Guide
Health classes explained
The four rating categories, what they signify, and how your profile lands in each tier.
Term life pricing hinges on rate class. Carrier names fluctuate slightly, but the structure is the same: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, plus table ratings for above-standard hazard. Tobacco users occupy a separate class tier with higher pricing.
What underwriters look at
Height-to-weight ratio, blood pressure and cholesterol readings, whether relatives had heart trouble or cancer before age 60, driving record, prescription drugs, job and pastimes, and nicotine history. Top ratings require few problems across almost every factor; the next tier tolerates modest issues; lower tiers include managed ailments like medicated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health prompt requests an honest self-assessment: Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus and Average with Standard. Quotes use that class; carriers nail down the final class post-underwriting. Uncertain? Quote multiple classes to weigh them, and let the application settle it. An inflated health choice won't reduce your ultimate premium—it just clouds the forecast.
Susman Insurance Agency helps you find carriers with more lenient rules for your situation—sometimes more valuable than chasing the lowest headline price.