Risk classification, which is also known as health classification, is a way for the underwriter to figure out how much of a risk you are to the insurance company. A basic idea is that the riskier you are to insure (if you are less healthy, have a dangerous job, engage in risky hobbies, etc.). The more you will pay in premiums. If you take less risk, you will spend less. Since it is impossible to know for sure how long a person will live, the carriers group people with similar risks together and figure out their rates. We call these groups “classes.”