Veterans put their lives on the line for our country. When they come back to our nation, it is only natural that we want to protect them upon their return, and life insurance is an avenue to do so. While veterans may be eligible for traditional life insurance policies like anyone else, they may have a harder time qualifying for benefits that others receive due to their service connected disability. When it comes to VA life insurance plans and benefits, they may have access to unique options tailored specifically to their needs. One of these options is VALife, which is available through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recently announced that enrollment is open for this new life insurance plan for veterans– VALife. The new VALife life insurance plan provides more options and flexibility to service-disabled veterans in their times of need, with coverage up to $40,000 available in $10,000 increments. The most significant benefit of the new VA life insurance plan, however, is that it requires no health questions or medical exams for the veteran to enroll.
How does VALife work for veterans?
VALife offers a guaranteed acceptance for whole life insurance to service-disabled veterans ages 80 or under with any percentage of service-connected disability. If a veteran is 81 or older, they may still qualify if they meet certain criteria and apply within a specific time frame determined by the VA. If you are 81 or older, the following information must be true for you to be eligible: you applied for VA disability compensation before you turned 81 years old, you got your service-connected disability rating after you turned 81, and you applied for VALife within 2 years of your notification of your disability rating.
What type of coverage does VALife insurance provide and how does the VA determine premiums?
As previously stated, VALife provides its users with coverage up to $40,000 available in $10,000 increments, and cash value starts to add up 2 years after they approve your insurance application; furthermore, VALife premium rates are the same for men and women, and the rates will not increase over the time of the life insurance period. Instead, premiums are based on information like the veteran’s age and coverage amount upon enrollment in the plan. There are a couple more details that help determine your premium, such as the time of your life insurance application in regard to your birthday. If more than 6 months have passed since your last birthday at the time of applying, the VA will consider you 1 year older when determining the premium rate. For example, if you are 45 years and 6 months and 1 day old, you will pay the rate for age 46.
It is important to note that your full life insurance coverage starts 2 years after you apply for the benefits, and you must pay the premiums in monthly rates during those 2 interim years. If a veteran should pass during their 2 year waiting period, the VA pays your beneficiaries the total amount you paid in premiums with interest. The beneficiaries of the insurance policy are selected by the veteran when they apply. If the veteran passes after the 2 year waiting period, the VA will pay your beneficiaries the full coverage amount of your life insurance policy. While the insurance policy does take time to go into full effect, you do have the comfort that your beneficiaries will receive some money, even if you do not make it to that two year mark.
For a free legal consultation,
call (833) 588-9009 today
What is a whole life insurance program?
VALife coverage is a whole life insurance program. A whole life insurance program provides coverage for the entire life of the policyholder, as long as the policyholder pays their monthly rates, otherwise known as premiums. Whole life insurance policies typically have higher premiums than term life insurance policies; however, they do come with a savings component, known as the cash value. A portion of the premiums you pay goes towards building up the cash value, which grows over time. The cash value can be accessed during your lifetime through policy loans or withdrawals. This money can be used to help pay for expenses like college tuition, a down payment on a home, or even supplement your retirement income. Furthermore, if you no longer need the policy, you can surrender it and receive the cash value as a lump sum.
How does VALife differ from the VA’s past life insurance program?
The VA’s previous life insurance program for veterans with service-connected disabilities is known as Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI). The program has a two year limit to apply, as well as health information requirements and exams to enroll. As stated previously, VALife is a guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance program, meaning the time limit to apply is eliminated and no health questions or exams are required to enroll. Additionally, VALife increases the coverage amount for veterans. This new program offers a maximum of $40,000, while the S-DVI program only offered up to $10,000 in basic coverage. Therefore, it is safe to say VALife provides many more benefits and coverage than the S-DVI program does for service-disabled veterans.
If you are still covered under another veteran’s program, you may be eligible to add VALife to your plan. If you are insured by VGLI and you are eligible for VALife, you can add VALife coverage to your plan, meaning that the programs complement each other well. This is because veterans insured by VGLI who add VALife to their coverage ensure that they receive higher coverage in earlier stages of life and continued coverage once their term life coverage expires.
Changing from S-DVI to VALife Insurance
If you have S-DVI, you have two options for your life insurance plans. You can either apply for VALife now or you can keep your S-DVI policy. If you choose the second option, then you do not have to do anything to keep your coverage on your insurance policy.
If you are interested in switching from S-DVI to VALife, there are some important things to note. If you apply for VALife by December 31, 2025, you can keep your S-DVI in the 2-year waiting period for your full coverage VALife benefits. Your insurance coverage through your S-DVI policy will end when your full VALife coverage starts. Unfortunately, during this two year period, you must pay the premiums for both insurance policies.
If you apply for VALife on or after January 1, 2026, your S-DVI will end on the day the VA approved your VALife application. This means that you will be unable to hold onto your old policy during the 2 year waiting period for full VALife coverage. Luckily, you will only pay for VALife premiums during this 2 year waiting period. It is also important to note that the VALife insurance plan does not offer premium waivers; therefore, any waivers you hold for S-DVI premiums will not transfer to VALife premiums, so you will not be able to keep that benefit.
Apply for VALife today!
The application for VALife and eligibility decision process can be completed through an automated online form. You can fill out the application using your service information, receive an instant decision, and enroll in that moment. Do not hesitate to enroll in VALife today to take some stress off yourself and to help your loved one’s future.
Wettermark Keith: Veterans Disability Attorneys
In order to apply for VALife life insurance, or any disabled veterans insurance through the VA, you must have a service-
connected disability through the VA, which you must apply to through the VA. If your disability application is denied, you need a team of experienced veterans disability lawyers who know the VA system inside and out. When you partner with Wettermark Keith, you’ll have a team of knowledgeable, kindhearted individuals working for you, making sure that you don’t back down from getting your deserved VA benefits, along with your VALife health insurance benefits.
With offices located throughout Alabama, Tennessee and now Florida, Wettermark Keith has an excellent reputation as one of the most accomplished personal injury firms in the country. We have a diverse range of practice areas, including VA Disability claims. We practice with care and compassion, making sure we understand your disability and convey that to the VA as best as we can. We do this by building strong relationships based on constant communication, trust, and a dedication to the truth. Caring for you is our goal, and winning is just how we show it. Contact us to set up your free consultation with an attorney at Wettermark Keith by calling us or contacting us through our online form.
If our veteran lawyers do not win your case, then you pay no fee- guaranteed!
At Wettermark Keith, we understand you and your disability, even when you feel as if no one else does. Because of this, we promise that you do not need to pay us until we get you the compensation you deserve. If your attorney fails to win your case, you don’t pay us a single thing. With our experienced VA attorneys, you only have the potential of money to gain. Do not hesitate to contact a veterans affairs attorney at Wettermark Keith for help to receive the benefits you deserve.
Call or text (833) 588-9009 or fill out our Free Case Evaluation Form to get started
