The short answer
No. S-DVI and VALife are different VA life-insurance programs. S-DVI stopped taking new applications after December 31, 2022; existing policies can continue. VALife opened January 1, 2023 for Veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating — including 0%. VA writes two keep-versus-apply transition dates (applied by December 31, 2025 vs apply on or after January 1, 2026) and says VALife does not offer premium waivers, so an S-DVI waiver does not transfer. This note does not invent premium dollars. Educational only; not accredited representation; no guaranteed outcome; independent of VA; not legal advice.
The mix-up
Forum threads and old RH paperwork collapse four different products into one word — "VA life insurance":
- Treating an old RH / S-DVI policy as the same product as VALife. VA's S-DVI page links the rate pamphlet as "S-DVI RH Information and Premium Rates (VA Pamphlet 29-9)." That is the closed S-DVI program, not the VALife page that opened in 2023.
- Thinking S-DVI still takes new applications. The S-DVI page says it stopped after December 31, 2022, and points new applicants to VALife.
- Assuming an S-DVI premium waiver transfers if you switch. Both live pages say VALife does not offer premium waivers, and that an S-DVI waiver will not transfer.
- Confusing either program with Veterans' Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI), which VA describes as mortgage protection for an adapted home — not beneficiary whole life.
This page is only the S-DVI-versus-VALife mix-up, using the live VA.gov insurance pages below. It does not tell you whether to keep a policy or apply for another one.
What S-DVI actually is
From the Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI) page (last updated January 2, 2026): S-DVI provides low-cost coverage to eligible service members. The program stopped taking new applications after December 31, 2022. If you already have S-DVI, you can keep it.
That same page asks whether you are eligible for VA life insurance as a Veteran with a service-connected disability, and answers by pointing to VALife — not by reopening S-DVI. VA began accepting VALife applications on January 1, 2023.
Premiums, as that page writes them, depend on age, the amount of insurance, the coverage plan, and whether you pay once each month or once each year. VA publishes the figures in S-DVI RH Information and Premium Rates (VA Pamphlet 29-9). This note does not copy those tables or invent a dollar amount.
On waivers: under certain conditions, the basic S-DVI policy still provides a premium waiver for Veterans who are totally disabled. VA points to its totally disabled or terminally ill policyholders page for that waiver path (last updated March 12, 2026). If you have supplemental S-DVI, that S-DVI page says you still pay premiums for the supplemental coverage even if you have a waiver for basic S-DVI premiums. Supplemental S-DVI also stopped taking new applications after December 31, 2022.
What VALife actually is
From Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife) (last updated May 15, 2026): VALife is guaranteed-acceptance whole life insurance for Veterans with service-connected disabilities. If you meet the eligibility requirements, VA says it will automatically approve the application. You will not need to prove you are in good health, and you can keep the coverage for the rest of your life.
Eligibility, as that page writes it:
- Age 80 or younger: eligible if you have a VA service-connected disability rating — even if the rating is 0%. There is no time limit to apply after getting the disability rating.
- Age 81 or older: all of these must be true — before you turned 81 you applied for VA disability compensation for a service-connected disability; after you turned 81 you received a rating for that same disability; and you apply for VALife within 2 years of getting notification of your disability rating.
Coverage on that page: up to $40,000 in whole life insurance, in $10,000 increments. Cash value starts to add up 2 years after VA approves the application. VALife does not offer loans.
Full life insurance coverage starts 2 years after you apply. You must pay the premiums during those 2 years. If you die during the waiting period, VA says it will pay beneficiaries the total premiums paid, plus interest. The published rates on that page are 4.23% for a death in 2026 and 3.59% for a death in 2025. If you die after the 2-year waiting period, VA says it will pay the full coverage amount of the policy.
Premium depends on age when you apply and the amount of coverage. The rate never increases as long as you keep the VALife policy. Mid-birthday rule, as VA writes it: if more than 6 months have passed since your last birthday, VA considers you 1 year older when determining the premium rate. The example on that page: if you are 59 years and 6 months and 1 day old, you pay the rate for age 60. Confirm the live VALife tables for the figure that matches your age and coverage. This note does not paste those tables.
VALife does not offer premium waivers. Beneficiaries file a Claim for One Sum Payment (VA Form 29-4125), as the VALife page writes it.
If you already have S-DVI: keep vs apply
Both the S-DVI page and the VALife page write the same two options if you already have S-DVI:
- Apply now for VALife, or
- Keep your S-DVI. You do not have to do anything to keep your coverage.
What VA writes about changing to VALife:
- If you applied for VALife by December 31, 2025: you can keep S-DVI during the 2-year waiting period for VALife benefits. S-DVI (including policies with premium waivers) ends when full VALife coverage starts. You must pay premiums for both policies during the 2-year waiting period.
- If you apply for VALife on or after January 1, 2026: S-DVI (including policies with premium waivers) ends the day VA approves the VALife application. You pay only VALife premiums during the 2-year waiting period. You will not have full coverage during that waiting period.
Both pages repeat: VALife does not offer premium waivers. If you have a waiver for S-DVI premiums, that waiver will not transfer to VALife. This note does not choose keep or apply for you.
