Key takeaways
- Any VA service-connected rating qualifies you, even 0%, if you're 80 or younger, with no deadline to apply after your rating.
- You can choose $10,000 to $40,000 of whole life coverage in $10,000 steps, with no health questions.
- Full coverage starts 2 years after you apply; a death during the wait pays premiums plus interest instead.
- Your premium is locked in at your age when you apply and never goes up.
- Applying on or after January 1, 2026 ends any S-DVI coverage you have as soon as VALife is approved.
VALife is whole life insurance from VA for veterans who have a service-connected disability rating, even a 0% rating. If you're 80 or younger, you can get $10,000 to $40,000 of coverage with no health questions, and your premium never goes up. The catch is a 2-year waiting period: full coverage starts 2 years after you apply, and a death before then pays back your premiums plus interest instead.
Here's who qualifies, what it costs, how the waiting period works, and when VALife fits well with other coverage.
Who is eligible for VALife?
You're eligible for VALife if you're 80 or younger and have any VA service-connected disability rating, including 0%.
According to VA's VALife page, there's no time limit to apply after you get your rating. You don't have to apply right after you receive a decision, and you don't need to prove good health.
If you're 81 or older, VA says you may still qualify, but only if all of these are true:
- You applied for VA disability compensation before you turned 81.
- You received a rating for that same disability after you turned 81.
- You apply for VALife within 2 years of being notified of that rating.
If you don't have a rating yet, VALife isn't available to you. Our guide to life insurance with a VA disability rating covers other routes.
How much coverage does VALife offer?
VALife offers up to $40,000 of whole life coverage, in $10,000 steps.
VA describes VALife as guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance. If you meet the eligibility rules, VA says your application is approved automatically, and you can keep the coverage for the rest of your life.
The policy also builds cash value starting 2 years after approval. A few limits matter:
- VALife doesn't offer policy loans.
- VALife doesn't offer premium waivers, even if you become disabled.
- You can surrender all or part of the policy in $10,000 steps for its cash value after the first 2 years, according to the VALife FAQ.
How does the VALife 2-year waiting period work?
Your full coverage amount starts 2 years after you apply, as long as you keep paying premiums during those 2 years.
This is how guaranteed acceptance coverage generally works: the insurer accepts everyone who qualifies, so it limits what it pays in the first years. For VALife, VA spells out what your beneficiaries get:
When death occurs | What VA pays your beneficiaries |
|---|---|
During the 2-year waiting period | All premiums you paid, plus interest |
After the 2-year waiting period | The full coverage amount you chose |
VA lists the interest rate on premium refunds as 4.23% for a death in 2026 and 3.59% for a death in 2025. The rate can change each year, so check VA's page for the current figure.
How much does VALife cost?
Your VALife premium depends on your age when you apply and the amount you choose, and it's locked in for life.
VA uses an "insurance age." If more than 6 months have passed since your last birthday, you pay the rate for your next age. Here are sample monthly rates from VA's current rate tables (page last updated May 15, 2026):
Age when you apply | $10,000 per month | $40,000 per month |
|---|---|---|
40 | $22.00 | $88.00 |
50 | $32.50 | $130.00 |
60 | $50.00 | $200.00 |
65 | $62.00 | $248.00 |
70 | $78.00 | $312.00 |
75 | $99.50 | $398.00 |
80 | $127.50 | $510.00 |
Because rates rise with each year of age, applying sooner locks in a lower price. VA also offers a 2.5% discount if you pay once a year through pay.gov, according to the VALife FAQ.
You can pay by deduction from your VA compensation, military retirement pay, or checking account, or directly through pay.gov. Paying by deduction from VA compensation or retirement pay requires 2 months of premium up front; e-billing and checking account payment require 1 month.
How does VALife compare with VGLI?
VALife is small, permanent, level-priced coverage for veterans with a service-connected rating, while VGLI is larger renewable term coverage whose price rises every 5 years.
Feature | VALife | VGLI |
|---|---|---|
Who can get it | Veterans with a service-connected rating | Veterans converting SGLI after service |
Maximum coverage | $40,000 | $500,000, up to your SGLI amount |
Type | Whole life with cash value | Renewable term, no cash value |
Premiums | Locked at your age when you apply | Rise every 5 years by age band |
Health questions | None | None within 240 days of leaving service |
Waiting period | 2 years for full coverage | None stated by VA |
Sources: VA VALife page and VA VGLI page.
