VGLI vs SGLI Premium Calculator

Compare VGLI premiums at your age band (va.gov rates effective July 2025) with SGLI, and preview the next 5-year age-band jump.

By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated August 2026 · Source: VA — VGLI

VGLI Monthly Premium

$56.00

VGLI Annual Cost

$672.00

SGLI While Serving

$21.00

Comparison

SGLI (active duty, incl. $1 TSGLI)$21.00
VGLI at your age band$56.00
Monthly difference$35.00
VGLI at next age band (45–49)$76.00

VGLI needs no medical exam if you apply within 240 days of separation. Rates are va.gov tables effective July 1, 2025, and rise at each 5-year age band.

Use the VGLI vs SGLI Premium Calculator above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, financial, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and current rates. Always consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.

How It Works

Leaving active duty ends SGLI, and the no-exam replacement is VGLI — Veterans’ Group Life Insurance. The pricing structures could not be more different: SGLI is one flat rate for everyone, 5 cents per $1,000 of coverage plus $1 for TSGLI ($26 a month at the $500,000 maximum), while VGLI is priced by age band and steps up every five years. This page uses the va.gov premium tables effective July 1, 2025, when VA cut VGLI rates by 2–17% across the bands.

The five-year jumps are the planning problem: coverage that costs $56 a month in your early forties becomes $340 at 60–64 and $1,540 at 75–79. The calculator shows your current band and previews the next one, because the right comparison is not “can I afford it now” but “what does this look like at the band where I will actually hold it.”

VGLI’s real value is guaranteed insurability: apply within 240 days of separation and no medical questions are asked — for veterans with service-connected conditions that private insurers rate up or decline, that guarantee can be worth far more than the premium difference. Healthy veterans should price a level-term policy alongside; VA’s newer VALife program covers service-connected disabled veterans separately.

Example: Separating at 42 with $400,000 of SGLI

  1. 1 A 42-year-old leaving active duty carries $400,000 of SGLI, paying (400 × $0.05) + $1 = $21 a month.
  2. 2 Converting to VGLI in the 40–44 band: $56 a month, or $672 a year, with no medical exam if the application lands within 240 days.
  3. 3 The difference is $35 a month now — but the next band matters: at 45–49 the same coverage becomes $76 a month.
  4. 4 By 60–64 it reaches $340. VGLI shines for veterans with health conditions; a healthy 42-year-old will usually find 20-year level term cheaper over the full horizon.

Source: VA — VGLI · Last updated: August 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does VGLI cost?
Premiums are age-banded and rise every five years. At $400,000: $24/month under 30, $56 at 40-44, $340 at 60-64, $1,540 at 75-79 (va.gov rates effective July 1, 2025, after VA’s 2-17% reduction). Other coverage amounts scale linearly per $10,000.
Do I need a medical exam for VGLI?
Not if you apply within 240 days of separation — acceptance is guaranteed regardless of health. From day 241 to 1 year and 120 days you can still apply, but with health questions. That guarantee is VGLI’s core value for veterans with service-connected conditions.
Is VGLI cheaper than SGLI?
No — SGLI while serving is a flat $0.05 per $1,000 plus $1 TSGLI ($26/month for the full $500,000) at every age. VGLI always costs more, and the gap widens every five-year band. The question is VGLI versus private term insurance, not versus SGLI.
Can I keep VGLI forever?
Yes — it is lifetime renewable regardless of health, with no cash value. You can also convert to an individual commercial policy with participating insurers without evidence of insurability.

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