Guide
Health classes explained
What the different rating tiers mean and what influences which one you fall into.
Carriers price term insurance using rate tiers. Names vary slightly, but the pattern is consistent: Preferred Plus (or Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, followed by table ratings for higher-than-standard danger. Smokers get separate tiers at higher costs.
What underwriters look at
Body dimensions and weight relative to height, blood pressure and lipid numbers, family history of early heart disease or cancer, motor vehicle record, medication history, occupation and leisure activities, and tobacco or nicotine in any form. The best tier requires good results in almost all areas; Preferred allows a bit more latitude; Standard Plus and Standard allow controlled ailments like managed high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health form asks you to be truthful: Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus and Average with Standard. Your quotes use that tier; the carrier sets your actual tier after underwriting. If you are uncertain, try two tiers and compare; the application will clarify the real result. Optimistic answers do not lower what you pay; they only make the estimate less useful.
Susman Insurance Agency can help you locate carriers with more favorable rules for your situation, which usually matters more than the headline rate.