Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard: what each name signifies and what factors move you up or down.
Carriers set term life premiums using rate classes. Naming shifts slightly between companies, but the ranking stays constant: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard, then table ratings for elevated risk. Smokers get a matching set at higher costs.
What underwriters look at
Height and weight, blood pressure and lipids, family heart disease or cancer before age 60, driving history, prescription patterns, job and hobbies, and nicotine or tobacco. Preferred Plus needs clean marks across almost everything; Preferred is more flexible; Standard Plus and Standard accept regulated conditions like blood pressure that's treated and managed.
How to use the quote tool
Tell us honestly about your health: Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus and Average with Standard. Quotes use that class; the underwriter confirms the actual class afterward. Guessing high doesn't reduce the final cost; it just makes your estimate less accurate.
Susman Insurance Agency knows which carriers are more lenient with specific conditions, and that often beats the advertised price.