The General DUI Insurance — Colorado
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The General Writes SR-22 in Colorado — But at Non-Standard Tier Pricing
You received a DUI in Colorado, lost your license, and now face a 9-month administrative suspension with a mandatory 3-year SR-22 filing requirement. The General appeared in your search results, confirmed they write SR-22 in Colorado, and gave you a quote. The premium — likely $140 to $220 per month for minimum liability — feels expensive, but you're not sure if that's normal for post-DUI coverage or if you're being overcharged.
The structural reality: The General operates as a non-standard carrier, meaning they specialize in high-risk drivers but charge premiums 20–40% higher than standard-tier carriers who also write SR-22. Colorado DUI drivers often choose The General for convenience and immediate approval without realizing they're paying a tier premium on top of the SR-22 filing penalty. The question isn't whether The General will insure you — it's whether their premium reflects competitive pricing or just accessibility.
“The General approves SR-22 fast, but their non-standard tier adds $960–$1,920 over three years compared to standard carriers writing the same Colorado DUI coverage.”
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Standard-Tier SR-22 Range Colorado
Geico, State Farm, and Progressive write SR-22 in Colorado at standard-tier pricing for drivers with single DUI convictions and clean records otherwise. The General's non-standard tier adds $40–$80/month to this baseline for the same minimum liability coverage.
Carrier rate filings and Colorado Division of Insurance market conduct data
What The General Charges Colorado DUI Filers
The General quotes Colorado DUI drivers $140 to $220 per month for minimum liability coverage with SR-22 filing. This range assumes a single DUI conviction, no other violations in the past three years, and coverage meeting Colorado's 25/50/15 minimum liability requirements. Add collision or comprehensive coverage and the monthly premium climbs to $200–$320.
That premium reflects The General's non-standard tier classification. Non-standard carriers serve drivers standard-tier insurers decline or price out — typically drivers with multiple DUIs, lapses longer than 90 days, or SR-22 filings combined with at-fault accidents. If your only violation is a single DUI and your driving record is otherwise clean, you're paying non-standard pricing for a standard-risk profile.
The SR-22 filing fee itself — the administrative cost to file proof of insurance with the Colorado DMV — runs $25 to $50 as a one-time charge at most carriers. The General includes this in their quote, but the real cost driver is the tier premium, not the filing fee. You're not paying for SR-22 filing; you're paying for access to a carrier willing to approve you immediately without underwriting scrutiny.
The General approves SR-22 applications quickly, but their non-standard tier pricing adds $960–$1,920 over three years compared to standard-tier alternatives writing the same coverage in Colorado.
When The General Makes Sense for Colorado DUI Drivers
The General is the correct choice when you need immediate SR-22 filing and cannot wait for underwriting approval from a standard-tier carrier. Colorado's administrative suspension takes effect 7 days after your Express Consent notice unless you request a hearing or enroll in early reinstatement with an ignition interlock device. If you're applying for early reinstatement and need proof of insurance filed by a specific hearing date or IID installation appointment, The General's 24–48 hour approval window keeps you on schedule.
The General also makes sense when standard-tier carriers have declined your application outright. This happens when a DUI combines with other high-risk factors: a second DUI within five years, an at-fault accident in the past 24 months, or a lapse exceeding 90 days before reinstatement. Non-standard carriers exist for drivers standard-tier insurers will not write, and paying the tier premium is the cost of access.
Where The General doesn't make sense: you have time to compare quotes, your only violation is a single DUI, and your driving record is otherwise clean. Standard-tier carriers writing SR-22 in Colorado will approve you within 5–7 business days and charge $960–$1,920 less over the three-year SR-22 filing period. That difference funds three months of premium at standard-tier pricing.
3 years
Colorado SR-22 Filing Period DUI
Colorado requires continuous SR-22 filing for 3 years following DUI conviction. A lapse of even one day during this period triggers a new suspension, and the 3-year clock resets from the reinstatement date, not the original conviction date.
