Life insurance • Who it’s for
VA Life Insurance for Veterans: VALife, VGLI, and Private Coverage Compared
Veterans have two main VA life insurance programs. VALife is guaranteed-acceptance whole life for veterans with a service-connected disability rating, up to $40,000. VGLI lets you keep group term coverage after you leave the military, up to the SGLI amount you had, but premiums rise with age. Many veterans pair one of these with private term life.
This guide compares VALife, VGLI, and private coverage, with the deadlines and limits that matter most. Blake Insurance Group is not affiliated with the VA or the Department of Defense.
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VALife: for veterans with a service-connected rating
- Who qualifies: veterans age 80 or younger with a VA service-connected disability rating; some veterans 81 and older may qualify if they applied for compensation before 81.
- Acceptance: guaranteed, with no health questions.
- Coverage: whole life up to $40,000, with premiums that don’t rise while you keep the policy.
- Waiting period: full coverage starts two years after approval. If you die sooner, beneficiaries get the premiums paid plus interest.
- Cash value: builds after two years, but VALife offers no policy loans.
VGLI: keeping coverage after you separate
- Deadline: apply within 240 days of leaving service with no proof of good health; you can still apply up to one year and 120 days after, with health questions.
- Coverage: $10,000 to $500,000 in $10,000 steps, but not more than your SGLI amount at separation.
- Increases: $25,000 at the one-year anniversary and every five years after, up to $500,000, until age 60, without health questions.
- Price: renewable term with premiums set by age band, rising as you get older. Monthly rates run from $0.60 per $10,000 under age 29 to $44 per $10,000 at 80 and older.
- Premium holiday: eligible VGLI policyholders pay no premiums from November 1, 2026, through January 31, 2027.
What VGLI costs as you age: an example
VGLI premiums are set by five-year age bands. Here is what $400,000 of coverage costs per month at the rates in effect since July 1, 2025 (Air Force benefits fact sheet):
| Age | Rate per $10,000 | Monthly cost for $400,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 35–39 | $1.00 | $40 |
| 45–49 | $1.90 | $76 |
| 55–59 | $5.00 | $200 |
| 65–69 | $13.80 | $552 |
| 75–79 | $38.50 | $1,540 |
The cost climbs sharply after 60. That’s why many veterans use VGLI as a bridge and lock in a level-premium private term policy while they’re younger and healthier.
Converting SGLI to a private policy
Instead of VGLI, you can convert SGLI to a permanent individual policy with a participating commercial insurer within 240 days of release, at standard premium rates and without proof of good health. Spouses covered by FSGLI have a similar conversion option (Air Force benefits fact sheet). Compare this with buying a new policy, since a healthy applicant may qualify for a better class than standard.
VALife vs. VGLI vs. private term life
| Option | Health questions | Coverage | Price over time |
|---|---|---|---|
| VALife | None | Up to $40,000 | Level |
| VGLI | None within 240 days | Up to $500,000 | Rises with age |
| Private term life | Usually yes | Often much higher | Level for the term |
Healthy younger veterans often find private term life costs less than VGLI for the same amount. VGLI and VALife can be valuable if your health makes private coverage hard to get.
If you have S-DVI
Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI) closed to new applicants when VALife launched on January 1, 2023. Veterans who applied for VALife by December 31, 2025, could keep S-DVI during the two-year VALife waiting period. For applications on or after January 1, 2026, S-DVI ends when VALife is approved, which leaves a gap in full coverage during the waiting period (Congressional Research Service). If you hold S-DVI, keep other coverage in place before you switch.
How to apply and pay
- VGLI: apply online through Prudential’s Office of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (OSGLI), or send Form SGLV 8714 by mail or fax (Air Force benefits fact sheet).
- VALife: apply through the VA once you have a service-connected rating. You can pay monthly or annually (annual payment gets a 2.5% discount), or have premiums deducted monthly from VA compensation or military retired pay (CRS).
- Private coverage: apply with an insurer or through an independent agent; health questions and sometimes an exam apply. See the life insurance medical exam.
What private insurers may ask veterans
- Service-connected conditions, your rating, and current treatment.
- Mental health history, including PTSD, and any TBI.
- Medications and recent hospital stays.
- Current Guard or Reserve status, planned deployments, and hazardous duty such as military aviation.
Answer accurately: misstatements can lead to a denied claim during the contestability period. Underwriting varies widely between insurers, which is where comparing several helps.
Tips for veterans
- Apply for VGLI within 240 days even if you’re shopping for private coverage; you can cancel later.
- Don’t let VGLI lapse until a private policy is approved and in force.
- Ask private insurers how they treat service-connected conditions, PTSD, and deployment history.
- Use VALife to add guaranteed whole life on top of term coverage.
VA life insurance FAQs
What is VALife?
A VA whole life program for veterans with a service-connected disability rating, offering up to $40,000 with guaranteed acceptance and a two-year waiting period.
How long do I have to convert SGLI to VGLI?
Apply within 240 days of separation to skip health questions; the final deadline is one year and 120 days.
Is VGLI expensive?
Premiums are based on age and rise as you get older, so private term life may cost less for healthy veterans.
Can I have VGLI and private life insurance?
Yes. Many veterans keep VGLI until a private policy is in force.
Does VALife build cash value?
Yes, starting two years after approval, but VALife doesn’t offer policy loans.
Can I convert SGLI to a private policy instead of VGLI?
Yes. Within 240 days of release you can convert to a permanent policy with a participating insurer at standard rates, without proof of good health.
Is there a VGLI premium holiday?
Yes. Eligible VGLI policyholders pay no premiums from November 1, 2026, through January 31, 2027.
Related guides
Important information
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