Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) offers low-cost term coverage to eligible service members and their families. You may be eligible this article will discuss eligibility, enrollment, and management of your SGLI benefits.
What is SGLI?
SGLI offers a variety of insurance benefits for service members, including:
- Coverage up to the maximum amount of $500,000—in $50,000 increments
- 120 days of free coverage from the date you leave the military
- Extension of free coverage for up to 2 years (if you’re totally disabled) when you leave the military (find more information on SGLI-Disability here)
- Part-time coverage (if you’re a Reserve member who doesn’t qualify for full-time coverage)
Who is eligible for SGLI?
If you meet at least one of these requirements, how can you use them, then you may be eligible for full-time SGLI coverage.
- You’re an active-duty member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marines, or Coast Guard, or
- You’re a commissioned member of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS), or
- You’re a cadet or midshipman of the U.S. military academies, or
- You’re a member, cadet, or midshipman of the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) engaged in authorized training and practice cruises, or
- You’re a member of the Ready Reserve or National Guard, assigned to a unit, and scheduled to perform at least 12 periods of inactive training per year, or
- You’re a volunteer in an Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) mobilization category
- You’re in nonpay status with the Ready Reserve or National Guard and you’re scheduled for 12 periods of inactive training for the year, andyou’re drilling for points rather than pay.
Can family members receive SGLI coverage?
Family Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (FSGLI or Family SGLI) offers coverage for the spouse and dependent children of service members covered under full-time SGLI. The difference between SGLI and FSGLI is that SGLI helps cover costs following the death of a service member, while FSGLI helps cover costs following the death of a family member. FSGLI provides up to $100,000 of coverage for a spouse, not to exceed the service member’s SGLI coverage, and $10,000 for each dependent child. To learn more about this benefit, click here.
How do you manage SGLI benefits?
If you qualify for SGLI, you will be automatically enrolled through your service branch, and the monthly premium will be taken from your base pay automatically. Medical eligibility dependents, however, must be enrolled through the SGLI Online Enrollment System. The current basic SGLI premium rate is 5 cents per $1,000 of insurance coverage and the premium includes an additional $1 per month for Traumatic Injury Protection coverage (TSGLI).
If you would like to refuse or amend your SGLI coverage, add dependents, or change your beneficiaries, you can do so online through the SGLI Online Enrollment System here.
What happens to your SGLI when you leave the military?
When you leave the service, you can request an extension of your coverage for up to 2 years if you meet at least one of the following criteria:
- You’re totally disabled at the time of your discharge and unable to work, or
- Regardless of your work status, you’ve had one of these conditions:
- Total loss of hearing in both ears
- Loss of speech that leaves you unable to talk—even in a whisper—without the help of an artificial device
- Permanent (long-lasting) loss of use of both of your hands, feet, or eyes, or 1 hand and 1 foot, or 1 hand or foot and 1 eye
To apply for the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Disability Extension (SGLI-DE), complete the SGLI Disability Extension Application (SGLV 8715) and send it to the OSGLI address listed on the application.
If you do not qualify for an extension, you can apply for Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) within 1 year and 120 days from your discharge date for up to the amount of coverage you had through SGLI. To learn more about VGLI, including how to apply for this benefit, check out this website.
You can also convert your SGLI/FSGLI/VGLI coverage when you leave the military to a permanent, individual insurance policy. For the conversion, you do not need to provide proof of good health and you have 120 days from your date of discharge. For more information on how to convert your SGLI/FSGLI/VGLI coverage to an individual policy, check out the VA’s brochure here.
How do you collect an SGLI payment?
If a service member is terminally ill, you may request an advance insurance payment by filing Claim for Accelerated Benefits (SGLV 8284).
To receive payment for a qualifying traumatic injury, complete an Application for TSGLI Benefits (SGLV 8600).
After a service member has died, the beneficiary would file a Claim for Death Benefits (SGLV 8283) to receive the insurance payment.
If a service member, family member, or beneficiary has questions about the SGLI program, they can call the Office of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (OSGLI) at 800-419-1473 or email the Prudential Insurance Company.
Contact us to appeal now!
Has the VA denied your claims for service-connected disability benefits? We are here to help you appeal! Contact us to reach our advocates today, or call (877) 777-4021 to take the first step in obtaining the VA disability benefits you deserve.
