---
title: "What Is Commission Spread? Definition | Epic Life Glossary"
description: "Spread is the difference between two commission levels in a hierarchy, such as an upline's contract level minus the agent's level. The upline keeps it..."
url: https://epicline.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/spread
publisher: Epic Life Group
apply: https://epicline.preview.multisites.ai/apply
quote: https://epicline.preview.multisites.ai/get-a-quote
---

Compensation

# Commission Spread

Spread is the difference between two commission levels in a hierarchy, such as an upline's contract level minus the agent's level. The upline keeps it as an override.

## Why it matters

A larger spread means the upline earns more from that agent's sale. Agents can compare uplines by asking what their contract level is and what level they will pass down. Spreads vary by carrier and product. Example: if one level is 10 points higher, the upline keeps those 10 points as an override.

Source: [law.cornell.edu](https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/commission)

[Read next, for agentsHow do life insurance agents get paid? An honest breakdown](https://epicline.preview.multisites.ai/careers/compensation)

## Where we use this term

-   [Building an insurance agency: how overrides and downlines work, and what is legal](https://epicline.preview.multisites.ai/guides/building-an-insurance-agency-overrides-downlines)

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