Think like an underwriter/actuary: build is a mortality debit, not a yes/no checkbox. Map height–weight → risk class → premium, then layer disease comorbidities.
Multi-class (not binary) Fully UW vs SI vs Graded vs GI Illustrative industry ranges| Band | Approx BMI | Typical offer family | Actuarial note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Underweight | < 18.5 | Postpone / rate / APS | Cancer, GI, frailty concern |
| Preferred Plus / Elite | ~18.5–27 | Best NT rates | Also needs BP, lipids, family hx |
| Preferred | ~27–29 | Preferred NT/T | Carrier-specific |
| Standard Plus / Standard | ~29–33 | Standard | Still fully UW viable |
| Table ratings | ~33–39 | Table B–H style | Debits; may need labs |
| SI Level FE / mortgage SI | often to ~38–42 | Level benefit SI | Higher premium, smaller face |
| Graded / Modified | ~42–46 | Graded DB | 2–3 yr limited DB common |
| GI / Decline traditional | often > ~45–50 | Guaranteed issue or no offer | No-health-question product |
Informed by U.S. carrier field guides and 2026 broker build-chart summaries (e.g. Mutual of Omaha–style preferred/standard tables; FE SI appetite guides with higher max weights).
PP/Pref/SP/Std ≈ fully underwritten style max lb (Mutual of Omaha–style unisex published summaries). SI Level / Graded ≈ BMI 40.5 / 44 design defaults for FE/mortgage SI — replace per carrier.
| Height | In | Min≈18.5 | Pref+ | Preferred | Std+ | Standard | SI Level≈ | Graded≈ | Beyond |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4'8" | 56 | 83 | 125 (28.0) | 144 (32.3) | 153 (34.3) | 158 (35.4) | 181 (~40.5) | 196 (~44) | >196 often GI/decline |
| 4'9" | 57 | 86 | 131 (28.3) | 150 (32.5) | 160 (34.6) | 165 (35.7) | 187 (~40.5) | 203 (~44) | >203 often GI/decline |
| 4'10" | 58 | 89 | 135 (28.2) | 155 (32.4) | 165 (34.5) | 170 (35.5) | 194 (~40.5) | 211 (~44) | >211 often GI/decline |
| 4'11" | 59 | 92 | 141 (28.5) | 160 (32.3) | 170 (34.3) | 176 (35.5) | 201 (~40.5) | 218 (~44) | >218 often GI/decline |
| 5'0" | 60 | 95 | 146 (28.5) | 166 (32.4) | 177 (34.6) | 184 (35.9) | 207 (~40.5) | 225 (~44) | >225 often GI/decline |
| 5'1" | 61 | 98 | 152 (28.7) | 173 (32.7) | 185 (35.0) | 191 (36.1) | 214 (~40.5) | 233 (~44) | >233 often GI/decline |
| 5'2" | 62 | 101 | 158 (28.9) | 179 (32.7) | 190 (34.7) | 197 (36.0) | 221 (~40.5) | 241 (~44) | >241 often GI/decline |
| 5'3" | 63 | 104 | 164 (29.0) | 184 (32.6) | 195 (34.5) | 203 (36.0) | 229 (~40.5) | 248 (~44) | >248 often GI/decline |
| 5'4" | 64 | 108 | 169 (29.0) | 189 (32.4) | 200 (34.3) | 209 (35.9) | 236 (~40.5) | 256 (~44) | >256 often GI/decline |
| 5'5" | 65 | 111 | 174 (29.0) | 194 (32.3) | 205 (34.1) | 215 (35.8) | 243 (~40.5) | 264 (~44) | >264 often GI/decline |
| 5'6" | 66 | 115 | 180 (29.0) | 200 (32.3) | 210 (33.9) | 222 (35.8) | 251 (~40.5) | 273 (~44) | >273 often GI/decline |
