Why Discount Lists Matter Less in the Non-Standard Tier
You're comparing non-standard carriers because your profile landed you there: a lapse, a ticket, a DUI, or no prior coverage. The General writes policies most standard carriers decline, and you're trying to figure out which discounts they offer and how much you'll save. That framing assumes discount categories drive your final premium the way they do at State Farm or Geico. They don't.
Non-standard carriers price risk first. Your base rate reflects your violation history, coverage gaps, and driving record before any discount applies. Discount availability is narrower, amounts are smaller, and many categories standard-tier drivers expect simply aren't offered. The carrier-to-carrier rate spread in this tier is wide, and the savings you capture by comparing three non-standard specialists typically exceeds what any single discount delivers. The General is one option in that comparison, not the endpoint.
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The General competes with Acceptance, Bristol West, Dairyland, Direct Auto, GAINSCO, Infinity, Kemper, National General, and others. Rate structures vary by state and underwriting tier; multi-quoting is the only way to surface the lowest available rate for your specific profile.
NAIC carrier roster, verified non-standard market writers
What Discount Categories The General May Offer
The General's discount roster varies by state and underwriting guidelines. Availability is not guaranteed, and amounts are carrier-set. Ask about these categories when you quote, but confirm each directly: the carrier controls what applies to your policy.
Multi-car discounts apply when you insure more than one vehicle on the same policy. Paperless and autopay discounts reward electronic delivery and automatic payment. Paid-in-full discounts may apply when you pay the full term premium upfront rather than in installments, eliminating installment fees. Defensive driving course completion may qualify in some states if the course is state-approved and recent. Good student discounts may apply to young drivers with qualifying grades, though eligibility thresholds and documentation requirements vary.
Bundling with renters or other products may be available depending on state and product offerings. Telematics or usage-based programs that track mileage or driving behavior are less common in the non-standard tier but worth asking about. Anti-theft device discounts may apply for factory-installed or aftermarket systems meeting carrier specifications.
The General does not publish a universal discount list applicable in all states. What you qualify for depends on your state, your policy structure, and your profile. The only way to know what applies is to ask during the quote process and confirm the discount appears on your declaration page before you bind.
Why Multi-Quoting Beats Discount Chasing
Non-standard carriers use different underwriting models. One specialist may weight your lapse heavily and your ticket lightly; another does the opposite. A third may offer better rates for your ZIP code or vehicle type. These base-rate differences are structural, baked into how each carrier prices risk, and they create spreads that dwarf discount percentages.
The General is one of roughly two dozen specialists writing non-standard auto policies. Acceptance, Bristol West, Dairyland, Direct Auto, GAINSCO, Infinity, Kemper, and National General all compete in this tier, and each prices your profile differently. The carrier that offers the most discount categories is not necessarily the carrier that quotes the lowest premium. The only way to surface the actual lowest rate is to quote all of them, compare the final premiums after discounts apply, and choose the cheapest binding quote.
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How Installment Fees Erase Discount Savings
Most non-standard policies are paid in monthly installments. The carrier charges an installment fee each month, typically between five and fifteen dollars per payment. Over a six-month term, that fee stack adds sixty to ninety dollars to your total cost. A discount that saves you eight dollars a month gets erased by a ten-dollar monthly installment fee, and you end up paying more than the sticker premium suggested.
Paid-in-full discounts eliminate installment fees by rewarding upfront payment of the full term premium. If you can pay the term in full, the combination of avoiding installment fees and capturing the paid-in-full discount often saves more than any other category. If you cannot pay in full, compare installment fee structures across carriers: the lowest monthly premium is not always the lowest total cost once fees are included.
Some carriers allow bi-weekly or semi-monthly payment schedules that reduce installment fees by spreading payments differently. Others charge a flat fee per term rather than per payment. Ask how installment fees are structured when you quote, and calculate the total term cost including fees before you bind. The cheapest advertised rate becomes the most expensive policy if the fee structure adds fifty dollars you didn't account for.
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The General writes SR-22 certificates, but so do Acceptance, Bristol West, Dairyland, Direct Auto, GAINSCO, Infinity, Kemper, National General, Progressive, and others. If you need an SR-22, quote multiple specialists: the carrier that files your certificate is not locked in by the state, and rates vary widely.
NAIC carrier roster, SR-22 filing verification
When Discounts Don't Apply to Your Policy
Not every discount category applies to every policy. Multi-car discounts require insuring more than one vehicle. Good student discounts require a young driver on the policy with qualifying grades. Homeowner discounts require you to own a home. Telematics programs require you to install a device or app and drive in a way the program rewards. If you don't meet the eligibility threshold, the discount doesn't apply, and chasing it wastes quoting time.
Some discounts are mutually exclusive or capped. A carrier may limit total discount stacking to a maximum percentage, so qualifying for five categories doesn't mean you receive five separate reductions. Others apply discounts in a sequence that reduces their combined value. The only way to know what you'll actually pay is to complete the quote, review the declaration page, and confirm every discount you expected appears in the premium calculation before you bind.
What to Do Right Now
Get binding quotes from The General and at least two other non-standard specialists writing policies in your state. Ask each carrier which discount categories apply to your profile, confirm the discounts appear on the declaration page, and compare the final premium including all fees. Choose the lowest total cost for the coverage you need, not the carrier with the longest discount list. The rate difference between specialists is where the real savings live, and you won't see it until you quote all of them.