You don't have to choose one. VA's FAQ confirms you can hold VALife along with VGLI or commercial policies. If you still have VGLI, our guide to VGLI vs. term life insurance explains how VGLI costs change with age.
What happens to S-DVI if you switch to VALife?
If you apply for VALife on or after January 1, 2026, your Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI) ends the day VA approves your VALife application.
That includes S-DVI policies with premium waivers, and the waiver doesn't carry over to VALife. You'll pay only VALife premiums during the 2-year waiting period, but VA notes you won't have full coverage during that time. Veterans who applied by December 31, 2025, could keep S-DVI during the waiting period.
The VALife FAQ adds that once S-DVI ends, you can't reverse it. Before you apply, compare your S-DVI premium, any waiver, any paid-up status, and loan access with what VALife offers. You can keep S-DVI simply by not applying for VALife.
Is VALife enough life insurance?
For most families, $40,000 covers final expenses and some bills, but not a mortgage or years of lost income.
The NAIC suggests thinking about income your family depends on, debts, and final expenses when deciding how much coverage you need. VALife can be a solid base for burial and final costs. For what VA does and doesn't pay toward a funeral, see VA burial benefits.
If you need more, you might combine VALife with VGLI, a private term policy, or private final expense coverage. Some private final expense policies, especially guaranteed issue plans, also have waiting periods, which we explain in our guide to guaranteed issue life insurance. For a side-by-side look at policy types, see types of life insurance compared. To estimate your total need, try our life insurance calculator, or browse more guides on our veterans life insurance hub.
How do you apply for VALife?
You apply online through VA, and VA says the online application gives an immediate decision in most cases.
- Confirm you have a service-connected rating, even 0%.
- Decide how much coverage you want, from $10,000 to $40,000.
- Choose monthly or annual payment and your payment method.
- Apply through the VALife page on VA.gov and submit your first premium.
- Name your beneficiaries and keep your policy copy, which VA says you can print from your online account after approval.
VA's FAQ notes that a power of attorney, legal guardian, or VA fiduciary can apply for a veteran who can't manage their own affairs. VA also suggests contacting a Veteran Service Organization or your county or state veterans office for help applying.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have VALife and VGLI at the same time?
Yes. VA's VALife FAQ says you can hold other VA policies, such as VGLI or Veterans' Mortgage Life Insurance, along with commercial life insurance. That lets you use VALife as a small permanent policy on top of other coverage.
Check veteran optionsWhat happens if I miss a VALife premium payment?
VA gives you a 31-day grace period, and the policy lapses if you don't pay within 61 days of the due date. You can reapply within 2 years of a lapse by paying back premiums plus any interest, but veterans 81 or older can't reinstate a lapsed policy.
Check veteran optionsCan I cancel VALife and get my money back?
If you cancel within 31 days of enrollment, VA refunds all premiums paid. After that, there's no refund during the 2-year waiting period. After 2 years, the policy has a cash value you can take if you cancel, but VA notes it is less than the premiums you've paid.
Check veteran optionsDoes VALife have a suicide exclusion?
No. VA's VALife FAQ states there is no suicide exclusion for payment of a death claim. If you or a veteran you know is in crisis, you can reach the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and pressing 1.
Check veteran optionsHow fast does VALife pay a death claim?
VA reports an average of 2 to 5 business days to pay a VALife death claim. Beneficiaries file VA Form 29-4125, Claim for One Sum Payment, online, by secure upload, or by mail.
Check veteran optionsIs VALife cheaper if I pay once a year?
Yes. VA offers a 2.5 percent discount when you pay annually through pay.gov instead of monthly. Monthly payment is the only option if premiums come out of your VA compensation, military retirement pay, or a checking account.
Check veteran optionsSources
About the author
Editorial TeamResearch & editorial
Our editorial team researches and writes these guides from primary sources — including the VA, IRS, Social Security Administration, CFPB, NAIC, and NFDA — and updates them as rules and figures change. Guides are general information, not financial, legal, or tax advice.
