How to Determine Your Rating Class

Please refer to the chart below as a guideline for estimating your quote rating class. This chart represents a collective sample of underwriting guidelines and is not intended to be all-inclusive or a guarantee of coverage. Your final rating class will be determined through underwriting and all guidelines vary by company.
Preferred Plus
Preferred
Standard Plus
Standard
Medical History
See list below
Family History
No cardiovascular disease or cancer in either parent or siblings prior to age 60.
No death from cardiovascular disease or cancer in either parent or siblings prior to age 60.
Not more than one parent death from cardiovascular disease or cancer prior to age 60.
Not more than one parent death from cardiovascular disease or cancer prior to age 60.
Cholesterol / HDL Ratio
May not exceed 5.0
May not exceed 6.0
May not exceed 7.0
Levels above 7.0 may qualify
Cholesterol Level
May not exceed 220
May not exceed 240
May not exceed 260
Levels above 260 may qualify
Blood Pressure
No history of treatment. May not exceed 140/85.
Currently controlled. Current and historic readings over last two years may not exceed 145/88
Currently controlled. Current and historic readings over last two years may not exceed 150/92
Currently controlled. Current and historic readings over last two years may not exceed 150/92
Alcohol / Substance Abuse
No history.
No history in the past 10 years.
No history in the past 7 years.
No history in the past 7 years.
Driving History
No DUI, DWI or reckless driving in the past 5 years. No more than 1 moving violations in the last 3 years.
No DUI, DWI or reckless driving in the past 5 years. No more than 2 moving violations in the last 3 years.
No DUI, DWI or reckless driving in the past 3 years. No more than 3 moving violations in the last 3 years.
No DUI, DWI or reckless driving in the past 2 years. No more than 3 moving violations in the last 3 years.
Aviation
Commercial airline pilots may qualify. Not available for private pilots.
Commercial airline pilots may qualify. Private pilots may qaulify with an exclusion rider or extra premium.
Commercial airline pilots may qualify. Private pilots may qualify with an exclusion rider or extra premium.
Commercial airline pilots may qualify. Private pilots may qualify with an exclusion rider or extra premium.
Hazardous Avocation
Not available.
May be available with extra premium.
May be available with extra premium.
May be available with extra premium.
Residence and / or Citizenship
Must be a U.S. resident for the past 3 years. Must be a US citizen or have permanent Visa.
Must be a U.S. resident for the past 3 years. Must be a US citizen or have permanent Visa.
Must be a U.S. resident for the past 3 years. Must be a US citizen or have permanent Visa.
Must be a U.S. resident for the past 3 years. Must be a US citizen or have permanent Visa.
Military
No active duty.
May be on active duty.
May be on active duty.
May be on active duty.
Foreign Travel
No travel to countries under State Department Advisory. Varies by company.
No travel to countries under State Department Advisory. Varies by company.
No travel to countries under State Department Advisory. Varies by company.
No travel to countries under State Department Advisory. Varies by company.
Medical History
Condition
Preferred Plus
Preferred
Standard Plus
Standard
Alcohol / Drug Abuse Dependancy History
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Anxiety
No
No
Yes
Yes
Arthritis (rheumatoid)
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Asthma
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Chronic Bronchitis
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Cancer
No
No
No
Yes
Cardiovascular / Heart Disease
No
No
No
Yes
Cholesterol Treatment
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Crohn's Disease
No
No
No
Yes
Depression
No
No
Yes
Yes
Diabetes Type I *
No
No
No
No
Diabetes Type II
No
No
No
Yes
Emphysema
No
No
No
Yes
Epilepsy
No
No
Yes
Yes
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Kidney / Liver Disease (chronic)
No
No
No
Yes
Melanoma
No
No
No
Yes
Multiple Sclerosis
No
No
No
Yes
Sleep Apnea
No
No
No
Yes
Stroke (including TIA)*
No
No
No
No
Ulcerative Colitis
No
No
No
Yes
Vascular Disease
No
No
No
Yes
* A substandard rating may be available for these medical conditions, depending on individual circumstances and insurance company guidelines. Please email or call 800-867-2404 for additional information or quotes.

