Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard: definitions and factors that determine your tier.
Life insurance pricing relies on rate classes that differ slightly among insurers but follow the same hierarchy: Preferred Plus (sometimes known as Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, then Standard, with additional table ratings for elevated risk. Tobacco applicants face a separate, higher rate table.
What underwriters look at
Body metrics, blood pressure and lipid levels, ancestral heart or cancer diagnoses before age 60, traffic history, medication records, work and pastimes, and any nicotine consumption. The highest tier demands excellent outcomes in essentially all categories; Preferred permits minor imperfections; Standard Plus and Standard accommodate regulated ailments including managed high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
When we ask about your health, respond truthfully: Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus, and Average with Standard. Your rate estimate is based on the class you select; the carrier will verify it during underwriting. When in doubt, run quotes for two different classes and compare; the underwriting process will ultimately determine your actual tier. An inflated health selection will not improve your premium rate—it will only make your initial quote less realistic.
Our team at Susman Insurance Agency can help identify carriers with more lenient underwriting for your circumstances—often a more significant factor than the advertised rate.