VA Benefits Overview
Life insurance, disability, survivor and burial programs.
Explore benefits →Burial & Memorial Benefits
Eligibility, allowances, national cemeteries and memorial items.
Review burial benefits →Private Coverage Gaps
Income, mortgage, spouse, final-expense and legacy needs.
Identify potential gaps →Survivor & Family Protection
DIC, Survivors Pension and beneficiary planning.
Explore survivor resources →Key Considerations
Deadlines, beneficiary updates and coordination of benefits.
Use the review checklist →Start with the benefits you already earned
Veterans and service members should inventory active military, VA, employer and individually owned coverage before replacing anything. Federal programs can be valuable, but each program has its own eligibility rules, enrollment windows, premium structure and purpose. Private coverage should complement—not automatically replace—valuable government benefits.
Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI)
SGLI is low-cost group term coverage for eligible service members. Coverage, beneficiary elections and eligibility are managed through military systems. Before separation, confirm the current amount, beneficiaries and the date coverage will end or convert.
Family SGLI and TSGLI
Family SGLI may cover an eligible spouse and dependent children. Traumatic Injury Protection under SGLI may provide short-term financial assistance after certain qualifying traumatic injuries. Definitions and claim requirements are specific, so review the official program information.
Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI)
VGLI permits eligible separating service members to continue group term coverage after SGLI. Enrollment deadlines matter, and premiums generally increase as the insured enters higher age bands. Review conversion timing before separation rather than after coverage has already ended.
Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife)
VALife is guaranteed-acceptance whole life insurance for eligible Veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating, subject to program rules. It is different from VGLI in policy type, eligibility and benefit structure.
VGLI compared with VALife
| Feature | VGLI | VALife |
|---|---|---|
| Policy type | Renewable group term | Whole life |
| Eligibility focus | Prior SGLI and separation deadlines | Service-connected disability and age rules |
| Premium pattern | Generally changes by age band | Based on age at enrollment and coverage selected |
| Cash value | No | Whole-life cash value develops under policy terms |
| Planning focus | Continuation of group term coverage | Permanent guaranteed-acceptance coverage |
Burial and memorial benefits
Depending on eligibility, VA benefits may include a gravesite in a national cemetery, opening and closing of the grave, perpetual care, a government headstone or marker, burial flag and Presidential Memorial Certificate. Burial allowances may help with certain funeral, plot or transportation expenses.
View VA burial benefits ↗Survivor benefits
Potential programs include Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), Survivors Pension, accrued benefits and other family resources. Eligibility can depend on service, discharge, disability, cause of death, income and marital status.
Survivor compensation resources ↗Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI)
VMLI may provide mortgage protection for certain severely disabled Veterans who received a Specially Adapted Housing grant. The benefit is generally paid to the mortgage holder and decreases as the mortgage balance is reduced.
Review VMLI eligibility ↗Disability ratings and private underwriting
A VA disability rating does not automatically make a Veteran uninsurable. Private carriers review the underlying medical history, stability, treatment, medications, functional limitations and requested coverage.
Discuss private options →Beneficiary planning
Review beneficiaries after marriage, divorce, birth or adoption, deployment, retirement and major estate-planning changes. Coordinate military, employer and private designations with legal and tax guidance when appropriate.
Use the coverage review →Common veteran coverage gaps
Families may face income, mortgage, spouse, final-expense, retirement and legacy gaps even when valuable VA benefits exist. Calculate the actual household need instead of assuming a government benefit covers every objective.
Explore complementary coverage →A veteran coverage review
- Inventory every benefit. List SGLI, VGLI, VALife, VMLI, employer coverage, pensions, survivor benefits and personal policies.
- Confirm beneficiaries. Review primary and contingent designations, percentages and current contact information.
- Check deadlines. Separation, conversion and benefit applications can be time-sensitive.
- Calculate the family gap. Include income, mortgage, final expenses, education and survivor income.
- Compare without surrendering valuable coverage. Do not cancel existing coverage until replacement protection is approved and consequences are understood.