National General After Arkansas DWI
You got a National General quote after your Arkansas DWI conviction and the monthly premium sits in the $220–$347 range you expected for high-risk coverage. The quote tool didn't ask about SR-22 filing, and the confirmation email doesn't mention it. You assume the policy includes the filing because National General appears on every SR-22 carrier list for Arkansas, but you haven't seen explicit confirmation that your specific agent or underwriter will process the form Arkansas DFA Driver Control requires.
National General does write SR-22 policies in Arkansas. The carrier holds an active NAIC 23728 license, maintains an AM Best A+ rating inherited from the Allstate group, and operates in all 50 states. The structural problem is not whether National General can file SR-22 — it's whether the specific distribution channel you quoted through has filing capability enabled, and whether you verified that capability before committing to the policy.
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Get Your Free QuoteArkansas DWI Reinstatement Fee
$150
Arkansas charges a flat $150 reinstatement fee after DWI suspension, paid to DFA Driver Control before your license is restored. This fee is separate from your SR-22 filing and insurance premium.
Arkansas DFA Driver Control reinstatement schedule
SR-22 Filing Availability Through National General
National General's SR-22 capability in Arkansas is confirmed at the corporate level. The carrier files SR-22 forms in Arkansas and accepts DWI applicants in the standard tier. The friction point is distribution: National General sells through both direct online channels and independent agent networks, and not every agent or online portal has SR-22 filing integrated into their workflow.
When you quote National General online, the system may generate a bindable quote without surfacing SR-22 as a required add-on. The quote reflects your DWI conviction in the premium calculation — that's why your rate sits 48–54% above clean-record benchmarks — but the filing itself is a separate procedural step that some distribution channels handle automatically and others require you to request manually after purchase. If you bind the policy without confirming SR-22 filing, you own an active insurance policy that does not satisfy Arkansas reinstatement requirements.
The consequence is not immediate. Your policy is valid, your coverage is real, and your premium is paid. The problem surfaces when you attempt reinstatement: DFA Driver Control checks their SR-22 database for an active filing tied to your license number, finds nothing, and denies your reinstatement petition. You then contact National General to add the filing retroactively, discover your agent cannot process it, and face a choice between canceling the policy to switch carriers or purchasing a separate non-owner SR-22 from a filing specialist to layer on top of your National General coverage.
National General writes SR-22 in Arkansas, but if your agent can't file it, you either restart with a different carrier or pay for a redundant non-owner policy to satisfy DFA.
Verifying Filing Before You Bind
First: does your quote confirmation email or policy summary explicitly list SR-22 filing as an included endorsement? National General policies that include SR-22 typically show the filing as a line item in the coverage summary, often labeled "Financial Responsibility Filing" or "SR-22 Certificate." If the summary does not mention SR-22 anywhere, the filing is not attached to your policy. Second: did the quote tool or agent ask you to confirm the state requiring the filing and the reason code? Arkansas SR-22 filings require a reason code tied to your suspension trigger — typically "DWI conviction" or "Safety Responsibility action." If the application never asked for this information, the system likely did not process the filing request.
Third: call the agent or National General customer service before binding and ask directly whether the policy includes SR-22 filing to Arkansas DFA Driver Control. Request written confirmation — an email stating "your policy includes SR-22 filing effective [bind date]" is sufficient. If the agent cannot confirm filing or tells you to "add it later," do not bind the policy. Arkansas requires continuous SR-22 coverage from the date you purchase insurance forward; adding the filing weeks after binding creates a gap in your compliance record that DFA may flag during reinstatement review.
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Cost Structure for National General DWI Coverage
National General's Arkansas DWI premiums reflect standard-tier underwriting with high-risk surcharges. The carrier does not operate a separate non-standard subsidiary for DWI cases; all policies are written under the National General brand with risk-adjusted pricing. Your premium includes the DWI conviction surcharge, the liability coverage required by Arkansas law, and any optional coverages you selected. The SR-22 filing itself carries a small one-time fee set by the carrier, typically processed at policy inception.
National General offers monthly payment plans for DWI policies, but the initial payment often includes a down payment equal to two months of coverage plus the filing fee. Some agents require six-month pay-in-full for new DWI applicants, particularly if your suspension is still active or if you have additional violations on record. Confirm payment terms before binding.
The $150 Arkansas reinstatement fee is separate from your insurance costs. You pay this fee directly to DFA Driver Control when you petition for reinstatement, after your SR-22 filing is active and your suspension period has elapsed. National General does not collect this fee and cannot pay it on your behalf.
Arkansas SR-22 Filing Period
3 years
Arkansas does not publish a fixed SR-22 duration for DWI cases, but the filing typically remains required for three years from the reinstatement date. DFA Driver Control notifies you when the filing period ends; do not cancel coverage early or you restart the clock.
Arkansas DFA Driver Control SR-22 program guidance
Alternative Carriers When National General Cannot File
If your National General agent confirms they cannot process SR-22 filing, eight other carriers write SR-22 policies for Arkansas DWI drivers: Progressive, Geico, State Farm, Dairyland, Bristol West, The General, Direct Auto, and GAINSCO. Progressive, Geico, and State Farm operate in the standard tier with online quoting; Dairyland, Bristol West, The General, Direct Auto, and GAINSCO operate in the non-standard tier and often deliver lower premiums for DWI applicants. All eight file SR-22 directly to Arkansas DFA without requiring a separate non-owner overlay.
Non-owner SR-22 policies are an alternative if you do not currently own a vehicle or if you want to maintain your National General policy for other reasons. A non-owner policy provides liability coverage when you drive vehicles you do not own and files the SR-22 certificate DFA requires. Carriers writing non-owner SR-22 in Arkansas include Progressive, Geico, Dairyland, Bristol West, The General, and Direct Auto. The non-owner policy runs concurrently with your National General coverage; you pay two premiums but satisfy Arkansas filing requirements without canceling your existing policy.
Compare SR-22 Carriers Before You Commit
National General is one option among eight active SR-22 carriers in Arkansas. Premiums vary by $80–$140 per month across carriers for identical coverage limits, and not all carriers offer the same payment flexibility or agent support. Quote at least three carriers before binding: one standard-tier option (Progressive, Geico, or State Farm), one non-standard option (Dairyland, Bristol West, or The General), and National General if your agent confirms filing capability. Request written confirmation of SR-22 filing from every carrier you quote. Compare the total six-month cost including down payment, not just the monthly premium, because payment structures differ significantly across the non-standard tier. Use the comparison tool on this site to request quotes from all eight carriers simultaneously and verify which ones can file your SR-22 before you pay.