VA Life Insurance: VGLI and VALife

What it is

When you leave the military, your Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) stops after a short free period. VA offers two main ways to keep your family protected.

VGLI (Veterans' Group Life Insurance) is renewable term coverage. You can keep up to the amount of SGLI you had when you left, between $10,000 and $500,000.

VALife (Veterans Affairs Life Insurance) is whole life coverage for veterans with service-connected disabilities. It offers up to $40,000 in $10,000 steps. It builds cash value after two years, and the premium never goes up.

Who qualifies

• VGLI: You had SGLI when you separated. You must apply within one year and 120 days. If you apply within 240 days, you do not have to answer health questions. After that, you must show you are in good health.
• VALife: You are 80 or younger and have any VA service-connected rating, even 0%. There is no deadline after your rating. Acceptance is guaranteed. If you are 81 or older, special rules apply.

How each one works

VGLI costs more as you age, because it is term insurance priced by age group. You can raise your coverage by $25,000 one year after you start, and then every five years, up to $500,000, until age 60. Good news for late 2026: eligible VGLI members pay no premiums from November 1, 2026, through January 31, 2027, under a VGLI premium holiday.

VALife has a two-year waiting period. If you die during the first two years, your beneficiaries get back the premiums paid, plus interest. After two years, they get the full amount. VALife has no loans or premium waivers.

If you still have the older S-DVI policy, note a 2026 change: if you apply for VALife on or after January 1, 2026, your S-DVI ends the day VALife is approved.

Which should you choose?

Many families use both. VGLI can give a large amount of coverage while kids are young or the mortgage is big. VALife gives a smaller, permanent policy that never expires. Before you buy VGLI, compare it with private term life quotes. Younger, healthy veterans can often find cheaper private plans. VGLI shines if you have health problems that make private coverage hard to get.

How it works when you are relocating

VGLI is managed by Prudential's Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (OSGLI), not by your VA.gov profile. When you move, update your address and beneficiaries on the Prudential site. For VALife, contact the VA Insurance Center. Changing your VA.gov address does not update these policies.

How to apply

1. VGLI: Apply online through the VA life insurance portal. Watch for the reminder letters VA sends after you separate. Do not wait. Mark day 240 on your calendar.
2. VALife: Check eligibility and apply online on VA.gov. Your first premium is due with your application.
3. Name your beneficiaries and review them after any marriage, divorce or new child.

Common mistakes

• Missing the 240-day window and then being denied for a health condition.
• Never updating beneficiaries after a divorce.
• Ignoring VALife because the coverage looks small. For many disabled veterans, it is the only guaranteed permanent coverage they can get.

Related benefits

Survivors may also get DIC, burial benefits, and education help. Read our survivor and burial guides.