Veteran Benefits
Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI)
VGLI lets you convert the SGLI coverage you had in uniform into renewable term life insurance you can keep for life - up to $500,000. If you apply within 240 days of separating, no health questions are asked, which makes it a lifeline for veterans whose health would disqualify them from civilian policies. The premiums rise with age, but the coverage never gets cancelled as long as you pay. The mistake that costs families everything: letting the enrollment window close.
Who this is for
The life insurance you carried on active duty - SGLI - does not follow you into retirement. It ends, quietly, a few months after you take off the uniform. But you have a narrow window to convert it into coverage you can keep for the rest of your life, with no medical exam if you act in time. Miss the window and your health may lock you out of affordable coverage forever.
In plain language
What Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) covers
- Up to $500,000 of coverage, capped at your SGLI amount
- No medical exam if you apply within 240 days
- Renewable for life - never cancelled for health or age
- The deadlines, premiums, and how to enroll
Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI)Official video - U.S. Dept 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.
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
- VGLI converts your military SGLI into civilian coverage of up to $500,000, in $10,000 increments, but never more than the SGLI amount you carried at separation.
- Apply within 240 days of separation and there are no health questions - your medical history cannot be used to deny you. This is the single most valuable feature for older or disabled veterans.
- You can still apply up to 1 year and 120 days after separation, but past the 240-day mark you must answer health questions and prove good health.
- It is renewable term coverage - you keep it for life as long as you pay the premiums; it is never cancelled because you got sick or older.
- Premiums are based on your age and step up in 5-year brackets, so the cost rises as you age - budget for that, because the coverage is meant to last decades.
General figures, current as of December 2025 and reviewed each year. Your exact amount depends on your situation - always confirm on va.gov.
What VGLI is and why the timing matters
- VGLI is the civilian continuation of the SGLI you carried on active duty - post-service term life insurance administered for the VA through OSGLI (Prudential).
- The reason to move fast is the health-questions rule: apply within 240 days of separation and your medical history is irrelevant - you cannot be turned down. Wait longer and your health can be used against you.
- The absolute final deadline is 1 year and 120 days after separation. After that, VGLI is off the table for good.
How much coverage you can get
- You can carry up to $500,000, chosen in $10,000 increments, but never more than the SGLI amount you had when you separated.
- If you took less than the maximum, you can increase coverage by $25,000 every 5 years - up to the $500,000 cap - until age 60, without new health questions.
- Coverage does not shrink over time the way mortgage insurance does - the face amount you choose is what your family receives.
What it costs and how premiums change
- Premiums are set by your age bracket and the amount of coverage, and they step up every 5 years as you move into an older bracket - this is the part that surprises people.
- Because it is coverage meant to last for decades, plan for premiums to rise; confirm the current rate table on va.gov before you commit to an amount.
- As long as you pay the premium, the policy renews automatically for life - the VA cannot cancel it because you developed cancer, heart disease, or any other condition.
Special paths for disabled veterans
- If you were totally disabled at separation, look into the SGLI Disability Extension (SGLI-DE) first - it can extend your free SGLI for up to 2 years, and you can convert to VGLI afterward with no health questions.
- Veterans with serious health conditions often find VGLI is the only affordable coverage available to them, because no civilian insurer will take the risk without a steep price or an outright denial.
- You can convert VGLI to an individual commercial policy at any time with a participating company - useful if your health improves and you want a lower fixed premium.
Your complete benefit picture
You do not have to sort this out alone
Here is the honest tradeoff: VGLI premiums are not cheap, and they climb as you age, so a healthy veteran can often find a cheaper civilian term policy. But if your health is complicated - and after a full career, many of ours are - VGLI may be the only meaningful coverage you can get, precisely because it asks no health questions inside the 240-day window. Do not let that window close while you shop around. You can always convert VGLI to a private policy later if your health turns out fine, but you cannot go back and reclaim the no-exam window once it is gone.
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.
