Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard: definitions and the factors that place you in each bracket.
Term insurance pricing is organized around underwriting tiers. Though carriers use different names, the structure is uniform: Preferred Plus (sometimes labeled Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard, with table ratings above that for higher-risk cases. Tobacco users occupy a separate tier ladder at elevated rates.
What underwriters look at
Body composition (height and weight ratio), blood pressure reading, cholesterol level, whether family members had cardiovascular or cancer issues before age 60, your driving history, medications you take, your line of work and recreational pursuits, and any use of tobacco or nicotine products. To reach the top tier, you need solid marks in virtually every category; Preferred is more lenient; Standard Plus and Standard accept managed ailments like regulated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health inquiry prompts you to be truthful in your assessment: Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus, and Average with Standard. Quotes are produced for the selected tier; the carrier determines your final tier after review. Uncertain? Pull quotes for two tiers and see them side by side, letting the formal application sort it out. Inflating your health status won't reduce the actual premium; it just skews the estimate.
Susman Insurance Agency can point you toward carriers that take a more favorable view of particular medical issues, which frequently has more bearing on your actual cost than the top-line quote.