Guide
Health classes explained
Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, Standard: what each label means and what shifts you from one to another.
Underwriters group people by rate class. Each company uses slightly different names, but the structure is the same: Preferred Plus (sometimes Super Preferred or Preferred Best), Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard, then additional grades for higher-risk applicants. Tobacco users sit in their own parallel set of rate classes, all priced higher.
What underwriters look at
Body type, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, family history of heart or cancer problems before age 60, your driving history, prescription records, your line of work, hobbies, and any tobacco use. The highest class needs good marks in nearly everything; Preferred accepts a little more variation; Standard Plus and Standard permit controlled conditions like managed high blood pressure.
How to use the quote tool
Answer the health question truthfully: Excellent maps to Preferred Plus, Very good to Preferred, Good to Standard Plus, and Average to Standard. Your quote reflects that class, but the carrier decides the final class during underwriting. If you're unsure, get quotes under two classes to compare, and let the full application settle it. Picking a generous class won't make your actual premium lower—it just makes the estimate less realistic.
Susman Insurance Agency knows which carriers are most flexible with specific situations, which often makes more difference than the advertised rate.