Get the best life insurance table rating for your situation
What life insurance company charges the lowest premium?
Some Recent Examples for Your Review
See how we compare life insurance table ratings to find the best rate for you
Table Rating Example #1
Male, Age 60 – Hepatitis “C” history with Harvoni treatment
- $500,000 – 15 year term
- Diagnosed at age 45
- Completed Harvoni at 53
- Recent biopsy favorable
- Normal liver functions
- No other health issues
Approved at Table 4 with his home and auto company – $6300 annually.
We shopped for offers:
Approved with us at standard rates at Protective – $3020 annually.
52.06% Savings
Table Rating Example #2
Female, Age 65 – Type 1 diabetes history
- $250,000 – 10-year term
- Diagnosed at age 15
- HbA1c – 7.1 – 7.5 Average
- No retinopathy or neuropathy
- No other health issues
We shopped for offers:
- 3 companies declined
- John Hancock – Table 2 – $2542 annually
- AIG – Table 4 – $2326
- Protective, Minnesota – Table 4
8.5% Savings by accepting the AIG policy over John Hancock
Benefit #1 – You get the best rates based on your individual health
The key to getting a great rate is working with life insurers that specialize in your medical condition. That’s where we can help. We know the companies and work to match you with the best life insurer.
Benefit #2 – Insurance Company Independence
We work for you, not the life insurance company. We have 40+ life insurance companies available to help you. We match you with the best companies based on your unique health history.
Your life insurance needs are unique. Our underwriting process works to minimize or eliminate table ratings.
Compare life insurance table ratings to find the best rate
A Life insurance table rating can be expensive, but they don’t have to be!
Need More? Keep reading for detailed info about table ratings.
What are Life Insurance Table Ratings?
Table ratings represent an insured’s excess risk to a life insurer due to health issues, professions, and avocations.
Ratings are numbered (1-16) or lettered (A-P), and each rating adds 25% to a standard rate.
The numbers and letters are interchangeable.
The exception to the 25% rating system is Prudential, as we explain later.
Minor health problems such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol do not require table ratings.
However, heart conditions and other chronic health disorders may require a table rating.
Life Insurance Table Rating Chart
Below is an example of how underwriting table ratings work.
| Table Rating | % | Rating Cost | Total Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (A) | 25 | $125 | $625 |
| 2 (B) | 50 | $250 | $750 |
| 3 (C) | 75 | $375 | $875 |
| 4 (D) | 100 | $500 | $1000 |
| 5 (E) | 125 | $625 | $1125 |
| 6 (F) | 150 | $750 | $1250 |
| 7 (G) | 175 | $875 | $1375 |
| 8 (H) | 200 | $1000 | $1500 |
| 9 (I) | 225 | $1125 | $1625 |
| 10 (J) | 250 | $1250 | $1750 |
| 11 (K) | 275 | $1375 | $1875 |
| 12 (L) | 300 | $1500 | $2000 |
| 13 (M) | 325 | $1625 | $2125 |
| 14 (N) | 350 | $1750 | $2250 |
| 15 (O) | 375 | $1875 | $2375 |
| 16 (P) | 400 | $2000 | $2500 |
While most life insurers use 25% ratings, Prudential has its table rating system that uses different rating percentages than other companies.
Click Here for Prudential’s Table Rating Chart
| Table 1 = Table “A” | Add 33% to Standard Rate |
| Table 2 = Table “B” | Add 56% to Standard Rate |
| Table 3 = Table “C” | Add 80% to Standard Rate |
| Table 4 = Table “D” | Add 113% to Standard Rate |
| Table 5 = Table “E” | Add 161% to Standard Rate |
| Table 6 = Table “F” | Add 208% to Standard Rate |
| Table 7 = Table “G” | Add 256% to |
| Table 8 = Table “H” | Add 327% to Standard Rate |
On the surface, it might seem that Prudential is at a disadvantage due to higher percentage ratings.
The
Suppose you are looking at a survivorship policy for estate purposes.
In that case, it is possible to have one uninsurable client on the policy.
Uninsurable ratings range from U1-U7, depending on the medical condition.
Are Table Ratings Negotiable?
Table ratings are negotiable, but not often.
The primary consideration by underwriting is the risk associated with the applicant’s profile.
A higher risk profile pays more for life insurance than someone with no health issues.
Suppose an applicant with an increased risk profile applies for life insurance.
In that case, we may be able to improve the offer by one table rating (25%) if favorable factors exist.
The reality is that life insurance underwriters follow internal and reinsurance guidelines, which leave little room for better offers.
