Watchdog Active Glossary · Table Rating
Run an X-Ray  ·  Talk to an Agent
PolicyReveal
Reference Vol. I · No. 9 · September 2026
Underwriting

Table Rating

Also called table rating, substandard rating, rated policy, table shave

A health surcharge for higher-risk applicants: each numbered or lettered table adds roughly 25% to the Standard premium, stacking fast for serious conditions.

A table rating is the insurance industry’s system for pricing applicants whose health falls below Standard but who are still insurable. Instead of a flat yes-or-no, the carrier assigns a table — numbered 1 through 16, or lettered A through P — and each step adds roughly 25% of the Standard premium on top.

The key thing most applicants miss is that the tables stack. They’re not separate price points; they’re cumulative surcharges:

  • Table 2 (or B): about Standard + 50%
  • Table 4 (or D): about Standard + 100% — you pay double
  • Table 6 (or F): about Standard + 150%
  • Table 8 (or H): about Standard + 200% — roughly triple

Underneath, the table maps to a higher cost of insurance — the carrier expects to pay claims sooner on rated lives, so it charges more per $1,000 of coverage. That’s why the surcharge follows you for the life of the policy unless you successfully apply to have it reduced.

Here’s the part that matters for your wallet: carriers rate the same condition very differently. One insurer might table-rate well-controlled sleep apnea; another treats it as Standard. So a table-rated offer is a starting point, not a verdict. Ask your agent to shop your exact health profile to carriers known to be lenient on your condition, and revisit a rated policy after any real health improvement — you may qualify for a lower table or a full re-rate.

Why it matters to you

A table rating can double or triple your premium versus the advertised Standard rate, and applicants rarely understand that the tables stack. Knowing how they work is the difference between accepting an offer blindly and shopping it to a carrier that grades your condition more kindly.

A worked example

You're offered a policy at Table 4. Standard would have been $60/month. Each table adds about 25% of the Standard premium, so Table 4 is roughly Standard + 100% — about $120/month for the same death benefit. A different carrier that specializes in your condition might offer Table 2, cutting that surcharge in half.

⚠ Watch for

An agent presenting a table-rated offer as final. Ratings vary a lot between carriers, and a good independent agent will shop the same health profile to insurers known to be lenient on your specific condition before you sign.

Common questions about Table Rating

How much does a table rating add to my premium?
Each table adds roughly 25% of the Standard premium, and the tables stack. Table 2 is about Standard plus 50%; Table 4 is about Standard plus 100% (double); Table 8 is roughly triple. Carriers use either numbers (1–16) or letters (A–P) for the same idea, so Table 4 and Table D mean the same thing.
Can you get a table rating removed?
Sometimes. If your health improves — you lose weight, control blood pressure, quit smoking — you can apply for a reconsideration or reapply entirely. Some carriers also offer a 'table shave' program that upgrades the rating for otherwise-healthy applicants. It's worth revisiting a rated policy every couple of years.
Is a table rating the same as being denied?
No. A table rating is an offer of coverage at a higher price, not a decline. It means the carrier will insure you but considers you higher-risk than a Standard applicant. Being declined means no offer at all — a different and more serious outcome that other insurers can see.
Investigations that touch this
Read File 067 →
Related terms
Rate Class The health tier an insurer assigns you — Preferred Plus, Preferred, Standard, or substandard — that sets your price. Small class gaps mean big premium swings. Underwriting The process an insurer uses to assess how risky you are to insure — pulling your health, records, and data — then setting your price and rate class. Premium What you pay — monthly or annually — to keep coverage in force. Can be level or flexible, and stopping it can cost you the policy after a short grace period. Guaranteed vs. Non-Guaranteed Values The split in every permanent-policy illustration between what the carrier is contractually bound to deliver and what it merely hopes to — only one side is a promise. Simplified Issue Coverage approved on a few yes/no health questions with no medical exam — faster than fully underwritten, but priced higher for skipping the labs. Cost of Insurance The monthly charge a carrier pulls out of your policy's cash value to pay for the actual death-benefit protection — and it climbs every year as you age.
← Back to the full glossary