Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) is a post-separation life insurance program that allows Soldiers to convert their Servicemember's Group Life Insurance (SGLI) coverage to renewable term insurance. Members with SGLI coverage are eligible for VGLI upon release from service. It is one of a number of low cost insurance programs developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide insurance benefits for Soldiers 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.

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 $500,000, until age 60. No proof of good health is required.

Service members can get between $10,000 and $500,000 in term life insurance benefits. The amount you will get is based on how much SGLI coverage you had when you left the military. All active duty, guard, and reserve service members eligible for SGLI will automatically receive the increased coverage on March 1.

Army retirees are eligible to apply for Veterans' Group Life Insurance, 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. 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 life insurance if you have preexisting conditions.

Separating Soldiers may convert all or part of their SGLI coverage to term insurance under the Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) program. 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. However, a Soldier who has less than $500,000 in coverage may purchase up to $25,000 of additional coverage on each five-year anniversary of their coverage, up to the maximum.

Applying for VGLI:

You will need to apply for VGLI within 1 year and 120 days of leaving the military.

If you sign up within 240 days of leaving the military, you will not need to prove you are in good health. If you sign up after the 240-day period, You will need to submit evidence that you are in good health.

Soldiers may apply in one of these ways:

• Apply through the Office of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (OSGLI), using the Prudential website
• Apply by mail or fax. Fill out the Application for Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (SGLV 8714)

Fax the form to 800-236-6142, or mail it to:

OSGLI
PO Box 41618
Philadelphia, PA 19176-9913

To reinstate a VGLI policy that has expired, you will need to fill out an Application for Reinstatement of VGLI Coverage (SGLV 180).

Note: On April 1, 2021, VGLI premium rates were lowered.

Converting SGLI / FSGLI to a Commercial Insurance Policy:

Retiring Soldiers who choose not to convert their SGLI coverage to VGLI are eligible to convert it to an individual policy of life insurance with a commercial company that participates in the program. This option is also available for Spouses covered under Family SGLI (FSGLI). In both cases, this conversion must take place within 240 days following the Soldier's release from active duty. Conversion is at standard premium rates, without having to provide proof of good health. The conversion policy must be a permanent policy, such as a whole life policy. In order to convert VGLI coverage, the policyholder must:

• Select a company from the Participating Companies listing

• Apply to a local sales office of the company selected, and

• Provide the agent who takes the application a copy of their separation document (DD-214 or NGB-22, or written Reservist orders along with a copy of last Leave & Earnings Statement (LES)).

For more information, please visit the Veterans Group Life Insurance webpage maintained by the Department of Veterans Affairs:
https://www.va.gov/life-insurance/options-eligibility/vgli/

Servicemembers' and Veterans' Group Life Insurance Handbook:
https://www.benefits.va.gov/INSURANCE/docs/SGLI-VGLI-handbook.pdf