Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard: what each one is, how you move between them, and what they mean for your rate.
Carriers sort their term policies by rate class. The precise names shift from company to company, but the order is always the same: Preferred Plus (sometimes called Best or Super Preferred), Preferred, Standard Plus, then Standard, with higher-risk categories above that. Those who smoke have their own stack of classes at higher premiums.
What underwriters look at
Your height and weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, family health history (heart or cancer before age 60), driving record, medication history, your line of work and pastimes, and any tobacco or nicotine. The finest class expects strong results across the board; Preferred allows a weakness or two; Standard Plus and Standard permit well-managed conditions like controlled high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health question wants your honest self-assessment: Excellent lines up with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus, and Average with Standard. Your quote matches that assumption, but underwriting will confirm the real class. If you're torn, pull quotes for two classes and see, then let the real underwriting decide. Picking a rosier class doesn't bring down the final price—it just makes the estimate off.
Susman Insurance Agency knows which carriers are more flexible about particular health conditions, and that matters more than chasing the lowest headline rate.