Updated November 2026
Short answer: Annuity leads come in six main forms: exclusive internet leads, shared leads, aged leads, live transfers or inbound calls, workshop and seminar attendees, and referrals from clients and centers of influence. Judge every source by cost per issued case, not cost per lead, and only buy leads whose consent supports how you plan to contact them. The producers who win with leads call fast, follow up for weeks and run a documented best-interest process on every appointment.
Our job is to beat your current annuity commission.
Stuck at your current commission level, or simply want higher commission? Our sole purpose is to scale your business by beating your current commission levels. No matter your current commission level, if you meet our minimum requirements (solo producers have none), you automatically get higher commission than where you are today. Starting comp is for every producer, including new producers with no experience — there is no production minimum. If you have strong production to show, we contract you above our starting comp. Established agencies, financial advisors and financial firms, and healthcare agencies can earn much higher too. Submit your application, schedule a Zoom, and we review your current commission levels carrier by carrier and contract you above them — with full back office support, case management, carrier contracting and sales tools included.
What counts as an annuity lead?
An annuity lead is a person who has raised a hand about retirement savings, guaranteed income, CD alternatives or moving a 401(k) or IRA, and who agreed to be contacted. The quality of a lead depends on three things: how recently they asked, whether anyone else got the same lead, and what they actually asked for. A retiree who requested a MYGA rate comparison yesterday is a very different conversation from a name on a two-year-old list.
The main types of annuity leads
| Lead type | How it works | Strengths | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exclusive internet leads | A consumer fills out a form and the lead is sold to one producer | Fresh intent, no competing callers | Highest cost per lead; speed to contact matters |
| Shared leads | The same form is sold to several producers | Lower cost per lead | You compete with other callers within minutes |
| Aged leads | Older leads resold at a discount | Inexpensive volume | Low contact rates; check the consent record |
| Live transfers and inbound calls | A vendor connects a prospect to you by phone | Conversation starts immediately | Quality varies by vendor and script |
| Workshops and webinars | Educational events on retirement income, RMDs or Social Security | Warm, educated attendees and group efficiency | Event cost; advertising must be compliant |
| Referrals and centers of influence | Clients, CPAs, estate attorneys and other advisors introduce you | Highest trust and close rates | Takes time to build; needs a system |
How to judge an annuity lead source
Cost per lead is the least useful number. Track each source through the whole funnel: leads purchased, contacts made, appointments set, appointments held, applications submitted, cases issued and premium placed. Divide total spend by issued cases to get cost per issued case, then compare it with the first-year commission those cases paid you. A source with expensive leads but a high close rate often beats a cheap source that never turns into appointments.
Also watch where the money goes. Leads for large qualified rollovers and CD-maturity MYGA buyers behave very differently from leads looking for income now. Matching the lead source to the products you know best raises close rates more than any script.
Consent, do-not-call and other compliance basics
Buying a lead does not give you permission to call it any way you like. Before you dial:
- Consent: autodialed or prerecorded marketing calls and texts generally require the consumer's prior express written consent under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Ask vendors for the consent language and the record for each lead. (The FCC's proposed one-to-one consent rule was vacated by the Eleventh Circuit in January 2025, but the underlying consent requirements still apply.)
- Do-not-call: scrub against the National Do Not Call Registry and keep your own internal do-not-call list, honoring requests promptly.
- State rules: several states have their own telemarketing laws with calling-hour limits and stricter consent rules.
- Advertising and seminars: invitations and ads must follow state insurance advertising rules and carrier approval requirements. See our annuity marketing guide.
None of this is legal advice; if you run outbound calling at scale, have a compliance professional review your process.
A simple follow-up cadence that works
- Minute one: call new internet leads immediately; contact rates fall fast after the first few minutes.
- Day one: if no answer, call again later in the day and send a short, compliant text or email if you have consent.
- Days two to seven: one or two attempts per day at different times.
- Weeks two to six: drop to a few touches a week with useful content, such as current MYGA rates or an RMD reminder.
- Long term: move unconverted leads to a monthly educational email list. Rates and life events change, and many annuity sales close months after the first contact.
Turn the appointment into a best-interest recommendation
Every lead source ends in the same place: a fact find. Document the client's finances, objectives, liquidity needs and time horizon before recommending a product, and treat replacements carefully. Our best-interest checklist and how to sell annuities guide cover the process from first call to issued case.
Why your commission level matters when you buy leads
Lead spend is a fixed cost per case; commission is your revenue per case. Moving from a low contract level to a higher one on the same product can turn a break-even lead source into a profitable one without changing anything else. Compare your current levels with the starting comp on our annuity carrier list or the commission calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best annuity leads?
For most producers, referrals and centers of influence close best, followed by fresh exclusive leads and well-run educational workshops. The best source for you is the one with the lowest cost per issued case for the products you sell.
Are exclusive annuity leads worth the higher price?
Often, if you can call within minutes and follow up for several weeks. Exclusive leads remove competing callers, which usually raises contact and appointment rates enough to offset the higher price.
Do I need consent to call annuity leads?
Generally yes for autodialed or prerecorded marketing calls and texts, which require prior express written consent under the TCPA. You must also honor the National Do Not Call Registry, your internal do-not-call list and state telemarketing rules.
Does BetterAnnuityComp.com require producers to buy leads?
No. There is no lead purchase requirement and no production minimum for solo producers. Bring whatever prospecting system works for you.
Can BetterAnnuityComp.com beat my current annuity commission?
That is our sole job: no matter your current commission level, if you meet our minimum requirements (solo producers have none), you automatically get higher commission than where you are today. Starting comp is for every producer, including new producers with no experience, and there is no production minimum. If you have strong production to show, we contract you above our starting comp, and established agencies, financial advisors and financial firms, and healthcare agencies can earn above it too. Submit your application, schedule a Zoom and share your current commission levels by carrier. We compare them carrier by carrier and contract you above them, with full back office support, case management, carrier contracting and sales tools included.
Sources
- Morrison Foerster — Eleventh Circuit Vacates FCC's TCPA One-to-One Consent Rule
- NAIC — Advertisements of Life Insurance and Annuities Model Regulation (#570)
- NAIC — Suitability in Annuity Transactions Model Regulation (#275)
Buying leads works better at a higher commission level. BetterAnnuityComp.com, powered by BetterLifeQuotes.com, works to beat your current annuity commission — starting comp has no experience requirement and no production minimum, and strong producers are contracted higher — plus case management and carrier contracting. Solo producers and advisors can apply here, agencies can use the agency application, and anyone can browse the annuity carrier list. See how we beat your current commission.