Guide
Health classes explained
Breaking down the four rate classes, what each one qualifies for, and which factors move you up or down the ladder.
Carriers organize their pricing using rate classes. While names differ between companies, the steps remain similar: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard, and higher tiers for elevated risks. Tobacco consumers have their own separate class ladder at increased premiums.
What underwriters look at
Carriers look at your body measurements, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, whether close relatives had heart disease or cancer before age 60, your driving record, your prescription medications, your job and leisure activities, and any tobacco or nicotine use. The top class demands excellent numbers across nearly everything; Preferred is slightly more forgiving; Standard Plus and Standard accept regulated conditions like blood pressure that's being treated.
How to use the quote tool
The tool's health question translates to rate classes as follows: Excellent becomes Preferred Plus, Very good becomes Preferred, Good becomes Standard Plus, and Average becomes Standard. Quotes are built using your chosen class; the final class gets confirmed later during underwriting. Uncertain about your class? Get quotes in two classes and compare them, then let your application settle it. Overstating your health does not reduce your final price - it just makes the estimate you see less reliable.
Some carriers' underwriting is more favorable toward specific health situations. Susman Insurance Agency can point you toward carriers whose approach fits your profile better than comparing rates alone.