VA Life Insurance Benefits

VA life insurance programs offer some of the most accessible and affordable coverage available to service members and veterans, including options tailored to service-related health conditions that would complicate or disqualify them from standard civilian policies. For many veterans, these programs are the only realistic path to meaningful coverage at a reasonable cost.

This guide covers VA life insurance benefits, including every program, who qualifies, what enrollment looks like, and how to pick the right option based on where you are in your service timeline.

VA Life Insurance Benefits Overview

There are several distinct VA life insurance benefits and individual programs, each built for a different stage of military service or veteran status. Some are automatic, but some require you to act within a narrow window. Missing that window can mean permanent ineligibility, or it can push you into medical underwriting that service-related conditions may complicate. Knowing both the program and the enrollment window is a critical aspect of getting started.

*No medical exam required within 240 days of separation. Proof of good health required between 241 days and 1 year + 120 days.

Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI)

SGLI is where coverage starts for most service members. It is low-cost term life insurance that covers active duty members, National Guard and Reserve members under certain activation conditions, and cadets at the service academies.

• Coverage: Up to $500,000 in term life insurance, in $50,000 increments. Default enrollment is the maximum amount. Premiums are automatically deducted from pay at $0.05 per $1,000 of coverage per month , plus $1 per month for TSGLI.
• Eligibility: Automatic for eligible active duty members from day one of service.
• Enrollment: Enrollment is automatic. The main tasks are reviewing your coverage amount and keeping beneficiary designations current. Designations on file with SGLI override anything written in a will, so an outdated form matters. Review and update both through milConnect.
• What to know: Members can reduce or decline coverage, but reinstatement may require a medical exam depending on circumstances. Declining is rarely the right move.

Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI)

TSGLI is a rider on SGLI that pays a one-time benefit to service members who suffer a qualifying traumatic injury. It is not traditional life insurance. It functions as a financial bridge during recovery, covering costs that pay and allowances don't fully address.

Claims are filed through your branch of service. The benefit is a single payment, not ongoing income replacement, and does not affect SGLI coverage or beneficiary designations.

• Coverage: Payments range from $25,000 to $100,000 depending on the injury. Qualifying losses include limb amputation, total and permanent loss of sight or hearing, severe burns, paralysis, and certain traumatic brain injuries.
• Eligibility: Any service member enrolled in SGLI is automatically covered.
• Enrollment: Enrollment is automatic alongside SGLI. No separate application is required.

Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI)

VGLI is the conversion option that lets veterans carry coverage after separation without re-entering the civilian insurance market from scratch. Its main value is continuity. Veterans whose health changed during service can preserve coverage they might not otherwise qualify for.

Premiums increase with age, which makes VGLI more expensive than SGLI over time. It is still significantly cheaper than comparable civilian policies for most veterans, particularly those managing service-related health conditions.

• Coverage: Up to $500,000 in term life insurance, matching whatever SGLI amount was in place at separation. Veterans can increase coverage by $25,000 at their one-year VGLI anniversary and every five years after that, up to $500,000, without proof of good health. Increases are not available after age 60.
• Eligibility: Available to veterans who had SGLI at separation and certain Ready Reserve members.
• Enrollment: The full window is 1 year and 120 days from separation. No medical exam is required within the first 240 days. After 240 days and up to 1 year and 120 days, you can still apply, but you must submit proof of good health.

Family Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (FSGLI)

FSGLI extends coverage to spouses and dependent children of active duty service members enrolled in SGLI. Premiums are based on the spouse's age and deducted from the service member's pay. Coverage ends at separation, though spouses can convert to a civilian policy within 120 days.

• Coverage: Spousal coverage up to $100,000, capped at the service member's SGLI coverage amount. Dependent children are automatically covered for $10,000 at no additional cost.
• Eligibility: Available to spouses of active duty members with full-time SGLI coverage. Reserve and National Guard spouses may qualify depending on the service member's activation status.
• Enrollment: Spousal coverage is automatic for civilian spouses registered in DEERS. For military-to-military marriages on or after January 2, 2013, the service member must manually enroll the spouse through SOES. No medical exam is required.

Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI)

S-DVI was a term life insurance program for veterans who received a new service-connected disability rating after separation. It closed to new applicants on January 1, 2023 and was replaced by VALife. Existing policyholders can maintain their coverage, but no new applications are being accepted.

If you have an existing S-DVI policy, keep paying premiums to maintain coverage. Benefits and terms remain in place for current policyholders.

• Coverage: Up to $10,000 for the base policy, with a supplemental option of up to $30,000 for policyholders who have been granted a premium waiver due to total disability.
• Eligibility: Closed to new applicants as of January 1, 2023. Veterans with an existing S-DVI policy remain eligible to maintain it.
• Enrollment: No longer open. Veterans who are considering S-DVI and have not yet applied should consider VALife instead.

Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife)

VALife launched January 1, 2023, as the direct replacement for S-DVI. It is a whole life policy built for veterans with service-connected disabilities who need permanent coverage without the barrier of a medical exam.

Premiums are locked in at the age you enroll, so applying early means a lower rate for the life of the policy.

• Coverage: Up to $40,000 in whole life insurance, in $10,000 increments. Unlike the term options across most other VA programs, VALife builds cash value over time.
• Eligibility: Open to veterans of any age with a service-connected disability rating of any percentage, including a 0% non-compensable rating. A service-connected disability rating is the primary eligibility requirement.
• Enrollment: Veterans age 80 and under have no time limit to apply. Veterans age 81 or older are eligible only if they applied for VA disability compensation before turning 81 and received the rating after turning 81. They must apply for VALife within 2 years of receiving that rating notification.

No medical exam is required, regardless of when you apply. There is a two-year waiting period after enrollment before full coverage takes effect. If you die during that waiting period, your beneficiaries receive all premiums paid plus interest. Apply through VA.gov or by contacting the VA Insurance Center directly.

Choosing Between VA Life Insurance Options

The right program depends almost entirely on where you are in your service timeline.

Currently Serving

SGLI is automatic, but automatic doesn't mean set-and-forget. Confirm your coverage amount reflects your actual financial obligations and check that your beneficiary designations are current. An outdated form can send benefits to the wrong person regardless of what your will says.

Separating Within 120 Days

Apply for VGLI now. The no-exam window closes at 240 days, and it will not reopen. Waiting until the transition settles increases the risk of missing it entirely.

Separated with a Service-Connected Disability

VALife is your primary option for new coverage. There is no application deadline for veterans aged 80 and under. Apply as soon as possible to lock in the lowest available premiums, since rates are based on your age at enrollment and will not increase.

Spouse of an Active Duty Service Member

FSGLI coverage is automatic for civilian spouses registered in DEERS. The service member should confirm enrollment and review the coverage amount.

Don't Let a Missed Deadline Make the Decision for You

VA life insurance benefits exist to fill the gaps that service-related health conditions create in the civilian insurance market. The programs are accessible, premiums are competitive, and underwriting requirements are built to reflect the realities of military service. What they are not is forgiving about deadlines. VGLI and FSGLI conversion windows are firm, and missing them can close off options that aren't available anywhere else.

Review which programs apply to your situation now. Use our Veteran Benefit Assistance tool to confirm which VA benefits apply to your specific situation and check enrollment status for any program you may already be covered under.

FAQs

Can I convert my FSGLI coverage to a civilian policy if my spouse and I divorce?

Yes. Divorce is a qualifying event for FSGLI conversion. You have 120 days from the date of divorce to convert to a permanent civilian policy without proof of good health.

Do VA life insurance premiums increase over time?

It depends on the program. VGLI premiums increase as you age. SGLI premiums stay flat while you're serving. VALife premiums are locked in at the age you enroll and never increase.

Can I name anyone as my SGLI beneficiary, or are there restrictions?

You can name almost anyone, including a person, trust, or legal entity. There are no restrictions limiting you to family members.

What happens to my VALife policy if my service-connected disability rating is reduced or removed?

Once your VALife policy is active, your coverage remains in place regardless of any future changes to your disability rating.

If I'm a veteran with no service-connected disability, are there any VA life insurance options available to me?

VGLI is the primary option, provided you had SGLI at separation and apply within 1 year and 120 days of separation. Applying within the first 240 days means no medical exam is required.