(a) The effective date of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance will be in accordance with provisions set forth in 38 U.S.C. 1967.

(b) The effective date of Veterans' Group Life Insurance will be as follows:

(1) For members whose Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance coverage ceases under 38 U.S.C. 1968 (a)(1)(A) and 38 U.S.C. 1968(a)(4), the effective date shall be the 121st day after termination of duty. An application and the initial premium must be received by the administrative office within 120 days following termination of duty or separation or release from such assignment.

(2) For members whose Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance coverage was extended because of total disability, the effective date shall be the day following the end of the 2-year period of extended coverage or the day following the end of the total disability, whichever is the earlier date, but in no event before the 121st day following termination of duty. An application and the initial Veterans' Group Life Insurance premium must be received by the administrative office within 1 year following termination of SGLI coverage.

(3) For members who qualify for coverage under 38 U.S.C. 1967(b), the effective date shall be the 121st day after termination of duty. An application, the initial premium, and proof of disability must be received by the administrative office within 120 days following termination of duty.

(4) For members of the Individual Ready Reserve or the Inactive National Guard, the effective date shall be the date an application and the initial premium are received by the administrative office. The application and initial premium must be received by the administrative office within 120 days of becoming a member of either organization.

(5) Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1977(a)(3), former members under the age of 60 can elect to increase their Veterans' Group Life Insurance coverage by $25,000, up to the existing Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance maximum. The insured's first opportunity to elect to increase coverage is on the one-year Veterans' Group Life Insurance coverage anniversary date. Thereafter, the insured could elect to increase coverage on the five-year anniversary date of the first VGLI coverage increase election opportunity and subsequently every five years from the anniversary date of the insured's last VGLI coverage increase election opportunity. Increases of less than $25,000 are only available when existing Veterans' Group Life Insurance coverage is within less than $25,000 of the Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance maximum and any increases of less than $25,000 must be only in the amount needed to bring the insurance coverage up to the statutory maximum allowable amount of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance. The eligible former members must apply for the increased coverage through the administrative office, within 120 days of invitation prior to the initial one-year anniversary date or within 120 days prior to each subsequent five-year coverage anniversary date from the first VGLI coverage increase election opportunity. The increased coverage will be effective from the anniversary date immediately following the election.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 1977)

(c) If either an application or the initial premium has not been received by the administrative office within the time limits set forth above, Veterans' Group Life Insurance coverage may still be granted if an application, the initial premium, and evidence of insurability are received by the administrative office within 1 year and 120 days following termination of duty, except that evidence of insurability is not required during the initial 240 days following termination of duty.

(d) The effective date for Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance or Veterans' Group Life Insurance in any case not otherwise covered under this section or under 38 U.S.C. 1967(a) shall be the date an application and the initial premium are received by the administrative office.

(e) For purposes of this section, an application, an initial premium, and any evidence necessary to effect Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance or Veterans' Group Life Insurance coverage will be considered to have been received by the administrative office if:

(1) They are properly addressed to the administrative office, and

(2) The proper postage is affixed, and

(3) They are legibly postmarked within the time limit required for receipt by the administrative office.

(f)

(1) If an application, initial premium, or evidence of insurability (as the case may be) has not been received by the administrative office within the time limits set forth in paragraph (c) of this section, Veterans' Group Life Insurance coverage may still be granted if an application, the initial premium, and evidence of insurability are received by the administrative office within 1 year and 210 days following termination of duty, except that evidence of insurability is not required during the initial 330 days following termination of duty.

(2) Paragraph (f)(1) of this section shall not apply to an application or initial premium received after June 11, 2021.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, 1967, 1968, 1977)

[61 FR 20135, May 6, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 35970, July 3, 1997; 77 FR 66071, Nov. 1, 2012; 79 FR 44299, July 31, 2014; 83 FR 65528, Dec. 21, 2018; 85 FR 35563, June 11, 2020]