14 years of placement experience. The Allstate independent agent channel — broader than most people think, with coverage features that outperform many standard market competitors.
National General Insurance — often called NatGen — has a history that goes back to 1920, though the National General name only came about in 2013. The company was acquired by Allstate Corporation in January 2021 for $4 billion, a transaction that immediately improved their financial strength rating from A- to A+ Superior with AM Best. Today National General operates as the exclusive independent agent channel product for Allstate — a strategic consolidation that also absorbed Encompass Insurance, the former independent agent product that Options Insurance had written since 2011.
Here's how the Allstate ecosystem works today: Allstate sells Allstate-branded products directly to consumers and through their captive agent network. National General is the product available exclusively through independent agents like Options Insurance. The two product lines are kept intentionally separate — National General's underwriting, pricing, and coverage features are differentiated from what Allstate sells direct. When you work with Options Insurance, you get the independent agent version of this product suite, compared against our other 38 carriers.
What most clients don't know: National General is not just a non-standard auto carrier anymore. Their appetite now spans from non-standard auto all the way to high net worth households with homes up to $5 million in rebuild value. They have a standout homeowners product with high loss assessment limits for condos, high service line coverage amounts, and roof replacement coverage up to 15 years. We have placed clients with them since 2011 — first as Encompass, then through the transition — and their coverage features for personal lines remain genuinely competitive.
After 14 years of placement across Encompass and National General, here's what consistently stands out — coverage features that outperform many standard market competitors.
This is one of National General's most significant differentiators. Condo and townhome association master policies have seen dramatic deductible increases in Minnesota in recent years — in some cases to $25,000 or more. National General offers high loss assessment coverage limits that actually keep pace with what current association policies require. This is a gap we call out specifically for other carriers where limits fall short; with National General, it's a genuine strength.
Service line coverage protects the underground utility lines running from the street to your home — water, sewer, electrical. Most carriers either don't offer it or cap it at amounts that don't reflect actual repair costs. National General offers high service line coverage amounts, making this a product where they outperform the standard market on a coverage item that matters more than most homeowners realize until something breaks.
Most carriers move to actual cash value for roofs over 10 years old — meaning depreciation reduces your claim significantly. National General offers replacement cost coverage on roofs up to 15 years old. In Minnesota, where hail and storm damage are ongoing, this is a material advantage for homeowners with roofs in the 10–15 year range who would otherwise face steep out-of-pocket costs at claim time.
National General is the only carrier in our portfolio that spans the full auto market in a single product suite: a non-standard product for high-risk drivers, a mid-tier product for standard profiles, and a preferred product for higher-end households. That breadth means we can place almost any auto client with National General and find a competitive fit — from the new driver who can't get standard rates elsewhere to the high net worth household with multiple luxury vehicles.
National General offers high personal liability limits on their homeowners product — above what many standard market carriers make available without going to a separate umbrella. For households with significant assets, higher underlying liability limits reduce the umbrella coverage needed and can simplify the overall coverage structure. Variety of billing options further adds flexibility for clients managing household budgets.
In Minnesota, wind and hail deductibles have become a significant cost driver — many carriers now require percentage-based deductibles (1–2% of insured value) rather than flat dollar amounts. National General's lower minimum wind and hail deductibles mean clients face less out-of-pocket exposure after a storm claim, which matters in a state where hail events are common and roofing costs have escalated.
Understanding the Allstate/National General/Encompass history helps you know what you're getting — and why the independent agent channel matters.
Options Insurance wrote Encompass Insurance — Allstate's original independent agent product — since 2011. Encompass was a well-regarded independent agent brand with competitive personal lines products.
Allstate acquired National General for $4 billion in January 2021. Over the following years, Allstate consolidated their independent agent channel products — Encompass and the Allstate independent agent product — into National General as the single independent agent brand.
National General is the exclusive independent agent channel product. Allstate sells Allstate-branded products direct and through captive agents. When you work with Options Insurance, you get National General — compared against 38 other carriers, with us as your advocate.
No carrier is perfect. These are the areas where National General has real room to improve — and where we're honest with clients before placement.
This is the most consistent frustration from both clients and our agents: National General's billing view is poor on both sides. Clients struggle to get a clear picture of their billing status online, and the agent-side visibility isn't much better. Mail communications sometimes don't reach clients — a problem we work around by staying proactive with our clients at renewal and billing time. It doesn't affect coverage or claims, but it creates friction that shouldn't exist at a carrier of this scale.
