SelectQuote is a publicly traded insurance platform — not a traditional independent broker. Before you call, understand exactly how their model works, what their customers say, and how their rates compare.
SelectQuote (NYSE: SLQT) is a publicly traded insurance distribution company founded in 1985. They built their reputation in term life insurance and expanded into Medicare, auto, home, and final expense. They are not an insurance carrier — they sell policies from multiple carriers, the same way an independent broker does. The core business model difference is this: SelectQuote is a platform with a large team of licensed agents. When you call or submit your information online, you are routed to whichever agent is available. You are not assigned a dedicated advisor who will know your history and follow up personally.
This matters more for final expense insurance than for term life. Term life underwriting is relatively straightforward — age, health class, coverage amount, done. Final expense insurance involves precise health condition matching: whether your diabetes is insulin-dependent, whether your CHF is compensated or uncompensated, whether your COPD requires oxygen, whether your cancer was in remission for 2 years or 5. Getting this wrong means being placed in a graded benefit policy when a level benefit policy was available — paying $30–$60/month more for the same coverage for the rest of your life.
The platform model risk for final expense: SelectQuote’s business is optimized for throughput. A licensed agent handling 40+ calls per day across term life, Medicare, auto, and final expense is structurally less likely to deeply investigate whether a diabetic applicant qualifies for American Amicable’s level benefit program vs. defaulting to a graded benefit carrier. There is no malice here — it’s a function of scale vs. specialization.
Step 1 — Lead capture. You call SelectQuote’s toll-free number or fill out a form online. Your information enters their CRM system. This is the beginning of a follow-up sequence that many customers report as aggressive — multiple calls per day, texts, and emails if you don’t convert immediately.
Step 2 — Agent routing. You are connected to a licensed agent — not a specific one who specializes in final expense, but whoever is next in the queue. If that agent isn’t available, you may be called back by a different agent later. Many customers report speaking with two or three different SelectQuote agents before a policy is placed.
Step 3 — Carrier matching. The agent runs your profile through their available carriers and recommends a policy. The quality of this matching depends heavily on the individual agent’s experience with final expense underwriting specifics — which varies considerably across a large agent team.
Step 4 — Application and placement. If you purchase, the policy is placed. SelectQuote earns a commission from the carrier. You now have a policy — but your “advisor” is whoever picks up the phone if you call back with questions.
SelectQuote’s financial situation matters: SelectQuote went public in 2020 and has faced significant financial pressure since then — including substantial workforce reductions. A company under financial stress has structural incentives to maximize near-term conversion rates. This doesn’t mean individual agents are acting in bad faith, but it’s worth understanding the institutional context.
| Factor | SelectQuote | Anchor Life (Independent) |
|---|---|---|
| Business model | Publicly traded platform, team of agents | Single licensed broker, personal relationship |
| Who answers the phone | Next available agent in queue | Larry La Spina, every time |
| Carriers available | Multiple carriers (varies) | Current relationships listed on our About page; product and state availability require verification |
| Final expense specialization | One of many product lines | Primary specialty |
| CHF / complex cardiac | Depends on agent knowledge | Transamerica or CICA may offer day-one coverage to qualifying CHF applicants; state, product, and underwriting verification required |
| Diabetic level benefit placement | Inconsistent — may default to graded | American Amicable / Royal Neighbors correctly placed |
| Follow-up call volume | Reported as high/aggressive | Larry calls once, respects your time |
| Local presence | National call center | Based in Davie, FL — knows local funeral costs |
| Cost to consumer | Free (carrier-paid commission) | Free (carrier-paid commission) |
| Rates | Comparable (same carriers) | Comparable (same carriers) |
Compare the exact product, application questions, and benefit schedule offered by any agency. The size of the agency does not establish the benefit tier available to your case. Ask for a written comparison using the same coverage amount and payment frequency. Speak with Larry: 754-246-3047.
SelectQuote has a significant complaint footprint across consumer review platforms. The most consistent themes across BBB complaints, Trustpilot, and Google reviews include:
High follow-up call volume. This is the most common complaint by far. After submitting a quote request — online or by phone — many customers report receiving multiple calls per day, texts, and emails. Some report calls continuing even after requesting to be removed. This is a structural outcome of the lead-funnel model, not individual agent misconduct.
Agent inconsistency. Multiple customers report getting different information from different SelectQuote agents about the same policy, being told by one agent that they don’t qualify for something and being told by another that they do. This is an inherent risk in a large team model with variable experience levels across product lines.
Policy placement issues. A smaller but meaningful number of complaints involve being placed in a policy that wasn’t the best fit — particularly being enrolled in a graded benefit policy when a level benefit policy may have been available from a different carrier, or being enrolled in coverage that didn’t align with what was discussed on the call.
Check current BBB rating independently: SelectQuote’s BBB rating and complaint count change over time. We recommend verifying directly at bbb.org rather than relying on any static published number. Search “SelectQuote Inc” for their current standing.
To be fair: SelectQuote is a reasonable option in specific circumstances. If you are a healthy senior with no significant health conditions — no diabetes, no CHF, no COPD, no recent cancer — carrier selection matters less because most carriers will offer you level benefit at comparable rates. In that scenario, the difference between SelectQuote and a dedicated independent broker is mostly about the service experience, not the outcome.
SelectQuote is also a reasonable starting point for term life insurance, which is their core competency and where their agent expertise is deepest. If your primary need is term life (not final expense), the platform model matters less because the underwriting is simpler.
Where SelectQuote becomes meaningfully inferior to a dedicated independent broker is when health conditions are in play. If you have diabetes, CHF, COPD, cancer history, or any other significant condition, precise carrier matching is worth thousands of dollars over the life of the policy — and that requires a specialist, not a generalist platform.
| Carrier | SelectQuote Access | Anchor Life Access | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutual of Omaha | Yes | Yes | Best for healthy non-diabetic seniors. Both have access. |
| American Amicable | Varies | Yes | Critical for diabetics. Not all platforms emphasize this carrier. |
| Transamerica | Yes | Yes | Heart failure: review current product requirements |
| Royal Neighbors of America | Varies | Yes | Best rates for women. Not universally available at all platforms. |
| AIG / Corebridge | Yes | Not on Anchor Life’s current owner-confirmed roster | Do not infer availability through Anchor Life from this product comparison. |
| Americo | Varies | Yes | Competitive graded benefit option. Availability varies by platform. |
SelectQuote carrier access varies by state and changes over time. Verify directly with SelectQuote which carriers they currently represent in your state.
Larry La Spina has one specialty: final expense insurance. He compares multiple insurance carriers against your exact health profile and places you correctly the first time. Free, no obligation, no aggressive follow-up.
Get My Free Independent Quote →Larry La Spina specializes exclusively in final expense insurance. Multiple insurance carriers. Independent broker; confirm state availability. Answers personally every time. Free, no obligation, no aggressive follow-up calls.