Life Insurance for Veterans in Connecticut
Short Answer
Veterans have two main VA options. VGLI lets you keep coverage after service by converting your SGLI, with no health questions if you apply within 240 days of separation. VALife offers guaranteed acceptance whole life, up to $40,000, to veterans with any service-connected disability rating. Healthy veterans can often get more coverage for less money from a private insurer, so compare both.
| Program | Who's eligible | Type | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| VGLI | Veterans leaving service with SGLI | Renewable term | Up to your SGLI amount |
| VALife | Veterans with a service-connected rating (0–100%) | Whole life | Up to $40,000 |
| Private insurance | Anyone who qualifies | Any type | Any amount |
How Does VGLI Keep Your SGLI After Service?
Veterans' Group Life Insurance converts your Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance into renewable term coverage. Apply within one year and 120 days of leaving service. If you apply within the first 240 days, you don't have to answer health questions. VGLI premiums rise in five-year age bands, so it can become expensive later in life. Healthy veterans in their 30s and 40s often find private term cheaper.
What Is VALife for Disabled Veterans?
Veterans Affairs Life Insurance is guaranteed acceptance whole life for veterans with a service-connected disability rating, from 0% to 100%. It has no medical underwriting. Coverage is available in increments up to $40,000, and the full benefit becomes payable after a two-year waiting period. Before then, beneficiaries receive premiums paid plus interest. Age limits and exceptions apply; check the current rules on va.gov.
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Get free quotesIs There Free Life Insurance for 100% Disabled Veterans?
Not for new applicants. The older Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI) program, which waived premiums for some totally disabled veterans, closed to new applications at the end of 2022. VALife replaced it and charges premiums. Veterans who already hold S-DVI with a waiver keep it.
Best Life Insurance for Veterans: VA or Private?
If you're healthy, get private quotes. A fully underwritten term policy often beats VGLI on price and can provide far more than $40,000 of coverage. If a disability or health condition makes private coverage expensive, VALife and VGLI's no-health-question window are valuable. Many veterans combine a VA policy for guaranteed coverage with a private one for the larger need. Older veterans focused on funeral costs should also look at final expense coverage alongside VA burial benefits.
Where Can Connecticut Veterans Get Help?
The Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs has accredited service officers who help with VA benefit claims at no charge, including VALife and burial benefits. Eligible veterans, and in many cases spouses, can be buried in the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown.
Questions People Ask
Can I Convert VGLI to a Private Policy?
Yes. VGLI can be converted to an individual policy with participating commercial insurers without proving good health.
Does a Disability Rating Affect Private Life Insurance?
It can. Insurers underwrite the underlying condition, not the rating itself, so results vary by insurer.
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