Guide
Health classes explained
What the different rate classes signify, how carriers evaluate them, and what factors might place you in one tier versus another.
All life insurance carriers use rate classes to price term coverage. The exact names differ slightly between companies, but the structure is uniform: Preferred Plus (sometimes called Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard, with additional table ratings for applicants above standard risk. Tobacco users fall into a separate, higher-cost class structure.
What underwriters look at
Carriers review your height and weight, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, whether heart disease or cancer runs in your family (particularly before age 60), your driving history, what medications you take, your job and hobbies, and any tobacco or nicotine use. The highest class requires strong results on nearly all counts; Preferred is more flexible; Standard Plus and Standard accept managed conditions like controlled high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
When the tool asks about your health, choose the category that fits honestly: Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus, and Average with Standard. The quotes you receive reflect your selected class, and the carrier will confirm the actual class during underwriting. If you're uncertain, run quotes in two different classes to see the range, and the application will settle it. Overstating your health doesn't reduce your final premium—it just makes the estimate less reliable.
If a particular health situation affects your quotes, Susman Insurance Agency can help identify carriers that view that condition more favorably—and that matters more to your final rate than shopping for the absolute lowest headline price.