Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard: the meanings and how you move between them.
Carriers set term-life price through underwriting tier. Names vary slightly by company, but the structure stays steady: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, then higher-risk adjusters. Tobacco users have their own categories at raised rates.
What underwriters look at
Height and weight, blood pressure and lipids, relatives with heart trouble or cancer before 60, traffic history, medicine use, type of work and pastimes, and tobacco or nicotine. The best class needs good marks on nearly everything; Preferred allows some issues; Standard Plus and Standard permit managed conditions such as controlled blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health question asks you to describe yourself truthfully: Excellent maps to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus and Average to Standard. Quotes show that tier; the provider confirms the real tier after underwriting. If you are in doubt, quote two tiers and compare, then let the application decide. Claiming a better tier does not cut the cost; it just makes the estimate less realistic.
Susman Insurance Agency can assist in finding carriers with guidelines suited to your specific condition, which regularly counts for more than the base rate.