The General Files SR-22 in Louisiana
You received a suspension notice, you've been told you need SR-22 insurance to reinstate your license, and The General's advertising suggests they specialize in exactly this situation. The General does write SR-22 insurance in Louisiana, operates as a non-standard carrier serving suspended and high-risk drivers, and files SR-22 certificates directly with the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV). Your question is what you'll pay and whether The General is the right choice for a three-year SR-22 filing requirement.
Louisiana's SR-22 requirement is not insurance coverage itself. SR-22 is proof of future financial responsibility: a certificate your insurer files with OMV showing you carry at least minimum liability coverage ($15,000 bodily injury per person, $30,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage). The certificate stays active for three years from the date OMV requires it, and if your policy lapses during that window, your carrier notifies OMV within 10 days and your license suspends again immediately.
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Get Your Free QuoteThe General SR-22 Louisiana Premium
$110–$185/mo
Monthly premium range for suspended drivers with clean prior history adding SR-22 filing. DUI suspensions, multiple violations, or at-fault accidents increase rates significantly. The General operates in the non-standard tier and underwrites Direct General Insurance Company (NAIC 35882).
Industry estimates for non-standard tier Louisiana SR-22, Feb 2025
What The General SR-22 Actually Costs in Louisiana
The General's base monthly premium for SR-22 insurance in Louisiana runs $110–$185 for drivers with a suspended license and no other complicating factors. That range assumes state minimum liability coverage only, no comprehensive or collision, and a clean record before the suspension trigger. If your suspension stems from DUI, multiple violations, or at-fault accidents, expect premiums in the $150–$240/month range. The General charges an SR-22 filing fee of $15–$25 depending on underwriting state, added once at policy inception.
Louisiana requires three years of continuous SR-22 filing from the date OMV mandates it, not from the date you purchase insurance. If you let coverage lapse at month 20, OMV suspends your license again and the three-year clock restarts from zero when you file a new SR-22. The General participates in Louisiana's electronic insurance verification system (LAIVS), which means OMV receives lapse notifications within 24–48 hours of cancellation. You cannot let a policy lapse and quietly reinstate without consequence.
The General is one of six carriers writing non-owner SR-22 policies in Louisiana. If you do not own a vehicle, non-owner SR-22 satisfies OMV's filing requirement and costs $40–$75/month.
DUI Suspensions Add Ignition Interlock
Under Louisiana R.S. 32:378.2 and related DUI statutes, first-offense DUI triggers a 90-day hard suspension period during which no driving is permitted. After the hard suspension, you become eligible for a restricted license allowing travel for employment, school, medical appointments, and other OMV- or court-approved necessary purposes. The restricted license requires IID installation, SR-22 proof of financial responsibility, and payment of applicable fees. IID costs $70–$100/month for device rental, calibration, and monitoring on top of your insurance premium.
Not all carriers accept drivers with active IID requirements. The General does accept IID clients in Louisiana, but combining $150/month SR-22 insurance, $80/month IID costs, and restricted license fees ($60 reinstatement fee plus restricted license issuance fee) means your first-year cost approaches $3,000. Comparing at least three carriers before purchasing is financially rational: Geico, Progressive, National General, Bristol West, and Direct Auto all write SR-22 and accept IID-restricted drivers in Louisiana, and monthly premiums vary by $40–$90 depending on underwriting criteria.
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Non-Owner SR-22 Through The General
If you do not currently own a vehicle, non-owner SR-22 insurance satisfies Louisiana's filing requirement and costs significantly less than standard SR-22 policies. The General writes non-owner SR-22 policies in Louisiana at $40–$75/month depending on your violation history and parish. Non-owner policies provide liability coverage when you drive a vehicle you do not own: a borrowed car, a rental, or a friend's vehicle. The SR-22 certificate attached to a non-owner policy functions identically to one attached to a standard policy for OMV reinstatement purposes.
Louisiana OMV does not distinguish between SR-22 filed under a standard policy and SR-22 filed under a non-owner policy. Both satisfy the three-year continuous filing requirement. If you later purchase a vehicle during the SR-22 filing period, you must convert your non-owner policy to a standard policy and notify your carrier immediately to avoid a lapse in SR-22 status. The General allows mid-term conversion, but the premium adjustment from non-owner to standard rates typically adds $60–$110/month to your bill.
Geico, Progressive, and USAA also write non-owner SR-22 policies in Louisiana. Geico's non-owner SR-22 rates run $35–$65/month, Progressive's run $45–$80/month, and USAA (military-affiliated only) runs $30–$55/month. Comparing quotes across all four carriers before committing to a three-year filing obligation is the most cost-effective approach.
Louisiana SR-22 Filing Period
3 years
Louisiana requires three years of continuous SR-22 filing after DUI conviction, measured from the conviction date or the date OMV orders filing, not from the date you purchase insurance. Any lapse restarts the three-year clock from zero.
Louisiana R.S. 32:415.1 and OMV SR-22 requirements
Louisiana SR-22 Carriers Beyond The General
The General is one of six non-standard carriers writing SR-22 insurance in Louisiana. Geico, Progressive, State Farm, National General, Bristol West, and Direct Auto all file SR-22 certificates with OMV and accept suspended drivers. Geico operates in the standard tier and offers SR-22 rates as low as $75–$130/month for drivers whose only violation is a single insurance lapse or minor points accumulation. Progressive writes across standard and non-standard tiers and quotes $80–$150/month for SR-22 depending on violation severity. State Farm writes SR-22 in Louisiana but typically declines DUI applicants in the first 12 months post-conviction.
Bristol West and Direct Auto operate in the non-standard tier alongside The General and write policies for drivers The General or Progressive decline. Bristol West's Louisiana SR-22 premiums run $120–$200/month; Direct Auto's run $115–$195/month. National General (now part of Allstate) writes SR-22 across standard and non-standard tiers and quotes $90–$160/month. All six carriers participate in LAIVS and file lapse notifications with OMV identically, so switching carriers mid-filing-period does not reset your three-year clock as long as you maintain continuous coverage without a gap.
When The General Makes Sense
The General's value proposition centers on acceptance rather than price. If Geico, Progressive, and State Farm all decline your application due to DUI plus additional violations, multiple at-fault accidents, or prior insurance fraud, The General underwrites risk other standard-tier carriers refuse. The General's online quoting system returns instant decisions for most applicants, processes SR-22 filings within 24–48 hours of policy purchase, and allows month-to-month payment plans without requiring six-month prepayment.
The General is not the cheapest SR-22 option in Louisiana for drivers who qualify with standard-tier carriers. If your only violation is a single insurance lapse, a first-offense DUI with no accidents, or minor points accumulation, Geico or Progressive will likely quote $30–$60/month less than The General. Louisiana law does not prohibit switching carriers during your three-year SR-22 filing period. You can start with The General to satisfy OMV's immediate reinstatement requirement, then re-quote with Geico and Progressive six months later once your violation ages and your risk profile improves. Switching carriers mid-filing does not restart the three-year clock as long as you avoid any coverage gap between cancellation of the old policy and inception of the new one.
Get SR-22 Quotes in Your Parish
Louisiana OMV requires SR-22 filing for three years after specific suspensions, and The General writes policies that satisfy that requirement. Compare The General's quote against Geico, Progressive, National General, Bristol West, and Direct Auto before committing to a three-year filing obligation. Premiums vary by $40–$90/month depending on carrier, and Louisiana does not prohibit switching mid-filing as long as you maintain continuous coverage. Use the comparison tool to see current SR-22 rates from all six carriers writing in your parish.