The General SR-22 Filing Cost Is Not the Premium
Your license was suspended for DUI and you need SR-22 coverage to start the Ignition Interlock License (IIL) application. You saw The General's ads for high-risk drivers and assumed their rate was the total cost of getting back on the road. It is not. The SR-22 certificate filing fee—what The General charges to submit the SR-22 form to the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL)—is $15–$25 per month on top of your liability premium. Your first month's total cost includes that premium, the filing fee, DOL's $100 IIL application fee, and ignition interlock device installation, which runs $75–$150 depending on the vendor.
Most Washington drivers shopping The General SR-22 do not realize the monthly premium they see quoted excludes the SR-22 filing fee, the DOL application fee, and the IID installation cost. That is three separate line items before you drive legally. This article breaks down each component so you know your actual first-month outlay and can compare The General's rates to other carriers writing SR-22 in Washington.
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$200–$400
Includes The General's average monthly premium for minimum liability ($85–$140), SR-22 filing fee ($15–$25), DOL's $100 IIL application fee, and IID installation ($75–$150). Estimates based on available industry data; individual rates vary by driving history, vehicle, coverage selections, and location.
Washington DOL fee schedule, carrier rate filings
How The General SR-22 Pricing Works in Washington
The General is a non-standard carrier writing SR-22 policies for suspended drivers in Washington. They quote minimum liability coverage—$25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, $10,000 property damage—because that is what the state requires before DOL will accept your SR-22 filing. Your monthly premium with The General typically runs $85–$140 for minimum liability if you have one DUI and no other violations. Add collision or comprehensive and the monthly cost climbs to $180–$250.
The SR-22 certificate itself is a separate fee. The General charges $15–$25 per month to maintain the filing with DOL. That fee continues for three years, the mandatory SR-22 period for DUI-related suspensions under RCW 46.29. If you cancel your policy or let it lapse, The General notifies DOL within 10 days and your IIL is revoked immediately. You restart the three-year SR-22 clock from the new filing date, not the original suspension date.
Washington uses an electronic insurance verification system operated by DOL. Carriers report policy issuance, cancellation, and lapse information electronically. There is no grace period codified in statute between carrier cancellation notification and state suspension action. Letting your policy lapse for even one day triggers automated enforcement, so continuous coverage is not optional.
The General's SR-22 filing fee is monthly, not one-time. You pay $15–$25 every month for three years on top of your liability premium—that is $540–$900 in filing fees alone over the SR-22 period.
Washington IIL Application Adds $100 Plus IID Installation
Washington replaced traditional occupational or hardship licenses with the Ignition Interlock License system under RCW 46.20.385. Most DUI-suspended drivers can apply for an IIL immediately—day one in some cases—if they install an approved IID, pay DOL's $100 application fee, and obtain SR-22 insurance. The IIL allows driving anywhere at any time, but only in a vehicle equipped with the approved ignition interlock device. There are no route or time-of-day restrictions, unlike occupational licenses in other states.
IID installation costs $75–$150 depending on the vendor you choose from DOL's approved provider list. Monthly IID lease fees run $60–$90 on top of installation. You must provide a certificate from the IID provider as part of your IIL application, so installation cannot be postponed. First-offense DUI administrative revocations under Implied Consent (RCW 46.20.308) may allow immediate IIL application, but refusal cases may face the full one-year administrative suspension before IIL eligibility depending on your BAC level and prior history.
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What The General SR-22 Does Not Cover
The General writes liability-only and liability-plus-physical-damage policies, but they do not waive the SR-22 filing fee for budget shoppers and they do not cover your DOL reinstatement fee. That $75 base reinstatement fee is separate from the IIL application fee and due when your suspension period ends and you apply for full license reinstatement. If you accumulated additional cause-specific fees—unpaid tickets, failure-to-appear fines, child support arrears—those stack on top of the $75 base.
DUI-related reinstatements in Washington require completion of a DOL-approved Alcohol/Drug Information School or substance abuse treatment program as a prerequisite. That course fee is not covered by The General or any other carrier. The IID requirement continues for the full period specified by the court or DOL, which varies by offense history and BAC level under RCW 46.20.720. Violating your IID restriction terms—driving a non-IID vehicle, skipping calibration appointments, tampering with the device—triggers automatic IIL revocation and may extend your overall suspension period.
If you moved to Washington mid-suspension from another state, your prior state's SR-22 or FR-44 filing does not transfer. You must obtain a Washington SR-22 from a carrier licensed in Washington—The General qualifies—and file it with DOL before your IIL application will be processed. Washington DOL does not recognize out-of-state hardship or restricted licenses as proof of eligibility for an IIL.
Washington SR-22 Filing Period
3 years
Required for DUI, uninsured accidents, and some other financial responsibility violations under RCW 46.29. Measured from the filing date, not the conviction or suspension date. Letting coverage lapse restarts the three-year clock.
RCW 46.29
Compare The General to Other Washington SR-22 Carriers
The General is not the only non-standard carrier writing SR-22 in Washington. Bristol West, Dairyland, and National General all write SR-22 policies for suspended drivers and quote online. Progressive and Geico write SR-22 as well, though their rates for DUI-suspended drivers run higher than non-standard specialists in most counties. State Farm writes SR-22 but does not quote suspended drivers online—you call an agent.
Monthly premium ranges for minimum liability SR-22 coverage in Washington vary by carrier and county. Non-standard carriers like The General, Bristol West, and Dairyland typically quote $85–$140 per month for one DUI and clean record otherwise. Standard carriers like Progressive or Geico quote $110–$180 for the same risk profile. Preferred carriers like State Farm or USAA quote lower if you qualify—$70–$110—but most DUI-suspended drivers do not qualify for preferred tier until the SR-22 period ends and the conviction ages off their motor vehicle record.
Get SR-22 Quotes Before Paying The General's Rate
The General advertises low rates for high-risk drivers, but their monthly premium is not always the cheapest option for Washington SR-22 filers. Your actual rate depends on your ZIP code, your vehicle, and whether you have violations beyond the DUI that triggered your suspension. Comparing three carriers before buying saves $30–$60 per month in most cases, which is $1,080–$2,160 over the three-year SR-22 period.
Use Washington SR-22 Auto Insurance's carrier comparison tool to request quotes from The General, Bristol West, Dairyland, Progressive, and other carriers writing SR-22 in Washington. You enter your suspension cause, your county, and your vehicle details once. Carriers return quotes within 24–48 hours. Compare monthly premium plus SR-22 filing fee to see your true cost. Once you select a carrier, they file the SR-22 electronically with DOL and you receive your IIL application packet.