Anchor General Review: Is It the Right Choice for You?

Founded in 1995 and headquartered in San Diego, Anchor General Insurance Agency offers policies in California, Arizona, and Texas. The company specializes in non-standard car insurance — auto policies for high-risk drivers. These drivers find it difficult to get coverage, so working with a company like Anchor may be a great option.

But with 18 times the number of complaints compared to similarly sized companies, limited office hours, and few coverage options, Anchor General should give you pause. We walk you through all the details to help you decide if Anchor General is the best insurance company for you.

Is Anchor General a Good Choice for Auto Insurance?

Here’s an overview of Anchor General’s performance across five key metrics. We rated each on a scale of one to five to help you better understand its overall performance.

Anchor General scores somewhat low across all metrics, but its highest scores are for industry reputation and cost.

Where Anchor General stands out

Anchor General can handle the unique needs of high-risk drivers, including SR-22 filing. Though its rates may be higher than average, the insurer may offer some of the best rates among non-standard insurance companies.

Where Anchor General falls short

The company offers little information online (or over the phone) about coverage options, discount opportunities, claims handling, and other important factors. A few reviewers discuss difficulty accessing their online accounts.

Anchor General Reviews: What Real Customers Are Saying

Anchor General earns middling scores from popular review sites like the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Trustpilot, and Clearsurance. These fairly low scores and high number of complaints suggest some potential difficulties with the company.

Positive reviews typically mention low rates. And I found eight reviews, including the one below, praising specific customer service representatives.

Negative complaints about the company include unclear billing practices and an impossible-to-contact customer service team.

The customer below experienced problems with their bill, auto-pay changes, and policy changes within the first weeks of the policy. The reviewer says that after calling the company to resolve the issue, they experienced multiple transfers and even call disconnections.

A dozen reviews (especially claims reviews) like the one below express frustration about transferred calls going straight to someone’s voicemail.

How Much Is Anchor General Car Insurance?

Your car insurance premiums change based on a wide range of factors, including your vehicle, age, location, driving history, and relationship status. Each car insurance company uses a unique formula to calculate your risk based on those factors. Generally, the riskier you seem, the higher your premium.

Here’s how Anchor General’s rates change based on coverage type, age, and driving record compared to national averages.

Except for liability coverage, Anchor General’s rates are higher than the national average, according to our data. Liability coverage is about average, suggesting potential savings for drivers who need minimal coverage. Teen and DUI insurance rates are the most expensive, which is consistent with national average trends.

Anchor General vs. the Competition

Every car insurance company has a unique formula for calculating rates, so rates can and will vary by company — sometimes drastically. Remember, averages don’t always indicate the rate you’ll receive (you’ll need a personalized quote to be certain). That’s why comparing quotes regularly and every time you want to switch car insurance companies is so important.

Let’s review how Anchor General’s performance and rates compare to competitors.

Anchor General vs. GEICO

Though GEICO often insures drivers with high-risk profiles, Anchor General specializes in these policies. Still, GEICO offers lower average rates, better online service options, and more discounts.

Anchor General vs. State Farm

State Farm doesn’t always insure drivers with spotty records, but it offers lower average rates than Anchor General, strong customer service, and a wider range of coverage options.

Anchor General vs. Progressive

Progressive will also insure drivers with troubled records, potentially at lower rates than Anchor General. You can also access more discounts and coverage options from Progressive’s more highly rated customer service team.

Other Anchor General alternatives

Because Anchor General specializes in non-standard car insurance, it’s a good idea to compare it to other non-standard insurers. Here’s a list of options:

• Bristol West
• Dairyland
• Direct Auto
• Foremost
• Founders
• GAINSCO
• Hallmark
• Infinity
• The General
• Kemper Auto
• National General
• SafeAuto
• Titan

Many offer comparable rates, similar tools for account management, and a similar website experience.

Anchor General Car Insurance Discounts

Car insurance discounts are one of the easiest ways to cut costs. Unfortunately, the Anchor General website doesn’t provide information about discounts. I called customer service to ask about discounts, but the agent told me to call 1 (800) 493-7879.

When I asked the agent who the number was for, they said it was for one of the company’s brokers. I discovered the number was for AIS Insurance, an insurance agency based in Southern California that sells Anchor policies.

I called and waited on hold for six minutes. The agent I spoke to was helpful and told me Anchor General is “basic” and doesn’t offer many perks. The only discount the agent could find was the California “good driver” discount for being accident- and violation-free.

Anchor General’s Available Auto Insurance Coverages

Again, Anchor General provides limited information on its website. But the company appears to offer at least the following coverage options:

• Bodily injury liability (BI): Pays for others’ medical expenses when you cause an accident.
• Property damage liability (PD): Covers others’ property damage (e.g., cars, buildings) when you’re at fault.
• Personal injury protection (PIP): Pays your medical expenses no matter who’s at fault.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UI/UM): Covers your property damage and medical expenses if a driver without any (or enough) insurance hits you.
• Comprehensive: Pays for your non-collision vehicle damage.
• Collision: Covers your vehicle damage from an at-fault accident.

