Service Disabled Veterans Insurance

[paulstrgn]

I am 100% P&T. I have called the toll free number for the VA life insurance and have been given conflicting information. The first person I spoke to said I am not eligible to apply for the waiver of premiums on a $10,000 life policy because I am working, the second person said I need to apply for the waiver and see what they say. He said I may or may not be given the waiver, he said you won't know until you apply.

Does anyone have the SDVI for $10,000 and is employed get the premiums waived? I only want to apply if the premiums will be waived. I am also under 65 and it has been less than 2 years since my last new disability.

Thanks

 

[Vync]

@blahsaysme2u I have an active appeal at the BVA for the S-DVI stuff. I can get more info to you about this later this week.

[orby]

I have been following along and am now in the same(ish) boat.  I applied for and was accepted for SDVI ($10K) through their online system (mistake).  I just applied now that I am working again (mistake).  I can apply for the waiver through the 29-357 but it doesn't look like it allows for 100%P&T before the application for insurance was filed; this is for becoming totally disabled after having the life insurance already.

 

Solution: apply via snail mail and in premiums annotate 100% P%T waiver, and apply right after you retire (and have your 100% P&T letter) where you don't have a job yet

 

Standing by for any thoughts/updates.  Thanks in advance.

[Vync]

18 hours ago, orby said:

I have been following along and am now in the same(ish) boat.  I applied for and was accepted for SDVI ($10K) through their online system (mistake).  I just applied now that I am working again (mistake).  I can apply for the waiver through the 29-357 but it doesn't look like it allows for 100%P&T before the application for insurance was filed; this is for becoming totally disabled after having the life insurance already.

 

Solution: apply via snail mail and in premiums annotate 100% P%T waiver, and apply right after you retire (and have your 100% P&T letter) where you don't have a job yet

 

Standing by for any thoughts/updates.  Thanks in advance.

@paulstrgn's application is already in the system. The approach you recommend would likely not work either because they have one form to apply for S-DVI, another for the waiver of premiums, and then they go over everything with a fine tooth comb to look for any way to deny the waiver.

My appeal is still in the BVA queue waiting since earlier this year. Probably will be 2035 before it gets picked up.

@blahsaysme2u, I have been very covered up with moving and didn't get a chance to respond to your post. The VA insurance department defines P&T completely different than the rest of the VA. They interpret as also being unemployable, like IU. However, the way they went about it was a bit dirty. I detailed a bunch of it on by blog post from last year. Basically, the P&T definition used to be part of 38 CFR, then got moved into a departmental policy.

 

 

[orby]

46 minutes ago, Vync said:

@paulstrgn's application is already in the system. The approach you recommend would likely not work either because they have one form to apply for S-DVI, another for the waiver of premiums, and then they go over everything with a fine tooth comb to look for any way to deny the waiver.

My appeal is still in the BVA queue waiting since earlier this year. Probably will be 2035 before it gets picked up.

@blahsaysme2u, I have been very covered up with moving and didn't get a chance to respond to your post. The VA insurance department defines P&T completely different than the rest of the VA. They interpret as also being unemployable, like IU. However, the way they went about it was a bit dirty. I detailed a bunch of it on by blog post from last year. Basically, the P&T definition used to be part of 38 CFR, then got moved into a departmental policy.

 

 

I read through the discussions and agree with the concerns and the understand reality of the definition as the Insurance department sees it (although I disagree with it as well).

 

The only scenario I see this working is as follows:

 

A military member retires, waits for the VA decision on his/her disability claim, receives the 100%P&T designation, immediately applies for S-DVI, gets approved for the insurance, applies for the waiver. Caveat: the online application allows for stating that you are not working due to XX factors, one of them being because of the disability and another being because you haven't found employment yet.  I don't know how that works since I applied after I had a job already.

 

All this has to be done before starting a new job.

 

The only other scenario I see for myself is if I leave this job before the 6 year mark and reapply for the waiver based on unemployment, but then I would have paid for 6 years worth of premiums (aprox $2500), which is what I was trying to avoid

 

Thanks for the great discussion and best of luck on all (as we say in Tx, all y'all's) your efforts

 

[Vync]

@orbyYou made some good points, but the VA can become adversarial if they think you are getting something that they believe you should not get. The VA has computer matching systems with the IRS and are able to tell if vets who are IU or TDIU become gainfully employed or begin earning above the poverty threshold. I assume those same systems would be able to detect if you were granted the waiver due to not working and then start working. If they don't catch it, but later learn of being employed, the VA would likely cancel the waiver and might attempt to recoup the waiver premium costs. I have read about other vets having to repay some of their IU/TDIU compensation after having been found working, however the VA does accept hardship waivers where applicable.

The whole S-DVI waiver thing is rather misleading to us veterans because of the inconsistency in the web site, forms, 38 CFR, and their internal policies. It adds to the confusion...

 

[orby]

37 minutes ago, Vync said:

@orbyYou made some good points, but the VA can become adversarial if they think you are getting something that they believe you should not get. The VA has computer matching systems with the IRS and are able to tell if vets who are IU or TDIU become gainfully employed or begin earning above the poverty threshold. I assume those same systems would be able to detect if you were granted the waiver due to not working and then start working. If they don't catch it, but later learn of being employed, the VA would likely cancel the waiver and might attempt to recoup the waiver premium costs. I have read about other vets having to repay some of their IU/TDIU compensation after having been found working, however the VA does accept hardship waivers where applicable.

The whole S-DVI waiver thing is rather misleading to us veterans because of the inconsistency in the web site, forms, 38 CFR, and their internal policies. It adds to the confusion...

 

I could see that being the case.  I'm going to reach out to the OK dep of Veterans Affairs and ask the question.  I will post anything they have to add.  Thanks again.