Veteran Benefits
Life Insurance
VA life insurance options and online tools to manage an existing policy - including guaranteed-acceptance coverage for veterans with service-connected conditions.
There’s a free calculator on this page - estimate your monthly premium. No sign-up, no cost.
Who this is for
Protecting the people you love should not get harder just because of a service-connected condition or your age. VA offers coverage that is guaranteed to accept eligible veterans - with no medical exam to worry about.
In plain language
What Life Insurance covers
- VALife offers guaranteed-acceptance whole life coverage for veterans age 80 and under with a service-connected disability
- Options to manage, update beneficiaries, or convert existing policies
- Free financial counseling and will-preparation services for beneficiaries
VA Life Insurance (VALife)Official video - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
5 things most veterans aren't aware of
These apply to nearly every VA claim - and they change how much you get and when.
Your filing date sets your back pay
Benefits are generally paid back to the day you file - not the day you are approved. Filing an intent to file today can protect months, even years, of retroactive pay.
One condition can trigger others (secondary claims)
A service-connected condition that causes another - like sleep apnea from PTSD, or a bad knee from a bad hip - can be rated on its own. Each secondary condition adds to your rating.
A medical nexus is what wins the claim
The VA needs a documented link between your condition and your service. A clear nexus opinion is often the difference between an approval and a denial.
Accredited help is free to file an initial claim
By law, an accredited agent cannot charge a fee to prepare and file your original claim. If someone asks for money up front to file, that is a red flag.
A denial is not the end of the road
You have three appeal lanes - Higher-Level Review, a Supplemental Claim with new evidence, and the Board of Veterans Appeals. Many denials are overturned on review.
$40,000
Guaranteed-acceptance VALife whole-life coverage
No medical exam
You cannot be turned down for your health
Age 80 and under
Eligible with any service-connected rating - even 0%
The full picture
Everything you need to know
Nothing hidden behind a click, and nothing you have to go looking for on another website. Here is the whole story in plain language - the facts and the figures first - so you can decide what fits your situation.
Key facts & current figures
- VALife offers guaranteed-acceptance whole life coverage up to $40,000 for veterans age 80 and under with any service-connected disability rating.
- There is no medical exam; full coverage begins after a 2-year waiting period during which you pay premiums.
- Veterans age 81+ may still qualify if they apply within two years of their first service-connected rating.
General figures, current as of December 2025 and reviewed each year. Your exact amount depends on your situation - always confirm on va.gov.
VALife: guaranteed acceptance, no medical exam
- VALife is whole life coverage up to $40,000, bought in $10,000 steps, for veterans age 80 and under with any service-connected rating - even a 0 percent rating counts.
- There are no health questions and no medical exam. You cannot be turned down for your health.
- Full coverage starts after a 2-year waiting period. If you pass away during those two years, your beneficiary gets back every premium you paid plus interest.
- Premiums are set by your age when you apply and never go up, and the policy slowly builds cash value you can borrow against.
If you are 81 or older
- You can still enroll in VALife if you apply within two years of the date you received your first service-connected disability rating.
- This is an easy deadline to miss, so it is worth checking your rating date before you assume you are too old.
Managing a policy, and free help for beneficiaries
- You can update beneficiaries, check cash value, or convert an SGLI or VGLI policy through the VA insurance center.
- Anyone named as a beneficiary of VA life insurance can get free financial counseling and free online will preparation - a simple way to put affairs in order at no cost.
What would coverage cost me now?
VGLI premium estimator
Wondering if you are too old for life insurance? With Veterans' Group Life Insurance there is no maximum age to keep your policy and no medical exam within the enrollment window. Pick your age and coverage to see your real monthly premium - and see how it changes as you move into the next age band so there are no surprises.
Your age
How old are you?
Premiums are set in 5-year age bands - yours is 60 to 64.
There is no maximum age to keep VGLI, and coverage never expires as long as you pay the premium. After age 75 the rate is capped and stops climbing.
How much coverage?
Coverage amount
$10,000 to $500,000, in $10,000 steps
If premiums get tight, you can reduce your coverage at any time to lower the cost - you do not have to drop the policy entirely.
Estimated monthly premium
$170.00
$200,000.00 coverage at age 62
- Age band
- 60 to 64
- Cost per $10k
- $8.50/mo
- Yearly premium
- $2,040.00
When you reach the 65 to 69 band, this same coverage rises to about $276.00/mo. Planning ahead for that jump is where an honest review helps.
See official VGLI rates & rulesEstimate using VGLI rates effective July 1, 2025. The VA reviews rates periodically. Confirm your exact premium on va.gov.
