SGLI to VGLI: keeping life insurance after you separate

While you serve, Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI) covers you automatically — up to $500,000, in $50,000 increments, at a low flat premium. But it ends when you separate, and the window to convert it to veteran coverage is short. Missing it is one of the most expensive mistakes healthy veterans make.

The deadlines that matter

  • 120 days — your SGLI coverage continues free after you separate.
  • 240 days — the key window: convert to VGLI with no health questions (guaranteed acceptance). Even if a service-related condition would fail an underwriter, you're in.
  • 485 days (1 year + 120 days) — the final deadline to convert. After day 240 you can still apply, but you'll have to prove you're in good health.
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Apply within 240 days if there's any chance your health has changed — it's guaranteed acceptance. Waiting past that window and then being declined is exactly how veterans lose coverage they were counting on.

What VGLI is

Veterans' Group Life Insurance (VGLI) is renewable term life insurance you can carry after service. You can convert up to your full SGLI amount ($500,000), and over time you can even increase coverage. Premiums are age-based — cheap when you're young, rising as you get older — so if you're young and healthy it's worth comparing VGLI against a commercial level-term policy before you decide.

For veterans with a service-connected disability: VALife

VALife is guaranteed-acceptance whole life insurance (up to $40,000) for veterans with any service-connected disability rating. There's no deadline to apply and no medical exam; full coverage takes effect after a two-year waiting period (with premiums returned plus interest if you pass away during it). It replaced the older S-DVI program.

How to convert

  1. Keep paying your SGLI premiums during the conversion window.
  2. Apply for VGLI (or VALife) at VA.gov/life-insurance.
  3. Compare the VGLI premium for your age against a commercial term-life quote while you're healthy.

Plan this alongside your other separation deadlines with the transition timeline, and make sure your family knows about survivor benefits too.

General information; coverage amounts and rules are set by the VA and can change. Confirm current details at VA.gov/life-insurance. Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to convert SGLI to VGLI?

Up to 1 year and 120 days (485 days) after you separate. Apply within 240 days for guaranteed acceptance with no health questions; after that you must show good health.

How much coverage can I keep with VGLI?

Up to your full SGLI amount — currently a maximum of $500,000 — and you can increase coverage over time.

Is my SGLI free for a while after I separate?

Yes — SGLI coverage continues free for 120 days after separation, giving you a window to convert to VGLI.