North American Life Insurance Underwriting
Two-tier preferred ladder with a mid-range cholesterol floor and a Table 10 substandard ceiling that sits between the strictest and most lenient peers.
Top-two placement probability for the sample profile
Probability that 58-year-old male with BMI 29, treated hypertension (130/85 on 1 medication), father had an MI at age 62, total cholesterol 240, non-smoker lands in the two highest non-tobacco tiers at North American.
Class Ladder
North American publishes the following underwriting classes. Class names differ across carriers; comparing top-tier placement requires normalizing to a common taxonomy.
Where North American Is Competitive
- Compact two-tier preferred structure keeps placement decisions simple for Super Preferred and Preferred
- Labeled Preferred Tobacco tier rather than consolidating tobacco users straight to Standard Tobacco
- Applicants with non-ratable major-airline pilot profiles are explicitly eligible for Super Preferred
- Substandard capacity through Table 10 covers most standard impaired-risk cases
Where North American Is Stricter
- No labeled Standard Plus tier, so near-preferred cases fall to Standard Non-Tobacco
- Super Preferred requires five years nicotine-free, matching the strictest peer carriers
- Private pilots on a boolean aviation indicator cannot qualify for Super Preferred
- Table 10 substandard ceiling (roughly 350 percent of standard) is mid-range, not deep
Distinctive Underwriting Rules
Novel Table 10 substandard ceiling
North American caps substandard at Table 10, about 350 percent of standard mortality. That sits between Table 12 peers (LG America, Nationwide, Securian, Mutual of Omaha) and Table 16 lenient peers (AGL, Lincoln, Symetra). It makes North American a middle option for moderate impaired-risk cases.
Cholesterol floor at 125
North American enforces a universal 125 minimum on total cholesterol for preferred classification. That threshold sits between LG America and Equitable at 120 and American National at 130, so applicants with low readings should compare side-by-side.
Major-airline-only pilot pathway at top tier
North American reserves Super Preferred for non-ratable pilots for major airlines only, or applicants who accept an aviation exclusion rider. Commercial pilots with scheduled carriers can qualify, but the boolean aviation indicator without carrier distinction typically places at Preferred instead.
Who North American Tends to Fit
Best-fit profiles
- Major-airline commercial pilots seeking top-tier placement
- Moderate impaired-risk cases that rate at Table 10 or better
- Tobacco users who want a labeled Preferred Tobacco tier
Less ideal profiles
- Severe impaired-risk cases expected to rate above Table 10
- Near-preferred applicants hoping for a Standard Plus landing zone
- Former smokers in the two-to-five year cessation window chasing Super Preferred
Frequently Asked Questions
What are North American's underwriting classes?
North American publishes two non-tobacco preferred tiers (Super Preferred, Preferred) plus Standard Non-Tobacco on the non-tobacco side, and Preferred Tobacco and Standard Tobacco. There is no Standard Plus label.
Why does North American use a Table 10 substandard ceiling?
North American's field guide caps substandard at Table 10, roughly 350 percent of standard mortality. That sits between peer carriers at Table 12 (LG America, Nationwide) and more lenient carriers at Table 16 (AGL, Lincoln). Cases with higher combined multipliers face a decline.
Can a private pilot qualify for Super Preferred at North American?
North American reserves Super Preferred for non-ratable pilots for major airlines only, or applicants who accept an aviation exclusion rider. Without a commercial-carrier distinction on the aviation field, private pilots typically place at Preferred instead.
What is North American's cholesterol floor?
North American requires total cholesterol at or above 125 for preferred classification. That mid-range threshold sits between LG America and Equitable at 120 and American National at 130.
Source and Methodology
Underwriting rules on this page are derived from North American's publicly available North American Field Underwriting Guide, published 2023-08. Guide version tracked as 2023.08. Top-two placement probability reflects the Lumis Life underwriting estimator applied to the sample profile; live estimates use the client's actual assessment inputs.
Real placement depends on medical records, paramedical exam labs, financial underwriting, and current carrier appetite. See the methodology page for the full approach, class taxonomy definitions, and update cadence. This page is informational and is not a quote, offer of insurance, or guarantee of placement.
Related Carriers
- Prudential (48% top-two for the sample profile)
- Legal & General America (45% top-two for the sample profile)
- Principal Financial (62% top-two for the sample profile)
- Back to the full 18-carrier comparison
Run a live estimate for your client
The Lumis Life dashboard runs the underwriting estimator against all eighteen carriers using the client's actual health profile from the longevity assessment. See where this carrier ranks for your specific case before routing an informal inquiry.
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