National General After DUI: Appetite by State

National General accepts DUI drivers in 47 states through its standard and non-standard subsidiaries. The carrier declines new DUI business in Alaska, Hawaii, and Massachusetts, where state-specific regulatory structures or competitive positioning make post-DUI risk unprofitable. Acceptance does not mean uniform treatment. In California, Florida, and Texas, National General routes first-offense DUI drivers with clean priors to its standard tier and quotes through independent agents. In Michigan, New York, and Pennsylvania, the same driver profile moves to a non-standard subsidiary with higher base rates and captive-only distribution. The distinction matters because standard-tier placement keeps your rate within 40-60% of a clean-record driver's premium, while non-standard placement doubles or triples that baseline. National General evaluates state DUI laws, average claim severity, and competitive density when assigning tier placement rules.

National General separates first-offense DUI drivers from repeat offenders at underwriting. A first DUI with no prior violations in the past three years qualifies for standard or preferred non-standard tiers in 38 states. A second DUI within five years triggers decline or non-standard-only placement in all states where the carrier writes. The lookback window runs from conviction date, not arrest date. If your DUI conviction occurred 4 years and 11 months ago, you are still in the first-offense surcharge period for most carriers. National General's underwriting system flags convictions within 60 months and applies tier rules automatically. States with mandatory ignition interlock device requirements add a layer. Arizona, Colorado, and Virginia require IID installation for all DUI convictions, and National General underwrites these cases only after the device is installed and the SR-22 filing is active. The carrier does not quote on intent to install.

National General files SR-22 certificates in all 47 states where it writes DUI policies. The carrier charges a one-time filing fee between $15 and $50 depending on state, with the fee added to your first policy payment. Most states require SR-22 for three years after a DUI conviction, measured from the conviction date. Filing is automatic once your policy binds. National General transmits the SR-22 to your state DMV within 24 hours of payment clearing. If your policy lapses for nonpayment, the carrier files an SR-26 cancellation notice with the DMV, which triggers an immediate license suspension in most states. Some states layer SR-22 with additional proof requirements. Florida requires FR-44, a higher-liability filing that mandates $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury limits instead of the standard $10,000/$20,000. California adds a one-year restricted license period where SR-22 must remain active even if you do not drive. National General handles both standard SR-22 and FR-44 filings, but FR-44 states always place you in a higher rate tier due to the elevated liability floor.

National General's post-DUI rates vary by state tier assignment, but the carrier's published rate structure follows a consistent pattern. Standard-tier DUI placements run $180 to $320 per month for state-minimum liability plus SR-22. Non-standard placements range from $280 to $480 per month for the same coverage. These ranges assume a first-offense DUI, no additional violations in the past three years, and a 35-year-old driver with a paid-in-full policy. Adding comprehensive and collision coverage increases monthly cost by $60 to $140 depending on vehicle value and deductible selection. Some states compress the rate gap between standard and non-standard tiers. In North Carolina and Ohio, National General's standard and non-standard DUI rates differ by less than 15% because state insurance regulations limit surcharge multipliers for specific violations. In Georgia and Tennessee, the same DUI triggers a 90-110% surcharge in the non-standard tier, doubling your base premium.

National General competes directly with Progressive and The General for post-DUI drivers, but rate positioning shifts by state. In California and Texas, Progressive quotes 10-20% lower than National General for first-offense DUI drivers in the standard tier. In Florida and Georgia, National General undercuts Progressive by 15-25% in the non-standard tier. The General targets the same non-standard DUI market but operates in fewer states. Where both carriers write, The General's quotes run 5-15% below National General's non-standard rates, but The General declines drivers with multiple violations or lapses in the past 12 months. National General accepts those profiles at a higher rate. Carrier appetite changes at renewal. Progressive and National General both re-evaluate DUI drivers at each renewal and may move you to a lower tier once your conviction ages past the three-year surcharge window. The General locks tier placement for two years, which benefits drivers whose record improves but penalizes those who add new violations.

National General's DUI appetite tightens in states with no-fault insurance structures or high uninsured motorist rates. Michigan, New Jersey, and New York route all DUI drivers to non-standard subsidiaries regardless of prior record. Florida and Pennsylvania accept first-offense DUI in the standard tier but require higher liability limits than the state minimum. Some states impose carrier-specific restrictions. In Virginia, National General declines DUI drivers who have had a license suspension for any reason in the past two years, even if the suspension was unrelated to the DUI. In Arizona, the carrier requires proof of ignition interlock device installation before binding coverage, and the device must remain active for the entire SR-22 filing period. A handful of states allow National General to offer DUI drivers the same discounts available to clean-record drivers. In Ohio and North Carolina, you can stack a multi-policy discount, paid-in-full discount, and defensive driving course discount on top of a DUI-surcharged rate, reducing your final premium by 15-25%. Most states prohibit discount stacking on surcharged policies.

National General declines DUI applications in three scenarios: multiple DUI convictions within five years, an active license suspension at the time of application, or a state where the carrier does not write post-DUI risk. If declined, you receive a written notice within 10 business days citing the specific underwriting reason. Decline does not mean you are uninsurable. Progressive, The General, and Bristol West write in most states where National General declines, and state assigned-risk pools accept all drivers regardless of violation history. Assigned-risk rates run 30-60% higher than National General's non-standard tier, but coverage is guaranteed. If National General declines you due to an active suspension, resolve the suspension and reapply. The carrier re-evaluates applications once your license is reinstated and the SR-22 filing is active. Most states allow reinstatement within 30 days of completing all DMV requirements, and National General's underwriting system refreshes eligibility daily.