C.R.S. § 42-7-403 and Colorado DMV reinstatement requirements
How to Compare The General Against Standard-Tier Carriers
Request quotes from Geico, State Farm, and Progressive alongside The General's quote. All three write SR-22 in Colorado for single-DUI drivers and operate at standard-tier pricing. When you request a quote, specify you need SR-22 filing for a DUI conviction and provide your conviction date — carriers price based on time since conviction, and rates drop at the 3- and 5-year marks.
Compare monthly premiums for identical coverage limits. Colorado's minimum liability requirement is 25/50/15 — $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, $15,000 property damage. If The General quoted $160/month and Geico quotes $110/month for the same limits, the $50 monthly difference compounds to $1,800 over three years. Add collision and comprehensive only if you own a vehicle worth more than $5,000; suspended drivers reinstating with non-owner SR-22 policies do not need physical damage coverage.
Next Step: File SR-22 or Compare Before Committing
If you're within 7 days of your suspension effective date or need proof of insurance filed for an early reinstatement hearing this week, bind coverage with The General now and file SR-22 immediately. Speed is worth the tier premium when missing the filing window extends your suspension by 30–60 days. If you have more than two weeks before your reinstatement deadline, request quotes from standard-tier carriers first. Colorado carriers typically deliver SR-22 certificates to the DMV within 3 business days of binding coverage, leaving you margin to compare without missing your window. Use this site's Colorado DUI insurance comparison tool to see carrier options writing SR-22 in your county and tier pricing side by side.
How Colorado SR-22 Pricing Works by Carrier Tier
Standard-tier carriers — Geico, State Farm, Progressive, and Farmers — write SR-22 in Colorado and price post-DUI drivers at elevated rates within their standard tier. A single DUI typically increases premiums 60–90% over a clean-record driver's rate, landing at $85–$140/month for minimum liability. These carriers require clean records beyond the DUI (no lapses, no at-fault accidents in the past three years) and may delay approval 3–7 business days for underwriting review.
Non-standard carriers — The General, Dairyland, Bristol West, and National General — specialize in high-risk drivers and approve SR-22 applications faster, often within 24–48 hours. Their baseline pricing starts higher: $140–$220/month for the same minimum liability coverage. This tier serves drivers with multiple violations, recent lapses, or SR-22 combined with other high-risk factors. If your only violation is a single DUI, you're paying non-standard pricing without needing non-standard access.
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Get My Colorado DUI Insurance QuoteFrequently Asked Questions
Does The General require an ignition interlock device for SR-22 in Colorado?
The General does not require an ignition interlock device as a condition of writing SR-22 coverage. Colorado law requires IID installation for early reinstatement after DUI, but that requirement comes from the DMV, not the insurance carrier. The General will insure you whether or not you have an IID installed.
Can I switch carriers after filing SR-22 with The General in Colorado?
Yes. You can switch carriers anytime during your 3-year SR-22 filing period. Your new carrier files an SR-22 with the Colorado DMV when you bind coverage, and The General files an SR-26 cancellation notice. Verify the new carrier's SR-22 is on file before canceling The General to avoid a lapse that resets your filing clock.
How long does The General take to file SR-22 with Colorado DMV?
The General typically files SR-22 certificates with the Colorado DMV within 1–2 business days after you bind coverage and pay your first premium. The DMV processes filings within 3–5 business days. Request a copy of your SR-22 certificate from The General to confirm filing before your reinstatement deadline.
What happens if I let my General SR-22 policy lapse in Colorado?
A lapse of even one day triggers an automatic suspension notice from the Colorado DMV. The General files an SR-26 cancellation notice immediately when your policy lapses, and the DMV suspends your license within 10 days. You must refile SR-22 with a new carrier, pay a $95 reinstatement fee, and restart your 3-year filing period from the new filing date.
Does The General write non-owner SR-22 policies in Colorado?
Yes. The General writes non-owner SR-22 policies for Colorado drivers who do not own a vehicle but need continuous SR-22 filing to satisfy reinstatement requirements. Non-owner policies provide liability coverage when you drive borrowed or rental vehicles and cost $60–$100/month, roughly 30–40% less than owner policies.