Title 38Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73

§1987 Penalties

Title 38 › Part PART II— - GENERAL BENEFITS › Chapter CHAPTER 19— - INSURANCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - GENERAL › § 1987

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Anyone who knowingly makes, helps make, or arranges false papers or statements for applying, reinstating, waiving premiums, or claiming benefits under National Service Life Insurance, United States Government life insurance, or yearly renewable term insurance can be fined up to $1,000, jailed up to one year, or both. Anyone who makes a sworn statement in those claims knowing it is false (lying under oath) can be fined up to $5,000, jailed up to two years, or both.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §1987

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Any person who shall knowingly make or cause to be made, or conspire, combine, aid, or assist in, agree to, arrange for, or in anywise procure the making or presentation of a false or fraudulent affidavit, declaration, certificate, statement, voucher, or paper, or writing purporting to be such, concerning any application for insurance or reinstatement thereof, waiver of premiums or claim for benefits under National Service Life Insurance, United States Government life insurance, or yearly renewable term insurance for any person, shall be fined not more than $1,000, or be imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
(b)Whoever in any claim for National Service Life Insurance, United States Government life insurance, or yearly renewable term insurance makes any sworn statement of a material fact knowing it to be false, shall be guilty of perjury and shall be fined not more than $5,000, or be imprisoned for not more than two years, or both.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1991—Pub. L. 102–83 renumbered section 787 of this title as this section. 1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–576 substituted “any” for “himself or any other”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 1987

Title 38Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73