Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) is a life insurance program for service members provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is one of a number of low cost insurance programs that were developed to provide insurance benefits for service members and Veterans who may not otherwise be eligible to receive insurance benefits from private companies due to risks involved in military service or a service connected disability. SGLI may be converted to Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI) after discharge or converted to a commercial policy after separation from the military.

Army Reserve Soldiers on active duty are eligible for full-time coverage if under orders that do not specify periods of less than 31 days. Members of the Ready Reserves assigned to a unit in which the service member may be required to perform active duty or active duty for training and each year will be scheduled to perform at least twelve periods of inactive duty training, are also eligible for full-time SGLI coverage. The service member is also covered for 120 days following separation or release from duty.

SGLI Coverage Available: SGLI coverage is available in $50,000 increments up to the maximum of $500,000. Service members are automatically covered for the maximum insurance amount unless they reduce or decline coverage in writing. Coverage can be extended for up to two years if the service member is totally disabled at separation.

Service members covered under SGLI are also covered under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection Program (TSGLI). Click here to view the TSGLI fact sheet.

The included TSGLI coverage will pay a benefit of between $25,000 and $100,000 depending on the loss directly resulting from the traumatic injury. Monthly premium rates (effective 1 March 2023) for coverage are shown on the following table:

Premium Rate

SGLI Premium Rates Effective 1 March 2023 (Rates include additional $1 for TSGLI).

The premiums are based on a rate of $.07 per $1,000 of coverage, plus an additional $1.00 for the TSGLI coverage.

To assist in determining the level of coverage a service member may require, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has provided a "Life Insurance Needs Calculator" that can be accessed here.

Applying for SGLI: There is no application process to enroll in SGLI; eligible service members are automatically enrolled in the SGLI program. However, eligible service members should complete and file form SGLV 8286, Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Election and Certificate, to designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive the proceeds.

To Reduce or Cancel SGLI Coverage: To reduce or cancel your SGLI, you must complete and file a form SGLV 8286, Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance Election and Certificate. If you reduce or cancel SGLI on the first day of duty, your election will be effective immediately. If you make an election after the first day of duty, it will be effective at the end of that month.

Married Service members: The spouses of married service members who are covered under full-time SGLI are automatically covered under the Family Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (FSGLI) program. Click here to see the FSGLI fact sheet. A service member married to another service member can be insured under both the FSGLI and SGLI programs at the same time, for a maximum coverage amount of $500,000.

Service members with Dependents: FSGLI program coverage in the amount of $10,000 is automatically extended to the dependent children of service members who are insured under the SGLI program. There is no additional premium required for this coverage. Click here to see the FSGLI fact sheet.

Service members who are Disabled: Service members who are covered under full-time SGLI and are totally disabled at time of discharge may be eligible to retain the SGLI coverage they had in service at no cost for up to two years. Service members must apply for the coverage using SGLV Form 8715, Application for SGLI Disability Extension, submitted to: OSGLI, PO Box 41618, Philadelphia, PA 19176-9913

Accelerated Benefit Option: The Accelerated Benefit Option permits terminally ill policyholders under the SGLI and VGLI programs access to the death benefits of their policies before they die. The member may receive in a lump-sum payment a portion of the face value of the insurance.

The amount of Accelerated Benefit available to a member is up to 50% of the face value of the member's insurance coverage. If a member elects less than the maximum, the amount requested must be in increments of $5,000. The Accelerated Benefit paid to the member will be the amount requested, minus an interest deduction, which is the amount OSGLI actuarially determines to be the amount of interest lost due to early payment.

The portion of the face value of insurance which is not paid in a lump sum as an accelerated benefit remains payable to the member's designated beneficiary(ies) upon their death. Monthly deductions for SGLI and premiums for VGLI shall be reduced in a manner consistent with the percentage reduction in the face value of the insurance as a result of payment of the Accelerated Benefit.

Members insured under the SGLI program who elect an Accelerated Benefit and who thereafter convert their SGLI coverage to VGLI are eligible only for a reduced amount of VGLI coverage based on the amount of the Accelerated Benefit they received.

The amount of the Accelerated Benefit received by the service member or Veteran shall not be considered income or resources for purposes of determining eligibility for or the amount of benefits under any Federal or federally-assisted program or for any other purpose.

The Form 8284, Service member/Veteran Accelerated Benefits Option (SGLI and VGLI policyholders) and Form 8284A, Service member Family Coverage Accelerated Benefits Option (spouses covered under Family SGLI) applications should be completed and sent to the Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance, 80 Livingston Avenue, Roseland, New Jersey 07068-1733.

Service-Disabled Veteran's Insurance (S-DVI): The S-DVI program stopped taking new applications on December 31, 2022. The VA launched a new life insurance program on January 1, 2023, called Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife). If you have S-DVI, you can apply for VALife. If you apply before December 31, 2025, you can keep S-DVI during the initial two year enrollment period for VALife. Click here to see the S-DVI fact sheet.

Veteran Affairs Life Insurance (VALife): VALife provides guaranteed acceptance whole life coverage of up to $40,000 to veterans with service-connected disabilities. Lesser amounts are available in increments of $10,000. Under this plan, the elected coverage takes effect two years after enrollment as long as premiums are paid during the two-year period. Click here to see the VALife fact sheet.

Conversion Feature: Service members with SGLI coverage have two conversion options available to them upon release/retirement from service.

VGLI: Full-time SGLI coverage may be converted to term insurance under the Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) program. Service members have 120 days following separation to apply for VGLI. After the 120-day period, service members may still apply for up to 1 year, but must submit evidence of good health. VGLI coverage is available in increments of $10,000 up to a maximum of $500,000 but cannot exceed the amount of SGLI in effect at the time of release/retirement. Service members may apply for VGLI by completing SGLV- 8714, Application for Veterans' Group Life Insurance. Click here to view the VGLI fact sheet.

Commercial: Service members may convert SGLI to an individual policy of life insurance with a commercial company that participates in the program within 120 days following release from active duty. This conversion option is also extended to the spouses of service members who are covered under FSGLI when the service member is released from active duty. Click here for more information on converting SGLI coverage.

For more information, please visit the SGLI web pages maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs:

SGLI:
https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/options-eligibility/sgli/

TSGLI:
https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/options-eligibility/tsgli/

FSGLI:
https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/options-eligibility/fsgli/

VGLI:
https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/options-eligibility/vgli/

SGLI Disability Extension:
https://www.benefits.va.gov/INSURANCE/forms/sglidisabled.htm

Accelerated Benefits Claim:
https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/totally-disabled-or-terminally-ill/#accelerated-benefits-for-termi

VALife:
https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/options-eligibility/valife/

S-DVI:
https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/options-eligibility/s-dvi/

SGLI:
https://www.benefits.va.gov/INSURANCE/resources-forms.asp#sgli

SGLI / VGLI Handbook:
https://www.benefits.va.gov/INSURANCE/docs/SGLI-VGLI-handbook.pdf