96-14367. Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief  

  • [Federal Register Volume 61, Number 111 (Friday, June 7, 1996)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 29025-29027]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 96-14367]
    
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
    38 CFR Part 7
    
    RIN 2900-AH53
    
    
    Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief
    
    AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: This document amends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
    regulations captioned ``Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief'' which 
    were established under the Soldiers' and
    
    [[Page 29026]]
    
    Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940, as amended (50 U.S.C. app. 511 et 
    seq.). It deletes provisions that became obsolete because they were 
    superseded by subsequent amendments to that Act. It also eliminates 
    regulations that merely restate provisions of the Act and amendments 
    thereto. Other provisions are rewritten for purpose of clarification.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: June 7, 1996.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Poole, Chief, Insurance Program 
    Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office and 
    Insurance Center, P.O. Box 8079, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101, 
    (215) 951-5718.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This final rule consists of nonsubstantive 
    changes and, therefore, is not subject to the notice-and-comment and 
    effective-date provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553.
        The Secretary of Veterans Affairs hereby certifies that this final 
    rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial 
    number of small entities as they are defined in the Regulatory 
    Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601-612. This final rule will not affect any 
    entity since it does not contain any substantive provisions. Therefore, 
    pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b), this amendment is exempt from the initial 
    and final regulatory flexibility analysis requirements of sections 603 
    and 604.
        The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program number for these 
    regulations is 64.103.
    
    List of Subjects in 38 CFR Part 7
    
        Life insurance, Military personnel.
    
        Approved: May 31, 1996.
    Jesse Brown,
    Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
    
        For the reasons set out in the preamble, 38 CFR part 7 is amended 
    as set forth below:
    
    PART 7--SOLDIERS' AND SAILORS' CIVIL RELIEF
    
        1. The authority citation for part 7 is revised to read as follows:
    
        Authority: 50 U.S.C. app. 511, 540-547, unless otherwise noted.
    
    
    Secs. 7.2 through 7.16, 7.23 through 7.25, 7.28, 7.30 through 7.32 and 
    7.34  [Removed]
    
        2. Sections 7.2 through 7.16, 7.23 through 7.25, 7.28, 7.30 through 
    7.32, and 7.34 are removed.
    
    
    Secs. 7.20 through 7.22, 7.26, 7.27, 7.29 and 7.33  [Redesignated as 
    7.2--7.8]
    
        3. Sections 7.20 through 7.22, 7.26, 7.27, 7.29, and 7.33 are 
    redesignated as Secs. 7.2 through 7.8, respectively.
        4. Newly redesignated Sec. 7.2 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 7.2  Certification of military service.
    
        (a) A statement over the signature of the Commanding Officer or a 
    commissioned officer of equal or higher rank than the insured, on the 
    insured's application, may be accepted as a certification that the 
    insured is a person in the military service.
        (b) If the insured is unavailable because of service, the 
    application may be certified by the person who has custody of the 
    insured's service record.
        (c) If an application is submitted by a person designated by the 
    insured or by the insured's beneficiary, the Department of Veterans 
    Affairs will obtain from the service department evidence that the 
    insured is a person in the military service.
    
    (Authority 50 U.S.C. app. 547)
    
    
    Sec. 7.3  [Amended]
    
        5. In newly redesignated Sec. 7.3, the introductory text and 
    paragraph (b) are removed; paragraphs (c) and (d) are redesignated as 
    paragraphs (b) and (c), respectively; and newly redesignated paragraph 
    (c) is amended by removing ``and if a policy provides for installment 
    payments as a death benefit they will be calculated in accordance with 
    the terms of the policy on the hypothesis of the death of the insured 
    on the due date of the first premium to be guaranteed by the 
    Government:'' and adding, in its place, ``;'' immediately after the 
    word ``benefit.''
        6. In newly redesignated Sec. 7.4, paragraph (a) is amended by 
    removing ``percentum'' and adding, in its place, ``percent''; paragraph 
    (c) is removed; this section is further amended by revising the 
    introductory text and paragraph (b) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 7.4  The premium.
    
        The term premium as defined under 50 U.S.C. app. 540(b) shall 
    include membership dues and assessments in an association.
    * * * * *
        (b) Premiums will not be guaranteed for benefits additional to the 
    primary death benefit if, when combined with the amount of the primary 
    death benefit, the total benefit would result in a payment in excess of 
    $10,000 or if liability for such benefits is excluded or restricted by 
    military service or any activity which the insured may be called upon 
    to perform in connection with military service. In the event that 
    premiums for the primary and additional benefits are not separable 
    under the terms of the policy the entire policy will be guaranteed, if 
    the policy is otherwise eligible for protection under the law.
        7. In newly redesigned Sec. 7.5 paragraphs (b) and (d) are removed; 
    paragraph (c) is redesignated as paragraph (b); newly redesignated 
    paragraph (b) is amended by removing ``at Washington DC, on the form 
    prescribed for that purpose, VA-Form 9-381 (as revised)'' and adding, 
    in its place, ``Regional Office and Insurance Center at Philadelphia, 
    Pennsylvania''; and paragraph (a) is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 7.5  Application.
    
        (a) The benefits of the Act are not available except upon 
    application. The insured may designate any person, firm, or corporation 
    to submit an application on his or her behalf. The designation must be 
    in writing, signed by the insured and attached to the application.
    * * * * *
    
    
    Sec. 7.6  [Amended]
    
        8. In newly redesignated Sec. 7.6, the first sentence of the 
    introductory text is amended by removing ``, but this guarantee will 
    not extend for more than two years after the date when the act ceases 
    to be in force''.
        9. In newly redesignated Sec. 7.7, paragraphs (a), (c) and (e) are 
    removed; paragraphs (b) and (d) are redesignated as paragraphs (a) and 
    (b), respectively; newly redesignated paragraph (a) is amended by 
    removing ``(section 405, Soldiers'' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act 
    Amendments of 1942),'' and adding, in its place,'' (SSCRA, as 
    amended)''; and newly redesignated paragraph (b) is revised to read as 
    follows:
    
    
    Sec. 7.7  Maturity.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) Upon the expiration of the period of protection, the insurer 
    will submit to the Department of Veterans Affairs a complete statement 
    of the account on each policy, which will show the amount of 
    indebtedness by reason of the premiums with interest and the credits, 
    if any, then available and will be subject to audit and approval by the 
    Department of Veterans Affairs. The statement of account will include 
    the rate of interest charged on all indebtedness, the date of debit and 
    credit entries, and such other information as may be deemed necessary 
    in making an audit of the account.
        10. Newly redesignated Sec. 7.8 is revised to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 7.8  Beneficiary or assignee.
    
        The consent of a beneficiary, assignee, or any other person who may 
    have a right or interest in the proceeds of the
    
    [[Page 29027]]
    
    policy is not a prerequisite for placing a policy under the protection 
    of the Act.
    
    [FR Doc. 96-14367 Filed 6-6-96; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 8320-01-P
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
6/7/1996
Published:
06/07/1996
Department:
Veterans Affairs Department
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
96-14367
Dates:
June 7, 1996.
Pages:
29025-29027 (3 pages)
RINs:
2900-AH53: Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief
RIN Links:
https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2900-AH53/soldiers-and-sailors-civil-relief
PDF File:
96-14367.pdf
CFR: (7)
38 CFR 7.2
38 CFR 7.3
38 CFR 7.4
38 CFR 7.5
38 CFR 7.6
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