Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard: what the grades mean and which factors move you up or down the scale.
Term life premiums follow rate tiers. Naming varies, but the order is consistent: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Best Preferred), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, then surcharges for higher-risk profiles. Smokers have a separate tier structure at higher rates.
What underwriters look at
Height and weight, blood pressure and lipids, family illness before age 60, your driving history, medicine records, what you do for work and hobbies, and tobacco or nicotine. Top grades need clean scores across nearly everything; Preferred is slightly more forgiving; Standard Plus and Standard accept managed illnesses like regulated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health question asks you to self-describe accurately: Excellent corresponds to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus and Average to Standard. Quotes match your selected tier; underwriting finalizes it. If uncertain, run quotes at two different tiers to compare, then apply and let the underwriter confirm. A more optimistic tier won't lower your final rate; it just makes the estimate less reliable.
Susman Insurance can identify carriers whose rules are more favorable to your particular health situation—that often matters more than comparing headline rates.