Leaving Fort Campbell: What Happens to Your SGLI
By Lesley David Varisce, licensed insurance agent, Clarksville, TN | Updated September 24, 2026
Your SGLI stays in force for 120 days after you separate, at no cost. To keep government coverage after that, apply for VGLI. Apply within 240 days of separation and there are no health questions. The final deadline is 1 year and 120 days. VGLI premiums rise every five years, so price a private level-term policy against it before day 240.
The dates that matter after separation
- Day 120: free SGLI coverage ends. It can extend up to 2 years if you are totally disabled.
- Day 120: a spouse covered by Family SGLI must convert it to an individual permanent policy by now, or lose it.
- Day 240: the last day to get VGLI without proving you are in good health.
- 1 year and 120 days: the last day to apply for VGLI at all, with health questions after day 240.
What VGLI costs as you get older
VGLI pays between $10,000 and $500,000, but you can start with no more than the SGLI amount you had when you left. VA sets the premium by your age bracket and resets it every five years. Monthly premiums from the VA rate table:
| Age | $100,000 | $250,000 | $500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 and younger | $6.00 | $15.00 | $30.00 |
| 30 to 34 | $8.00 | $20.00 | $40.00 |
| 35 to 39 | $10.00 | $25.00 | $50.00 |
| 40 to 44 | $14.00 | $35.00 | $70.00 |
| 45 to 49 | $19.00 | $47.50 | $95.00 |
| 50 to 54 | $29.00 | $72.50 | $145.00 |
| 55 to 59 | $50.00 | $125.00 | $250.00 |
| 60 to 64 | $85.00 | $212.50 | $425.00 |
| 65 to 69 | $138.00 | $345.00 | $690.00 |
| 70 to 74 | $215.00 | $537.50 | $1,075.00 |
| 75 to 79 | $385.00 | $962.50 | $1,925.00 |
| 80 and older | $440.00 | $1,100.00 | $2,200.00 |
At $250,000, the same policy costs $25.00 a month at ages 35 to 39, $72.50 at 50 to 54 and $212.50 at 60 to 64. Those increases come from the age bracket alone, whatever your health.
When VGLI is the right call
VGLI’s 240-day window asks no health questions. If you are leaving with a service-connected condition, or a health history that a private insurer would rate up or decline, that guarantee is worth more than any premium difference. VGLI also lets you add $25,000 of coverage one year after you get it and every five years after that, up to $500,000, until age 60.
When private term life can cost less
A private level-term policy holds one premium for 10, 20 or 30 years. For a healthy veteran in their 30s or 40s, that fixed premium can undercut VGLI over the full term once the five-year steps are added up. Only a real quote settles it, because the price depends on your age, health and tobacco use. You do not have to choose on day one: VGLI stays available until day 240 without health questions while a private application is underwritten.
See how term life insurance works, or the term life page for Fort Campbell.
Spouse and children: Family SGLI
Family SGLI covers a spouse for up to $100,000, never more than the service member’s own SGLI, and each dependent child for $10,000 at no cost. After separation, a spouse has 120 days to convert that coverage to an individual policy, and the converted policy has to be permanent coverage such as whole life. A spouse can also apply for a whole life policy separately. More on that for Oak Grove military spouses and on whole life insurance.
VGLI premium holiday, November 2026 to January 2027
VA states that eligible veterans covered under VGLI do not need to pay premiums from November 1, 2026 through January 31, 2027. Check with VA whether your policy qualifies before you skip a payment.
Compare before day 240
Les Varisce is a licensed independent agent in Clarksville, about 15 miles from the Fort Campbell main gate, and is licensed in both Kentucky and Tennessee. Bring your separation date and your VGLI rate from the table above, and he will set a private term quote beside it.
Get My Term Life Quote Call (931) 933-3770
Family Life Solutions does not sell SGLI, VGLI or Family SGLI. Those are administered by VA. This guide is general information, not advice about your own coverage.