The General Quotes Colorado DUI Cases But Doesn't Bind Online
You started a quote with The General after your Colorado DUI conviction because their advertising targets suspended drivers and their online form accepts SR-22 requests. The quote tool returned a monthly premium but didn't bind coverage—instead you received a message that your application requires additional review. Most suspended drivers assume this means rejection. It doesn't. The General writes Colorado SR-22 for DUI convictions, but their underwriting tier routes post-DUI cases through manual review because Colorado requires ignition interlock device coordination for Early Reinstatement licenses and the carrier must verify IID enrollment before binding coverage.
The structural confusion: The General operates as a non-standard carrier under Sentry Insurance ownership, meaning they specialize in high-risk drivers including DUI convictions. Their online quote system accepts your violation details and generates a preliminary rate, but Colorado DUI cases trigger a procedural gate—manual underwriting review to confirm IID vendor enrollment, license status verification through the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, and SR-22 filing coordination. The quote you received is real. The coverage is available. The delay is procedural, not a rejection signal.
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Get Your Free QuoteColorado SR-22 Filing Period After DUI
3 years
Colorado requires continuous SR-22 filing for 3 years following DUI conviction, measured from the conviction date. The filing must remain active without lapses—any coverage cancellation triggers DMV notification and immediate license re-suspension.
Colorado Revised Statutes 42-7-301
What The General Actually Requires Before Binding DUI Coverage
The General's underwriting process for Colorado DUI cases requires three verifications before they bind coverage and file your SR-22. First, they confirm your current license status with the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles—whether you hold a valid license, are currently suspended and pursuing Early Reinstatement with a Probationary Driver License (Red License), or have completed your suspension period and are ready for full reinstatement. Second, if you are applying for Early Reinstatement, they require proof of ignition interlock device enrollment from a Colorado-approved IID vendor. The carrier will not bind coverage until the IID is installed and the vendor has submitted enrollment confirmation to the DMV. Third, they verify that all court-ordered requirements are satisfied—DUI education classes completed, fines paid, and any probation conditions met.
This verification process typically takes 3 to 5 business days once you submit documentation. The General does not reject DUI cases during this window—they are confirming that your reinstatement pathway is procedurally aligned with Colorado DMV requirements so the SR-22 filing they submit will be accepted. If you attempt to bind coverage before completing IID enrollment, the application stalls. If you have not yet paid all court fines, the underwriter flags the application for follow-up. The carrier is not gatekeeping—they are preventing a filing rejection that would delay your reinstatement by weeks.
The General will not bind Colorado DUI coverage until IID enrollment is confirmed—most suspended drivers don't realize the IID vendor must submit enrollment to DMV before any carrier will file SR-22.
How The General's Non-Standard Tier Prices Colorado DUI
Non-standard carriers like The General, Bristol West, Dairyland, and Progressive's non-standard division price DUI convictions as part of their core business model. Standard carriers—Allstate, State Farm, Nationwide—either reject post-DUI applications entirely or quote rates so high that binding coverage is financially unworkable. The General's pricing structure for Colorado DUI cases reflects the 3-year SR-22 filing requirement, the ignition interlock mandate for Early Reinstatement, and the elevated risk profile the violation signals. Their monthly premiums for liability-only coverage with SR-22 filing typically fall within the non-standard tier range, which industry data places at $301 to $481 per month for Colorado DUI drivers—39% to 77% higher than clean-record rates.
The General's underwriting also considers your driving history before the DUI. A first-offense DUI with no prior violations or at-fault accidents receives more favorable pricing than a DUI combined with multiple speeding tickets or a previous suspension. Your age, vehicle type, and county of residence also factor into the rate. Denver County and El Paso County drivers face higher premiums than rural county residents due to traffic density and theft rates. The carrier does not penalize you for requiring SR-22 filing—the filing itself adds a small one-time fee set by the carrier, but the premium increase comes from the DUI conviction's risk scoring, not the SR-22 paperwork.
