Still, it’s always a good idea to shop around for additional full coverage car insurance quotes from other providers first to make sure you’re getting a good deal.
While it isn’t a legal requirement,
some lenders may require full coverage
as part of their financing terms to protect their own investment in your vehicle.Even without a car loan, unless your vehicle is only worth several thousand dollars, it’s almost always in your best interest to have full coverage since it can protect you from having to shell out large out-of-pocket expenses after worst-case scenarios, such as if your vehicle was damaged in a fire or your car was declared
totaled after an accident
.Benefits of full coverage The General car insurance
Some of the major benefits that come with full coverage car insurance from The General include:
- You’ll be better protected against collisions, severe weather, theft, and other worst-case scenarios
- You’ll have more protection if your vehicle is totaled
- You’ll be able to satisfy your financing requirements if full coverage is a requirement for your car loan or lease
If you own an expensive vehicle, live in an area with high crime rates, frequently experience severe weather, or all the above, full coverage is well worth your consideration.
Drawbacks to full coverage The General car insurance
For all its benefits, full coverage can have its drawbacks. Mainly:
- Full coverage will cost more than a basic liability insurance policy
- You’ll still have to reach yourdeductiblefirst before receiving coverage for a collision or comprehensive claim
While a full coverage premium will cost more upfront, it could still save you from a financial disaster later on. If you’re looking for ways to lower your car insurance costs, The General offers insurance discounts for bundling
multiple cars
or insurance products, like homeowners insurance
or renters insurance.You could also find savings for paying your premium in full, earning good grades, or maintaining a
clean driving record
.MORE: The 5 main reasons people switch car insurance companies
Does The General have the best full coverage auto insurance?
It depends on what you’re looking for. The General’s offerings are relatively comparable to other major providers.
One key factor you’ll want to pay attention to is the rate you can get from a full coverage auto insurance policy from The General. Insurance providers weigh similar factors to
determine car insurance costs
, like your driving record, age, credit history, marital status, location, and more, but they can give varying amounts of weight to different factors.The General is well-known as an insurance provider that specializes in coverage for high-risk drivers, so if you happen to fall into this category, it’s possible you might find a more affordable policy here than you might elsewhere.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for coverage types in addition to full coverage, plenty of other competitors offer more options.
Of course, quality customer service is important as well. The General gets an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) but has a higher than average rate of complaints reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) over the last several years. This in combination with an insurance company’s financial strength, which The General gets good marks in, can give you a sense of their ability to pay out claims in a timely fashion.
Before settling on a full coverage policy from The General, it’s a good idea to gather and compare multiple quotes from different providers, whether that’s
GEICO
, Allstate
, Nationwide
, or another provider to increase your odds of getting the best coverage for you at the best price.The bottom line
The General offers some of the lowest average rates on car insurance and specializes in insuring high-risk drivers, but there are other insurance providers who offer a wider selection of coverage types. For most drivers, the financial security a full coverage car insurance policy offers is worth the additional cost.
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At what point is full coverage not worth it?
It depends on your level of comfort and your financial situation. It’s generally recommended that you consider
whether to drop full coverage
once the cost to replace your vehicle would be less than the cost of your full coverage premium.What is the difference between full coverage and liability coverage?
Liability coverage pays for expenses for others’ medical costs and property damage if you’re found at fault for an accident. While it can vary in scope depending on the provider, full coverage will generally cover damages to your own vehicle after it’s been damaged in an accident or another covered event.
What is a deductible?
A car insurance deductible is the amount you have to pay out of pocket on a claim before your insurance coverage applies—that makes it important to
choose a deductible amount
you can afford.
