Insurance After New Rating

[red]

When I was awarded p&t 11 years ago I do not remember seeing an offer for free insurance or the possibility of purchasing insurance. So i missed out on this. I understand if you are awarded a new disability you might be able to get the insurance. My question is we were awarded a&a due to me taking care of my wife with her stroke. Would this award qualify for insurance or should I just leave it alone. The a&a is only 140 a month but every little bit helps. I wish they would give the disabled vet a caregivers award when he has to take care of his spouse so he or she could have a little off time You can not afford to hire help due to the high rates they require. If anyone can help with these subjects It would be appreciated. By the way both my wife and I are 72. I was awarded p&t in 2001.

[jvretiredvet]

I doubt that the award of A&A for your spouse would qualify you for S-DVI now. Note: I also suspect that award of A&A for a veteran, in the absence of a newly service connected disability, would qualify either.

However, you won't know for sure until you apply.

When I was awarded p&t 11 years ago I do not remember seeing an offer for free insurance or the possibility of purchasing insurance. So i missed out on this. I understand if you are awarded a new disability you might be able to get the insurance. My question is we were awarded a&a due to me taking care of my wife with her stroke. Would this award qualify for insurance or should I just leave it alone. The a&a is only 140 a month but every little bit helps. I wish they would give the disabled vet a caregivers award when he has to take care of his spouse so he or she could have a little off time You can not afford to hire help due to the high rates they require. If anyone can help with these subjects It would be appreciated. By the way both my wife and I are 72. I was awarded p&t in 2001.

[carlie]

A&A would not meet the criteria.

I am a disabled veteran. Do I qualify for insurance with the Department of Veterans Affairs?

To be eligible for basic Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance (S-DVI), a veteran must have been released from active duty under other than dishonorable conditions on or after April 25, 1951. He/she must have received a rating for a service-connected disability and must be in good health except for any service-connected conditions. Application must be made within two years of the granting of service-connection for a disability.

How long do I have to apply for Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance?

You have two years from the date you are notified that you have a NEW service-connected disability. You do not get an additional eligibility period if you are granted an increase in your current disability. Once you have a policy and are notified of your entitlement to waiver of premiums because of total disability, you have one year to apply for the supplemental $30,000 in coverage

http://www.insurance...ral/faq.htm#top

[Inthewind]

I was rated at 50% in 2004 (several SC issues) but have recently been increased to 100% P&T due to several new SC issues (One of the new SC's is depression/PTSD/opioid dependency as secondary to my initial rating of DDD and several others (Pez planus, left knee) are completely new).

Do I now qualify?

I was never offered this in 2004 (Or at least don't remember it) when I was initially SC'd.

Thanks.

[carlie]

I was rated at 50% in 2004 (several SC issues) but have recently been increased to 100% P&T due to several new SC issues (One of the new SC's is depression/PTSD/opioid dependency as secondary to my initial rating of DDD and several others (Pez planus, left knee) are completely new).

Do I now qualify?

I was never offered this in 2004 (Or at least don't remember it) when I was initially SC'd.

Thanks.

If a NEW condition has been SC'd within the last 2 years you are eligible.

This does not apply to an increase of a condition that was already SC'd.

[broncovet]

On the question as to whether an award of "A and A" qualifies as a "new rating" for VA insurance purposes, I humbly suggest you apply at VA life insurance. Reasons:

First, VA regulations are in constant flux, as are the VA interpretations of them. Even tho at one time they may not have called A and A a "new rating"...a court case could have come along that you did not know about and the Va changed their position on this.

Next, Veterans are entitled to a "liberal interpretation" of their filings, and you may just get a decision maker who is Veteran friendly. Time and time again, I have seen much variability in what one adjuticator vs a more Veteran friendly adjuticator says.

In some instances, when a Veteran was not given notice of a deadline, the VA is not able to enforce said deadline. No, I cant supply a link for that right now, but you dont have anything to lose by applying.

Finally, remember that VA life insurance is a profit center for VA. More Life Insurance sold = More Profits. How do I say this? Remember that there are dozens or even hundreds of companies that sell life insurance for a profit. Well, VA life insurance is not particularly cheap so SOMEONE has to be making money on its sale. Is that someone "All Prudential"? Maybe. But remember the VA does not put its life insurance "out for bid" and Pru seems to have an exclusive on it. How did that happen? I dunno. But..you can bet when the VA favors one contractor over another, year after year, there must be a reason for it, and that reason is usually money. There are many, many other companies the VA could contract with to service life insurance...MetLIfe, New York Life, Mutual of Omaha, MONY, ...there is a long list. There has to be a reason the VA picks Prudential year after year, over some of these other highly rated insurance companies.

Edited September 25, 2012 by broncovet