Did You Know About the Servicemembers Group Life Insurance Accelerated Benefit Option?
For more than 100 years, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has offered life and disability insurance to active Servicemembers and Veterans. Programs offered by the VA have continued to change and improve over the years and have grown to insure more than 6 million members.
These insurance programs enable servicemembers and veterans to provide the financial security and peace of mind that comes from knowing their family members are protected during and after their service to the United States.
What is SGLI or VGLI?
The Servicemembers Group life Insurance (SGLI) Accelerated Benefit Option gives terminally-ill SGLI, Family SGLI, and Veterans Group Life Insurance (VGLI) policyholders access to the death benefits of their policies before they die. The member may receive a portion of the face value of the insurance in a lump sum payment. A member is eligible to receive an Accelerated Benefit if he/she or a covered spouse has a valid written prognosis from a physician of 9 months or less to live. Only the insured member may apply for an Accelerated Benefit. No one else can apply on the member's behalf. In the case of a terminally ill spouse, only the member may apply for accelerated benefits. The amount of Accelerated Benefit available to a member is up to 50% of the face value of the member's insurance coverage. If a member elects less than the maximum, the amount requested must be in increments of $5,000.
The remaining portion of the face value of insurance which is not paid in a lump sum as an accelerated benefit is payable to the member's designated beneficiary or beneficiaries upon his or her death. In the case of a terminally ill spouse, the remainder of the insurance is payable to the member upon the spouse's death.
How to Apply.
• SGLI and VGLI policyholders, use Form 8284, Servicemember/Veteran Accelerated Benefits Option
• Spouses covered under Family SGLI, use Form 8284A, Servicemember Family Coverage Accelerated Benefits Option
The application contains one part to be completed by the insured and a second part to be completed by the insured's physician. In addition, the branch of service for active duty Servicemembers must complete part of the form. For more information and to download the forms on SGLI or VGLL, please go to: http://www.benefits.va.gov/insurance/resources-forms.asp.
Send the completed application to:
Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance
80 Livingston Avenue
Roseland, NJ 07068-1733
Contact the Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (OSGLI) if you have questions about Servicemembers' or Veterans' Group Life Insurance. Click here for additional contact information http://www.benefits.va.gov/insurance/resources-contact.asp#top.