Is The General Cheaper Than Progressive? A Clear Guide To Understanding The Differences
Written By Saad 17/11/2025
Is The General cheaper than Progressive? This article is written for readers of The Strategic Post, a platform focused on practical guidance that helps people make smarter buying decisions. Today, we’re unpacking a question many drivers ask when comparing insurance companies
Both companies are well known, both serve millions of drivers, and both advertise heavily. But they each target different types of customers, which means their prices can be very different. Understanding those differences helps you figure out which one is likely to give you a better deal.
The General vs Progressive: Who Are They Designed For?
Before comparing prices, you have to understand who each company serves. Insurance is not one-size-fits-all, and pricing depends on how well you fit into a company’s preferred customer type.
The General
The General focuses on drivers who struggle to get affordable insurance elsewhere. Their target customers usually include:
- Drivers with accidents
- Drivers with tickets
- Drivers with DUIs
- Drivers who let their insurance lapse
- People needing fast SR-22 filings
- High-risk profiles in general
The General is built to insure people others might reject or charge much more.
Progressive
Progressive serves a wider range of driver types, but its pricing tends to favor:
- Safe drivers
- Drivers who want usage based savings
- Drivers who want strong bundles
- People with continuous coverage
- Drivers who like online management
- High-risk drivers seeking alternatives to The General
Progressive is known for competitive pricing, especially for average and above-average risk drivers.
Is The General Cheaper Than Progressive?
The honest answer: It depends on your risk profile.
In most cases:
For high-risk drivers
The General is often cheaper than Progressive because they specialize in that customer base.
For average or low-risk drivers
Progressive is almost always cheaper than The General due to larger discount systems and broader pricing models.
Let’s break this down clearly.
When The General Is Cheaper
The General may be the cheaper option if you match one or more of these situations:
1. You Have Multiple Tickets or Accidents
Companies like Progressive will raise your rates significantly after repeated violations. The General is built to rate high-risk drivers more leniently.
2. You Have a DUI on Your Record
A DUI will push your premiums up everywhere. But The General tends to offer policies that accept these situations with less penalty than many competitors.
3. You Need SR-22 Insurance Fast
The General is known for quick SR-22 filings. While the base policy might not always be cheap, their specialized service can result in lower total cost for people who need this type of coverage.
4. You Had a Lapse in Coverage
Gaps in insurance can make many companies charge more. The General is structured to handle this type of customer without massive penalties.
5. Your Credit Score Is Low
If insurers in your state use credit scores, The General might rate you more fairly than companies that weigh credit heavily.
These are the drivers who tend to benefit most from The General’s pricing model.
When Progressive Is Cheaper
Progressive wins on price for most drivers who are not high risk.
1. Clean or Mostly Clean Driving Records
Progressive offers some of the biggest safe driver discounts in the insurance market.
2. Drivers Interested in Usage Based Programs
Progressive’s Snapshot program can significantly lower rates for consistently safe drivers. The General does not offer an equivalent tool.
3. People Who Bundle Auto and Home
Progressive’s bundling discounts often beat The General by a wide margin. If you’re bundling, Progressive usually wins.
4. Drivers Who Maintain Continuous Coverage
Progressive offers discounts for customers with no lapses in insurance history.
5. Multi-Vehicle Households
Progressive tends to offer better multi-car pricing than The General.
6. People With Good or Average Credit (In States That Use Credit)
Progressive rewards strong financial profiles. For these drivers, The General is rarely cheaper.
Why The General Is Not Always Cheaper
Many people assume The General is the “cheap company.” That is only true for specific driver types.
For mainstream drivers with safe habits, The General is often:
- More expensive
- Less flexible
- Limited in discounts
- Higher in long term costs
This happens because their policies are designed around high-risk customers. If you are not high risk, you often end up paying more than you should.
Why Progressive Is Often Cheaper For Most Drivers
Progressive has:
- A larger customer base
- Better algorithms for safe drivers
- More discount categories
- Bigger bundling incentives
- Stronger rewards for loyalty
- Usage-based pricing systems
Because of this, many drivers end up paying significantly less with Progressive than with smaller companies like The General.
Which One Should You Choose?
Your choice depends on your profile:
Choose The General if:
- You have multiple violations
- You recently had a DUI
- You need SR-22 insurance
- Other insurers are rejecting you
- You have coverage gaps or low credit
- You need fast approval without strict eligibility
Choose Progressive if:
- You have a clean or moderately clean record
- You want access to deep discounts
- You want bundles
- You are a safe driver looking for usage based rewards
- You prefer online tools and flexible billing
- You want cheaper long term pricing
Quick Comparison Table
| Factor | The General | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | High-risk drivers | Safe to moderate-risk drivers |
| Usage Based Program | No | Yes |
| Bundling Discounts | Limited | Strong |
| SR-22 Filing | Very fast | Available, but slower |
| Price For Clean Drivers | Usually higher | Usually lower |
| Price For High-Risk Drivers | Often lower | Often higher |
| Long Term Costs | Higher | Lower |
This table shows the real story: the cheaper company depends entirely on your situation.
Final Verdict
The General is cheaper than Progressive mostly for high-risk drivers.
Progressive is cheaper for the majority of drivers with clean or semi-clean records.
Understanding which category you fall into is the key to knowing which company will offer the best deal. If you are a high-risk driver, The General might save you money. If you are average or better, Progressive almost always comes in lower.
FAQs
Does The General offer cheaper rates than Progressive for clean drivers?
Usually no. Progressive is often cheaper for clean drivers due to better discount programs.
Is The General good for high-risk drivers?
Yes. They specialize in high-risk situations and may offer cheaper rates for those profiles.
Is Progressive worth it for people with violations?
Sometimes, but The General may still be cheaper. It depends on the severity of the violations.
Does Snapshot make Progressive cheaper?
Yes. Safe drivers using Snapshot often see big savings.
Can The General file SR-22 faster than Progressive?
Yes. This is one of their primary advantages.
Which company is better overall?
For most drivers, Progressive. For high-risk drivers, The General.
Sources
Insurance Industry Competitive Pricing Data
General Insurance Consumer Market Research
Auto Insurance Risk Tiering Analysis
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