Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard explained: what each tier means and what factors place you in each.
Carriers organize term life pricing into rate classes. Names differ slightly between companies, but the structure is the same: Preferred Plus (sometimes labeled Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard, and table ratings for higher risk. Tobacco users get their own parallel set of classes with higher premiums.
What underwriters look at
Weight and height, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, whether family members had heart disease or cancer before 60, your driving record, what medications you take, your job and hobbies, and any tobacco or nicotine use. The best class requires strong results on nearly every factor; Preferred allows some variance; Standard Plus and Standard permit controlled conditions like treated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health question asks for an honest self-assessment: Excellent corresponds to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus and Average to Standard. Quotes are based on your chosen class; the carrier sets the final class during underwriting. If you are uncertain, run quotes for two classes to compare; the application will determine the real class later. Picking a higher class than you qualify for does not reduce your final cost—it just makes the estimate inaccurate.
Each carrier has different appetites for specific health conditions. Susman Insurance Agency can help you find carriers whose guidelines fit your situation better, which can matter more than the advertised rate.