36VA00
Veterans and Armed Forces Personnel United States Government Life Insurance Records-VA
System location:
Active records are located at the VA Regional Office and
Insurance Centers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and St. Paul,
Minnesota. Inactive records are stored at various servicing Federal
Archives and Records Centers and at the VA Records Processing Center
in St. Louis, Missouri. Information from these files is also
maintained in automated files at the VA Benefit Delivery Center in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Information from the automated files in
Philadelphia is available to all VA Regional Offices, except Manila,
Philippines, through the ITS (Insurance Terminal System) which
provides direct access to the records via video display terminals.
Duplicate copies of certain manual and automated files are maintained
at other locations in accordance with Federal and VA policy on
security and vital records. Address locations of VA facilities are
listed in VA Appendix 1 at the end of this document.
Categories of individuals covered by the system:
Veterans (not including dependents) who have been issued life
insurance under one of the following: Title 38, United States Code,
Chapter 19, Government Life Insurance programs; U.S. Government Life
Insurance and National Service Life Insurance (includes Reopened
Insurance under section 725, Service Disabled Veterans Insurance
under section 722, and Veterans Special Life Insurance under section
723).
Categories of records in the system:
Life insurance records (or information contained in records) may
include: (1) Applications for insurance (applications may contain the
name and address of the veteran applicant, date of birth, social
security number, military service number and dates of service, VA
file number, plan of insurance, disability rating, medical
information regarding disability, method of payment, amount of
insurance requested); (2) beneficiary and option designation
information (e.g., names and addresses of principal and contingent
beneficiaries, share to each and option of payment, designated
estates and trustee); (3) insurance contract information (e.g.,
authorization of allotment payment, authorization for deduction from
VA benefit payments; authorization for deduction from employee
payroll; paid dividend information); (4) cash value and policy loan
and lien information; (5) a listing of lapsed actions; (6) records of
premium payments; (7) reinstatement information; (8) premium status
and retired status of policy; (9) total disability life insurance
applications (these applications include medical history of insured);
(10) court-martial orders; (11) copies of personal papers of insured
(e.g., birth certificate, marriage license, naturalization papers);
(12) correspondence to and from the veteran; and (13) employment
information.
Authority for maintenance of the system:
Title 38, United States Code, Chapter 5, section 501, and Chapter 19.
Routine uses of records maintained in the system, including
categories of users and the purposes of such uses:
- The record of an individual who is covered by this system may
be disclosed to a member of Congress or staff person acting for the
member when the member or staff person requests the record on behalf
of and at the request of that individual.
- Any information in this system may be disclosed to a Federal
agency, upon its official request, to the extent that it is relevant
and necessary to that agency's decision regarding: The hiring,
retention or transfer of an employee; the issuance of a security
clearance, the letting of a contract, or the issuance or continuance
of a license, grant or other benefit given by that agency. However,
in accordance with an agreement with the U.S. Postal Service,
disclosures to the U.S. Postal Service for decisions concerning the
employment of veterans will only be made with the veteran's prior
written consent.
- Any information in this system may be disclosed to a State or
local agency, upon its official request, to the extent that it is
relevant and necessary to that agency's decision on: The hiring,
transfer or retention of an employee, the issuance of a security
clearance, the letting of a contract, or the issuance or continuance
of a license, grant or other benefit by that agency; provided, that
if the information pertains to a veteran, the name and/or address of
the veteran will not be disclosed unless the name and address is
provided first by the requesting State or local agency.
- Any information in this system may be disclosed to a Federal,
State or local agency maintaining civil or criminal violation
records, or other pertinent information such as prior employment
history, prior Federal employment background investigations, and
personal or educational background at the request of the veteran in
order for the VA to obtain information relevant to the hiring,
transfer or retention of an employee, the letting of a contract, the
granting of a security clearance, or the issuance of a grant or other
benefit.
- Any information in this system may be disclosed to a Federal
agency, except for the name and address of a veteran, in order for
the VA to obtain information relevant to the issuance of a benefit
under title 38 U.S.C. The name and address of a veteran may be
disclosed to a Federal agency under this routine use if they are
required by the Federal agency to respond to the VA inquiry.
