Veteran life insurance, the straight version.
Bottom line: veterans have three paths to life insurance — VGLI (continue your coverage after service), VALife (VA whole life for a service-connected disability), and private coverage from commercial carriers. The right one depends on your health, your timing, and whether you’re converting from SGLI. Here’s the brief on each.
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The options
Four doors, one decision.
Each program does a specific job. Knowing which is which is most of the battle — figures below are current as of 2026; confirm the latest on VA.gov.
SGLI
01While you serve
Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance covers active-duty members up to $500,000. It ends shortly after separation — which is where the next decision begins.
VGLI
02After you separate
Veterans’ Group Life Insurance lets you carry coverage forward from SGLI with no health questions inside the window. Premiums step up with age, in five-year bands.
VALife
03Service-connected disability
A VA whole life policy up to $40,000 with guaranteed acceptance for veterans 80 and under who have any service-connected rating. Two-year waiting period.
Private
04Open market
Commercial term or whole life, underwritten on your health. Often the lowest cost for a healthy veteran — and not capped at VA limits.
Not sure which option is yours? A licensed professional will compare VGLI, VALife, and private coverage for your situation. No obligation.
Call (888) 959-0710How to choose
The decision comes down to health and timing.
If your health has changed
VGLI’s no-questions window is the asset — lock it in before the deadline. A service-connected rating also opens VALife with guaranteed acceptance.
If you’re in good health
Compare your VGLI rate against a private term quote. For many healthy veterans, private coverage costs less for the same amount — and isn’t capped at $500,000.
If you’re converting from SGLI
You have one year and 120 days from separation; apply within 240 days for no health questions. Miss it and the easy door closes.
Eligibility and amounts are set by statute under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 19 and administered by the VA. We don’t sell VA programs — we help you read your options and compare them honestly.
Go deeper
Veteran coverage guides.
Veterans · 13 min
VGLI Rates 2026: Full Monthly Premium Chart by Age
Current VGLI rates straight from VA.gov — the full monthly premium chart by age and coverage tier, how the 5-year increases work, and when keeping VGLI is right.
Read the guideVeterans · 11 min
VALife: Eligibility, Coverage & How It Works
Guaranteed-acceptance whole life for veterans with any service-connected rating — up to $40,000, no health questions. Eligibility, the waiting period, and VALife vs VGLI.
Read the guideVeterans · 9 min
SGLI vs. VGLI: Coverage, Cost & How to Convert
SGLI covers you while serving; VGLI continues it after, with no health questions inside the window. The differences, the deadlines, and how to choose. Cited to VA.gov.
Read the guideVeterans · 7 min
Is VGLI Term or Whole Life Insurance?
The straight answer: VGLI is term-style group coverage with no cash value, and the cost rises with age. When private term or whole life is worth comparing.
Read the guideVeterans · 7 min
Does VGLI Premium Increase With Age? Yes — Here’s How
VGLI premiums step up by five-year age band as you renew. How the increases work, ways to manage the cost, and when a private term policy stays cheaper.
Read the guideVeterans · 10 min
Life Insurance for Veterans: Options Beyond VGLI
Life insurance for veterans, explained plainly: how VGLI, VALife, and private coverage compare, what each costs, and a simple way to decide which fits.
Read the guideVeterans · 9 min
Military Life Insurance: SGLI, VGLI & Private Options
Military life insurance explained: how SGLI works while you serve, VGLI after you separate, and when a private policy fits — plus a side-by-side table.
Read the guideVeterans · 9 min
VA Burial Benefits 2026: Allowances, Plots & Eligibility
VA burial benefits can cover a plot, a headstone, and a burial allowance for eligible veterans. What the VA pays in 2026, who qualifies, and how to apply.
Read the guideA review, veteran to veteran
Compare your VGLI rate against the open market.
The single most useful thing a veteran can do is put the VGLI premium next to a private quote for the same coverage. Sometimes VGLI wins — especially if health is a factor. Sometimes private wins by a wide margin. A licensed professional runs both sides with you and tells you which is which.
Our team includes veterans, so you’re talking with people who’ve made this same call themselves. If VGLI is your best option, we’ll tell you to keep it.
Free · no obligation · Mon-Sat · 10am-9pm
VGLI is a good deal for the right veteran and an expensive one for another. The only way to know which you are is to run the numbers. That part is free.
Straight answers
Veteran coverage questions, answered.
By Braxton Mondell, licensed in all 50 states · Updated June 2026
01What life insurance can veterans get?
Three paths. VGLI (Veterans’ Group Life Insurance) lets you continue coverage after service by converting from SGLI. VALife is a VA whole life policy for veterans with a service-connected disability. And private coverage from commercial carriers is open to veterans like anyone else. Many veterans hold a VA policy and a private one together. (Source: VA.gov.)
02Is VGLI or private life insurance better?
It depends on your health. VGLI’s advantage is that it asks no health questions if you apply within the window after separation — valuable if your health has changed. If you’re in good health, a private term policy often costs less for the same coverage. The honest answer comes from comparing your actual VGLI rate against a private quote.
03What is VALife?
VALife is a VA-backed whole life policy, available since January 1, 2023, for veterans age 80 and under who have any service-connected disability rating. It’s guaranteed-acceptance coverage — no medical exam — for up to $40,000, with a two-year waiting period before the full death benefit applies. (Source: VA.gov.)
04How long do I have to convert SGLI to VGLI?
You have one year and 120 days from your separation date. Apply within the first 240 days and no health questions are asked. After that window you can still apply but may need to answer health questions. Check VA.gov for current deadlines and amounts. (Source: VA.gov.)
05Can a veteran have both VA and private coverage?
Yes. VGLI or VALife and a private policy can be held at the same time, and many veterans do exactly that — VA coverage as a floor, private coverage layered on top for more protection at a working age.
06How do I find out if a veteran had life insurance?
Start with the VA’s insurance office for SGLI, VGLI, or VALife records, and check the veteran’s personal papers for any private policies. The VA insurance line can confirm VA-administered coverage and walk a beneficiary through a claim. (Source: VA.gov.)
This page is educational and not affiliated with the VA or any government agency. Program details come from VA.gov and can change — confirm current figures there. If private coverage is appropriate, it’s completed through licensed insurance professionals.
Run both sides. Then decide.
Call and a licensed professional — on a team that includes veterans — will compare your VGLI rate against the open market and tell you straight which one wins.