The General SR-22 Filing Reality in Arizona
You've been suspended, you need an SR-22 certificate filed with Arizona MVD to reinstate, and The General's ads promise coverage for high-risk drivers. The quote came back at $180/month and the agent told you the filing happens "right away." What you're trying to figure out is whether The General actually files with MVD as quickly as they claim, whether that rate is competitive for your violation, and whether there's a gap between when you pay and when MVD sees your certificate.
The General does write SR-22 policies in Arizona and will file your certificate with the Motor Vehicle Division. They operate as a non-standard carrier serving suspended and high-risk drivers across 38 states, underwritten by Sentry Insurance with an AM Best A rating. The friction point most Arizona drivers hit is the lag between policy activation and MVD confirmation — The General files within 1-3 business days after your first payment clears, but Arizona's electronic verification system can take an additional 5-7 business days to reflect the active filing in your MVD record.
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Get Your Free QuoteThe General SR-22 Filing Window
1-3 business days
The General submits your SR-22 certificate to Arizona MVD within 1-3 business days after your first premium payment clears. Arizona's Insurance Verification System (AIVS) then cross-references the filing against your driver record, which adds another 5-7 business days before MVD shows your SR-22 as active.
Arizona MVD AIVS operational timeline
What The General Actually Costs for SR-22 in Arizona
The General's Arizona SR-22 rates run $140–$220/month for liability-only coverage meeting state minimums of 25/50/15. Your actual rate depends on your specific suspension trigger, county, age, and violation history. A first-offense DUI in Maricopa County typically lands at $180–$200/month. A lapsed-insurance suspension without other violations usually sits at $140–$160/month. Points-based suspensions fall in the $150–$180 range.
The General does not charge a separate SR-22 filing fee — the certificate filing is included in your monthly premium. Arizona MVD charges a $10 reinstatement fee when you file your SR-22, separate from anything The General bills. You pay The General monthly for the policy; you pay MVD once for reinstatement processing. The General requires a down payment equal to one month's premium plus a $35 activation fee at policy start.
Compare this against other non-standard carriers writing SR-22 in Arizona. Dairyland quotes $130–$190/month for the same profile. GAINSCO runs $145–$210/month. Progressive's non-standard tier quotes $155–$225/month. Bristol West lands at $160–$230/month. The General sits in the middle of the non-standard market — not the cheapest option for every driver, but competitive for DUI and multi-violation profiles where other carriers decline or quote higher.
The gap between The General filing your SR-22 and MVD confirming it in their system is 6-10 business days total — if your reinstatement deadline is within two weeks, this lag matters.
How The General's SR-22 Filing Process Works
You call The General or complete an online quote. The agent runs your Arizona driver record, confirms your suspension trigger, and quotes a monthly rate based on your violation and county. You agree to the rate and pay the down payment (one month premium plus $35 activation fee). The General processes your payment, activates your policy, and submits your SR-22 certificate to Arizona MVD electronically through the state's Insurance Verification System within 1-3 business days. Most filings submit within 24 hours if your payment clears before 3 PM Mountain Time on a business day.
Arizona MVD receives the electronic filing and cross-references it against your driver record in AIVS. This step takes 5-7 business days because MVD processes SR-22 submissions in batches, not in real time. Once AIVS confirms the match, your SR-22 shows as active in MVD's system and you can proceed with reinstatement. You do not receive a paper certificate unless you request one — Arizona operates entirely on electronic verification. If you need proof before MVD confirms, The General can email you a copy of the filed certificate within 24 hours of submission, but that copy does not substitute for MVD system confirmation when you walk into an MVD office for reinstatement.
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Where The General Filing Timeline Creates Problems
Arizona requires continuous SR-22 coverage for three years from your violation date for most suspension triggers. If The General files on Monday, MVD may not confirm until the following Wednesday. If your court-ordered reinstatement deadline is that Friday, you have two days of margin — tight but workable. If your deadline is Tuesday, you miss it.
