Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard: what each class means and the factors that move you between them.
Insurance companies organize term life pricing using rate classification. While companies use slightly different names, the structure stays the same: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Elite), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, then special ratings for above-average risk. Tobacco users sit in a separate tier with increased rates.
What underwriters look at
Your BMI and measurements, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, history of heart disease or cancer under age 60 in your family, traffic history, medications you take, your line of work and recreational activities, and whether you use tobacco or nicotine. The highest class needs excellent results across nearly everything; Preferred is more flexible; Standard Plus and Standard allow well-controlled medical conditions like treated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health question asks for honest self-assessment: Excellent matches Preferred Plus, Very good matches Preferred, Good matches Standard Plus and Average matches Standard. Your quote shows this class; underwriting will confirm or modify it later. Guessing too high doesn't lower your final premium; it just makes the estimate unreliable.
Susman Insurance Agency is equipped to point you toward carriers whose underwriting criteria are most favorable for your particular situation, which often matters more than the published rate.