
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 38USC1915]

 
                      TITLE 38--VETERANS' BENEFITS
 
                        PART II--GENERAL BENEFITS
 
                          CHAPTER 19--INSURANCE
 
              SUBCHAPTER I--NATIONAL SERVICE LIFE INSURANCE
 
Sec. 1915. Total disability income provision

    The Secretary shall, except as hereinafter provided, upon 
application by the insured and proof of good health satisfactory to the 
Secretary and payment of such extra premium as the Secretary shall 
prescribe, include in any National Service Life Insurance policy on the 
life of the insured (except a policy issued under section 620 of the 
National Service Life Insurance Act of 1940, or section 1922 of this 
title) provisions whereby an insured who is shown to have become totally 
disabled for a period of six consecutive months or more commencing after 
the date of such application and before attaining the age of sixty-five 
and while the payment of any premium is not in default, shall be paid 
monthly disability benefits from the first day of the seventh 
consecutive month of and during the continuance of such total disability 
of $10 for each $1,000 of such insurance in effect when such benefits 
become payable. The total disability provision authorized under this 
section shall not be issued unless application therefor is made either 
prior to the insured's fifty-fifth birthday, or before the insured's 
sixtieth birthday and prior to January 1, 1966. The total disability 
provision authorized under this section shall not be added to a policy 
containing the total disability coverage heretofore issued under section 
602(v) of the National Service Life Insurance Act of 1940, or the 
provisions of this section as in effect before January 1, 1965, except 
upon surrender of such total disability coverage, proof of good health, 
if required, satisfactory to the Secretary, and payment of such extra 
premium as the Secretary shall determine is required in such cases. 
Participating policies containing additional provisions for the payment 
of disability benefits may be separately classified for the purpose of 
dividend distribution from otherwise similar policies not containing 
such benefits.

(Pub. L. 85-857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1151, Sec. 715; Pub. L. 88-355, 
July 7, 1964, 78 Stat. 272; renumbered Sec. 1915 and amended Pub. L. 
102-83, Secs. 4(b)(1), (2)(E), 5(a), (c)(1), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 
404-406.)

                       References in Text

    Section 620 of the National Service Life Insurance Act of 1940, 
referred to in text, is section 620 of act Oct. 8, 1940, ch. 757, title 
VI, pt. I, as added Apr. 25, 1951, ch. 39, pt. II, Sec. 10, 65 Stat. 36, 
which enacted section 821 of former Title 38, Pensions, Bonuses, and 
Veterans' Relief, and which was repealed and the provisions thereof 
reenacted as section 722 [now 1922] of this title by Pub. L. 85-857, 
Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1105.
    Section 602(v) of the National Service Life Insurance Act of 1940, 
referred to in text, is section 602(v) of act Oct. 8, 1940, ch. 757, 
title VI, pt. I, 54 Stat. 1009, which enacted section 802(v) of former 
Title 38, Pensions, Bonuses, and Veterans' Relief, and which was 
repealed and the provisions thereof reenacted as this section and 
section 721 [now 1921] of this title by Pub. L. 85-857, Sept. 2, 1958, 
72 Stat. 1105.


                               Amendments

    1991--Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 5(a), renumbered section 715 of this 
title as this section.
    Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 5(c)(1), substituted ``1922'' for ``722''.
    Pub. L. 102-83, Sec. 4(b)(1), (2)(E), substituted ``Secretary'' for 
``Administrator'' wherever appearing.
    1964--Pub. L. 88-355 authorized issuance of total disability income 
provisions to provide coverage to age 65 instead of to age 60, provided 
that said provisions shall not be issued unless application therefor is 
made either prior to the insured's 55th birthday, or before the 
insured's 60th birthday and prior to Jan. 1, 1966, and inserted ``or the 
provisions of this section as in effect before January 1, 1965'' before 
``except upon surrender'', and ``if required'' after ``proof of good 
health.''


                    Effective Date of 1964 Amendment

    Pub. L. 88-355 provided that the amendment made by Pub. L. 88-355 is 
effective Jan. 1, 1965.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 1907 of this title.
