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Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) defines a traumatic event as the application of external force, violence, chemical, biological, or radiological weapons, accidental ingestion of a contaminated substance, or exposure to the elements that causes physical damage to the body. A traumatic injury is defined as physical damage to the body that results from a traumatic event.

The Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI) program provides automatic short-term financial assistance to all severely injured service members and Veterans covered under Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI). TSGLI is designed to help traumatically injured service members and their families with financial burdens associated with recovering from a severe injury.

To be eligible, a service member must have been insured under the TSGLI program when he/she experienced the traumatic injury and all qualifying traumatic injury losses (i.e. sight, hearing, speech, amputations) must have occurred within 730 days (2 years) of an identifiable traumatic event.

For additional information on qualifying traumatic injuries and payment amounts, refer to the TSGLI schedule of losses on the VA website .

You can also contact the Army TSGLI point of contact (POC) at 1-800-237-1336 or the National Guard TSGLI POC at 1-703-607-5851 for additional information.

Frequently Asked Questions

TSGLI

Where can I go to file a claim for TSGLI benefits?
Are there certain circumstances under which a traumatic injury will not be covered by TSGLI?
Does TSGLI cover injuries that I incurred off duty?

 Where can I go to file a claim for TSGLI benefits?

You can download and complete form SGL 8600 Application for TSGLI Benefits at http://benefits.va.gov/INSURANCE/forms/TSGLIForm.htm .

Are there certain circumstances under which a traumatic injury will not be covered by TSGLI?

Yes. Certain injuries are not covered by TSGLI and include the following:

  • Caused by a mental disorder or a mental or physical illness or disease (not including illness or disease caused by a wound infection, biological, chemical, or radiological weapon, or accidental ingestion of a contaminated substance)
  • Incurred while attempting suicide, whether the service member was sane or insane
  • Intentionally self-inflicted or any attempt to inflict such injury
  • Incurred due to medical or surgical treatment of an illness whether the loss results directly or indirectly from that treatment
  • Incurred while under the influence of an illegal or controlled substance unless administered or consumed on the advice of a doctor
  • Incurred while committing or attempting to commit a felony

Does TSGLI cover injuries that I incurred off duty?

Yes. TSGLI provides insurance coverage for injuries incurred on or off duty, regardless of the geographical location in which the injury occurred, considering all TSGLI eligibility requirements are met.

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