What to Expect When Getting a Car Insurance Quote from Anchor General

I couldn’t figure out where to get an Anchor General insurance quote, so I decided to call customer service at 1 (800) 542-6246. When I called, I encountered a confusing automated phone menu. Instead of listing my options in numeric order, the options jumped from three to two to one to four and finally six (no five).

After getting in touch with a customer service agent, they informed me that I could buy a policy only through third-party companies. My two options were to contact AIS at 1 (916) 357-0420 or a local independent agent to receive a quote and purchase the policy.

Overall, I found the process cumbersome compared to other non-standard insurance companies — especially since the website didn’t have any information about how to purchase a policy.

The customer service agent I spoke to offered to transfer me to AIS but first suggested that I “Google an agency that sells Anchor General policies.” After our call, I tested the search option and found information about AIS (it was the third non-sponsored option on the search engine results page).

You can manage some policy needs by clicking the “View Your Account” link on the home page and logging into the online client portal. If you’re a new user, create a profile by providing your email address, policy information, and password.

What to Expect When Filing a Claim with Anchor General

You can file a new claim over the phone with your policy number (there’s no online form option). The company assigns you a claim number and claims adjuster to handle the claims process.

A couple of reviews say the auto claim process was simple, usually from drivers who weren’t at fault, as in the review below.

But the number of reviews detailing absent or unhelpful claims department employees is noteworthy. The reviewer below struggled to get updates on the status of an existing claim after an auto accident.

Anchor General’s responses are also telling. The customer in the review below has allegedly waited months for a settlement, and the company’s response isn’t particularly helpful.

More About Anchor General Insurance

Anchor General Auto Insurance FAQs

Here are answers to the most common questions people ask about Anchor General Insurance.

Does Anchor General have cheap car insurance?

No, Anchor General doesn’t generally offer cheap auto insurance. Rates tend to be higher on average for most drivers, according to Compare.com data. But Anchor General may offer you your lowest rate since premiums are based on several personal factors that vary among drivers.

What company owns Anchor General Insurance?

Anchor Insurance Agencies is a privately owned corporation wholly owned by Anchor Insurance Holdings, Inc.

Is Anchor General a good insurance company?

Some data suggests Anchor General isn’t a good insurance company, including its somewhat troubled financial strength rating from AM Best and high customer complaint index with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The company is small, which may be why claims handling appears to take longer than normal.

What is the phone number for Anchor General claims?

To report a car insurance claim at Anchor General, call 1 (800) 542-6246 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Data Methodology:

Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance quotes from more than 75 partner insurers in order to compile the rates and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information.

All the rates listed in this article have been collected from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide readers with insights into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.

Rating Methodology:

Compare.com’s mission is to help our readers make more informed decisions about their personal finances. Our editorial staff has crafted a proprietary, objective rating formula — the Compare.com Rating — to make it easier for our readers to analyze and compare many of the industry’s most well-known insurers. The score you see referenced in this article is based on several factors, including:

• Cost: How the insurer’s average rates compare to its direct competitors and the industry as a whole. This includes available savings opportunities, such as discounts and other factors.
• Customer satisfaction: How satisfied existing customers are with the service they receive. This includes the insurer’s scores among various third-party studies, such as the J.D. Power U.S. Insurance Shopping and Claims Satisfaction studies, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Complaint Index, among others.
• Ease of use: How easy it is for policyholders to utilize their policies. This includes mobile app availability, customer service availability, payment flexibility, and other related factors.
• Availability: The overall scope of the company’s insurance offerings. This includes available coverage types, national footprint, and other related factors.
• Industry reputation: A measure of the insurer’s overall standing within the industry. This includes its AM Best financial strength rating, BBB accreditation, and other related factors.

Sources:

1. National Association of Insurance Commissioners, “Anchor Gen Ins Co. National Complaint Index Report,” accessed July 18, 2024.
2. BBB Business Profiles, “Anchor General Insurance Company,” accessed July 19, 2024.
3. Trustpilot, “Anchor General Insurance Company, Inc.,” accessed July 19, 2024.
4. Clearsurance, “Anchor General Insurance Company,” accessed July 19, 2024.
5. AM Best, “A.M. Best Downgrades Credit Ratings of Anchor General Insurance Company and Pacific Star Insurance Company,” accessed July 18, 2024.
6. AM Best, “AM Best Upgrades Credit Ratings of Anchor General Insurance Company and Pacific Star Insurance Company,” accessed July 18, 2024.