Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard: what these categories represent and how underwriters sort people between them.
Life insurance carriers use rate classification to set prices. Though names vary slightly between carriers, the structure is consistent: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, with additional ratings available for higher risks. Tobacco users fall into a separate scale with elevated pricing.
What underwriters look at
Build (your height-to-weight ratio), blood pressure and cholesterol readings, whether heart disease or cancer runs in your family before age 60, your driving history, what medications you take, your job and pastimes, and any nicotine or tobacco use. The top tier requires excellent outcomes in virtually every category; Preferred tier allows minor variations; Standard Plus and Standard accommodate managed conditions such as controlled blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The wellness question asks you to be truthful about your current health: Excellent corresponds to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus and Average to Standard. Quotes match that category; the company verifies the actual tier after evaluation. When in doubt, quote both categories to compare, then let underwriting determine the final class. Being optimistic when answering doesn't reduce your final cost—it just makes the quote less reliable.
Susman Insurance Agency helps you find carriers with better underwriting criteria for your particular situation—often the right carrier choice matters more than the base rate.