Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard: what each represents and what causes movement among classifications.
Different providers price term insurance using rate classification. Terminology differs marginally between organizations, but the structure is regular: Preferred Plus (also called Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus and Standard, succeeded by additional adjustments for elevated risk. Non-smokers have a second tier structure with considerably larger fees.
What underwriters look at
Proportions (pounds and inches), arterial strain and fat readings, relatives with heart attacks or malignancies prior to age 60, moving violations, past prescriptions, job type and spare time, and tobacco or nicotine consumption. The top tier requires essentially flawless results in every category; the next tier permits some variation; the lower tiers accommodate treated situations including blood pressure control.
How to use the quote tool
The health query asks you to characterize yourself accurately: Excellent maps to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus and Average to Standard. Quotes mirror that classification; the insurance company validates the final tier after underwriting. Uncertain? Obtain quotes in multiple groups and examine the results, allowing the submission process to determine. Overstating your status does not improve your actual price; it only makes your projection less precise.
Susman Insurance Agency has resources to recognize carriers whose standards fit your particular circumstance, often a larger consideration than looking only at the advertised rate.