A table rating in life insurance is an extra charge added to your premium because the insurer considers you a higher-than-normal risk. When your health, occupation, or lifestyle places you outside the standard rating categories, underwriters assign a table rating that increases your base premium by a set percentage, typically 25% per level. Most insurers use a scale of 1 through 16 (some use letters A through P), with each step adding another 25% to the standard rate. A Table 2 rating, for example, means you pay 50% more than someone with a standard rating for the same coverage.
How Table Ratings Work
Life insurance companies sort applicants into broad health categories: Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard Plus, and Standard. These are the tiers you qualify for if your health, weight, and lifestyle fall within normal ranges. Table ratings exist for people who don’t fit into any of those categories but can still be insured.
Each table level stacks an additional 25% onto the standard premium. Here’s what that looks like in practice: if a standard policy costs $50 per month, a Table 1 rating bumps it to $62.50 (25% more), a Table 4 rating brings it to $100 (100% more), and a Table 8 rating means $150 per month (200% more). The higher your table number, the more the insurer has determined your risk exceeds the baseline. At the upper end of the scale, Table 16, you would pay 400% of the standard rate.
Some insurers use letters instead of numbers. Table A corresponds to Table 1, Table B to Table 2, and so on through Table P. The math works the same way regardless of which labeling system the company uses.
What Triggers a Table Rating
Underwriters assign table ratings after reviewing your medical history, lifestyle, medical exam results, family health history, and occupation. The process is about identifying factors that statistically shorten life expectancy. A single condition might only push you to Table 1 or 2, while multiple risk factors together can land you further down the scale.
Health conditions that commonly trigger a table rating include:
- History of cancer: The type, stage, and how long you’ve been in remission all matter. A recent diagnosis pushes the rating higher than one that’s 10 years in the past.
- Diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2): Well-controlled diabetes with good A1C numbers may result in a lower table rating, while poorly managed diabetes drives it up.
- Previous heart attack or stroke: Cardiovascular events are among the most significant risk factors underwriters weigh.
- Obesity: Your combined height and weight play a direct role. Applicants well above the insurer’s acceptable BMI range will typically receive a table rating.
- Mental health history: Certain psychiatric conditions or histories of hospitalization can affect your rating.
It’s not just medical issues. Lifestyle and legal history factor in too. Multiple DUIs, a criminal record, or high-risk hobbies like piloting small aircraft can all result in a table rating. Dangerous occupations, such as working on oil rigs or in underground mining, also raise your risk profile in the insurer’s eyes.
How Underwriters Decide Your Level
The underwriting team reviews everything the insurer collects about you: your application answers, the results of your medical exam (blood work, blood pressure, height, weight), your prescription drug history through pharmacy databases, your motor vehicle record, and your attending physician’s statement if one is requested. Each risk factor is assigned a certain number of “debits,” or negative points. The total determines which table you land on.
Two applicants with the same condition can receive different table ratings. A 45-year-old with well-controlled Type 2 diabetes, normal blood pressure, and a healthy weight might get Table 2, while a 45-year-old with uncontrolled diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity could land at Table 6 or higher. Context matters as much as the diagnosis itself.
Different insurance companies also underwrite differently. One insurer might rate a particular condition at Table 3 while another rates it at Table 1 or even offers standard coverage. This is why shopping multiple carriers is especially important if you have health issues.
What a Table Rating Costs You
The financial impact depends on the coverage amount, your age, and how many table levels you’re assigned. For a 40-year-old man buying a $500,000 20-year term policy, a standard rate might be around $30 to $40 per month. At Table 4, that same policy could cost $60 to $80 per month. At Table 8, you might be looking at $90 to $120.
These are rough illustrations because base rates vary widely by insurer, age, gender, and tobacco use. But the math is straightforward: take whatever the standard premium would be and multiply by the table percentage. A Table 3 rating means 175% of standard. A Table 6 means 250% of standard.
Keep in mind that a table-rated policy is still significantly cheaper than guaranteed issue life insurance, which is the type sold with no medical questions at all. Guaranteed issue policies carry extremely high premiums per dollar of coverage and usually cap benefits at $25,000 to $50,000. A table rating, even at a high level, gives you access to much larger coverage amounts at a lower per-dollar cost.
Getting Your Rating Improved
A table rating doesn’t have to be permanent. If your health improves, you can ask your insurer to reconsider. Most companies require your policy to be in force for at least one year before they’ll entertain a reconsideration request. The key is sustained improvement over time, not just one good checkup.
To request a reconsideration, gather recent medical records, lab results, and documentation showing what’s changed. If you’ve lost significant weight, your current BMI and bloodwork tell that story. If you quit smoking, most carriers require you to be nicotine-free for at least one year before they’ll reclassify you. The insurer will typically require a new paramedical exam, including blood draws and measurements, to verify your current health status. Once the underwriting team reviews the new information, a decision usually takes two to four weeks.
If your current insurer won’t budge, you also have the option of applying with a different company. Since underwriting guidelines vary between insurers, a condition that gets you Table 4 at one company might only warrant Table 2 at another, or might even qualify for standard rates. Working with an independent agent who represents multiple carriers can help you find the most favorable rating for your specific situation.
Table Rating vs. Flat Extra
Table ratings aren’t the only way insurers charge for extra risk. Some use a “flat extra,” which is a fixed dollar amount added per $1,000 of coverage rather than a percentage increase. Flat extras are more common for temporary risks. For example, if you had cancer but have been in remission for several years, an insurer might add a flat extra of $2.50 per $1,000 of coverage for five years, then remove it entirely. A $500,000 policy with that flat extra would cost an additional $1,250 per year during that period.
The distinction matters because flat extras often expire on a set schedule, while table ratings stay until you successfully request a reconsideration or the policy renews. Some applicants receive both a table rating and a flat extra if they have multiple risk factors of different types.