The second friction point is lapses. If you miss a payment and The General cancels your policy, they submit an SR-22 cancellation notice to MVD within 24 hours. Arizona treats any SR-22 lapse as a reinstatement-trigger event — your license suspends again immediately, even if the lapse is only three days. Reactivating requires a new SR-22 filing, which restarts the 6-10 business day confirmation window, plus a new $10 MVD reinstatement fee. The General does not offer a grace period for missed payments beyond the standard 10-day notice required by Arizona insurance law.
The third problem is out-of-state moves. If you relocate to another state mid-suspension, Arizona still requires you to maintain your SR-22 filing for the full three-year period. The General writes in 38 states but does not operate in New York, Massachusetts, or Hawaii. If you move to one of those states, you must switch carriers, which triggers a brief SR-22 gap unless you coordinate the new carrier's filing to overlap The General's cancellation date by at least five business days.
Arizona SR-22 Reinstatement Fee
$10
Arizona MVD charges a $10 reinstatement fee when you file your SR-22 after a suspension, separate from any carrier charges. This fee applies whether your suspension was DUI-triggered, points-based, or insurance-lapse. The $10 fee is paid once at reinstatement; you do not pay it again annually as long as your SR-22 remains active.
A.R.S. § 28-4137
Non-Owner SR-22 Through The General
The General writes non-owner SR-22 policies in Arizona for suspended drivers who do not currently own a vehicle but need to satisfy MVD's SR-22 requirement for reinstatement. Non-owner policies cover liability only — no collision, no comprehensive — and apply when you drive a borrowed or rented vehicle. Arizona MVD accepts non-owner SR-22 filings for reinstatement as long as the certificate meets state minimum liability limits of 25/50/15.
The General's non-owner SR-22 rates in Arizona run $90–$140/month, roughly 30–40% lower than standard owner policies because the carrier assumes you drive less frequently and the policy excludes physical damage coverage. The filing process is identical: you pay the down payment, The General submits the SR-22 electronically within 1-3 business days, and MVD confirms within 5-7 business days. Non-owner policies do not allow you to register a vehicle in your name — if you buy a car during your SR-22 period, you must convert to an owner policy, which restarts underwriting and typically increases your rate.
Compare The General Against Arizona SR-22 Alternatives
The General is one option in a market of eight non-standard carriers actively writing SR-22 in Arizona. Your best rate depends on your specific violation, county, and whether you need owner or non-owner coverage. Dairyland frequently quotes lower for first-offense DUI profiles in Pima and Pinal counties. GAINSCO quotes competitively for points-based suspensions in Maricopa County. Progressive's non-standard tier quotes higher than The General for DUI but lower for lapsed-insurance suspensions. Bristol West quotes higher across all profiles but offers same-day electronic filing with a 24-hour MVD confirmation guarantee, worth the premium if you're against a deadline.
State Farm and Geico write SR-22 in Arizona but classify most suspended drivers as non-standard risks and either decline or route you to a non-standard subsidiary at rates comparable to The General. Acceptance Insurance writes SR-22 but requires broker placement — you cannot quote directly online. Kemper writes SR-22 but operates through independent agents only, not captive or direct channels. If you want to compare all eight, request quotes from at least three: one direct writer like The General, one broker-placed carrier like Acceptance, and one standard carrier's non-standard tier like Progressive.
Get Your Arizona SR-22 Filed Before Your Deadline
Count backward from your reinstatement deadline. If you have 15 business days or more, The General's timeline works. If you have fewer than 10 business days, you need a carrier that files same-day and confirms faster — Bristol West or a broker-placed option through GAINSCO. Do not wait until the week of your deadline to start quoting. Arizona MVD does not expedite SR-22 processing for any reason, and The General cannot override the state's AIVS batch cycle.
Run quotes from three carriers, compare monthly rates and filing speed, and choose the option that balances cost against your specific timeline. The General is competitive for most Arizona SR-22 drivers, but not universally the cheapest or the fastest. Use the comparison tool below to pull quotes from all active SR-22 carriers writing in your county and see filing timelines side by side.