Guide
Health classes explained
Four tiers: Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard — what each designation signals and what determines where an applicant falls.
Life insurance pricing is determined by rate class set by carriers. Companies use slightly different names, but the structure is universal: Preferred Plus (sometimes labeled Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, plus table ratings for applicants outside standard ranges. Tobacco users qualify for their own tier of classes at higher rates.
What underwriters look at
Physiology (height/weight), blood pressure, cholesterol, family medical history (heart disease or cancer before age 60), driving history, medications, job and recreation, and smoking or nicotine. Best rates demand clean indicators across almost all dimensions; Preferred allows some room; Standard Plus and Standard accommodate managed conditions like treated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
You self-identify during the quote: Excellent correlates with Preferred Plus, Very Good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus, and Average with Standard. Quotes reflect your chosen level; underwriting determines the final class. If you're unsure, run quotes at two different levels to see the difference, then let the application settle it. Picking an inflated level doesn't reduce the final cost—it just makes your estimate inaccurate.
Susman Insurance Agency can guide you to carriers whose underwriting criteria are most favorable for your specific situation, which often proves more valuable than whatever the lowest headline rate happens to be.