Apply within 240 days of leaving service and no health questions are asked. You have up to 1 year and 120 days to enroll.
This calculator is free. No sign-up, no catch.
Most people in this business hide tools like this behind a paywall or a sign-up form. We don’t. Use it as much as you need. And if you want a real accredited agent to look at your actual claim, we’re one call away — it’s free to talk, and free to file your claim.
Albert L. Thombs Jr. — VA-accredited claims agent (#45147), a disabled veteran with a team of advocates who do this every day.
Your complete benefit picture
$40,000
guaranteed whole-life coverage the VA cannot deny you for your health - premiums are set by your age when you apply and never go up.
Two ways to move forward — both free
Not sure if this applies to you?
Ask our free assistant a few plain questions and get an honest read on what you and your family may qualify for, at no cost. It takes just a few minutes, and there is no sign-up and no obligation of any kind. You will get a clear, plain-language picture of where you stand and what might be worth filing. And if you would rather talk to a real person, an accredited agent is only a message away.
Have a question? Get free information
Ask a question, learn what you may be owed, or find out where you stand. Confidential, free, and no obligation to go any further.
Ready to hire us? Register
Decided you want us to work your claim? Registering is free — we match you with an accredited advocate and get you started. We cannot begin until you sign VA Form 21-22a, and fees, if any, are always disclosed up front.
An easy deadline to miss
Even at 81+ you may still qualify
If you are 81 or older, you can still enroll in VALife if you apply within two years of the date you received your first service-connected disability rating.
Check your rating date before you assume you are too old - this window is easy to miss.
2-year waiting period
Full coverage begins after two years; if you pass during that time, your beneficiary gets every premium back plus interest.
Free help for beneficiaries
Anyone named can get free financial counseling and online will preparation.
A clear path forward
Your step-by-step action plan
No rush and no pressure - but a little order helps. Applying is always free.
FIG. 01 - Gather your paperwork
First
Check your eligibility window
Confirm your service-connected rating and its date - especially if you are 81 or older.
FIG. 02 - Fill out the form
Apply
Enroll in VALife online
Apply through va.gov; there are no health questions and no medical exam.
FIG. 03 - File the claim
Then
Name your beneficiaries
Set who receives the benefit and update it any time through the VA insurance center.
Who to call & where to go
These are free, official VA lines. Have your Social Security number handy when you call.
VA Insurance Center
VGLI, S-DVI/VALife, and VMLI life-insurance questions.
MyVA411 - Main VA Line
Not sure who to call? Start here. One number for anything VA - they route you to the right office.
Rather have us handle it?
No phone tag, no hold music. Call our office and a real, VA-accredited person walks you through it - start to finish.
702-992-4883Not sure where to start?
Apply for VALife online through va.gov, or manage an existing policy through the insurance portal. We can help you understand which option fits.
More benefits for veterans
These often go hand in hand - tap any card to learn more.
Free information — get a free benefit review
Tell us how to reach you and an accredited team member will help you understand this benefit and claim everything you have earned. No cost, no obligation.
Ready to hire us? Register with us
For veterans who’ve decided they want us on their claim — registering is free too, and it does not make you our client or obligate you to anything. Here is exactly how it works:
- You register. This simply starts the conversation — you are not our client yet, and you owe us nothing.
- You sign and return VA Form 21-22a. It appoints us as your accredited representative and gives us access to your VA file.
- Once we have your signed 21-22a and access to your case, we verify everything is in order.
It involves the registration form and signing VA Form 21-22a — by law we can’t accept your claim, work on it, or contact the VA for you until that power of attorney is signed. You decide whether to move forward.
Official VA links
Answers, in plain language
Common questions about Life Insurance
What is Life Insurance?
VA life insurance options and online tools to manage an existing policy - including guaranteed-acceptance coverage for veterans with service-connected conditions.
Who qualifies for Life Insurance?
This benefit is generally for: Veteran, Service member. VALife offers guaranteed-acceptance whole life coverage for veterans age 80 and under with a service-connected disability Options to manage, update beneficiaries, or convert existing policies
How do I apply for Life Insurance?
Apply for VALife online through va.gov, or manage an existing policy through the insurance portal. We can help you understand which option fits.
What does it cost to get help with Life Insurance, and are you VA-accredited?
It is free to talk with us, and no one may charge you to file a first-time VA claim. The Aging Veteran is led by Albert L. Thombs Jr., a VA-accredited claims agent (accreditation #45147) and disabled veteran; any appeal work is handled on a no-fee-unless-you-win basis. We are an independent accredited practice and are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
