The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing that the monthly premium rate for Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) will decrease from 9 to 8-1/2¢ per $1,000 of coverage, beginning July 1, 1997.

The change means that the monthly premium for a servicemember with the maximum SGLI coverage of $200,000 will decrease from $18 to $17, a savings of $26 million to servicemembers. The decrease is attributable to a continuing decline in mortality rates and is the first rate change for SGLI since July 1, 1994, when the rate was increased to 9 cents.

Some 97 percent of servicemembers, or a total of 2.3 million servicemembers, carry more than $449 billion in SGLI coverage. More than 90 percent take the maximum $200,000 in coverage.

Servicemembers insured by SGLI are guaranteed the right to convert their coverage to Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI) when they separate from service. VGLI is renewable for life in five-year-term periods and can be converted to commercial insurance at any time.

 

Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov

Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.

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Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.

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