Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard: what each tier means and how you move between them.
Carriers grade term life by rate class. Names vary slightly, but the structure holds: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard, plus higher tiers for elevated risk. Tobacco users have their own ladder at steeper rates.
What underwriters look at
Build (weight and height), blood pressure, cholesterol, family heart or cancer before 60, traffic record, medicine history, job and pastimes, and nicotine or tobacco. The premium tier needs nearly all boxes clean; Preferred allows a bit of flex; Standard Plus and Standard accommodate managed conditions such as treated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health question invites honest self-assessment: Excellent → Preferred Plus; Very good → Preferred; Good → Standard Plus; Average → Standard. Quotes mirror that tier; underwriting confirms it later. Unsure? Quote two tiers and weigh them. Picking a rosier class doesn't lower your final cost—it just makes the quote less trustworthy.
Susman Insurance Agency can steer you toward carriers more flexible with your specific health situation—this often matters more than the base rate.