- Any information in this system, except for the name and
address of a veteran, which is relevant to a suspected violation or
reasonably imminent violation of law, whether civil, criminal or
regulatory in nature and whether arising by general or program
statute or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, may
be disclosed to a Federal, State, local or foreign agency charged
with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such
violation, or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute,
rule, regulation or order issued pursuant thereto.
- The name and address of a veteran, which is relevant to a
suspected violation or reasonably imminent violation of law, whether
civil, criminal or regulatory in nature and whether arising by
general or program statute or by regulation, rule or order issued
pursuant thereto, may be disclosed to a Federal agency charged with
the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation, or
charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, regulation, rule
or order issued pursuant thereto, in response to its official
request.
- The name and address of a veteran, which is relevant to a
suspected violation or reasonably imminent violation of law
concerning public health or safety, whether civil, criminal or
regulatory in nature and whether arising by general or program
statute or by regulation, rule or other issued pursuant thereto, may
be disclosed to any foreign, State or local governmental agency or
instrumentality charged under applicable law with the protection of
the public health or safety if a qualified representative of such
organization, agency or instrumentality has made a written request
that such name and address be provided for a purpose authorized by
law.
- Except for beneficiary and option designations, any
information in this system including the name and address of a
veteran may be disclosed to any nonprofit organization if the release
is directly connected with the conduct of programs and the
utilization of benefits under title 38 (such disclosures include
computerized lists of names and addresses).
- Except for medical information and beneficiary and option
designations, insurance contract information (e.g., name, address,
status of the account, dividends paid, cash value, and policy loans)
may be disclosed at the request of a veteran to an attorney acting
under a declaration of representation, a VA-approved claims agent, an
insurance agency, a trust officer, or to employees or members of an
accredited service organization, or the to Red Cross so that these
individuals or organizations can aid veterans in the preparation,
presentation, prosecution of claims under the laws administered by
the VA. The name and address of a veteran will not, however, be
disclosed to these individuals under this routine use if the veteran
has requested the assistance of an accredited service organization,
claims agent, trust officer, the Red Cross or an attorney.
- The name and address of an insured veteran and the amount of
payment may be disclosed to the Treasury Department, upon its
official request, in order for the Treasury Department to make
payment of dividends, policy loans, cash surrenders, maturing
endowments and insurance refunds.
- The name and address of an insured veteran, date and amount
of payments made to the VA including specific status of each policy
(e.g., premiums paid in, dividends paid out, cash and loan values)
may be disclosed to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), upon its
official request, in order for the IRS to collect tax liens by
withholding insurance payments to satisfy unpaid taxes. This purpose
is consistent with title 26, United States Code, section 7602.
- Any information in this system may be disclosed to the
Department of Justice, upon its official request, in defense or
prosecution of litigation involving the United States Government.
- The name and address of an insured veteran, the discharge
date from the military, and medical information concerning grounds
for total disability of an insured veteran may be disclosed to the
Office of Serviceman's Group Life Insurance (OSGLI) at the request of
the veteran in order to aid OSGLI in the verification of a discharge
date, the issuance and maintenance of insurance policies to veterans
and retired reservists participating in the Veterans Group Life
Insurance and Serviceman's Group Life Insurance Program and to pay
death benefits on these claims.
- The name, address and other identifying information such as a
social security number or a military service number may be disclosed
to the Department of Defense (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps);
the Department of Transportation (Coast Guard); the U.S. Public
Health Service, Commissioned Officers Corps; and the Department of
Commerce, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration);
upon their official request, for use in order for these departments
to establish and maintain allotments from active and retired service
pay for VA insurance premiums and loan repayments.
- The face amount and cash and/or loan value of an insurance
policy, verification of an existing insurance policy, and the name
and address of an insured veteran may be disclosed at the request of
the veteran to a Federal, State or local agency, in order for these
agencies to assist veterans applying for Medicaid, Medicare, nursing
home admittance or welfare benefits to the extent that the
information is relevant and necessary to the agency's decision
regarding these benefits.
