§ 8.0 Definitions of terms used in connection with title 38 CFR, part 8, National Service Life Insurance.

(a) What does the term “good health” mean? The term good health means that the applicant is, from clinical or other evidence, free from any condition that would tend to: (1) Weaken normal physical or mental functions; or (2) Shorten life. Conditions that would affect “good health” are diseases or injuries or residuals of diseases or injuries. A “residual” is a disability that remains following the original disease or injury. (b) What does the term “good health criteria” mean? The term good health criteria means the underwriting standards that determine whether a person is in good health. “Good health criteria” are based whenever possible, as far as practicable, on general insurance usage. “Underwriting” is the process that sets the terms, conditions, and prices for an insurance policy, by rating an applicant's mortality risk. (c) What does the term “organic loss of speech” mean? The term organic loss of speech means the loss of the ability to express oneself, both by voice and whisper, through the normal organs of speech if the loss is caused by physical changes in such organs. The fact that some speech can be produced through the use of artificial appliance or other organs of the body will not impact this definition. (d) What does the term “disease or injury traceable to the extra hazards of the military service” mean? The term disease or injury traceable to the extra hazards of the military service means a disease or injury that was either caused by or can be traced back to the performance of duty in the active military, naval, or air service. (e) What does the term “guardian” mean? The term guardian means any state-appointed guardian or conservator, attorney-in-fact, or VA-appointed fiduciary, as defined in § 13.20, who is responsible for receiving VA benefits in a fiduciary capacity on behalf of the insured or the beneficiary, or to take the actions listed in § 8.32. Note 1 to paragraph (e): If a VA-appointed fiduciary and either a state-appointed guardian/conservator or attorney-in-fact are not the same individual and both attempt to take conflicting actions on an incompetent insured's policy, the VA-appointed fiduciary shall have the exclusive authority to take actions on the policy. (f) What does the term “Veterans' Affairs Life Insurance (VALife)” mean? The term Veterans' Affairs Life Insurance, or VALife in its abbreviated form, means a policy of insurance that is issued under section 1922B of title 38 U.S.C. (g) What does the term “application for VALife” mean? The term application for VALife means a properly completed application form submitted online or through another medium prescribed by the Secretary. (h) What does the term “beneficiary” mean? The term “beneficiary” means a principal or contingent beneficiary designated by the insured.