(a) Determinations of the Department of Veterans Affairs are conclusive under the policy with respect to the following:

(1) The status of any person being within the term member and whether or not he or she is covered at any point of time under the policy including traveltime under 38 U.S.C. 1967(b) and death within 120 days thereafter from a disability incurred or aggravated while on duty.

(2) The fact and date of a member's termination of active duty, or active duty for training, and the fact, date and hours of a member's performance of inactive duty training.

(3) The fact and dates with respect to a member's absence without leave, confinement by civilian authorities under a sentence adjudged by a civil court, or confinement by military authorities under a court-martial sentence involving total forfeiture of pay and allowances.

(4) The operation of the forfeiture provision provided in 38 U.S.C. 1973 with respect to any member.

(5) The existence of total disability or insurability at standard premium rates under 38 U.S.C. 1968.

(b) When determination is required on a claim that a member who waived coverage, or whose coverage was forfeited for one of the offenses listed under 38 U.S.C. 1973 was in fact insured, or that a member who elected to be insured was insured for an amount greater than the amount shown in the record, and there is no record of an application to be insured or to increase the amount of insurance as required under 38 U.S.C. 1967(c):

(1) The person making the claim will be required to submit all evidence available concerning the member's actions and intentions with respect to Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance or Veterans' Group Life Insurance.

(2) Request will be made to the member's uniformed service and any other likely source of information considered necessary, for whatever evidence in the form of copies of payroll or personnel records, statements of persons having knowledge of the facts, etc., is essential to a decision in the matter.

Based on the evidence obtained, a formal determination will be made as to whether the member involved is deemed to have applied to be insured, or to be insured for an amount other than the amount shown in the record. The determination will include a finding as to the member's health status for insurance purposes based on the evidence available.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 1967)

(c) In making the determination required under paragraph (b) of this section, the following will be considered:

(1) The possibility that due to widespread geographic distribution, inadequate means of communication and the nature of the group insurance program, members may not be adequately and accurately informed, especially in time of war or military emergency, about the detailed requirements for obtaining insurance protection.

(2) Payroll deductions made without objection by a member, following waiver or termination of coverage, representing premiums for insurance or additional insurance, may, by virtue of continuity or the circumstances surrounding their initiation, be indicative that the member did apply. Such deductions without a formal application of record may be considered as evidence that the member's application was not in proper form or misplaced. They may also be considered as evidence that an application was not made solely because of erroneous or incomplete counseling or absence of counseling on the part of the responsible personnel of the uniformed service.

(d) Questions for determination under this section as well as those involving coverage of groups and classes of members and other questions are properly referable to the Assistant Director for Insurance. Authority to make any determinations required under this section is delegated to the Under Secretary for Benefits and Assistant Director for Insurance.

[40 FR 4135, Jan. 28, 1975, as amended at 53 FR 17699, May 18, 1988. Redesignated and amended at 61 FR 20135, 20136, May 6, 1996]