- The name and address of a veteran and military service
information (e.g., dates of service, branch of service) may be
disclosed to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), upon its
official request, in order for the AFIP to conduct research for
specified official purposes.
- The name(s) and address(es) of a veteran may be disclosed to
another Federal agency or to a contractor of that agency, at the
written request of the head of that agency or designee of the head of
that agency for the purpose of conducting government research
necessary to accomplish a statutory purpose of that agency.
- Any information in this system including the nature and
amount of a financial obligation, may be disclosed to a debtor's
employing agency or commanding officer, upon its official request, in
order to assist the VA in the collection of unpaid financial
obligations owed the VA so that the debtor-employee may be counseled
by his or her Federal employer or commanding officer. This purpose is
consistent with 5 U.S.C. 5514, 4 CFR 102.5, and section 206 of
Executive Order 11222 of May 8, 1965 (30 FR 6469).
- Any information in this system, including available
identifying data regarding the debtor, such as the name of the
debtor, last known address of the debtor, name of the debtor's
spouse, social security account number of the debtor, VA insurance
number, VA loan number, VA file number, place of birth and date of
birth of the debtor, name and address of the debtor's employer or
firm and dates of employment, may be disclosed to other Federal
agencies, State probate courts, State drivers license bureaus, and
State automobile title and license bureaus in order to obtain current
address, locator and credit report assistance in the collection of
unpaid financial obligations owed the United States. This purpose is
consistent with the Federal Claims Collection Act of 1966 (Pub. L.
89-508, 31 United States Codes 3701-3718) and 4 CFR parts 101-105 and
with 38 U.S.C. 3701(b)(6).
- Any information concerning the veteran's indebtedness to the
United States by virtue of a person's participation in a benefits
program administered by the VA, including personal information
obtained from other Federal agencies through computer matching
programs, may be disclosed to any third party, except consumer
reporting agencies, in connection with any proceeding for the
collection of an amount owed to the United States by virtue of a
person's participation in any benefit program administered by the VA.
Purposes of these disclosures may be to (a) assist VA in collection
of title 38 benefit overpayments, overdue indebtedness, and or costs
of services provided individuals not entitled to such services, and
(b) initiate legal actions for prosecuting individuals who willfully
or fraudulently obtain title 38 benefits without entitlement. This
disclosure is consistent with 38 U.S.C. 3701(b)(6).
- The name and address of a veteran, other information as is
reasonably necessary to identify such veteran, including personal
information obtained from other Federal agencies through computer
matching programs, and any information concerning the veteran's
indebtedness to the United States by virtue of the person's
participation in a benefits program administered by VA may be
disclosed to a consumer reporting agency for purposes of assisting in
the collection of such indebtedness, provided that the provisions of
38 U.S.C. 3701(g)(4) have been met.
- Any information in this system such as notice of renewal,
reinstatement, premium due, lapse actions, miscellaneous insurance
instructions, disposition of dividends, policy loans and transfer of
records may be disclosed to VA Federal fiduciaries of incompetent
veterans in order to advise the fiduciaries of current actions to be
taken in connection with ownership of U.S. Government life insurance
policies and to enable them to properly perform their duties as
fiduciaries.
- Any information in this system may be disclosed to a Federal
grand jury, a Federal court or a party in litigation, or a Federal
agency or party to an administrative proceeding being conducted by a
Federal agency, in order for the VA to respond to and comply with the
issuance of a Federal subpoena.
- Any information in this system may be disclosed to a State or
municipal grand jury, a State or municipal court or a party in
litigation, or to a State or municipal administrative agency
functioning in a quasi-judicial capacity or a party to a proceeding
being conducted by such agency, in order for the VA to respond to and
comply with the issuance of a State or municipal subpoena; provided,
that any disclosure of claimant information made under this routine
use must comply with the provisions of 38 CFR 1.511.
