Telesales vs face-to-face persistency in final expense: what the 13-month numbers actually say

The old belief was that phone-sold final expense lapses faster than kitchen-table policies. Agents and agencies that track both say it's more complicated, and mostly not true anymore.

What the trackers report. Thirteen-month persistency on phone-sold final expense is roughly the same as face-to-face for agents who run a full presentation, and worse for agents who run a fast close. The medium isn't the variable. The presentation is.

What actually moves persistency, in either medium.

• The draft date matched to the deposit date. The single biggest factor, by a wide margin.
• The beneficiary and the reason for the coverage said out loud and written down. The client who told you why they bought stays.
• The right tier. A graded policy sold as full coverage lapses the day the client reads page one.
• A call in month two. Not a sales call; a 'did the draft go through' call.

Where the phone is weaker. Building the relationship that produces referrals and the annual review. Field agents get invited back into the house. Phone agents have to earn the second call.

Where the phone is stronger. Consistency. The same presentation two hundred times a month produces steadier numbers than fifty kitchen tables with fifty variations.

Agencies that track both: post your 13-month numbers by channel. That's the data this thread exists for.