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The General vs Other Colorado Non-Standard SR-22 Carriers
The General competes directly with Bristol West, Dairyland, Progressive (non-standard division), and National General for Colorado DUI cases requiring SR-22 filing. All five carriers write post-DUI policies, file SR-22 electronically with the Colorado DMV, and accept monthly payment plans. The pricing differences between them depend on how each carrier's underwriting model scores your specific violation details, driving history, and county risk factors. The General's Sentry underwriting tends to price first-offense DUI cases competitively when the driver has no prior violations, but their rates for second-offense DUI or DUI combined with other moving violations often exceed Bristol West and Dairyland.
Bristol West and Dairyland both specialize in high-risk drivers and maintain Colorado SR-22 filing capability without requiring manual underwriting for most DUI cases—their online quote tools bind coverage immediately if you meet basic eligibility thresholds. Progressive's non-standard division offers similar instant-bind capability but prices DUI cases higher than Bristol West in most Colorado counties. National General writes Colorado SR-22 but routes all DUI applications through manual review similar to The General, adding 3 to 5 business days to the binding process. If you need coverage bound within 24 hours to meet a court deadline or Early Reinstatement hearing date, Bristol West and Dairyland offer the fastest path. If you have time for manual underwriting and want to compare all available non-standard carriers, quote The General alongside Bristol West, Dairyland, and Progressive to identify the lowest rate for your specific profile.
None of these carriers reject Colorado DUI cases outright. The question is not whether you can get coverage—you can—but which carrier's underwriting model prices your violation most favorably. The General is a viable option, but it is not automatically the lowest-cost option. Colorado suspended drivers who quote only one non-standard carrier leave money on the table.
Colorado License Reinstatement Fee
Processing takes approximately 20 business days after all requirements are satisfied and the fee is submitted.
Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles fee schedule
What Happens After The General Binds Your SR-22 Coverage
Once The General completes manual underwriting and binds your Colorado DUI policy, they file your SR-22 certificate electronically with the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles within 24 hours. The DMV receives the filing and updates your driver record to reflect active SR-22 compliance. If you are applying for Early Reinstatement with a Probationary Driver License, the SR-22 filing satisfies the insurance requirement for your DMV hearing—you must bring proof of SR-22 filing (a copy of the certificate or your policy declarations page showing SR-22 endorsement) to the hearing along with IID enrollment confirmation and proof of completed DUI education classes.
The 3-year SR-22 filing period begins on your DUI conviction date, not the date The General files the certificate. If your conviction occurred 6 months ago and you are just now obtaining SR-22 coverage, you still owe the full 3 years from the conviction date—the clock does not reset when you file. The General must maintain continuous SR-22 filing for the entire period. If you cancel your policy, switch carriers without ensuring the new carrier files SR-22 before the old policy lapses, or allow coverage to lapse for non-payment, The General notifies the Colorado DMV within 24 hours and your license is immediately re-suspended. Reinstatement after an SR-22 lapse requires starting the process over—new suspension period, new reinstatement fee, and potential additional penalties depending on how long the lapse lasted.
Compare Non-Standard Carriers Before You Bind
The General writes Colorado SR-22 for DUI convictions and their non-standard tier pricing is competitive for first-offense cases with clean prior records. But their manual underwriting process adds 3 to 5 business days to binding, and their rates for second-offense DUI or DUI combined with other violations often exceed Bristol West and Dairyland. If you need coverage bound immediately to meet a court deadline, Bristol West and Dairyland offer instant-bind online tools that accept Colorado DUI cases without manual review. If you have time for underwriting and want the lowest possible rate, quote all four non-standard carriers—The General, Bristol West, Dairyland, and Progressive—and compare monthly premiums side by side. Your violation details, county, and driving history will produce different rates from each carrier. The lowest rate for your profile is the one you should bind.