VGLI Conversion
Convert Your VGLI Coverage Before the Window Closes.
If you’re separating from active duty, recently separated, or already paying VGLI premiums, the conversion window matters more than you might realize. VGLI is the right answer on day one — guaranteed coverage without medical underwriting — but premiums escalate every five years and the conversion window closes 1 year and 120 days after separation. Whether you convert into commercial term or permanent coverage, the move is straightforward.
Begin a conversation →Two paths. One conversion window.
Inside the 1-year-and-120-day window, VGLI can be replaced with either a commercial term policy or a permanent one. Your situation determines which.
Lock in the rate. Multiply the coverage.
Replace VGLI with a commercial term policy. Premiums lock at the issue rate and stay level for the full term, and face amounts well above VGLI’s $500,000 cap become available — often for materially lower cost.
- Premium locked at issue — no five-year escalators
- Face amounts above the VGLI $500,000 cap
- Underwriting eased while the conversion window is open
Lifetime coverage. Cash value built in.
Replace VGLI with a whole life or universal life policy. Coverage continues for life at level premiums, and a portion of every payment builds cash value the policyholder can borrow against or surrender.
- Coverage continues for life — no expiration
- Cash value accumulates inside the policy
- Stable, level premiums for the policy’s life
VGLI may be working against you with each five-year reset.
If any of these describe your situation, the conversion window may be the most consequential decision in front of you over the next 18 months.
- i. You’re within 1 year and 120 days of separation — the conversion window is still open.
- ii. The next five-year premium reset is approaching, and the increase is steeper than the last one.
- iii. The $500,000 VGLI cap doesn’t cover your mortgage, income replacement, and dependents.
- iv. You’ve heard VGLI is “fine,” but haven’t compared it side-by-side with commercial coverage at your current age.
Common questions.
What is VGLI — and what is the deadline?
Veterans' Group Life Insurance is the program that lets separating service members convert SGLI coverage. You have one year and 120 days from separation to apply — and within the first 240 days, no health questions are asked. That no-underwriting window is the program's single most valuable feature.
Is VGLI the cheapest option?
At younger ages it is competitive, but VGLI premiums rise every five years and keep rising. A healthy veteran locking a 20- or 30-year level term policy will usually pay far less over time. The honest answer depends on your health — which is why we compare both before recommending either.
What if I have health issues from my service?
Then VGLI may be exactly right — inside the 240-day window it accepts you regardless of health. We will tell you plainly when keeping VGLI is the better move; guaranteed coverage you could not otherwise qualify for is worth more than any premium difference.
Can I convert VGLI to a permanent policy later?
Yes — VGLI can be converted to an individual permanent policy with a participating commercial carrier, without proof of good health. It is one of the program's least-known features, and for veterans whose health has changed, sometimes the most valuable.
I'm still inside my 240 days — what should I do first?
Compare while the window is open. With guaranteed VGLI acceptance as your fallback, you can shop civilian term rates from maximum strength. The one mistake is letting the window lapse before deciding.
VGLI conversions, handled directly by Remain.
Remain Life Insurance Services, LLC runs a no-cost suitability review from your SGLI/VGLI details — comparing VGLI premium projections against commercial term and permanent options at your actual age and health profile — and handles the conversion directly.
Request a suitability review, or speak with a Remain advisor directly.