Guide
Health classes explained
What Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard mean, and the aspects determining which applies to you.
Insurers organize term pricing into rate classes. Names shift between companies, but the order stays consistent: Preferred Plus (or Super Preferred), Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard, then table ratings for elevated risk. Tobacco users get a separate pricing structure at higher costs.
What underwriters look at
Height and weight, blood pressure and cholesterol, family heart disease or cancer history before age 60, driving record, medication history, work and hobbies, plus tobacco or nicotine use. Best rates need excellent scores across nearly everything; Preferred allows more variation; Standard Plus and Standard allow managed conditions like controlled high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health question asks you to self-assess honestly: Excellent relates to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus, Average to Standard. Your quotes use that tier; the carrier verifies the final class during underwriting. If uncertain, quote at two tiers for comparison, letting the application determine the outcome. Picking a higher rating doesn't reduce your premium—it just makes the estimate less accurate.
Susman Insurance Agency can show you carriers with more favorable treatment of your specific health situation—often more impactful than comparing advertised rates.