Guide
Health classes explained
The tiers—Preferred Plus through Standard—what distinguishes them and how you move between them.
Term prices are set by rate class. Naming conventions vary between companies, but the hierarchy stays steady: Preferred Plus (SuperPreferred or Best), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, then special ratings for elevated hazard. Smokers face their own tier structure with elevated pricing.
What underwriters look at
Physical measurements (weight and height), blood chemistry (pressure and lipid panel), disease patterns (heart or cancer before your sixties), MVR results, medication history, job/recreation risks, and nicotine consumption. Reaching the highest class requires strong numbers nearly across the board; the next tier permits minor deviations; lower tiers accommodate managed conditions like blood pressure medication.
How to use the quote tool
Your health self-assessment—Excellent correlates to top tier, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus, Average to Standard—shapes the quoted rate. The insurer will finalize this classification once underwriting is complete. Not sure? Get quotes at two different health levels and weigh them side-by-side; let the underwriting choice be determinative. Inflating your health category doesn't cut your actual premium; it just skews the quote inaccurate.
Susman Insurance Agency helps you find carriers who evaluate your specific situation more favorably, which typically counts for more than the advertised starting rate.