Allstate is a publicly traded insurer founded in 1931 as a unit of Sears, Roebuck and Co. and fully independent since the mid-1990s. Headquartered in the Chicago area, it sells auto insurance through exclusive Allstate agents and direct channels, and it owns National General, a carrier distributed through independent agents whose business includes nonstandard auto insurance.
Allstate began in 1931 as an auto insurance venture of Sears, Roebuck and Co., which sold policies by mail and later through counters in Sears stores; the name came from a Sears tire brand. Sears took Allstate public in 1993 in what was at the time among the larger initial public offerings in U.S. history and completed the spin-off in 1995, making Allstate fully independent. Today The Allstate Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ALL, is owned by public shareholders, and is headquartered in the Chicago area. The corporation is a holding company for numerous underwriting subsidiaries, including the National General companies acquired in 2021. As with any public insurer, its financial statements, market-share figures, and regulatory filings are matters of public record, which makes the corporate facts on this page straightforward for anyone to verify independently.
Allstate uses a layered distribution model. Its historical core is a network of exclusive agents who sell Allstate-brand products; these agents represent Allstate rather than a menu of competing carriers. Alongside that network, Allstate sells directly to consumers online and by phone. The third layer is National General, which Allstate acquired in 2021: National General policies are sold through independent agents, meaning professionals who represent multiple insurers, and its book includes nonstandard auto insurance for drivers with violations, lapses, or other complications that standard underwriting treats cautiously. The result is that buying from Allstate can mean three different experiences depending on the door you enter: an exclusive agent quoting Allstate-brand policies, a direct purchase, or an independent agent placing you with a National General company. Which subsidiary underwrites a policy affects its terms and servicing, so it is a fair question to ask whoever quotes you.
Generally yes. In states that use SR-22 filings, Allstate can submit the certificate for policyholders who are required to carry one, and FR-44 filings apply in Florida and Virginia. Drivers whose records trigger a filing requirement may also encounter the Allstate-owned National General companies, since nonstandard auto, the market segment serving drivers with suspensions, DUIs, or coverage lapses, is part of National General's business through independent agents. As always with SR-22 questions, the honest answer includes caveats: filing availability, underwriting acceptance, and procedures vary by state and by individual record, and a requirement to file does not obligate any insurer to issue a policy. The certificate itself simply proves to the state that minimum liability coverage is in force, and it typically must remain on file for a period the state sets, often around three years. A licensed professional can confirm the specifics for your state.
It depends on which channel you use. An exclusive Allstate agent can detail Allstate-brand products but cannot quote competitors; a direct online quote answers only for Allstate; an independent agent offering National General can usually show other carriers too, because independent agents represent multiple companies by definition. If your goal is a side-by-side look across several insurers with the same coverage limits, the efficient route is a single licensed professional with access to multiple markets. That is what CarInsureLine's free referral call provides: a connection to a licensed insurance professional who can quote several carriers, explain what each policy actually covers, and handle requirements like SR-22 filings. CarInsureLine is independent. We are not Allstate, not an agency, and not a ranking site. We do not declare winners among carriers, because coverage needs, state rules, and underwriting outcomes differ for every driver who calls.
No. Sears, Roebuck and Co. founded Allstate in 1931 and owned it for decades, but Sears took the company public in 1993 and completed the spin-off in 1995. Since then, The Allstate Corporation has been a fully independent, publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker ALL. The historical Sears connection survives mainly in the brand name, which originally belonged to a Sears tire line.
National General is a group of insurance companies that Allstate acquired in 2021. It operates as part of The Allstate Corporation but is distributed differently: National General policies are sold through independent agents who represent multiple carriers, and its business includes nonstandard auto insurance for drivers with complicated records. If an independent agent quotes you a National General policy, Allstate is the ultimate corporate parent, even though the brand on the paperwork differs.
Not automatically. Allstate can file SR-22 certificates in states that require them, and the Allstate-owned National General companies write nonstandard auto business that often involves such filings. But every application is an individual underwriting decision made under state-specific rules, so no outcome is assured in either direction. A licensed insurance professional can check which carriers in your state both accept your record and handle the filing, rather than leaving you to guess one company at a time.
No. CarInsureLine is an independent referral service with no affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement relationship with Allstate, National General, or any other insurer discussed on this site. We do not sell or quote insurance and we never rank carriers. Our service is a free referral call that connects you with a licensed insurance professional who can compare multiple companies and explain your state's requirements, including SR-22 filings, based on your actual situation.
CarInsureLine is an independent referral service, is not affiliated with or endorsed by Allstate or any insurer, and never ranks carriers or recommends one over another.