One short distinction that is not either program: Veterans' Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) (last updated June 4, 2025) is mortgage protection insurance for families of Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities who have adapted a home to fit their needs. It is not S-DVI and it is not VALife beneficiary whole life. This note does not rewrite VMLI eligibility.
Practical checklist (educational)
- Confirm which policy you actually have — S-DVI (including an RH-labeled pamphlet or policy number), VALife, VMLI, or something else. The names are not interchangeable.
- If you are shopping for new VA coverage after December 31, 2022, read the live VALife eligibility page. S-DVI is closed to new applications.
- If you have S-DVI with a premium waiver, read the waiver-does-not-transfer note on both live pages before you apply for VALife. VALife does not offer premium waivers.
- Use VA's published premium tools and tables — Pamphlet 29-9 for existing S-DVI, and the monthly or yearly tables on the live VALife page. This note does not invent those dollars.
- For questions about an existing VALife, S-DVI, or a VA life insurance policy that starts with a V, J, RS, or W, call the VA Life Insurance Center at 800-669-8477 (TTY: 711). Call for current hours, as both pages write it.
- For personal facts, get help from an accredited representative: /blog/va-accredited-representative · https://www.va.gov/get-help-from-accredited-representative/
What this note is not
- Not a statement that S-DVI and VALife are the same product.
- Not a claim that S-DVI still takes new applications.
- Not a rule that an S-DVI premium waiver transfers to VALife.
- Not a premium quote, a coverage recommendation, or a keep-versus-switch decision.
- Not a rewrite of VMLI eligibility.
- Not accredited representation; independent of VA; no guaranteed outcome; not legal advice.
Sources
- VA.gov — Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI) (last updated January 2, 2026)
- VA.gov — Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife) (last updated May 15, 2026)
- VA.gov — Veterans' Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) (last updated June 4, 2025)
- VA Pamphlet 29-9 — S-DVI RH Information and Premium Rates (PDF)
- VA.gov — Totally disabled or terminally ill policyholders (premium waivers) (last updated March 12, 2026)
- VA.gov — VA Form 29-4125 (Claim for One Sum Payment)
- VA — Get help from an accredited representative
- Internal: /blog/va-accredited-representative
Quick answers
Is Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI) the same as VALife?
No. VA’s S-DVI page (last updated January 2, 2026) describes S-DVI as a program that stopped taking new applications after December 31, 2022, while existing policyholders can keep coverage. The same page points new applicants to Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife), which began accepting applications January 1, 2023. VA’s VALife page (last updated May 15, 2026) describes VALife as guaranteed-acceptance whole life for Veterans with a VA service-connected disability rating — even 0%. They are different programs.
Can I still apply for a new S-DVI policy?
VA’s S-DVI page says the program stopped taking new applications after December 31, 2022. Supplemental S-DVI also stopped taking new applications after that date. If you already have S-DVI, that page says you can keep it. For new coverage, VA points readers to the VALife eligibility page.
Does a 0% service-connected rating qualify for VALife?
VA’s VALife page says: if you are age 80 or younger, you are eligible for VALife if you have a VA service-connected disability rating — even if your rating is 0%. It also says there is no time limit to apply after getting the disability rating. Age 81 and older has a separate three-part list on that same page. This note does not invent a different percentage or a filing deadline that is not on that page.
If I have an S-DVI premium waiver, does it transfer to VALife?
No. Both the S-DVI page and the VALife page write: VALife does not offer premium waivers. If you have a waiver for S-DVI premiums, your waiver will not transfer to VALife. The S-DVI page also says that if you have supplemental S-DVI, you still pay premiums for that supplemental coverage even if you have a waiver for basic S-DVI premiums.
What is the difference between applying for VALife by December 31, 2025 and applying on or after January 1, 2026 if I already have S-DVI?
Both live pages write the same split. If you applied for VALife by December 31, 2025, you can keep S-DVI during the 2-year VALife waiting period; S-DVI (including policies with premium waivers) ends when full VALife coverage starts; you must pay premiums for both during the waiting period. If you apply for VALife on or after January 1, 2026, S-DVI (including premium-waiver policies) ends the day VA approves the VALife application; you pay only VALife premiums during the 2-year waiting period; you will not have full coverage during that waiting period. Confirm the live pages for the date that applies to your application.
Is Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance (VMLI) the same as S-DVI or VALife?
No. VA’s VMLI page (last updated June 4, 2025) describes VMLI as mortgage protection insurance for families of Veterans with severe service-connected disabilities who have adapted a home to fit their needs. That is a different program from S-DVI and from VALife beneficiary whole life. This note does not rewrite VMLI eligibility.
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Educational only. Not a VSO, attorney, or claims agent. Not affiliated with VA. Not legal advice. No guaranteed outcome. Confirm the live VA.gov S-DVI, VALife, and VMLI pages and the policy in your hands before you act. This article does not invent ratings, percentages, premium dollars beyond pointing to VA’s published tables, effective dates, or outcomes, and it does not tell you whether to keep S-DVI or apply for VALife.