If you’re considering a career selling life insurance and financial products, you may be looking at options like Family First Life and Symmetry Financial. Both companies offer the ability to build your own book of business through direct sales, but have different compensation structures, products, and sales approaches.
This comprehensive guide examines the key strengths and weaknesses of Family First Life versus Symmetry Financial to help you determine which opportunity may be a better fit.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Aspects | Family First Life | Symmetry Financial |
| Commission Rates | Up to 90% | Around 50% |
| Team Building | None | Extensive downline |
| Lead Generation | Leads provided | Self-generate or buy |
| Products Offered | Limited portfolio | Broader selection |
| Training | Minimal | Extensive program |
| Income Type | Sales commissions | Commissions + overrides |
| Best For | Direct sales focus | Building a team |
Overview of Family First Life
Family First Life is an insurance sales company focused on mortgage protection, final expense, and annuity products. Here are some basics on their business model:
- Direct Sales: Agents sell directly to leads through outbound calling, door-knocking, and joint work.
- Commission-Based: Agents earn high commissions from sales, but do not earn a salary.
- Contractors: Agents function as independent contractors, not employees.
- Products Offered: Specialize in mortgage protection, final expense, and annuity policies. Offer some health plans.
- Leads Provided: Provide exclusive leads for agents to contact. Leads are by county or zip code.
Pros of Family First Life
- High Commissions: Some of the most competitive commissions in the industry, up to 90% payouts.
- Lead Generation: Provides steady flow of leads instead of requiring you to generate all of your own.
- No Prospecting: Lead model eliminates most cold calling and door knocking. More appointments.
- Proven Model: Established high-volume sales operation with agents nationwide.
Cons of Family First Life
- Self-Generation Later: Must self-source more leads over time as you advance.
- Narrow Product Line: Mostly final expense and mortgage protection. Lacks variety.
- Contract Role: You must build your own book from scratch without salary or benefits.
- High Turnover: Can be grueling if you don’t close sales. High attrition rate.
Overview of Symmetry Financial
Symmetry Financial Group provides life insurance and debt-free living products. Their model focuses on recruiting and training new agents. Here are the basics:
- MLM Structure: Recruit team members to build your “downline” in addition to your own sales.
- Commission + Overrides: Earn commissions on your sales plus overrides on sales by your team.
- Debt-Free: Specialize in offering debt-free living services and related insurance products.
- Leads Optional: Can buy leads for a fee instead of self-generating.
- Products: Offer mortgage protection, final expense, debt-free, MedSupp, and some annuities.
Pros of Symmetry Financial
- Team Building: Opportunity to build a team and earn higher pay through their efforts.
- Debt-Free Niche: Specialized debt-free living method provides a niche product focus.
- Optional Leads: Can purchase pre-qualified leads for a fee based on your budget.
- Training System: Strong training program for developing and supporting agents.
Cons of Symmetry Financial
- MLM Model: Will take much more work to advance by recruiting a large team.
- Lead Costs: Buying leads from the company reduces your commissions.
- Production Requirements: Must meet certain sales quotas or lose your contract.
- Job Security Risks: Income depends heavily on your team’s performance.
Also Read: Comparison Between New York Life And Primerica Insurance
Key Differences Between Family First Life And Symmetry Financial
Now that we’ve covered the basics of each company, let’s compare their overall business models:
- Commission Structure
Family First Life: Up to 90% commissions directly from your sales. No team building.
Symmetry Financial: Lower commissions but ability to earn overrides off of downline team sales.
Family First Life offers some of the most agent-friendly commission rates in the industry. Symmetry Financial trades off lower personal sales commissions for the ability to earn passive override income from building a team.
Products Offered
Family First Life: Lean product portfolio focused on final expense and mortgage protection.
Symmetry Financial: Broader selection including debt-free living services in addition to traditional policies.
Symmetry provides more product variety and niche services, while Family First offers a targeted selection ideal for newer agents starting out.
- Lead Generation
Family First Life: Provides exclusive leads directly based on territory.
Symmetry Financial: Self-generate leads or optional lead purchase.
Family First Life supplies agents with assigned leads to contact, while Symmetry requires you to either find your own leads or buy them from the company.
- Training and Support
Family First Life: Minimal initial training, expected to self-build skills.
Symmetry Financial: Extensive training program and team support system.
Symmetry Financial has a much more robust training program for getting started and developing your skills over time. Family First Life expects agents to be more self-sufficient from the start.
- Pay Structure Comparison
Let’s take a deeper look at how you earn income working for Family First Life versus Symmetry Financial:
Family First Life
- Up to 90% commission directly from your personal sales
- No team building or override income
- Bonuses for exceeding sales thresholds
- Leads provided based on territory
Symmetry Financial
- Lower personal sales commissions (~50% payouts)
- Override income from downline team sales
- First year income largely from team building
- Residual trails from your team’s policies
- Optional lead purchases
While Family First Life offers higher instant income potential from your direct sales, Symmetry Financial provides more long term passive income and wealth building potential through developing your team. But the Symmetry model requires substantially more time and effort to build your team.
Watch this review video:
Getting Started With Each Company
If you’re ready to dive in and start selling, here is an overview of what it takes to get started with each company:
Family First Life
- Contact a local office and submit application
- Pass background check and licensing exam
- Get appointed with insurance carriers
- Attend online pre-licensing courses
- Participate in onboarding training
- Get assigned leads and start selling
Symmetry Financial
- Contact a local Regional VP to apply
- Complete licensing exam requirements
- Attend Jumpstart training (3 days)
- Shadow mentors in field
- Launch your business within 14 days
- Start personally generating or buying leads
- Begin recruiting efforts for your team
Both companies can get you up and running within a few weeks if you already have your insurance license. The hands-on field training is key for learning the ropes with an experienced agent.
Also Read: Comparion Between MEDICA And Blue Cross Blue Shield
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Still trying to decide between Family First Life and Symmetry Financial? Here are answers to some common questions about both companies:
Yes, Symmetry Financial Group uses an MLM or multilevel marketing structure where agents can recruit a team and earn income on their sales. You build a “downline” by bringing on other agents under you.
Symmetry lets you either generate your own leads or buy them from the company. Buying leads costs about $100 per lead, reducing your potential commission but saving you lead generation time.
Yes, Family First Life is an established insurance sales company founded in 1990. They are one of the largest final expense insurance agencies in the U.S.
Shawn Meaike is the CEO and founder of Family First Life. He founded the company in 1990 and continues to head up the organization today.
Also Read: Comparison Between Hippo Insurance And State Farm.
Final Thought
Deciding between selling for Family First Life versus Symmetry Financial comes down to whether you want to focus purely on your own sales in the short term or make a long term investment in building a team.
Agents willing to put in the hard work of recruiting on top of sales can maximize their earning potential with Symmetry over time. For a more direct sales role focused only on your own clients, Family First Life allows you to earn high commissions right away.
Either company can provide fulfilling and lucrative work if you have the drive and determination to succeed in insurance sales. Do your research to decide which business model suits your skills and interests best.
With the right amount of hustle and persistence, you can build a rewarding long term career at either Family First Life or Symmetry Financial. It comes down to embracing the daily grind, lead generation, and client service required in any commission-based sales role.
Whichever path you choose, work hard nurturing your book of business and before you know it you’ll have developed a stable, high-paying sales career on your own terms. The opportunity is yours for the taking!