Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard—what these categories represent and what determines which one applies to you.
All carriers use a rate class system to set term life premiums. Names shift slightly from carrier to carrier, but the structure is the same everywhere: Preferred Plus (sometimes called Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard, plus additional tiers for elevated risk. Nicotine users form a separate bracket at higher costs.
What underwriters look at
Body mass, blood work (pressure and cholesterol), whether your parents or siblings had heart disease or cancer before age 60, your driving history, what medications you take, your job and pastimes, and any tobacco or nicotine. The top class demands strong marks across almost everything; the Preferred tier permits some exceptions; the Standard tiers accept managed conditions like treated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health field on the quote page asks for your honest self-assessment: Excellent corresponds to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus, and Average to Standard. Your quote is based on that tier; the actual tier is determined only after underwriting. If you are uncertain, run quotes for two different classes and look at both; let your application determine the final one. Overstating your health does not reduce the ultimate cost; it only makes the preliminary numbers inaccurate.
Susman Insurance Agency can assist you in finding carriers with more favorable terms if you have a particular health situation, which frequently has a bigger effect on your actual premium than any headline number.