Guide
Health classes explained
The four rate classes: what each one means and what factors shift you from one to another.
Term life premiums are based on rate class. Though carriers use slightly different names, the hierarchy stays the same: Preferred Plus (sometimes called Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard, with table ratings above standard for elevated risk. Tobacco users are placed in a separate tier at higher rates.
What underwriters look at
The carriers look at your build (height and weight proportions), blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, whether close relatives had heart disease or cancer before age 60, your driving and prescription records, your line of work and hobbies, and any tobacco or nicotine use. The top class requires clean numbers across almost all factors; Preferred is more flexible; Standard Plus and Standard accept managed conditions like blood pressure under treatment.
How to use the quote tool
The health question on the quote tool asks for an honest self-assessment: Excellent health corresponds to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus, and Average to Standard. Your quotes use the class you pick; the underwriting process finalizes the actual class. If you're uncertain, try two classes to see the difference, then let your application determine the true class. An inflated health rating won't reduce the final premium — it only throws off the estimate.
Susman Insurance Agency can point you to carriers with more flexible rules for a particular condition — often this matters more than the advertised rate.