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Worth knowing
Before you file, keep this in mind
Here is the honest tradeoff: VGLI premiums are not cheap, and they climb as you age, so a healthy veteran can often find a cheaper civilian term policy. But if your health is complicated - and after a full career, many of ours are - VGLI may be the only meaningful coverage you can get, precisely because it asks no health questions inside the 240-day window. Do not let that window close while you shop around. You can always convert VGLI to a private policy later if your health turns out fine, but you cannot go back and reclaim the no-exam window once it is gone.
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
See what you qualify for
The life insurance you carried on active duty - SGLI - does not follow you into retirement. It ends, quietly, a few months after you take off the uniform. But you have a narrow window to convert it into coverage you can keep for the rest of your life, with no medical exam if you act in time. Miss the window and your health may lock you out of affordable coverage forever.
FIG. 02 - Fill out the form
Gather
Collect your documents
Pull your DD-214 and any records that support your claim - we can help you figure out exactly what you need.
FIG. 03 - File the claim
File it - always free
Apply for the benefit
The fastest path is to apply online through the Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (OSGLI) or complete SGLV Form 8714 (Application for Veterans' Group Life Insurance). If you apply within 240 days of separation, skip the health questions entirely. You can enroll up to 1 year and 120 days after separation, but after 240 days you must prove good health. Questions? Call OSGLI at 800-419-1473. If you were rated totally disabled at separation, ask about SGLI Disability Extension first - it can give you up to two years of free coverage before VGLI even starts.
Who to call & where to go
These are free, official VA lines. Have your Social Security number handy when you call.
MyVA411 - Main VA Line
Not sure who to call? Start here. One number for anything VA - they route you to the right office.
VA Benefits Hotline
Compensation, pension, and general claim questions.
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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?
The fastest path is to apply online through the Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (OSGLI) or complete SGLV Form 8714 (Application for Veterans' Group Life Insurance). If you apply within 240 days of separation, skip the health questions entirely. You can enroll up to 1 year and 120 days after separation, but after 240 days you must prove good health. Questions? Call OSGLI at 800-419-1473. If you were rated totally disabled at separation, ask about SGLI Disability Extension first - it can give you up to two years of free coverage before VGLI even starts.
More benefits for veterans
These often go hand in hand - tap any card to learn more.
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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 Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI)
What is Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI)?
VGLI lets you convert the SGLI coverage you had in uniform into renewable term life insurance you can keep for life - up to $500,000. If you apply within 240 days of separating, no health questions are asked, which makes it a lifeline for veterans whose health would disqualify them from civilian policies. The premiums rise with age, but the coverage never gets cancelled as long as you pay. The mistake that costs families everything: letting the enrollment window close.
Who qualifies for Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI)?
This benefit is generally for: Veteran who recently separated or retired, Veteran who had SGLI on active duty, Veteran with health problems who cannot get civilian coverage, Veteran who wants life insurance they can keep for life. Up to $500,000 of coverage, capped at your SGLI amount No medical exam if you apply within 240 days
How much does Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) pay?
Premiums are set by your age bracket and the amount of coverage, and they step up every 5 years as you move into an older bracket - this is the part that surprises people. Because it is coverage meant to last for decades, plan for premiums to rise; confirm the current rate table on va.gov before you commit to an amount. As long as you pay the premium, the policy renews automatically for life - the VA cannot cancel it because you developed cancer, heart disease, or any other condition.
How do I apply for Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI)?
The fastest path is to apply online through the Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (OSGLI) or complete SGLV Form 8714 (Application for Veterans' Group Life Insurance). If you apply within 240 days of separation, skip the health questions entirely. You can enroll up to 1 year and 120 days after separation, but after 240 days you must prove good health. Questions? Call OSGLI at 800-419-1473. If you were rated totally disabled at separation, ask about SGLI Disability Extension first - it can give you up to two years of free coverage before VGLI even starts.
What does it cost to get help with Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI), and are you VA-accredited?
Here is the honest tradeoff: VGLI premiums are not cheap, and they climb as you age, so a healthy veteran can often find a cheaper civilian term policy. But if your health is complicated - and after a full career, many of ours are - VGLI may be the only meaningful coverage you can get, precisely because it asks no health questions inside the 240-day window. Do not let that window close while you shop around. You can always convert VGLI to a private policy later if your health turns out fine, but you cannot go back and reclaim the no-exam window once it is gone. 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.
