Guide
Health classes explained
Rate tiers explained: Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard—what they mean and how you move between them.
Insurance companies organize pricing into rate classes. The names differ slightly between companies, but the structure stays the same: Preferred Plus (sometimes called Super Preferred or Preferred Best), then Preferred, then Standard Plus, then Standard, and higher tiers for greater risk. Tobacco users sit in a parallel system with increased costs.
What underwriters look at
Your body measurements, blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, whether close relatives had heart trouble or cancer before age 60, your driving history, medications you take, your job and pastimes, and nicotine or tobacco use all factor in. Preferred Plus requires nearly spotless records in all areas. Preferred is a step more lenient. Standard Plus and Standard accommodate managed conditions like blood pressure that's controlled with medication.
How to use the quote tool
You'll describe your health truthfully as one of these options: Excellent (lines up with Preferred Plus), Very good (Preferred), Good (Standard Plus), or Average (Standard). Quotes use your selected class; the carrier may adjust it after review. Unsure which fits? Quote yourself at two different levels and see the difference. The carrier will determine your actual class when you apply. Selecting a rosier picture won't drop your true price—it just makes the quote inaccurate.
Susman Insurance Agency specializes in finding carriers whose underwriting is more accommodating to particular health situations—and that fit often counts for more than the advertised price.