What does it mean to be "rated" on a life insurance application?

A rated policy is one where the insurer has determined that your risk profile warrants higher premiums than standard rates. Rather than declining your application outright, the carrier offers coverage at a "table rating" or flat extra premium to reflect elevated mortality risk.

Table ratings are typically expressed as a percentage increase above standard rates. A Table 2 rating means your premium is roughly 25–50% above standard; Table 4 means 50–100% above standard. The scale typically runs from Table 1 to Table 8 or 10, depending on the carrier.

Flat extra premiums add a fixed dollar amount per $1,000 of coverage for a defined period—often used for recent health events like a recent cancer diagnosis or surgery, where risk is expected to normalize over time.

A rated offer is not necessarily the end of the road. Different carriers underwrite the same conditions differently, and agents in our network work with multiple A-rated (A.M. Best) carriers to find the most competitive rate for your health profile. What earns a Table 4 at one carrier may be Table 2 at another—or even standard.