It’s often easier to move you to a new company for a better rate than to try and renegotiate your offer with the existing company.
Table Shave Programs
Table shave programs help improve underwriting offers.
A table shave program may offer you a universal life policy for a similar price to term life insurance.
AIG – American General – Flex Points Crediting Program – Suspended
Provides a one-table reduction if you meet 4 of their 16 factors.
An example of a factor would be no family history of heart disease, heart attacks, bypass surgery, or other cardiac conditions.
Lincoln National Table Reduction Program – Suspended
People rated up to Table 3 receive standard rates.
Principal Healthy LifeStyle Credit and Automatic Standard Approval Programs – Active as of 01/2021
Removes up to two table ratings.
Specific cases that receive flat extra ratings may also qualify here.
Automatic Standard Approval Program (ASAP) – Insureds rated to Table 3 may receive a standard offer.
Prudential Rate Reduction Program – Active as of 01/2021
Allows insureds rated up to Table B to receive standard rates.
While technically, this is not a table shave program, the bottom line is more favorable offers.
Available for term life and permanent life insurance products.
We’ve used this for endocrine conditions such as thyroid diseases, type 2 diabetes, Addison’s disease, metabolic syndrome, and proteinuria.
United of Omaha Fit Underwriting Credit Program
Insureds rated up to Table 4 may receive standard life insurance rates.
Conditions like a TIA or stroke history or well-controlled type 1 diabetes fall into the table 4 range.
Term life and universal life insurance policies are available.
United does well when the insured’s build is rated.
Credit programs are unavailable for non-medical issues such as scuba divers or private pilots.
Table Rating Ranges by Medical Condition
The severity of your medical condition will determine whether table ratings apply to your policy.
Here are some general guidelines for top medical conditions:
Cancer History – Table ratings for cancer histories depend on the stage and any cancer recurrence.
Some additional details based on the type of cancer you had.
- Bladder – Most bladder cancers, even in situ, will have a 50% table rating.
- Breast – While there are many variations with breast cancer, stage T1c or greater will be table rated.
- Cervical – Table ratings may start at the earliest stages of cervical cancer.
- Colon – Colon cancer table ratings generally start at stage 2.
- Kidney – Ratings occur at stage T2 or later for kidney cancer.
- Prostate – Stage T2c for prostate cancer with positive surgical margins.
- Skin – Stage 3 melanomas will add a table rating to the policy.
- Testicular – For testicular cancers, table ratings start at stage 3.
- Throat – Throat cancers are difficult to insure, and most may be rated.
- Thyroid – Table ratings may be required for stage 3 thyroid cancer.
Gastrointestinal conditions such as hepatitis, ulcerative colitis, or Crohn’s disease involve table ratings.
If you are HIV positive, the average table rating is 6-8 tables.
Many medical conditions do not typically require table ratings.
For example:
- Sleep Apnea and other respiratory conditions like asthma – most cases are standard or better
- Mental health conditions, anxiety, and even bipolar disorder sometimes are not rated.
- Prostate disorders such as BPH are rarely rated.
Should You Accept a Rated Offer?
If you received a table-rated offer, what should you do?
Your options include:
- Decline the Offer
- Accept the Offer
- Temporarily accept the offer
- Reduce the Coverage/ Change the Terms
In most cases, you should probably accept the offer, at least temporarily.
That’s especially true for ratings related to medical conditions like elevated liver enzymes. Get the coverage first and then explore if there is genuinely a liver problem.
Certain brain conditions such as epilepsy or MS worsen over time, so you want to get coverage early while your condition is stable.
We’ll then re-shop the market for you to see if better offers are available.
You may even be able to use your paramedical exam from the first company.
You can switch to the new company if we find a better offer.
If not, you will have coverage if you are denied life insurance with all other companies.
Final Words
Our expertise is life insurance underwriting.
Our approach works by taking the time upfront to understand your medical history.
We use a Quick Quote process to receive preliminary underwriting feedback in days.
The benefit is that you receive accurate quotes from companies specializing in your medical history.
Keep in mind that there is never any obligation or pressure with our service.
Thank you for your time.
We look forward to working with you.
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Michael J. Horbal
Owner of RiskQuoter
Too many people overpay for life insurance because they end up with the wrong life insurance company, agent, or both. That’s why I started RiskQuoter – To help you get the best life insurance rates available.
As an independent insurance agent, I’m licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and offer 40+ life insurance companies to ensure you get your best rate!
By Michael Horbal – updated on – 10/30/2022