Guide
Health classes explained
The four pricing tiers that carriers use, what each label means, and what determines which one fits your health profile.
Each insurance company sorts applicants into rate classes based on health and risk. The names differ by carrier, but the structure is consistent: Preferred Plus (sometimes called Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard, with further adjustments for higher-risk cases. Tobacco users fall into their own separate rate classes at higher prices.
What underwriters look at
Each carrier looks at your height and weight, blood pressure and cholesterol, whether your parents or grandparents had a heart attack or cancer before 60, your driving record, what medications you take, your job and hobbies, and whether you use tobacco or nicotine. The highest tier wants nearly perfect results; the Preferred tier permits minor issues; the two Standard tiers allow managed conditions like blood pressure controlled with medication.
How to use the quote tool
When the quote form asks about your health, give an honest description: Excellent typically corresponds to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus, and Average to Standard. The quotes you see assume that class, but the carrier will confirm it once they review your application. If you're unsure which bucket you fit, quote yourself in two classes and see the difference—then the application will settle it. Inflating your health status doesn't reduce the final premium; it just makes the estimate on this page less reliable.
Susman Insurance Agency can point you toward carriers that take a more favorable view of your specific health situation—and that often saves you more money than looking at the advertised rate alone.