Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard ratings: definitions and what influences classification.
Insurers organize term prices by health classification. Though terminology shifts across companies, the sequence is standard: Preferred Plus (Preferred Best or Super Preferred in some cases), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, plus special ratings for increased hazard. Smokers follow the same progression at higher premiums.
What underwriters look at
Weight-to-height proportions, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, whether close relatives died from cardiac or malignant disease before retirement, your driving record, prescription medications, job duties and recreational pursuits, and any nicotine dependence. Peak classification requires passing across nearly all factors; Preferred permits some variance; Standard Plus and Standard accommodate managed conditions including medicated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
When choosing a health tier—Excellent, Very Good, Good, or Average—these correspond to Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard in that order. The quote reflects your choice; carriers confirm actual tier following underwriting. Selecting a higher tier doesn't reduce actual cost, merely changes your forecast.
Susman Insurance Agency has access to carriers whose acceptance criteria align better with your health profile, frequently proving more valuable than shopping purely on advertised rates.