The Veterans Burial Benefit Pays $1,002. Your Family Pays the Rest.
Life insurance for veterans, spouses, and widows that covers what the burial benefit does not.
- Up to $50,000 in coverage
- Spouses and widows can apply
- No two-year waiting period
- Rate is set and does not go up
Want to see what your family may qualify for?
Start the Survey- 5 out of 5 on GoogleMore than 1,500 reviews
- 20,000+ familiesprotected with our help
- Licensed in 46 statesplus Washington, D.C.
- Ages 45 to 89Veterans, spouses, widows
Burial Help Is Not Life Insurance. Here Is the Difference.
- Coverage up to $50,000
- No medical exam. A few health questions.
- Options for people with existing health conditions
- The benefit does not decrease as you get older
- First payment on a day you choose, not the day you apply
- Paid directly to your family, not the funeral home
Veterans Life Programs
- VALife is for veterans with a service-connected disability rating. Spouses and widows cannot apply.
- Two-year waiting period before the full VALife benefit applies
- VALife coverage caps at $40,000
- VGLI premiums rise with each five-year age band
- The burial allowance is $1,002 for most families, paid as a reimbursement
- The funeral itself is not covered. A national cemetery plot is.
Sources: VALife program terms (coverage in $10,000 steps to $40,000, two-year waiting period, service-connected rating required); the 2026 VGLI premium table; Military.com, burial allowance for deaths on or after October 1, 2025. Coverage amounts and rates with us vary by age, health, carrier, and state.
The Numbers Behind This Coverage
Three figures explain why veterans and spouses look at this coverage.
What the veterans burial benefit pays most families
It is paid as a reimbursement, after your family has paid the funeral home. When the death is connected to service, the benefit can reach $2,000. A plot in a national cemetery is covered; the funeral itself is not.
Source: Military.com, rates for deaths on or after October 1, 2025.
The median cost of a funeral with a viewing and burial
With a viewing and cremation, the median is $6,280. The bill goes to your family within days, before any benefit check arrives.
Source: National Funeral Directors Association, 2023 General Price List Study.
Coverage available to cover the rest
Paid directly to the person you name, to use however your family needs: the funeral, the rent or mortgage, or money left behind.
Coverage amounts and rates vary by age, health, carrier, and state.
What Happens After the Survey
- Answer the survey questions. About two minutes, no paperwork.
- Pick a day and time. A licensed life insurance agent calls you then.
- On the call, about 15 minutes, our agent shows you the premium and the benefit for your age and health. You can say yes, or no.
The A-Rated Carriers We Work With
Your coverage comes from one of these insurance companies. Our agents compare them side by side and show you the options that fit.
American Veterans Insurance is a licensed, independent agency and is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Medicare, or any other government agency. Carrier availability varies by state and by product.
Rated 5 Stars by More Than 1,500 Clients
Real Google reviews from the people we have helped, including many veterans and their families. Read them in their own words below.
Questions Veterans Ask Us
If yours is not here, ask it on the call. That is what the call is for.
Is this the veterans burial benefit?
No. The veterans burial benefit is separate and stays in place. This is a life insurance policy from an A-rated insurance company, paid directly to the person you name. It adds to what you already have.
I already have life insurance. Should I cancel it?
No. If you already have a policy, keep it. This coverage adds to it.
I have health problems. Can I still apply?
In most cases, yes. The application asks a few health questions and requires no medical exam. We work with carriers that take hard-to-insure cases. Some conditions change which option fits, and some options carry a waiting period before the full benefit applies. Our agent explains which ones before you choose.
Will my rate go up as I get older?
No. The rate is set at the age you start and stays the same while the coverage is in force. The benefit amount does not decrease either.
Do I have to pay anything today?
No. The survey and the call cost nothing. If you choose a policy, you pick the day your first payment is due.
Who will call me?
A licensed life insurance agent from American Veterans Insurance, at the time you choose. You will get a text with the number our agent calls from, so you know it is us.
Is American Veterans Insurance part of the government?
No. American Veterans Insurance is a licensed insurance agency. We are not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government, the federal Medicare program, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or Tricare.