Glossary

Flat extra

An added premium charged per $1,000 of coverage for a specific risk, such as a dangerous job, hobby or recent cancer, on top of the base rate.

Also called: flat extra premium, flat extra charge

A flat extra is a surcharge an insurer adds to the premium for a specific, identifiable risk. It is stated as a dollar amount per $1,000 of coverage per year and can be temporary, lasting a set number of years, or permanent. Underwriters use flat extras for risks that do not fit a mortality multiple well: aviation, scuba diving, motorsports, hazardous occupations, travel to high-risk countries, or a cancer history where the extra risk fades with time.

Formula: annual flat extra = (face amount ÷ 1,000) × flat extra rate. Hypothetical example: a 40-year-old private pilot qualifies for a preferred rate on a $500,000 policy but is assigned a $2.50 per $1,000 flat extra for flying, adding $1,250 a year to her premium. A cancer survivor might instead receive a $5 per $1,000 flat extra for the first four years, after which the premium drops back to the base rate.

Flat extras differ from table ratings, which raise the premium by a percentage for an ongoing elevated risk. If your situation changes, such as giving up the activity, you can ask the insurer to reconsider a flat extra. Some insurers offer an exclusion instead. See table ratings and flat extras explained and life insurance for pilots.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

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Related terms

Table rating An extra charge for higher-risk applicants expressed in numbered or lettered tables, each typically adding 25 percent to the standard premium. Substandard rate class An underwriting class for applicants with higher-than-average mortality risk, who are offered coverage at an extra charge above standard rates. Rate class The underwriting category, such as preferred plus, standard or substandard, that sets the price an insurer charges for a given age and coverage. Underwriting The process an insurer uses to evaluate an applicant's risk, from health and lifestyle to finances, and decide whether and at what price to offer coverage. Exclusion A provision listing causes of death or circumstances a policy will not pay for, such as suicide in the first two years or certain aviation deaths.

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