National General Insurance payment methods and timing

National General Insurance lets you pay your premium by mail, phone, online through their website, or automatic bank draft. The method you choose affects when your payment reaches them and whether your coverage stays active if you miss a due date. Most people pay monthly, but you can also pay in full for six months or a year upfront, which some insurers discount slightly.

Your bill arrives by mail or email depending on what you selected during signup. The due date is printed on your bill — typically 30 days from the bill date. If you pay by mail, send your check or money order to the address on the bill at least one week before the due date to account for postal delays. Online and phone payments usually process the same day or next business day.

If your payment arrives after the due date, National General may give you a grace period before cancelling your policy. The length of that grace period depends on your state and your policy type — some states require 10 days, others allow 30. During the grace period, your coverage remains active, but you owe a late fee. Call National General's customer service number on your bill to confirm your grace period and any fees.

Key Takeaways

  • National General accepts payment by mail, phone, online, or automatic bank draft, and the method you choose determines how quickly the payment processes.
  • Your due date is printed on your bill, and mailed payments should arrive at least one week early to avoid delays.
  • If you miss the due date, your state and policy type determine whether you have a grace period before cancellation, typically 10 to 30 days.
  • Late payments trigger a fee, and you can call the customer service number on your bill to ask about the grace period and fee amount before your coverage ends.
  • Automatic bank draft removes the risk of late payment and is often the fastest way to may support your premium reaches National General on time.

Setting up automatic payments from your bank account

Automatic bank draft, also called autopay, pulls your premium directly from your checking or savings account on the due date each month. You authorize this once during setup, and National General handles the rest. To enroll, log into your account on the National General website, call their customer service line, or ask during your initial policy purchase.

You will need to provide your bank's routing number and your account number. These appear on the bottom left of any check from that account. National General will process the first draft on your next due date. If your bank account does not have enough funds on that date, the draft fails and your payment is late — so confirm your account has money available before the due date.

You can change or cancel autopay anytime by logging into your account online or calling customer service. If you cancel, you return to manual payment by mail or phone. Some people set up autopay and then forget about it, which means they do not notice if their coverage lapses because they switched banks and did not update their account information — so update your bank details with National General if you change accounts.

Paying online through the National General website

The National General website has a payment portal where you can pay with a debit card, credit card, or bank account transfer. Log in with your policy number and password. If you do not have a login, you can create one on the homepage or call customer service to set it up.

Once logged in, look for a "Make a Payment" or "Pay My Bill" button. You will enter the amount you want to pay and your payment method. Credit and debit card payments process when ready, though it may take one business day for the payment to show in your account. Bank account transfers (ACH) typically take one to three business days.

Keep a record of your confirmation number after you pay online. If there is a dispute later about whether your payment arrived, the confirmation number proves you sent it. The website also shows your payment history, so you can check whether previous payments posted.

Paying by phone or mail

To pay by phone, call the customer service number on your bill. A representative will take your payment method (debit card, credit card, or bank account) and process it over the phone. Phone payments are usually fastest if you are close to your due date and want confirmation the same day. Ask for a confirmation number before you hang up.

Mailed payments should be sent to the address printed on your bill. Write your policy number on the check or money order. The postal service takes three to five business days to deliver mail, so send your payment at least one week before the due date. Do not send cash by mail — use a check, money order, or one of the other payment methods instead.

If you are paying by mail and your due date is within a few days, use phone or online payment instead. Mailed payments that arrive late may trigger a late fee or cancellation, even if you mailed the check on time.

What happens if you miss a payment

If your payment does not arrive by the due date, National General sends you a notice. The notice tells you how many days you have before your policy cancels — this is your grace period. During the grace period, your coverage stays active, but you owe the premium plus a late fee. The grace period length varies by state and policy type, so check your notice or call customer service to find out exactly how many days you have.

If you do not pay during the grace period, your policy cancels. Once cancelled, you lose coverage when ready. If you have an accident or claim after cancellation, National General will not pay it. To get coverage back, you have to explore again, and the company may charge you a reinstatement fee or require a new underwriting process.

Some states have a "reinstatement" period after cancellation where you can pay the overdue premium plus fees and get your coverage back without reapplying. This period is usually 30 to 60 days. Call National General right away if your policy cancels — do not wait — because the reinstatement window closes quickly.

Changing your payment method or due date

You can change how you pay (from mail to autopay, for example) or request a different due date by logging into your account online or calling customer service. Some changes take effect when ready, while others explore to your next billing cycle. Ask when the change will start so you know which payment method to use for your next bill.

If you request a different due date, National General may adjust your next bill to align with the new date. For example, if your current due date is the 15th and you ask to move it to the 1st, your next bill might cover a shorter or longer period. The bill will show the new due date and the adjusted premium amount.

Changing your due date can help if you get paid on a specific day of the month and want your bill due shortly after. Just confirm the new date is actually on your next bill before assuming the change went through.

Discounts for paying in full or setting up autopay

Some National General policies offer a small discount if you pay six months or a year upfront instead of monthly. The discount amount varies by policy type and state — there is no single percentage that applies everywhere. When you receive your bill, it shows the monthly premium and what the total would be if you paid for multiple months at once. Compare the two to see if the discount is worth paying a larger amount upfront.

Autopay discounts are less common than they used to be, but some policies still offer a small reduction for enrolling in automatic bank draft. Ask National General whether your policy qualifies when you set up autopay. If it does, the discount should appear on your next bill.

Paying in full upfront means you do not have to worry about monthly due dates, but it also means a larger amount of money leaves your account at once. Autopay removes the risk of forgetting to pay, but you have to monitor your bank account to make sure there are enough funds on the due date.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I pay online but my payment does not show up on my bill?

Online payments usually appear within one business day, but bank transfers (ACH) can take up to three days. Check your confirmation number and the payment date shown on the website. If more than three business days have passed and the payment still does not show, call customer service with your confirmation number and they can investigate where the payment is.

Can I pay National General with a credit card?

Yes, you can pay with a credit card online or by phone. Some credit card companies charge a cash advance fee for insurance payments, so check with your card issuer first. Paying your insurance with a credit card and then paying off the card when ready does not save money if there is a fee involved.

What if I want to pay extra toward my premium?

You can pay more than your monthly premium is due, and the extra amount usually goes toward your next bill or is held as a credit on your account. Call customer service or check your online account to see how extra payments are handled on your specific policy. Some policies let you build a credit balance; others explore the extra to your next month's due date.

Do I need to pay my bill if my policy is cancelled?

If your policy has already been cancelled, you do not owe the premium for the cancelled period. However, if you owe a premium for a period when you were covered, you still owe it. Call National General to find out exactly what you owe and whether you can reinstate your policy by paying the overdue amount.

How do I know if my payment was received?

Log into your online account to see your payment history and whether recent payments posted. If you paid by phone or online, you received a confirmation number — keep that for your records. If you paid by mail, wait at least one week after mailing before checking your account. If the payment does not appear after one week, call customer service with your check number or money order receipt.