Guide
Health classes explained
How the rate tiers work: Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard, and which factors shift your classification.
Carriers employ rate classes to set term life premiums. Names shift between companies, but the structure stays constant: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), then Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard, with table ratings above for elevated risk. Smokers and tobacco users occupy their own set of tiers with elevated costs.
What underwriters look at
Physical metrics (height, weight), blood pressure and lipids, family health history before age 60, traffic record, medicine list, job and recreational activities, and any tobacco or nicotine. The top tier requires excellent marks nearly across the board; Preferred permits some wiggle room; Standard Plus and Standard accommodate managed conditions such as medicated blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
When asked to rate your health, be truthful: Excellent aligns with Preferred Plus, Very good with Preferred, Good with Standard Plus, and Average with Standard. Quotes use the tier you pick; the carrier locks in the actual tier during underwriting. If unclear where you fit, run quotes at both levels and compare; the application will then determine the real one. An inflated self-rating does not reduce the final cost—it just makes the quote less realistic.
We can help identify carriers with more favorable underwriting for your particular health situation—often more valuable than chasing a low headline price.