<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-24</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000038984</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>FREMONT GENERAL CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>FMT</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001049708</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROSS DICKINSON CROSBY</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-06-24</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>17000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>65704</value><footnoteId id="F1"/><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Ross Separate Property Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Includes 15,600 shares of restricted common stock awarded under the company's 1995 Restricted Stock Award Plan and/or 1997 Stock Plan.  In addition the reporting person owns indirectly 11,714 shares of company common stock under the Ross Community Property Trust and 1,300 shares owned by his wife.  The reporting person disclaims ownership of 500 shares of the company's 9% Trust Originated Preferred Securities owned by his wife and held in her Separate Property Trust.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Derivative securities beneficially owned by the reporting person includes a non-qualified stock option (right to buy) that vested in four annual installments beginning on the grant date with unexercised shares as follows:  20,000 shares @ $14.00 per share granted 05/08/1997 with an expiration date of 05/08/2007.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Dickinson C. Ross</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-24</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

