Why The General Appears in SR-22 Searches
You searched for SR-22 insurance because Washington suspended your license, and The General appeared as a carrier option. You're deciding whether to get a quote from The General specifically or compare other carriers first. The decision feels urgent because you cannot drive until the SR-22 is filed with the Washington Department of Licensing, and every carrier promises something slightly different about speed and cost.
The structural reality: The General is a non-standard carrier that writes SR-22 policies for suspended drivers in Washington, but its SR-22 filing does exactly what every other carrier's filing does. Washington DOL does not distinguish between carriers when processing SR-22 forms. The filing itself is standardized — what varies across carriers is the monthly premium you pay for the underlying liability policy and how fast they submit the form to DOL after you purchase coverage.
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Get Your Free QuoteThe General SR-22 Filing Window
24-48 hours
The General submits SR-22 certificates to Washington DOL within 24-48 hours of policy purchase in most cases. This is standard timing for non-standard carriers; some standard-tier carriers file same-day if you purchase coverage before 2 PM Pacific, but The General does not guarantee same-day processing.
The General SR-22 processing disclosure, Washington DOL SR-22 verification system
What The General SR-22 Filing Actually Does
The SR-22 certificate is a form your insurance carrier files electronically with Washington DOL confirming you carry the state's minimum liability coverage: $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 bodily injury per accident, and $10,000 property damage. The General files this form on your behalf after you purchase a liability policy meeting those minimums. DOL receives the filing, updates your reinstatement eligibility status, and the SR-22 filing requirement is satisfied.
The General does not offer specialized SR-22 coverage distinct from its standard non-owner or owner liability policies. You purchase a liability policy through The General, select SR-22 filing as an add-on during the quote process, and the carrier handles the DOL submission. The filing fee itself is typically $25-$50, charged once at policy inception. This fee is separate from your monthly premium and covers the administrative cost of filing and maintaining the certificate with DOL for the required period.
Washington requires SR-22 filing for three years after a DUI conviction, reckless driving conviction, or uninsured accident involvement. The General maintains the SR-22 filing for as long as you keep the policy active. If you cancel coverage or let the policy lapse before the three-year period ends, The General is legally required to notify DOL immediately, triggering automatic re-suspension of your license. You would then need to purchase a new policy, pay another filing fee, and restart the three-year clock from the new filing date.
The General's SR-22 filing speed advantage disappeared in 2023 when most standard carriers adopted same-day electronic filing. You're now choosing primarily on premium cost, not filing speed.
The General Premium Range in Washington
Non-owner SR-22 policies through The General in Washington typically cost $110-$150 per month for a single-DUI suspension with no other violations. This rate assumes you do not own a vehicle and need liability coverage only to satisfy DOL's SR-22 requirement. Non-owner policies are cheaper than owner policies because they exclude collision and comprehensive coverage and apply only when you drive a borrowed or rented vehicle. If you own a registered vehicle, The General requires an owner policy with higher premiums.
Owner SR-22 policies through The General in Washington typically cost $140-$185 per month for a 2015-2020 sedan with minimum liability coverage after a DUI suspension. This range assumes you own the vehicle outright with no lien requiring full coverage. If your lender requires collision and comprehensive coverage, add $60-$100 per month to this baseline. Rates increase for drivers with multiple violations, recent at-fault accidents, or lapses in coverage exceeding 90 days before reinstatement.
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When The General Is Not the Lowest-Cost Option
The General competes primarily with other non-standard carriers writing high-risk policies in Washington: Bristol West, Dairyland, and National General. These carriers use similar underwriting models and often quote within $10-$20 per month of each other for the same driver profile. The lowest premium for your specific situation depends on violation type, age, ZIP code, and vehicle. A 32-year-old driver in Seattle with a single DUI may get a better rate from Dairyland; a 45-year-old driver in Spokane with a reckless driving conviction may pay less through Bristol West.
Standard-tier carriers — State Farm, Geico, and Progressive — write SR-22 policies in Washington and often quote 20-30% lower monthly premiums than non-standard carriers for drivers with a single violation and no recent lapses. State Farm and Geico require you to call for a quote rather than completing the process online. Progressive allows online SR-22 quotes but denies coverage if you have more than one major violation in the past three years or a lapse exceeding six months. If you qualify for standard-tier coverage, you pay significantly less than The General's rates.
The fastest path to identifying the lowest premium: request quotes from The General, one other non-standard carrier, and one standard-tier carrier within the same 48-hour window. Washington carriers pull your motor vehicle report during the quote process, and multiple inquiries within a short window count as a single credit check for scoring purposes. Comparing three quotes takes approximately 90 minutes total and typically reveals a $30-$70 monthly savings opportunity that compounds to $1,080-$2,520 over the three-year SR-22 filing period.
Washington SR-22 Filing Period
3 years
Washington requires continuous SR-22 filing for three years from the reinstatement date for DUI, reckless driving, and most uninsured-accident suspensions. If your policy lapses at any point during this period, DOL re-suspends your license immediately and you restart the three-year clock from your next filing date. Maintaining coverage without interruption is the only way to complete the requirement on schedule.
RCW 46.29.090, Washington DOL SR-22 requirements page
Non-Owner SR-22 Through The General
If you do not own a vehicle and need SR-22 filing only to satisfy Washington's reinstatement requirement, The General offers non-owner liability policies starting at approximately $110 per month. A non-owner policy provides liability coverage when you drive a borrowed or rented vehicle but excludes coverage for any vehicle you own or regularly use. The policy meets DOL's SR-22 filing requirement because it carries the state's minimum liability limits, and The General files the certificate with DOL upon policy purchase.
Non-owner policies do not cover you if you purchase a vehicle later without notifying the carrier. If you buy a car and register it in your name while holding a non-owner policy, you must contact The General immediately to convert the policy to an owner policy. Driving your own registered vehicle on a non-owner policy leaves you uninsured, and if DOL discovers the registration during a random audit or traffic stop, your SR-22 filing is invalidated and your license is re-suspended. Conversion to an owner policy typically increases your monthly premium by $30-$50 and requires disclosure of the new vehicle's VIN, year, make, and model.
Compare Before You Commit
The General files SR-22 certificates reliably and writes policies for Washington suspended drivers other carriers decline, but it is rarely the lowest-cost option when you compare quotes from multiple carriers. Washington does not penalize you for shopping — DOL cares only that a valid SR-22 filing is on file, not which carrier submitted it. Request quotes from at least two other carriers before purchasing through The General, focusing on carriers confirmed to write SR-22 policies in Washington: Dairyland, Bristol West, Progressive, Geico, and State Farm. Each quote takes 15-20 minutes to complete online or by phone, and the savings opportunity over three years justifies the comparison effort.
Start with carriers offering same-day SR-22 filing if your reinstatement deadline is within five business days. Progressive and Geico file electronically within hours of policy purchase if you complete the quote process before 2 PM Pacific. The General's 24-48 hour window is adequate for most reinstatement timelines but creates unnecessary risk if you are working against a court-ordered deadline or a suspension end date that requires immediate filing. Compare filing speed alongside monthly premium to identify the carrier that meets both your timeline and budget constraints.