National General's NAIC complaint index of 3.17–5.16 is well above the 1.0 industry average, and their J.D. Power auto claims score ranks near the bottom of the study. We're honest about this. The important context: National General writes a large volume of non-standard auto — the most complaint-prone segment in the industry, where claims are more contested and clients have less experience navigating the process. Clients placed through Options Insurance have an advocate in the process that direct and non-standard channel customers don't. Our experience with their higher-tier products has been meaningfully better than what the aggregate scores suggest.
Despite having three auto tiers, National General's underwriting is strict about eligibility within each tier. Clients who expect to qualify for the preferred product based on their profile sometimes find they're placed in the mid-tier — or that the preferred product isn't available for their specific situation. We set expectations clearly before submitting, and if National General isn't the right fit, we have 38 other carriers to pivot to.
In July 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil complaint against National General for improperly force-placing collateral protection insurance on Wells Fargo vehicle loans from 2008 to 2016 — affecting borrowers who paid an average of $1,100 per year for coverage they didn't need. This predates the Allstate acquisition. We flag it because it's public record and clients deserve to know. It does not affect current personal lines policies placed through Options Insurance.
After 14 years of placement — first as Encompass, now as National General — here's an honest picture of who thrives with them and who we'd steer elsewhere.
If you're weighing National General against two other independent agent carriers we represent, here's how the data compares. All three are available through Options Insurance.
| Category | National General via Options Insurance |
Travelers | Progressive |
|---|---|---|---|
| AM Best Rating | A+ Superior | A++ Superior | A+ Superior |
| J.D. Power Auto Claims (2025) | Near bottom of study | Above average | 673 / 1,000 — below average |
| NAIC Complaint Index | 3.17–5.16 — well above average | Below average | ~0.97 — below average |
| Loss Assessment Coverage (Condo) | High limits — keeps pace with MN master policies | Available | May fall short for current MN policies |
| Service Line Coverage | High limits available | Available | Not standard |
| Roof Replacement Cost | Up to 15 years | Available in many cases | ACV for older roofs |
| Auto Tier Range | Non-standard → preferred → high net worth | Standard and preferred only | Broad but no high-net-worth tier |
| Home Rebuild Value Appetite | Up to $5M | Standard market | Standard market |
"We place clients with National General when they want broad coverage with high limits and lower deductibles than many of their direct competitors. With the wide variety of products available I can find a fit for many of our clients — and most of them are surprised to learn that National General isn't just a non-standard auto carrier anymore. From condo owners who need high loss assessment limits to high net worth households with homes up to $5 million, the product range is genuinely broad. After 14 years of placement across the Encompass and National General transition, they remain one of our most versatile personal lines options."
— Jess Todd, Personal Lines Agent, Options Insurance
Already a National General client through Options Insurance? Here are the resources you need.
Available 24/7. National General states they can process claims in as little as 24 hours for minor claims. You can also file online at nationalgeneral.com or through their mobile app. For complex claims, your Options Insurance agent can help coordinate.
Policy changes, billing questions, and general service. Note: billing visibility through the portal has known limitations — for billing questions, calling Options Insurance or National General directly is often the clearest route.
Manage your policy, make payments, and view documents. The online billing view has known limitations — if you have billing questions, calling is more reliable than the portal.
Download on the App Store or Google Play. Policy management, claims filing, digital ID cards, and DynamicDrive telematics (separate app). Now holds 4.5+ stars in both stores, though some users report billing display issues.
Jess is Options Insurance's lead agent for National General placements across personal lines. She's known for finding coverage fits across the full product range — from non-standard auto to high net worth home policies. "With the wide variety of products available I can find a fit for many of our clients with National General!"
Tell us a little about what you need. One of our agents will follow up — usually same business day.
No obligation. We'll compare National General against our other top carriers and give you an honest recommendation.
We'll compare National General against our other top carriers and find the right fit — from non-standard auto to high-value home.
Start Your Free Quote →The opinions expressed on this page reflect the experience of Options Insurance agents based on policies placed and client feedback received over 15 years. Individual results may vary. Options Insurance has a commercial relationship with National General as an appointed independent agent. This review is not sponsored, approved, or endorsed by National General or Allstate. AM Best, J.D. Power, and NAIC data are sourced from publicly available reports and are cited for informational purposes. Ratings are subject to change. National General is a subsidiary of Allstate Corporation. Options Insurance represents National General as an independent agent and does not represent Allstate's captive or direct channels. Comparison data is based on publicly available third-party research. Coverage availability and terms vary by state, risk profile, and underwriting criteria. This page does not constitute a coverage guarantee or binding commitment.