Celebrating 50 years of Veterans’ Group Life Insurance

Did you know that VA has been offering life insurance for more than 50 years to protect our nation's heroes?

Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) was launched in 1974 through a partnership between VA and Prudential's Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (OSGLI), ensuring separating service members could keep their life insurance in civilian life. Today, 455,000 Veterans are insured under this group policy, supervised by VA, for $97 billion in coverage. These milestones are significant achievements in VA's history of providing earned benefits.

VGLI is renewable group term insurance that allows separating service members with existing Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) coverage the option to convert and keep this protection.

Veterans have one year and 120 days from date of separation to apply for VGLI; but if they apply within the first 240 days following separation, they do not have to answer any health questions. VGLI is available in amounts ranging from $10,000 to $500,000, not to exceed the amount of SGLI coverage at the time of separation. VGLI coverage can be increased by $25,000 on the first coverage anniversary and every five years thereafter-up to $500,000-until age 60.

The VGLI program history includes several impactful initiatives:

• May 1974: Program launched.
• October 1992: Provision for renewal.
• July 2008: Premium Reduction for ages 30 to 64.
• April 2011: Buy-up option of $25,000 became available.
• November 2012: "No Health" application period extended to 240 days.
• April 2021: Premium reduction for all ages.
• March 2023: Coverage increased from $400,000 to $500,000.

VGLI is supervised by VA and is administered by OSGLI.

Veterans can apply for VGLI. Applying is seamless; during the application, Veterans are guided through each step of the process, from retrieving data automatically if available to presenting medical questions, if necessary, which can be completed online. Applications are evaluated instantly; the Veteran is informed that coverage is approved pending receipt of payment and, if required, proof of SGLI coverage.

VA provides a range of life insurance benefits to service members and Veterans. In addition to VGLI, its newest life insurance program, Veterans Affairs Life Insurance or VALife, offers guaranteed acceptance. It's a whole term life insurance to Veterans aged 80 or under with any level of service-connected disability (0-100%) with no time limit to apply. Veterans aged 81 or over may qualify if they meet certain criteria and apply within a certain timeframe. The VALife application and eligibility decision process is completely automated and online. Apply, receive an instant decision, and enroll in VALife online.

You can learn more about VGLI and VALife by visiting the program websites: VGLI and VALife.

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