Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard: what these tiers mean and how your health and habits place you among them.
Carriers set prices for term life by rate class. The exact names shift between companies, but the structure is consistent: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, followed by custom ratings for higher-risk profiles. Tobacco users have their own parallel tiers at higher rates.
What underwriters look at
Height and weight, blood pressure and cholesterol, family history of early heart disease or cancer, traffic record, medication history, job and hobbies, and tobacco or nicotine use. Preferred Plus needs strong numbers across nearly everything; Preferred allows a little wiggle room; Standard Plus and Standard permit controlled conditions like managed blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health question is straightforward: be truthful about yourself. Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus and Average with Standard. Quoted rates reflect that class; the carrier will confirm the actual class after underwriting. Unsure about yourself? Try quoting two classes and comparing, letting the application determine what sticks. Claiming a better class than accurate doesn't lower the final rate; it only makes the estimate less reliable.
Susman Insurance Agency can help identify carriers whose rules are more forgiving for your specific situation, which often matters more than the posted rate.