Guide
Health classes explained
The four tiers—Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard—and their meanings: what they denote and factors in moving up or down.
Insurance carriers organize term rates using underwriting tiers. While firms use different names, the hierarchy stays constant: Preferred Plus (sometimes called Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard, then table adjustments for higher-risk cases. Tobacco users occupy a separate tier ladder with bigger premiums.
What underwriters look at
Body size metrics (height and weight), blood pressure and lipid numbers, parents' and siblings' cardiac and cancer history before turning 60, driving history, past prescriptions, job and leisure pursuits, and any nicotine or tobacco. Top-tier placement demands clean markers in practically every category; Preferred approves a bit more variation; Standard Plus and Standard accommodate managed issues such as controlled high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
Your health answer maps this way: Excellent → Preferred Plus, Very good → Preferred, Good → Standard Plus, Average → Standard. Your quotes use this tier; the company finalizes it post-underwriting. Unsure about your tier? Quote multiple tiers side-by-side and decide based on outcomes. Overstating health doesn't reduce your final rate—it just makes the estimate inaccurate.
Finding insurers with underwriting approaches suited to a particular condition matters more than comparing headline rates. Susman Insurance Agency guides you to the best carriers for your profile.