18 Jan What Is TSGLI, Traumatic Injury Protection?
A TSGLI policy purchased under full-time SGLI will automatically cover you against traumatic injury. In addition, active-duty members, reservists, and members of the National Guard, including ones performing funeral honors duties or muster duty for a single day, are covered by TSGLI benefits. Without SGLI, you will not be covered but applying is just a matter of filling out a form.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about TSGLI.
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What Is TSGLI?
Traumatic Stress Group Life Insurance, also called Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance Traumatic Injury Protection (TSGLI), provides short-term financial support for service members who have suffered a severe injury. If you sustained a traumatic injury while serving in the military, you could file a TSGLI claim as long as SGLI covered you at the time of the injury.
The TSGLI is designed to alleviate the financial burden faced by the family of injured service members when recovering or rehabilitating from injuries suffered in combat. You may be eligible for TSGLI benefits if you suffer an injury while serving in the military.
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Are You Eligible for TSGLI?
As a condition of being eligible for TSGLI insurance, you must have been covered by SGLI at the time of the traumatic injury, and you must satisfy all of its requirements to receive TSGLI benefits. As a general rule, all members of the actively serving military, and all former active-duty members of the military, are covered with Servicemember’s Group Life Insurance and are automatically covered by TSGLI.
These covering benefits are extended to all military members, including active duty, reserve, National Guard members, funeral honors, and one-day military muster.
To receive TSGLI payments, military personnel and veterans must meet the following requirements:
- If you are injured, you must be covered by SGLI when the injury occurs
- Your injury must cause a loss covered by your insurance policy
- Your traumatic injury must have happened while you were serving in the military
- The scheduled loss must occur within two years (730 days) following the traumatic injury
- It is necessary to survive for at least seven full days from the date of the traumatic injury to qualify for compensation
TSGLI doesn’t cover a few conditions. Often, the exclusion is not directly related to the injury but to how it was sustained. You will not qualify for TSGLI if you meet any of these conditions.
- Self-inflicted or attempted self-harm must not be the cause of the injury
- An injury cannot result from a controlled substance or illegal drug administered to a patient without a licensed care provider’s participation
- Medical or surgical treatments for illnesses or diseases cannot be the cause of the injury
- The injury cannot have been sustained during the commission of the crime
- A physical or mental illness or condition must not cause the injury
Can I Get Retroactive Benefits for a Previous Injury?
You may be eligible for retroactive TSGLI benefits if your injury was sustained between Oct. 7, 2001, and Nov. 30, 2005, irrespective of the location of the damage or if SGLI covered you at the time your injury was sustained. The impact of the traumatic injury is taken into account when determining the amount of a settlement payment.
How Do I Get the TSGLI Benefit?
You’re automatically covered under TSGLI if you’re enrolled in full-time SGLI coverage. For each benefit you receive from TSGLI, you will be charged a flat $1 fee per month based on your SGLI premium. Therefore, you will never have to pay more to receive this benefit.
To receive a TSGLI payment, you will need to complete the Application for TSGLI Benefits (SGLV 8600) and return it to the TSGLI office. Your injury should qualify for this benefit as long as it occurred while you were a member of SGLI.
Once approved, you will receive a TSGLI payment based on the amount of the loss you suffered. These payments can range between $25,000 and $100,000.
What Is the Cost of TSGLI Insurance?
Veterans can usually get TSGLI for no additional cost if SGLI already covers them. A Servicemember’s TSGLI premium is usually a flat rate of $1 per month for most service members.
For almost every member, the prime rate of TSGLI is the same every month. For example, a member with a monthly premium of 27 dollars for TSGLI and SGLI will also have to pay 27 dollars per month for SGLI. The following summarizes the rates for different SGLI cover categories:
- Active duty members receive 1 USD a month.
- All-time coverage for National Guard or Reserves – 1 USD per month
- 1 USD a year for members of the National Guard or Reserves (part-time coverage)
- One-day muster duty and funeral honors are free
Check Out a Life Insurance Calculator for Veterans to figure out exactly how much you can expect to pay.
How to Apply for TSGLI
You must fill out an application to be eligible for TSGLI payments, including retroactive payments. You can file a claim by completing the Application for TSGLI Benefits (SGLV 8600), which needs to be faxed, emailed, or sent by mail. On the front page of the form, you can find the address of your local service branch.
You can download the Application form for TSGLI Benefits (PDF) by clicking here.
Get Financial Support While You Recover
TSGLI is insurance coverage created to compensate military service members who have suffered traumatic injuries while in the military, regardless of whether they were on duty or off duty at the time of the damage. You may be eligible for compensation up to $100,000 until the date you recover from your injury if you paid for SGLI during your time spent in the military and suffered a significant injury. In this way, TSGLI can assist veterans in receiving financial assistance while they recover from any active-duty injuries they have faced.
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