Guide
Health classes explained
A guide to rate classes—Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard—what each means and the factors that determine where you fit.
Underwriting creates rate classes that carriers use for pricing. Names shift between companies, but the structure stays: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard, then tabular ratings for elevated risk. Tobacco users occupy a separate pricing ladder at premiums.
What underwriters look at
Carriers examine body metrics, vital signs, lipid levels, hereditary illness (heart or cancer before age 60), motor vehicle records, meds, job, pastimes, and nicotine use. Preferred Plus demands excellent marks across the board. Preferred allows minor blemishes. Standard Plus and Standard open the door to stable, managed conditions like controlled high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
Your health self-assessment on the quote form points to a tier: Excellent suggests Preferred Plus, Very good suggests Preferred, Good suggests Standard Plus, Average suggests Standard. Quotes are built on that assumption; the carrier refines it during underwriting. Uncertain? Quote both brackets and weigh them. Exaggerating your health won't reduce the final rate—it just skews the estimate upward.
Susman Insurance Agency helps you identify carriers with lenient guidelines for your situation. Those nuances often outweigh advertised prices.