Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard—what each name indicates and what determines which tier a carrier assigns you.
Pricing is structured around rate class. Though names shift between carriers, the framework is the same: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, plus increased ratings for elevated risk applicants. Tobacco users occupy a separate tier system with higher pricing.
What underwriters look at
Height and weight ratio, blood pressure and cholesterol, family background of early heart disease or cancer, driving history, medication history, work and activities, and any tobacco or nicotine in your system. The top tier requires excellent numbers in almost all categories; Preferred permits a bit more variation; Standard Plus and Standard allow stable, controlled issues including managed blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health section prompts honest self-assessment: Excellent corresponds to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus and Average to Standard. Your quotes mirror your picked tier; underwriting confirms your real tier afterward. If you're uncertain, pull quotes for two classes and look at both, letting the application sort it out. Picking a flattering health tier won't reduce your ultimate rate; it just produces a less accurate estimate.
Susman Insurance Agency understands the underwriting guidelines different carriers use for specific conditions—and often that's more important than which company has the cheapest headline rate.