- Identifying information, except for the name and address of a
veteran, may be disclosed to a Federal, State, County or Municipal
agency for the purpose of conducting computer matches to obtain
information to validate the entitlement of a veteran who is receiving
or has received veterans insurance benefits under Title 38, United
States Code. The name and address of a veteran may also be disclosed
to a Federal agency under this routine use if they are required by
the Federal agency to respond to the VA inquiry.
Policies and practices for storing, retrieving, accessing,
retaining, and disposing of records in the system:
Storage:
Records are stored on magnetic tape, microfilm, microfiche,
disks, and paper documents including computer lists and punched cards.
Retrievability:
All manual and automated insurance records are retrievable by the
insurance file number, using name, social security number, VA file
number, and date of birth as additional identifying information.
Safeguards:
- Physical security.
- All VA facilities are protected by the
Federal Protective Service or other security personnel. All file
areas are restricted to authorized personnel on a need-to-know basis.
Areas containing paper records are protected by a sprinkler system.
Paper records pertaining to employees and public figures, or
otherwise sensitive files, are stored in locked files. Microfilm
records are stored in a locked, fireproof, humidity-controlled vault.
Automated records which are not in use at the Benefit Delivery Center
are stored in secured, locked vault areas.
- Access to VA Benefits Delivery Center is restricted to Center
employees, custodial personnel, and Federal Protective Service or
other security personnel. Access to computer rooms is restricted to
authorized operational personnel through electronic locking devices.
All other persons gaining access to computer rooms are escorted by an
individual with authorized access.
- At Regional Offices and at Regional Office and Insurance
Centers, the video display terminals are protected by password
access. Electronic keyboard locks are activated on security errors. A
security officer at each facility is assigned responsibility for
privacy-security measures, including review of violations logs and
local control and distribution of passwords.
- System Security.
- At the Benefits Delivery Center,
identification of magnetic tapes and disks containing data is rigidly
enforced using manual and automated labeling techniques. Access to
computer programs is controlled at three levels: Programming,
auditing, and operations.
- The ITS (Insurance Terminal System) uses the VA data
telecommunications terminal system known as the Benefits Delivery
Network (BDN) which provides computerized access control for security
purposes. This system provides automated recognition of authorized
users and their respective access levels and restrictions through
passwords. Passwords are changed periodically and are restricted to
authorized individuals on a need-to-know basis for system access or
security purposes.
Retention and disposal:
Records are retained and disposed of in accordance with
disposition authorization approved by the Archivist of the United
States. The primary record, the insurance folder, is retained at the
VA Regional Office and Insurance Center until it has been inactive
for 36 months; at which time it is retired to a servicing Federal
Archives and Records Center for 50 years retention and destroyed.
System manager(s) and address:
Director (00), VA Regional Office and Insurance Center, 5000
Wissahickon Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101.
Notification procedure:
Any individual who wishes to determine whether a record is being
maintained in this system under his or her name or other personal
identifier, or who has a routine inquiry concerning the status of his
or her insurance under this system may contact the nearest VA
Regional Office. Requests concerning the specific content of a record
must be in writing or in person to the VA Regional Office and
Insurance Center at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, or St. Paul,
Minnesota, where the insurance folder is maintained. The inquirer
should provide full name of the veteran, insurance file number, and
date of birth. If insurance file number is not available, the social
security number, service number, VA claim number, and/or location of
insurance records. Address locations of VA facilities are listed in
VA Appendix 1 at the end of this document.
Record access procedures:
Individuals desiring access to, and contesting of, VA records
should write to the VA Regional Office and Insurance Center at
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, or St. Paul, Minnesota.
Contesting record procedures:
(See Records access procedures above.)
Record source categories:
The veteran or someone acting on the behalf of the veteran; other
Federal agencies, State and local agencies, VA records; VA and
private physicians, VA and private medical facilities, accredited
service organization representatives, VA-claims agents, and the Red
Cross, VA Federal fiduciaries; financial institutions, beneficiaries;
the Retail Credit Corporation, commercial insurance companies,
undertakers and the general public.
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