Are Your Insurance Needs Covered During Deployment?

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A deploying North Carolina Air National Guardsman hugs his wife and says goodbye before departure at the North Carolina Air National Guard Base, Charlotte Douglas International Airport. (Nathan Clark/U.S. Air Guard)
A deploying North Carolina Air National Guardsman hugs his wife and says goodbye before departure at the North Carolina Air National Guard Base, Charlotte Douglas International Airport. (Nathan Clark/U.S. Air Guard)

Off you go. You need affordable life insurance that fits your mobile lifestyle. Watch out for hidden military service restrictions and war clauses.

Deployment Checklist

You have a lot on your mind when preparing to deploy. Reduce the stress by following this simple checklist to take care of some of the details.

  • Update -- or create -- your will.
  • Update your Record of Emergency Data.
  • Consider the need for a Power of Attorney.
  • Re-examine your life insurance plan.
  • Review your SGLI benefits and other insurance beneficiary designations to make sure they list those you want to receive benefits.
  • Create a spending plan that includes additional money needed for deployment related expenses while you are away.
  • Determine how you will pay your bills while away.
  • Make sure someone knows where all important papers are located (bank account statements, investment, deeds, and insurance policies (life, medical, property/casualty) etc.
  • Review your family's assets and investments — make sure your survivors know where the money is and why it is there.
  • Verify that someone has access to current names, addresses, and contact information for: Command Ombudsmen or Key Spouse, Emergency Relief Society and Family Support Center, Family Members, Close Friends, Attorney, Financial Planner, CPA, Place of worship, Car repair shop, Handyman for routine home maintenance.

Why You Need Life Insurance Now

Your family depends on your income for their financial security:

  • SGLI is limited to $400,000 — is that really enough?
  • You may be headed to a hazardous duty zone and want greater peace of mind.
  • Life Insurance is designed to protect the financial security of your loved ones if you pass away. It is there to make up the difference between what your family needs and what they have available.

Which Insurance is Right For You?

Term Life Insurance:

  • Low cost protection for a fixed period of time.
  • Premiums guaranteed never to increase.

Best choice: Look for the highest amount of life insurance possible while keeping premiums very low.

Permanent Life Insurance:

  • Guaranteed lifetime protection
  • Tax-deferred cash value growth

Best choice: Protect both yourself and your family for your entire life while accumulating cash value.

Active-duty military members

You need life insurance with no military restrictions

  • No aviation clauses
  • No terrorism clauses
  • No war clauses
  • No location restrictions

Best choice: Choose an insurance plan that will stay with you regardless of where you are or what you do.

Find the Right Fit

SGLI and VGLI may not be enough to cover your family's needs. Explore life insurance options with our free tool that compares rates and matches you to the coverage your family needs.

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