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Life Insurance

Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI)

Why choose VGLI? - Follow this link to watch an informational video about VGLI

Coverage

Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) is a program that allows you to continue life insurance coverage after you separate from service.

VGLI provides lifetime coverage as long as you pay the premiums. You may enroll for a maximum amount of coverage that is equal to the amount of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) coverage you had when you separated from service. Lesser amounts of coverage are also available in increments of $10,000.

Once enrolled in VGLI, you will have the opportunity to increase your coverage by $25,000 on your one-year anniversary and once every five years thereafter, up to the legislated maximum of $400,000, until age 60.

No proof of good health is required.

Enrollment Period

You have 1 year and 120 days from your date of separation to apply for VGLI. If you apply for coverage within 240 days of your date of separation, you will not need to answer health questions.

If you have medical conditions that may make you uninsurable, you should protect yourself and apply within 240 days from separation because there is no health review during this period.   Follow this link to learn more about medical conditions that may make you uninsurable.

Eligibility

You are eligible to apply for VGLI, if you had SGLI, and are within 1 year and 120 days of the following events:

  • release from active duty or active duty for training under a call or order to duty that does not specify a period of less than 31 days.
  • separation, retirement or release from assignment from the Ready Reserves/National Guard.
  • assignment to the Individual Ready Reserves (IRR) of a branch of service or to the Inactive National Guard (ING).This includes members of the United States Public Health Service Inactive Reserve Corps (IRC).
  • placement on the Temporary Disability Retirement List (TDRL)

You are also eligible to apply for VGLI, if you had part-time SGLI and while performing duty, suffered an injury or disability that rendered you uninsurable at standard premium rates. This includes travel directly to and from duty.

Cost/Rates

VGLI Premiums are based upon the Veterans age. Premium rates increased for VGLI insureds age 70 and older effective July 1, 2014. Follow this link to view VGLI premium rates.

Deadline to Convert SGLI to VGLI

You must apply to convert SGLI to VGLI within one year and 120 days from discharge. If you submit your application within 240 days after discharge (for those discharged on or after November 1, 2012) or within 120 days after discharge (for those discharged before November 1, 2012), you do not need to submit evidence of good health. Those who apply after the no-health period are required to answer questions about their health.

How to Apply

Applying for VGLI is simple using one of the following methods:

Converting VGLI to a Commercial Policy

VGLI policyholders can convert your VGLI to an individual commercial life insurance policy at any time. Follow these links for:

VGLI Customer Service Standards and Results

    • VGLI Customer Service Phone Calls: Percentage of calls answered within 20 seconds

    • VGLI Applications:  Average number of days to process is the number of business days elapsed from when OSGLI receives all necessary information to process an application and when the application is approved or denied.

  • VGLI Claims:  Average number of days to process is the number of business days elapsed from when OSGLI receives all necessary information to process a claim and when the claim is paid.

Average Number of Days to Process VGLI Actions (2020)

 MarJuneSepDec
Phone Calls  82%      
Applications  2.7      
Claims  2.3      

To provide feedback on the VGLI Program, please email YourFeedbackMatters@va.gov.

Myths and Rumors About SGLI

There are several myths, rumors and misconceptions about SGLI and VGLI insurance floating around. Please visit our Myths and Rumors page to find out what's true and what's false.



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