§1905 — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

Level premium term policies normally end when their term runs out. Five-year level premium term policies that have not been changed to permanent coverage, exchanged, or lapsed will be renewed for another five years without a medical exam. The renewed premium will be based on the insured’s current age. If a policy lapsed, it will only be renewed if the insured applies to reinstate and renew it within five years after the lapse, and reinstatement must follow the rules the Secretary sets. If the insured can show they are totally disabled at the end of the term in a way that would have kept coverage going but for the term ending, the policy (if eligible) will be automatically renewed for five more years at the premium for the insured’s current age, unless the insured chose a different plan.

Title 38, §1905

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

All level premium term policies, except as otherwise provided in this section, shall cease and terminate at the expiration of the term period. At the expiration of any term period any five-year level premium term policy which has not been exchanged or converted to a permanent plan of insurance and which is not lapsed shall be renewed as level premium term insurance without application for a successive five-year period at the premium rate for the attained age without medical examination. However, renewal will be effected in cases where the policy is lapsed only if the insured makes application for reinstatement and renewal of the term policy within five years after the date of lapse, and reinstatement in such cases shall be under the terms and conditions prescribed by the Secretary. In any case in which the insured is shown by evidence satisfactory to the Secretary to be totally disabled at the expiration of the level premium term period of the insurance under conditions which would entitle the insured to continued insurance protection but for such expiration, the insurance, if subject to renewal under this section, shall be automatically renewed for an additional period of five years at the premium rate for the then attained age, unless the insured has elected insurance on some other available plan.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Prior section 1905, Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1216; Pub. L. 90–77, title II, § 204(b), Aug. 31, 1967, 81 Stat. 184, related to applications, prior to the general revision of chapter 39 of this title by Pub. L. 91–666, § 2(a), Jan. 11, 1971, 84 Stat. 1998.

Amendments

1991—Pub. L. 102–83 renumbered section 705 of this title as this section and substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” in two places. 1986—Pub. L. 99–576 substituted “the” for “his” in three places and “the insured” for “him”. 1970—Pub. L. 91–291 made it a requirement for renewal of lapsed policies that the insured make application for reinstatement and renewal of his term policy within five years after the date of lapse and struck out provision that the lapse occur within two months before the expiration of the term period.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1970 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 91–291 effective June 25, 1970, see section 14(a) of Pub. L. 91–291, set out as a note under section 1317 of this title.

§1905 Renewal