Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard: what each classification means and how you fit into one.
Carriers assign term pricing based on rate class. Names shift between insurers but the progression remains uniform: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Best Preferred), Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard, and then rated classes for above-normal risk. Tobacco users occupy a separate, pricier set.
What underwriters look at
Physical metrics (height and weight), blood pressure and lipid levels, whether heart disease or cancer struck a parent before 60, your driving history, medications, job and pastimes, and any tobacco/nicotine use. Excellence across almost all factors earns Preferred Plus; Preferred is more forgiving; Standard Plus and Standard encompass managed conditions like regulated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health prompt asks for candor: Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus and Average with Standard. Quotes match your selected class; the carrier validates your final class during underwriting. Uncertain? Get quotes for two classes and review, letting underwriting confirm. Inflating your health tier won't reduce your actual premium; it only skews the quote.
If a particular health factor is relevant, Susman Insurance Agency will help identify carriers with lenient underwriting for that condition—often more valuable than chasing the best advertised rate.