---
kind: "section"
citation: "38 U.S.C. § 1921"
title: "38"
title_heading: "Veterans’ Benefits"
number: "1921"
heading: "Extra hazard costs"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/38/1921"
units:
  - "Part II — General Benefits"
  - "Chapter 19 — Insurance"
  - "Subchapter I — National Service Life Insurance"
---

# §1921. Extra hazard costs

- (a) The United States shall bear the excess mortality cost and the cost of waiver of premiums on account of total [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) traceable to the extra hazard of military or naval service, as such hazard may be determined by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1).
- (b) Whenever benefits under [insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) become payable because of the death of the insured as the result of disease or injury traceable to the extra hazard of military or naval service, as such hazard may be determined by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1), the liability for payment of such benefits shall be borne by the United States in an amount which, when added to the [reserve](/usc/38/101.md?p=26) of the policy at the time of death of the insured will equal the then value of such benefits under such policy. Where life contingencies are involved in the calculation of the value of such benefits of [insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) heretofore or hereafter matured, the calculation of such liability or liabilities shall be based upon such mortality table or tables as the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) may prescribe with interest at the rate of 3 per centum per annum. The [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall transfer from time to time from the National Service Life [Insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) appropriation to the National Service Life [Insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) Fund such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.
- (c) Whenever the premiums under [insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) are waived because of the total [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) of the insured as the result of disease or injury traceable to the extra hazard of military or naval service, as such hazard may be determined by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1), the premiums so waived shall be paid by the United States and the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall transfer from time to time an amount equal to the amount of such premiums from the National Service Life [Insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) appropriation to the National Service Life [Insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) Fund.
- (d) Whenever benefits under the total [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) income provision become, or have become, payable because of total [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) of the insured as a result of disease or injury traceable to the extra hazard of the military or naval service, as such hazard may be determined by the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1), the liability shall be borne by the United States, and the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall transfer from the National Service Life [Insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) appropriation to the National Service Life [Insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) Fund from time to time any amounts which become, or have become, payable to the insured on account of such total [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1), and to transfer from the National Service Life [Insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) Fund to the National Service Life [Insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) appropriation the amount of the [reserve](/usc/38/101.md?p=26) held on account of the total [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) benefit. When a person receiving such payments on account of total [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) recovers from such [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1), and is then entitled to continue protection under the total [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) income provision, the [Secretary](/usc/38/101.md?p=1) shall transfer to the National Service Life [Insurance](/usc/38/1901.md?p=1) Fund a sum sufficient to set up the then required [reserve](/usc/38/101.md?p=26) on such total [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) benefit.
- (e) Any [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) for which a waiver was required as a condition to tendering a person a commission under Public Law 816, Seventy-seventh Congress, shall be deemed to be a [disability](/usc/38/1701.md?p=1) resulting from an injury or disease traceable to the extra hazard of military or naval service for the purpose of applying this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 85–857, Sept. 2, 1958, 72 Stat. 1154, § 721; renumbered § 1921 and amended Pub. L. 102–83, §§ 4(b)(1), (2)(E), 5(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 404–406.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Public Law 816, Seventy-seventh Congress, referred to in subsec. (e), is act Dec. 18, 1942, ch. 768, §§ 1, 2, 56 Stat. 1066. Section 1 of that Act enacted section 853c–5 of former Title 34, Navy, and was repealed by act July 9, 1952, ch. 608, pt. VIII, § 803, 66 Stat. 505. Section 2 of that Act enacted section 853c–6 of former Title 34, and was omitted from the Code in the general revision and reenactment of Title 10, Armed Forces, by act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 1.

### Amendments

1991—Pub. L. 102–83 renumbered section 721 of this title as this section and substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator” wherever appearing in subsecs. (a) to (d).