Guide
Health classes explained
Four underwriting tiers and what they represent, how you move between them, and how it affects your premium.
Insurance carriers use underwriting tiers to set term rates. While names vary slightly, the structure is consistent: Preferred Plus (sometimes called Super Preferred or Best), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, then table ratings for higher-risk applicants. Tobacco users get their own pricing scale, higher across the board.
What underwriters look at
Build (your height and weight measurements), blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, family health history for heart disease or cancer before age 60, your driving record, list of medications you take, what you do for work and hobbies, and tobacco or nicotine use. The top tier needs strong results in almost everything; Preferred allows some variance; Standard Plus and Standard accommodate managed issues like treated high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
The health question asks for your self-assessment: Excellent corresponds to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus, and Average to Standard. Your quoted rate matches that tier; underwriting confirms the actual tier later. Uncertain? Quote yourself in two tiers and compare; the application settles it for real. Picking a better-than-honest rating won't reduce your final premium, just makes the estimate less reliable.
Susman Insurance Agency knows which carriers are most flexible with particular conditions, and this is often more important than the advertised rate.