Glossary
Preferred plus
Typically the lowest-priced underwriting class, reserved for applicants in excellent health with a clean family history and no high-risk habits.
Also called: super preferred, preferred best, elite preferred
Preferred plus is the top rate class at most life insurers and the one used in advertised "starting at" prices. Names vary: some carriers call it super preferred, preferred select or elite. Below it typically come preferred, standard plus and standard, with separate tobacco classes.
To qualify, applicants generally must fall inside tight limits on several measures at once: blood pressure and cholesterol readings, height and weight on the insurer's build chart, no tobacco or nicotine use for a number of years, no major health conditions, no parent or sibling who died of heart disease or cancer before a certain age, a clean driving record and no hazardous hobbies. Missing one criterion usually drops you a class. Hypothetically, a policy priced at $30 a month for preferred plus might cost $45 at standard for the same applicant and coverage.
Many applicants don't qualify, so quotes at the preferred plus rate can be misleading. When comparing prices, ask which class you're likely to get based on your actual health, or use a life insurance quote comparison worksheet that records the class each quote assumes. See life insurance rate classes: preferred plus to substandard for how the full ladder works.
Last reviewed October 4, 2026