National General Insurance
Carrier website links, underwriting access points, mapped product lines, and appetite notes in one place.
This appetite summary is only a guide. Confirm eligibility, submission requirements, restrictions, and binding authority directly with the carrier or underwriter before relying on it.
Carrier appetite summary
National General (NatGen), an Allstate company, publishes state‑specific homeowners underwriting guides via its `uwguides.nationalgeneral.com` site. Recent examples include Illinois (revised March 11, 2025) and Louisiana (updated in 2025). These guides govern HO programs under National General Insurance Company (NGIC) and related writing companies. They are intended for appointed agents only and are not to be shared with non‑appointed agents or outside brokers. PREFERRED / TARGET HOMEOWNERS BUSINESS - Owner‑occupied 1–2 family dwellings in good repair, with continuous insurance and no significant prior losses. The IL and LA guides describe the documents as general transaction/underwriting rules that apply to both new and renewal business. - Standard construction (frame, masonry, superior), well‑maintained roofs and major systems, and risks that meet carrier eligibility criteria for year built, updates, and protective devices. - Insureds with solid credit/insurance scores, stable occupancy and favorable claims history are implicitly preferred (the guides reference broad underwriting criteria and transaction rules rather than explicit scoring cutoffs).([uwguides.nationalgeneral.com](https://uwguides.nationalgeneral.com/ho/il/uwg_il_micg_ho.pdf?utm_source=openai)) RESTRICTED OR HEIGHTENED‑SCRUTINY HOMEOWNERS RISKS - The IL and LA guides emphasize that they are not an exhaustive list of all criteria, and that additional rules may apply. Agents must follow the guide and any state bulletins or system prompts. - Higher‑risk characteristics (older dwellings lacking updates, prior losses, questionable occupancy/use, or protection issues) typically require underwriting review and may have binding restrictions (for example, limits on agent authority in certain transaction types or when key risk factors are present). The IL guide explicitly ties agent binding authority to adherence to these underwriting materials.([uwguides.nationalgeneral.com](https://uwguides.nationalgeneral.com/ho/il/uwg_il_micg_ho.pdf?utm_source=openai)) DECLINED / INELIGIBLE HOMEOWNERS RISKS - Both IL and LA homeowners guides state that they apply to eligible risks and are not a complete statement of all ineligible exposures. However, they are clear that failing to meet company underwriting criteria (e.g., occupancy, condition, or other internal risk rules) makes the risk unacceptable. - NatGen must also comply with state law governing homeowners underwriting. For example, New Jersey regulations require that homeowners underwriting guidelines be written, non‑discriminatory, and not based solely on prohibited factors such as prohibited territory alone, residual‑market history, or protected classes. These regulatory standards shape NatGen’s declination and non‑renewal practices in those jurisdictions, even though the carrier’s internal guides are not public.([nj.gov](https://www.nj.gov/dobi/pn01_139.htm?utm_source=openai)) GEOGRAPHIC NOTES - Homeowners underwriting is state‑specific. NatGen publishes separate UW guides by state (e.g., `.../ho/il/...` for Illinois and `.../ho/la/...` for Louisiana). Each guide states that the rules apply to new and renewal business in that state only and must be read with any state‑specific endorsements and regulatory requirements.([uwguides.nationalgeneral.com](https://uwguides.nationalgeneral.com/ho/il/uwg_il_micg_ho.pdf?utm_source=openai)) - Agents should not assume cross‑state eligibility. Territory, catastrophe management, and program availability are controlled by state filing and internal appetite. Use NatGen’s systems and state‑specific guide for the exact state of risk. SUBMISSION / BINDING REQUIREMENTS (HOMEOWNERS) - The IL homeowners guide (National General Insurance) states that an agent in good standing with NatGen has authority to bind coverage only if the risk is eligible and all underwriting rules in the guide are followed. It also explicitly prohibits giving underwriting materials to other agents or brokers.([uwguides.nationalgeneral.com](https://uwguides.nationalgeneral.com/ho/il/uwg_il_micg_ho.pdf?utm_source=openai)) - The LA homeowners guide similarly notes that guidelines apply to both new and renewal business and are not inclusive of all underwriting criteria, implying that agents must follow additional internal rules and any system prompts when submitting or binding business.([uwguides.nationalgeneral.com](https://uwguides.nationalgeneral.com/ho/la/uwg_la_ifac_ho.pdf?utm_source=openai)) - Agents should: - Use NatGen’s agent portal and rating system for all new quotes and changes. - Confirm eligibility and any referral conditions in the applicable state HO guide before binding. - Follow any transaction‑specific rules (e.g., endorsements, cancellations, rewrites) described in the guide. BROKER / PRODUCER INSTRUCTIONS - NatGen’s public “Working with National General” and “Independent Agent Partners” pages emphasize that distribution is through independent agents, with appointment required.([nationalgeneral.com](https://nationalgeneral.com/agents/working-with-us?utm_source=openai)) - The IL UW guide specifically warns agents that underwriting materials are proprietary and may not be shared with other agents or brokers. Doing so may run afoul of producer agreements.([uwguides.nationalgeneral.com](https://uwguides.nationalgeneral.com/ho/il/uwg_il_micg_ho.pdf?utm_source=openai)) - Producers must comply with the NatGen Producer Privacy Statement regarding handling of customer and producer data when selling or servicing NatGen policies.([nghcprivacy.com](https://nghcprivacy.com/nationalgeneral/natgenproducerprivacy?utm_source=openai)) BOAT / WATERCRAFT - NatGen publicly promotes watercraft insurance (e.g., blog content recommending watercraft coverage) but does not publish a standalone, detailed watercraft underwriting manual on its public site.([nationalgeneral.com](https://nationalgeneral.com/about-us/news-and-blog/winterizing-watercraft/?utm_source=openai)) - Practical expectations, inferred from NatGen’s personal‑lines posture and generic marine UW norms, are that preferred watercraft risks are: - Individually owned pleasure‑use boats or personal watercraft (PWCs), used primarily for personal recreation; and - Not used in commercial operations, livery, racing/speed contests, or as a primary residence. - Higher‑risk classes (commercial use, high‑performance craft, racing, older or non‑standard construction, or unusual mooring/lay‑up situations) likely require referral or may be declined, consistent with typical carrier watercraft practices. Agents should rely on internal NatGen product sheets and rating screens for exact eligibility, surcharges, and inspection/survey triggers. OPERATIONAL TAKEAWAYS - Treat all state‑specific NatGen HO underwriting guides as controlling documents for eligibility, binding authority, and transaction handling in that state. - Do not share NatGen UW guides or internal criteria with non‑appointed producers. - For homeowners: focus on owner‑occupied, well‑maintained dwellings with stable insureds and good loss histories; refer or decline risks with poor condition, adverse occupancy, or significant prior losses per the state guide. - For boat/watercraft: target standard, personally owned recreational risks and avoid or refer commercial, racing, or otherwise non‑standard exposures according to NatGen’s internal watercraft product rules. - Always check the latest state‑specific PDF on `uwguides.nationalgeneral.com` plus NatGen’s agent portal for changes to appetite, CAT restrictions, and binding limitations before quoting or binding new or renewal business.