Dual-Military FSGLI Not Automatic

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- Dual-military couples who tie the knot this year can add one more bullet to their wedding to-do list if they wish to initiate additional life insurance benefits for their new spouse, officials said July 1.

"Sailors married to other service members must now apply for FSGLI (Family Servicemembers Group Life Insurance) if they wish to have spousal coverage," said Alan Gorski, Navy Casualty Policy Compliance branch head.

Section 642 of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act repeals the automatic enrollment in FSGLI for service members married to other service members.

"In the past when dual-military couples got married, additional life insurance coverage would be automatic for most service members already enrolled in SGLI (Servicemembers Group Life Insurance)," said Gorski. "In the case of service members married to other service members, this was often perceived as 'dual-coverage.' Automatic deductions often went undetected and in some cases, if premium deductions did not begin right away, there was often times a large amount of back-premiums due. The change in law allows a service member to make their own choice regarding the additional coverage."

By law, when a Sailor enters the Navy, he or she is automatically awarded SGLI coverage. Upon marriage or the birth of a child, a non-military spouse or child is automatically enrolled in FSGLI. The coverage starts as soon as the marriage or birth is documented and is retroactive to the date of the marriage or birth. The service member may decline the spousal portion of the coverage, but children are automatically covered, with no premiums required.

FSGLI provides up to a maximum of $100,000 of insurance coverage for spouses, (not to exceed the service member's SGLI coverage amount), and $10,000 for each dependent child.

Sailors must also remember to update their personal and family information in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility and Reporting System (DEERS) within 60 days of any life-changing event such as marriage, divorce, birth of a child or adoption. Failure to do so could result in breaks in eligibility for that family.

For more information about FSGLI coverage, visit http://www.npc.navy.mil/CommandSupport/CasualtyAssistance/FSGLI/, or call 1-866-U-ASK-NPC.

For more news from Navy Personnel Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/npc/.