Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard—what each label means and how applicants move between them.
Carriers price term life by rate class. The specific names differ slightly between companies, but the structure is consistent: Preferred Plus (Super Preferred or Preferred Best in some cases), Preferred, Standard Plus, then Standard, followed by table ratings for applicants above standard risk. Tobacco users have a separate ladder of classes at higher prices.
What underwriters look at
Height and weight ratio, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, whether heart disease or cancer runs in the family before age 60, driving record, prescription history, job and activities, and any use of tobacco or nicotine products. The best classes require clean results almost across the board; Preferred allows minor issues; Standard Plus and Standard allow regulated conditions like treated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
When you choose your health status, be truthful: Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus, and Average with Standard. Your quote reflects that class, and the carrier verifies it after underwriting. If you are unsure which fits, quote both and compare, then let the underwriting decide. Picking a class lower than your real health does not lower your final premium; it only makes the quote less reliable.
Susman Insurance Agency can help you find carriers whose underwriting guidelines are more lenient for a specific condition, and that choice often matters more than the rate shown on the quote.