50 USC § 3974 - Policies entitled to protection and lapse of policies

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t50/s3974"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "50 USC § 3974 - Policies entitled to protection and lapse of policies"
title_number: 50
title_name: "WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE"
section_number: "3974"
section_name: "Policies entitled to protection and lapse of policies"
chapter_number: 50
chapter_name: "SERVICEMEMBERS CIVIL RELIEF"
subchapter_number: "IV"
subchapter_name: "LIFE INSURANCE"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, title IV, § 404, as added Pub. L. 108–189, § 1, Dec. 19, 2003, 117 Stat. 2853.)"
---


# § 3974. Policies entitled to protection and lapse of policies

**(a)** **Determination** The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall determine whether a policy is entitled to protection under this subchapter and shall notify the insured and the insurer of that determination.

**(b)** **Lapse protection** A policy that the Secretary determines is entitled to protection under this subchapter shall not lapse or otherwise terminate or be forfeited for the nonpayment of a premium, or interest or indebtedness on a premium, after the date on which the application for protection is received by the Secretary.

**(c)** **Time application** The protection provided by this subchapter applies during the insured’s period of military service and for a period of two years thereafter.

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**Source Credit**: (Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, title IV, § 404, as added Pub. L. 108–189, § 1, Dec. 19, 2003, 117 Stat. 2853.)

## Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 544 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 404 of , art. IV, ; , ; , , , related to restrictions on payment of dividends and insured’s right to change beneficiary, prior to the general amendment of this Act by . See .

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section applicable to any case not final before , see , set out as a note under .