Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard—what each category represents and what factors determine your placement.
Term pricing flows from rate classes, which differ marginally by carrier but follow the same hierarchy: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard, plus table ratings for elevated risk. Tobacco users occupy a separate, costlier tier.
What underwriters look at
Body mass index, blood pressure, lipid levels, family background (heart disease or cancer before age 60), driving history, medication list, job and pastimes, and any tobacco or nicotine use. The top tier demands strong results in nearly all dimensions; Preferred is somewhat flexible; Standard Plus and Standard accommodate managed disorders like medicated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health field asks for an honest self-assessment: Excellent corresponds to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus, and Average to Standard. Your quotes rest on that assignment; the underwriting process confirms your final class. When in doubt, run quotes in two classes to contrast them, then allow the application itself to settle the question. Picking a rosier class will not reduce your final premium—it will only skew the estimate higher.
Susman Insurance Agency can guide you toward carriers whose underwriting standards accommodate a particular health situation, a consideration that frequently outweighs advertised rates.