By The Run My Ads team · Updated · 5 min read
The short answer
An exclusive lead is sold to one agent, a shared lead is sold to several agents at once, and an aged lead is an older lead sold again at a deep discount after its first buyers have had it. Exclusive costs the most and is usually the easiest to reach. Shared is cheaper but you are racing other agents. Aged is the cheapest and takes the most dials. Always read what "exclusive" means in the vendor's terms, because it often has a time limit.
Exclusive leads
An exclusive lead is a person who filled in a form or called a number, and the vendor promises to sell that lead to you alone. This is the most expensive kind. One 2026 industry write-up puts exclusive final expense web leads at about $45 to $70 each and exclusive inbound calls at about $55 to $95.[1]
The word "exclusive" is a promise with fine print. Vendors write it differently:
- How long. One vendor's published terms say its leads are "Exclusive for 30 Days", with a footnote about a "limited resold lead rebate policy".[2] A time window means the lead may be sold again after it ends.
- Exclusive from whom. A vendor can only promise what it controls. The same person may have filled in another company's form the same week.
- Where it came from. Ask which ad and which form produced the lead, and what consent wording the person agreed to.
None of this makes exclusive leads bad. It means you should ask, in writing, how long the window is and what happens after it.
Shared leads
A shared lead is sold to more than one agent. The price is lower, about $8 to $22 each in the same write-up,[1] because the vendor collects several times for one lead. The person may hear from several agents soon after filling in the form. Shared leads reward agents with fast follow-up and a strong first call. If you cannot call quickly, you may be the third or fourth voice they hear.
A middle tier, often called semi-exclusive, sells a lead to two or so agents and is priced between the two.[1]
Aged leads
Aged leads are older leads sold again once a set number of days has passed since the person filled in the form. They are cheap. One seller lists life, final expense and mortgage leads from 3 to 365 days old at $0.25 to $4.50 each, depending on age and volume.[3] The 2026 write-up puts 30 to 90 day old final expense leads at $1 to $8.[1]
What you trade for the low price:
- Contact rates are lower. People forget the form, change numbers, or have already bought.
- Others have called first. An aged lead may have been worked by several agents already.
- Consent gets harder. The consent the person gave covers the businesses the form identified. Before you call or text with an automated dialer or prerecorded or AI voice, you need consent that covers you. See what consent you need to call or text insurance leads.
Some agents build steady books on aged leads with high dial volume and patience. It is a numbers game, and it suits a different style from exclusive leads.
How to work each type
The kind of lead you buy should change how you work it. This is what we have seen work, not a rule.
- Exclusive: call right away, and if there is no answer, try again later that day and the next day. The person asked to hear about coverage, so open by reminding them what they filled in and when. Book a set time for the full conversation rather than pushing for everything on the first call.
- Shared: speed is the whole game. Have the lead reach your phone the moment it arrives, call at once, and give the person a reason to stay with you: a clear next step, not a fourth copy of the same pitch.
- Aged: plan for many attempts over days or weeks, with an opening that admits time has passed ("You asked about coverage a while back. Is that still something you are looking at?"). Only text, or use a dialer, prerecorded or AI voice, if your consent covers it.
Red flags in any lead offer
- "Exclusive" with no stated window, or no clear word on what happens to the lead after it.
- No way to see the ad, the form or the consent wording.
- A price far below the published ranges for the same type of lead, with no word on its age or how many times it is sold.
- Pressure to sign a long contract or pay for a large batch before you have tried a small one.
- No clear way to report a bad lead or get it replaced.
Start with the smallest order a vendor allows, measure it, then grow what works.
Side by side
| Exclusive | Shared | Aged | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sold to | You only, for a stated window | Several agents at once | Anyone, often many times |
| Typical price, each[1] | $45 to $70 (web) | $8 to $22 | $1 to $8 (30 to 90 days) |
| Best for | Agents who want fewer, warmer calls | Agents who call within minutes | High-volume dialers |
| Watch out for | The length of the window | Racing other agents | Low contact rates and consent |
How to choose
Pick by how you work, then measure. Track every source on the same three numbers: cost per lead, cost per booked appointment and cost per sale. After a month you will know which source pays you, which is worth more than any price list.
There is also a fourth option: leads from your own ads. They are exclusive by nature, because the person filled in your form, and you see the exact ad, form and consent wording. They cost you time and ad spend instead of a vendor price. We compare the options in buying leads vs running your own ads.
About this guide. Run My Ads sells ad software and a Done-For-You Ads plan that delivers leads, so we have a stake in this topic. We have tried to show both sides, cite every number to a public source, and label our own numbers as ours.
Common questions
What is an exclusive insurance lead?
A lead the vendor promises to sell to only one agent, usually for a stated window such as 30 days. Ask how long the window is and whether the lead can be sold again after it.
What is a shared insurance lead?
A lead sold to several agents at the same time. It costs less, but the person hears from several agents, so speed to call matters most.
What are aged insurance leads?
Older leads sold again at a deep discount once their first buyers have had them. They are cheap but have lower contact rates, and you need consent that covers you before you use an automated dialer or prerecorded or AI voice.
Which type of lead is best for a new agent?
Many new agents start with exclusive leads because fewer people have called them, which makes the first calls easier to learn on. Shared and aged leads cost less but take more speed and more dials. Whatever you pick, track cost per sale.
Does Run My Ads sell aged leads?
No. Our Done-For-You Ads plans send you new leads from ads we run on our accounts, for insurance only.
Sources
- Final Expense Leads Cost Per Lead 2026. Elevarus. Ranges the author says reflect what his firm sees across buyer accounts; not an independent survey.
- Lead Platform (published lead prices and terms). Insurance Toolkits.
- Aged lead price ranges (home page). Aged Lead Store.