Guide
Health classes explained
Learn the four main categories, what they measure, and what changes your class after underwriting.
Insurers assign rate classes that vary slightly in name between companies but follow a standard order: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard, with additional table ratings for higher risk. Tobacco users face a separate, costlier tier of classes.
What underwriters look at
Carriers review your build (height/weight ratio), blood pressure and lipids, whether heart disease or cancer runs in your family (before age 60), your driving record, Rx history, job, hobbies, and tobacco or nicotine use. The top class requires healthy results in nearly every area; Preferred is a step down; Standard Plus and Standard allow managed conditions like controlled high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
When you describe your health, choose honestly: Excellent suggests Preferred Plus, Very good suggests Preferred, Good suggests Standard Plus, and Average suggests Standard. Our quotes assume your chosen class; the carrier sets the final class after reviewing your full application. If you're torn between two, quote both and compare; don't guess high just to see a lower price—the final premium won't be lower, and your estimate will be wrong.
Susman Insurance Agency can show you carriers whose rules work better for your specific situation; often that matters more than the advertised rate.