Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard—their meaning and what determines your classification.
Term life pricing tracks rate class. Terminology shifts between companies, but the structure stays the same: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard, then higher tiers for elevated risk. Tobacco users sit in a separate tier at higher costs.
What underwriters look at
Your weight and build, blood pressure and cholesterol, any family heart disease or cancer before age 60, traffic record, medication history, job and hobbies, and nicotine or tobacco use all factor in. The highest class requires sound marks on virtually everything; Preferred accepts a small blemish; Standard Plus and Standard tolerate managed disorders like regulated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health prompt asks for candor: Excellent corresponds to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus, and Average to Standard. Your quote mirrors that tier; the carrier sets your final tier post-underwriting. When in doubt, quote both and weigh them—let the app determine the truth. An inflated selection doesn't reduce your cost; it just skews your estimate.
Susman Insurance Agency can match you with carriers whose underwriting guidelines accommodate your health profile—often a bigger factor than the listed price.