| 5'7" | 67 | 118 | 185 (29.0) | 206 (32.3) | 216 (33.8) | 228 (35.7) | 259 (~40.5) | 281 (~44) | >281 often GI/decline |
| 5'8" | 68 | 122 | 189 (28.7) | 209 (31.8) | 220 (33.4) | 235 (35.7) | 266 (~40.5) | 289 (~44) | >289 often GI/decline |
| 5'9" | 69 | 125 | 195 (28.8) | 215 (31.7) | 225 (33.2) | 242 (35.7) | 274 (~40.5) | 298 (~44) | >298 often GI/decline |
| 5'10" | 70 | 129 | 200 (28.7) | 221 (31.7) | 232 (33.3) | 250 (35.9) | 282 (~40.5) | 307 (~44) | >307 often GI/decline |
| 5'11" | 71 | 133 | 206 (28.7) | 227 (31.7) | 237 (33.1) | 258 (36.0) | 290 (~40.5) | 316 (~44) | >316 often GI/decline |
| 6'0" | 72 | 136 | 211 (28.6) | 232 (31.5) | 244 (33.1) | 265 (35.9) | 299 (~40.5) | 324 (~44) | >324 often GI/decline |
| 6'1" | 73 | 140 | 217 (28.6) | 239 (31.5) | 252 (33.2) | 271 (35.8) | 307 (~40.5) | 334 (~44) | >334 often GI/decline |
| 6'2" | 74 | 144 | 222 (28.5) | 244 (31.3) | 257 (33.0) | 279 (35.8) | 315 (~40.5) | 343 (~44) | >343 often GI/decline |
| 6'3" | 75 | 148 | 228 (28.5) | 250 (31.2) | 262 (32.7) | 285 (35.6) | 324 (~40.5) | 352 (~44) | >352 often GI/decline |
| 6'4" | 76 | 152 | 233 (28.4) | 255 (31.0) | 268 (32.6) | 292 (35.5) | 333 (~40.5) | 362 (~44) | >362 often GI/decline |
| 6'5" | 77 | 156 | 239 (28.3) | 261 (30.9) | 274 (32.5) | 298 (35.3) | 342 (~40.5) | 371 (~44) | >371 often GI/decline |
| 6'6" | 78 | 160 | 246 (28.4) | 268 (31.0) | 280 (32.4) | 307 (35.5) | 351 (~40.5) | 381 (~44) | >381 often GI/decline |
| 6'7" | 79 | 164 | 252 (28.4) | 274 (30.9) | 286 (32.2) | 313 (35.3) | 360 (~40.5) | 391 (~44) | >391 often GI/decline |
| 6'8" | 80 | 168 | 258 (28.3) | 280 (30.8) | 294 (32.3) | 320 (35.1) | 369 (~40.5) | 401 (~44) | >401 often GI/decline |
| 6'9" | 81 | 173 | 264 (28.3) | 287 (30.8) | 302 (32.4) | 326 (34.9) | 378 (~40.5) | 411 (~44) | >411 often GI/decline |
| 6'10" | 82 | 177 | 270 (28.2) | 294 (30.7) | 310 (32.4) | 334 (34.9) | 387 (~40.5) | 421 (~44) | >421 often GI/decline |
| Combination | Typical effect |
|---|---|
| High build AND diabetes (esp. age >45) | Often decline Express/SI term; FE may grade |
| High build AND tobacco | Heavy debit / decline many accelerated programs |
| High build AND rateable hypertension | Decline many express products |
| High build AND asthma + tobacco | Decline pattern in several Express guides |
| Stable build after bariatric ≥12–24 mo | Often reconsider favorably |
build_class: preferred_plus | preferred | standard_plus | standard | table | si_level | graded | postpone | decline inputs: height_in, weight_lb, age, tobacco, diabetic, product_intent carrier_ruleset[carrier_id].build_chart[version] → thresholds Never hard-code disconnected legacy product BMI rows.
Use SI Level/Graded ceilings + disease knockouts. Face often tied to loan; speed matters.
BMI informs metabolic risk but pricing is plan/network/Rx/age-band driven. Do not reuse life build classes as health premiums.