Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard: what each means and what makes an insurer move you between them.
Insurers price term life according to rate class. Class names differ slightly between companies, but the sequence is standard: Preferred Plus (sometimes called Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard, followed by custom ratings for risk above standard. Tobacco users occupy a parallel, higher-priced tier.
What underwriters look at
Body composition (weight for your height), blood pressure and lipid panel, family history of early heart or cancer death, vehicle infractions, medicines you take, job and dangerous hobbies, and any tobacco or nicotine use. The top tier requires nearly all results to be clean; Preferred allows a small blemish; Standard Plus and Standard accept managed conditions like controlled high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health question invites you to self-rate honestly: Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus, and Average with Standard. Your quote will use that class; underwriting may confirm, upgrade, or revise. If you're unsure, quote both classes and compare. Inflating your health status doesn't lower your final premium—it just makes the initial quote less trustworthy.
Susman Insurance Agency can help identify carriers whose underwriting rules are most lenient for any specific health concern, which often makes a bigger premium difference than the headline rate.