Guide
Health classes explained
The rating ladder: Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard—what these categories represent and how applicants move between them.
Life insurers organize pricing using rate class. While names shift between carriers, the hierarchy remains consistent: Preferred Plus (sometimes called Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, plus table ratings for higher-than-average risk. Tobacco users are assigned to a separate tier of classes at higher premiums.
What underwriters look at
Build (weight relative to height), hypertension and lipid levels, family background of cardiac or malignant disease prior to age 60, driving background, medication history, professional field and recreational pursuits, and use of tobacco or nicotine products. Premium rates improve with positive outcomes across virtually all measures; Preferred permits some exceptions; Standard Plus and Standard accommodates regulated conditions like medicated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
When asked about health, describe yourself with honesty: Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus and Average with Standard. Your quotes will reflect that classification; the carrier settles the true tier upon underwriting. When uncertain, request quotes for two categories and contrast them, letting the underwriting establish the actual class. Selecting a higher health status does not lower your eventual cost; it simply makes the estimate less precise.
Susman Insurance Agency is equipped to assist in identifying carriers whose underwriting standards are better suited to your particular health situation, an element that frequently outweighs the published rate.