Ask what “aged” means in the specific offer
Providers may use different age bands. Ask for the date of the consumer’s original request, not just the date a record was exported or added to the seller’s database. Also ask what action created the record: a quote form, a phone conversation, or another event.
An old quote request, an inactive agency customer, and a contact record with no documented inquiry are different things. Keep those categories separate in your buying decision and follow-up process.
Review the history attached to the record
- When and where did the person originally ask for information?
- Which insurance line and location did the request concern?
- How many buyers received the inquiry, and can it be resold?
- What contact and permission records accompany it?
- How are opt-outs, invalid addresses, and duplicates handled?
- What refund or credit rules apply to the particular product?
Do not infer permission for a new contact method from the presence of a phone number or email address. Have your agency evaluate the source documentation and proposed follow-up through its normal compliance process.
Include requalification work in the price comparison
A low purchase price can still require substantial producer time. The homeowner may already have placed a policy, moved, or decided not to proceed. Plan how you will establish current interest before beginning a full quote.
Suppose a batch costs $1,000 and produces four written policies. Its lead-only cost is $250 per policy. If a different batch costs $2,000 and produces ten, the figure is $200.
Add the actual labor, setup, and other acquisition costs for each source. The cheaper batch price alone does not identify the better outcome.
Keep the follow-up honest about the history
If your records show an earlier request, explain that context accurately and ask whether the person still wants help. Do not write as if they contacted your agency today when they did not. If the source or prior interaction cannot be established, do not invent familiarity.
Record declines and opt-outs immediately. If someone wants a later conversation, use the timing they supplied and the contact methods appropriate to your agency’s process.
Understand how a new email reply differs
Homefield generates leads when homeowners reply with qualifying interest to approved outreach sent in the agency’s identity. Your team receives the current reply and complete email thread. It does not sell a batch of aged quote forms or a raw email list.
A new reply is still the beginning of the agency’s work. It is not a sale, a completed application, or proof that the person has not shopped elsewhere. Review what an email-generated insurance lead includes.
Test with a separate source label
If you evaluate an aged product, keep its records separate from new inquiries so you can compare actual contactability, current interest, quoting work, and written policies. Allow comparable time for outcomes and apply consistent definitions. That gives your agency a decision grounded in its own economics.