# Rated Up on Life Insurance? Find a Better Class | Prime Mutual > Got an offer but suspect you can do better? What a rating/table is, how the same applicant lands in different classes across carriers, and how to request a re-comparison. URL: https://finalexpenseinsurance.com/guide/rated-up-independent-broker-better-class/ Last-Modified: 2026-04-25 High-Risk Coverage # Rated Up? An Independent Broker Can Find a Better Class Got an offer but suspect you can do better? What a rating/table is, how the same applicant lands in different classes across carriers. Updated April 25, 2026 · 5 min read ![Senior comparing two offer letters side by side, confident](/images/featured/senior-comparing-two-offer-letters-side-by-side-at.webp) ## What “Rated Up” Means When a carrier rates up your application, they’re issuing the policy at a higher-than-standard premium because they assess your risk as elevated. The surcharge is expressed as a “table rating” (Table 1 through Table 8 or A through H, depending on carrier convention) or as a flat percentage above standard. Each table typically adds roughly 25% to the standard premium: - Table 1 / A: ~25% above standard - Table 2 / B: ~50% above standard - Table 4 / D: ~100% above standard - Table 8 / H: ~200% above standard A 65-year-old male whose standard rate would be $80/month for $10,000 might get rated Table 2 at $120/month. Over 15 years, that’s $7,200 in extra premium for the same coverage. ![Graphic showing the same applicant in different underwriting classes across carriers](/images/content/graphic-showing-same-applicant-placed-in-different.webp) ## Why the Same Person Lands in Different Classes Underwriting tables aren’t standardized across carriers. Carrier A’s algorithm might place your condition in a different table than Carrier B’s, even though you’re the same person with the same medical history. For example, the carrier spread on burial insurance for diabetics [/guide/burial-insurance-for-diabetics/ →](/guide/burial-insurance-for-diabetics/) is wide: well-controlled Type 2 diabetes on metformin might be: - Standard rates at Carrier A - Table 2 at Carrier B - Decline at Carrier C - Preferred at Carrier D (specialized in diabetic underwriting) The “right” carrier for you is the one whose table is friendliest to your specific profile. That’s almost never visible from the outside — and almost never the carrier that’s been advertising at you. ## The Dollar Impact Over Time A rated-up offer feels acceptable in the moment because it’s still coverage. But the math gets ugly over 10–20 years: | Standard | Table 2 (50% up) | 15-Year Difference | | --- | --- | --- | | $80/mo | $120/mo | $7,200 | | $100/mo | $150/mo | $9,000 | | $120/mo | $180/mo | $10,800 | That’s real money — and it’s the cost of accepting the first offer without shopping. Most people don’t realize they’re paying for it because the surcharge is just labeled as their premium. ## How to Request a Re-Comparison If you’ve been rated up and want to shop the same case at other carriers: 1. **Get the underwriting decision in writing.** You’re entitled to know which condition triggered the rating. 2. **Don’t immediately accept the offer.** You typically have a window (often 30–60 days) before the offer expires. 3. **Talk to an independent broker** who handles your condition type regularly. Ask which 2–3 alternative A-rated carriers have friendlier tables for that condition. 4. **Apply with one carrier at a time** (avoid simultaneous applications that can complicate underwriting via MIB). 5. **Compare the offers side by side.** The right one is usually obvious. If no carrier offers better than the original rated-up class, the first offer was actually appropriate for your situation — that’s useful information too. But you won’t know until you’ve checked. ## The Soft Bridge Independent brokers exist for exactly this situation [/high-risk-burial-insurance/ →](/high-risk-burial-insurance/) . Captive agents can only offer one company’s table. Independents shop the field. If you’re staring at a rated-up offer that feels high, the second opinion is free — and often substantially cheaper. ## Frequently Asked Questions Can I lower a rated-up offer? Often yes. A different A-rated carrier may place the exact same profile in a better, cheaper class. The work is identifying which carrier's underwriting table favors your specific profile — exactly what an independent broker does. What does 'rated up' or 'table rating' mean? A table rating is a surcharge above standard rates for higher risk. Tables 1–8 (or A–H) each add roughly 25% to the standard premium. Table 4 means 100% above standard. The same applicant can be Table 2 at one carrier and standard at another. Should I just accept the first offer? Not if it's a rated-up offer. The dollar impact over the policy's life is substantial, and there's a real chance another carrier offers a better class. Get a second opinion through an independent broker before signing. ## Related Guides ### Burial Insurance After a Cancer Diagnosis or History How time since treatment changes options after cancer: look-back windows, treatment vs remission, which carriers to avoid and which to consider. [Burial Insurance After a Cancer Diagnosis or History →](/guide/burial-insurance-after-cancer/) ### Burial Insurance for Diabetics: Which Carriers Approve You Controlled or insulin-dependent diabetes? Approval exists. How carriers view A1C and medications, and why one declines while another approves. [Burial Insurance for Diabetics: Which Carriers Approve You →](/guide/burial-insurance-for-diabetics/) ### Declined for Life Insurance? What to Do Next A decline at one carrier isn't a decline everywhere. Common decline reasons, how to read your denial, and the independent broker re-shop process. [Declined for Life Insurance? What to Do Next →](/guide/declined-for-life-insurance-what-to-do/) ### Final Expense Insurance With Heart Disease or a Heart Attack History Heart attack, stent, or bypass history? How recent cardiac events affect underwriting, carriers lenient on stable heart conditions. [Final Expense Insurance With Heart Disease or a Heart Attack History →](/guide/final-expense-with-heart-disease/) ## Learn more about High-Risk / Hard-to-Place Burial Insurance Ready to see what your real options are? Get matched with a licensed agent who can shop multiple A-rated carriers — free, no obligation. View High-Risk Coverage [/high-risk-burial-insurance/ →](/high-risk-burial-insurance/) Get My Free Quote [/contact/ →](/contact/)