TSGLI (Traumatic Injury Protection under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance)

TSGLI stands for Traumatic Injury Protection under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance. It is a rider on SGLI that pays money to service members who suffer severe traumatic injuries, such as amputations, loss of sight or hearing, paralysis, burns, or injuries that leave them unable to perform daily activities on their own. The payment is meant to help with recovery costs, and it is separate from VA disability compensation.

According to the VA, TSGLI pays $25,000 to $100,000 depending on the type of loss, and you are covered automatically if you have full-time SGLI. The injury does not have to happen in combat or on duty.

The VA lists several conditions. You must have suffered the traumatic injury before midnight on the day you left the military, you must suffer a scheduled loss within 2 years (730 days) of the injury, and you must survive at least 7 full days after the injury. Losses must match the VA's schedule of losses, and supporting medical documentation is required. Denied claims can be appealed.

TSGLI is an insurance claim, not a lawsuit. It sometimes comes up alongside civil claims, for example when an injury was caused by a defective product a veteran used. Our page on 3M earplug and burn pit claims covers veteran injury litigation, and the guide on whether a settlement affects benefits explains how payments can interact with need-based programs.