Included Features vs. Available Options (Riders)

Many term life insurance policies include specific features with the policy that do not require additional premium. QuickQuote refers to these throughout the Web site as 'Included Features'.
An example of a common Included Feature is the Accelerated Death Benefit provision. This provision typically allows for the one-time acceleration or advance of up to 50% of the death benefit proceeds payable under the base insurance policy, not to exceed $250,000. An insured may become eligible for this benefit if diagnosed by a qualified physician as having 12 months or fewer to live. Specific requirements and limits vary by company.
Nearly all term life insurance policies in the marketplace offer optional benefits the policy owner can add to the policy for additional premium. These benefits are commonly called optional riders. QuickQuote refers to these throughout the Web site as 'Available Options'.
Examples of common Available Options are:
Accidental Death Benefit Rider: This benefit is optional with many policies today. It provides an additional death benefit when the insured's death is caused by an accident.
Children's Term Life Insurance Rider: An optional policy provision that provides a small amount of life insurance coverage on the lives of the primary insured's children. The amount of coverage varies by company and one rider typically covers all of the insured's eligible children.
Waiver of Premium Rider: An optional policy provision that provides for the continuation of life insurance coverage without further premium payments if the insured becomes totally disabled.

Variable Universal Life Insurance:

Variable universal life insurance is similar to universal life insurance. It is a flexible premium, permanent life insurance policy that allows policy owners to have premium dollars allocated to a variety of investment options, including a fixed account. The policy allows for changes to the death benefit and policy premium. Variable universal life insurance may be a good option for people who want to combine life insurance with a higher potential for investment return at a higher risk.

Variable Life Insurance:

Variable life insurance provides death benefits and cash values that vary with the performance of a portfolio of underlying investment options. Policy owners can allocate a portion of premiums among a variety of investment options such as stocks, bonds and mutual funds. Fixed accounts with guaranteed interest rates are also an option. Variable life insurance may be a good option for people who are willing to assume investment risk in an effort to achieve greater returns. With variable life insurance, much of the investment risk is shifted from the insurance company to the policy owner. Good investment performance would provide the potential for higher cash values and death benefits. If the specified investments perform poorly, cash values and death benefits would drop accordingly.

Universal Life Insurance:

Universal life insurance is also referred to as adjustable life insurance. It allows policy owners to pay premiums at any time, in virtually any amount, subject to certain minimums and maximums. Policy owners can also reduce or increase the death benefit of a universal life insurance policy more easily than with other types of permanent life insurance policies. Universal life insurance policies provide the certainty of a guaranteed minimum amount of death benefit, as long as premiums are sufficient to sustain that death benefit. Most universal life insurance policies will also provide a guaranteed rate of return on the policy's cash value. However, it is possible a policy will not accumulate cash value if the insurance company's administrative expenses increase, mortality assumptions are changed, investment portfolio does not perform as expected, or the policy premium payments are insufficient.

Whole Life Insurance:

Whole life insurance is also referred to as ordinary life. This the most common type of permanent life insurance. It provides the certainty of a guaranteed amount of death benefit and a guaranteed rate of return on cash values. The premium is also level and guaranteed to never increase. Some types of whole life insurance policies allow policy owners to participate in the financial prosperity of the insurance company by receiving dividends. Dividends can by used to grow the death benefit and/or the cash value of the policy.

Permanent Life Insurance

Permanent life insurance provides lifelong protection. As long as the premiums are paid, the policy will stay in force until a death benefit is paid. These policies are designed and priced to keep over a long period of time. They are generally recommended for people who believe they will have a lifelong need for life insurance coverage or for coverage that extends beyond the maximum allowed by term life insurance (currently 30 years).
Another characteristic of permanent life insurance is a feature known as cash value or cash-surrender value. In fact, permanent life insurance is often referred to as cash value life insurance because these types of policies can build cash value over time, as well as provide a death benefit to the beneficiaries.
Cash values, which accumulate on a tax-deferred basis just like assets in most retirement plans, can be used in the future for any nearly any purpose. Policy owners can borrow cash value for a down payment on a home, to help pay for their children's education or to provide income for retirement. When money is borrowed from a permanent life insurance policy, the policy's cash value is used as collateral and the borrowing rates tend to be relatively low. And unlike loans from most financial institutions, the loan is not dependent on credit checks or other restrictions. The loan must ultimately be paid back with interest or the beneficiaries will receive a reduced death benefit and cash surrender value.
If the policy owner needs or wants to stop paying premiums, the cash value can be used to continue the current life insurance protection for a specified time, or to provide a lesser amount of protection for the remainder of the policy. If the policy owner decides to stop paying premiums and surrenders the policy, the guaranteed policy values will be paid to him/her.
There are several types of permanent life insurance policies available including whole life, universal life and variable life. Each offers its own set of options and features including fixed or variable premiums, fixed or variable death benefits and policy loan provisions among others.