Shaq Explains Why He Endorses The General Insurance Company

'The reason I do commercials for The General now is, one, they took care of me when I was young.'

Hall of Fame hooper Shaquille O’Neal learned a hefty lesson regarding finances early after he tried to return a car he purchased with grant money because he could not afford the insurance to cover the vehicle.

It’s also why Shaq is the pitchman for The General Insurance company, according to MoneyWise.

On Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings’ Earn Your Leisure podcast in July 2021, the Inside the NBA star discussed not knowing about the added cost of car insurance when he bought a used Ford Bronco in college. The truck was $1,500, and he received a Federal Pell Grant (Federal Pell Grants, a government subsidy that students with exceptional financial needs have to apply for if they have yet to earn their first bachelor’s degree) payment of $1,800, which paid for the car.

“In college, everybody had a car but me,” Shaq said. However, the car salesperson informed Shaq he would need insurance to drive the car.

Shaq’s response: “What’s insurance?”

After he was schooled on the cost of insurance, which he found out could be as much as $300 a month, he tried to take the Bronco back to the dealership. That is when the dealer, looking out for him, told him about The General Insurance Company, which gave Shaq an affordable monthly rate.

It worked out OK. Fast forward years later. Shaq left Louisiana State University and enjoyed a legendary (and very profitable) NBA career. Car insurance is not an issue, but he remembered the company’s grace.

“The reason I do commercials for The General now is, one, they took care of me when I was young, but it’s affordable insurance,” he said. “It’s really a quality insurance company just like all the other companies, but we decide we’re not overcharging people.”