§ 9.1 Definitions.

The following definitions are in addition to those definitions in 38 U.S.C. 101 and 1965:

(a) The term

policy

means Group Policy No. G-32000, which was effective September 29, 1965, purchased from the insurer pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 1966, executed and attested on December 30, 1965, and amended thereafter.

(b) The term

administrative office

means the Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance.

(c) The term

insurer

means the commercial life insurance company or companies selected under 38 U.S.C. 1966 to provide insurance coverage specified in the policy.

(d) The term

reinsurer

means any life insurance company meeting all the criteria set forth in § 9.10 which reinsures a portion of the total amount of insurance covered by the policy and issues individual life insurance policies to members under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 1968(b) and 1977(e).

(e) The term

converter

means any life insurance company meeting all the criteria set forth in § 9.10 which issues individual life insurance policies to members under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 1968(b) and 1977(e).

(f) The term

coverage

means Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance or Veterans' Group Life Insurance payable while the member is insured under the policy.

(g) The term

termination of duty

means (1) In the case of active duty or active duty for training being performed under a call or order that does not specify a period of less than 31 days-discharge, release or separation from such duty.

(2) In the case of other duty—the member's release from his or her obligation to perform any duty in his or her uniformed service (active duty, or active duty for training or inactive duty training) whether arising from limitations included in a contract of enlistment or similar form of obligation or arising from resignation, retirement or other voluntary action by which the obligation to perform such duty ceases.

f other duty—the member's release from his or her obligation to perform any duty in his or her uniformed service (active duty, or active duty for training or inactive duty training) whether arising from limitations included in a contract of enlistment or similar form of obligation or arising from resignation, retirement or other voluntary action by which the obligation to perform such duty ceases.

(h) The term

break in service

means the situation(s) in which: (1) A member terminates duty or obligation to perform duty in one service and enters on duty or assumes the obligation to perform duty in another uniformed service, regardless of the length of time intervening.

(2) A member reenters on duty or resumes an obligation to perform duty as a Reserve in the same uniformed service and 1 calendar day or more has elapsed following termination of the prior period of duty or obligation to perform duty.

(i) The term

disability

means any type of injury or disease whether mental or physical.

(j) The term

total disability

means any impairment of mind or body which continuously renders it impossible for the insured to follow any substantially gainful occupation. Without prejudice to any other cause of disability, the permanent loss of the use of both feet, of both hands, or of both eyes, or of one foot and one hand, or of one foot and one eye, or of one hand and one eye, or the total loss of hearing of both ears, or the organic loss of speech shall be deemed to be total disability. Organic loss of speech will mean the loss of the ability to express oneself, both by voice and whisper, through the normal organs of speech if such loss is caused by organic changes in such organs. Where such loss exists, the fact that some speech can be produced through the use of an artificial appliance or other organs of the body will be disregarded.

(k)(1) The term

member's stillborn child

means a member's biological child—

n the loss of the ability to express oneself, both by voice and whisper, through the normal organs of speech if such loss is caused by organic changes in such organs. Where such loss exists, the fact that some speech can be produced through the use of an artificial appliance or other organs of the body will be disregarded.

(k)(1) The term

member's stillborn child

means a member's biological child—

(i) Whose death occurs before expulsion, extraction, or delivery; and

(ii) Whose—

(A) Fetal weight is 350 grams or more; or

(B) Duration in utero is 20 completed weeks of gestation or more, calculated from the date the last normal menstrual period began to the date of expulsion, extraction, or delivery.

(2) The term does not include any fetus or child extracted for purposes of an abortion.

(l) The term

member of the family

as used in § 9.5(e)(2) means an individual with any of the following relationships to a person who is convicted of intentionally and wrongfully killing the decedent or determined in a civil proceeding to have intentionally and wrongfully killed the decedent:

(1) Spouse;

(2) Biological, adopted, or step child;

(3) Biological, adoptive, or step parent;

(4) Biological, adopted, or step sibling; or

(5) Biological, adoptive, or step grandparent or grandchild.

(m) The term

pursuing a course of instruction at an approved educational institution,

as used in 38 U.S.C. 101(4)(A)(iii), means, for purposes of this part, pursuing a “program of education,” as that term is defined in 38 U.S.C. 3002(3), at an approved “educational institution,” as that term is defined in 38 U.S.C. 3452(c), as an enrolled student on either a more than half-time basis or on a half-time basis or less.

ng a course of instruction at an approved educational institution,

as used in 38 U.S.C. 101(4)(A)(iii), means, for purposes of this part, pursuing a “program of education,” as that term is defined in 38 U.S.C. 3002(3), at an approved “educational institution,” as that term is defined in 38 U.S.C. 3452(c), as an enrolled student on either a more than half-time basis or on a half-time basis or less.

(n) The term a

stepchild who is a member of a veteran's household,

as used in 38 U.S.C. 101(4)(A), for purposes of this part, means a stepchild who has been living in the insured's household for at least one year.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501(a), 1980A)

[40 FR 4135, Jan. 28, 1975, as amended at 53 FR 17698, May 18, 1988; 61 FR 20135, May 6, 1996; 67 FR 52413, Aug. 12, 2002; 70 FR 75946, Dec. 22, 2005; 73 FR 71930, Nov. 26, 2008; 74 FR 59479, Nov. 18, 2009; 74 FR 62706, Dec. 1, 2009; 77 FR 60306, Oct. 3, 2012; 77 FR 70376, Nov. 26, 2012; 85 FR 14802, Mar. 16, 2020; 90 FR 46476, Sept. 29, 2025]