Cadet Insurance

Are cadets eligible for SGLI (Life Insurance)? Any recommendations on insurance requirements for a cadets would be appreciated. How do you handle auto insurance, while they are away?

Yes, they have SGLI, As for car insurance, they obviously don't have any for the first 2 years, because they aren't allowed to have a car. If they borrow a car, the person who owns the care has that responsibility. After the first 2 years, insurance is the same anywhere else in the country. I personally allow/will allow my son to use one of my cars. Just like he did in high school. And he's still on my insurance. But the cadet wants to get his/her own insurance, they can do that. They are now 100% adults. There's no difference between them and the 18 year old enlisted who joined the military or the 18 year old who is working for the highway department. As to which company to get insurance from; same answer. Whoever you want. Like I said, I still have my son on my insurance, but that's just part of my contribution to him. I paid for his sister in traditional college, I said I'd take care of some of these things while he was at the academy. But that's just me.

Usually USAA has the best rates and coverage for military. We've had it for 26 years now and have never found anyone better!

I know USAA offers a reduced rate for college students on their parents' policy if they live outside a certain radius from home and will be driving (at all) much less frequently - with ours at least it doesn't matter if he's at State U 3 hours away or Colorado many more hours away. Many people I've talked to have said the same about theirs, so look into it.

I'd like to tack on and ask about medical? Do you remove your kids? We have two younger kids and just pay a "family" rate, so it won't save us any money. But could we use it if he needed care over a break or would you just go to a "Fast Care" type clinic if it was minor?

Same for dental? My son used up his money already this year on a root canal, and as a result we won't get his wisdom teeth out before he leaves for AF (dentist said he'd be fine to wait). However, once he's officially a cadet, if we wait and do it next summer when he's on leave, would we "legally" be able to still claim him on the insurance?

Thanks!

Once your son becomes a cadet, he is for all intent and purpose, an adult who has moved away from home. I know we want to think that he's just away at college, but he's not. He's in the military. No different than the enlisted person who went in after high school. Yes, you can pay out of your pocket for deductible and such for dental/health care. But why would you do that. He has health and dental insurance right now. And he's been told; if not he needs to ask; how to handle medical issues when on leave away from the academy. Just like taxes; he's not your dependent any longer.

P.S. If he needs his wisdom teeth taken out, the air force will tell him so, and they will do it for him.

So, if anything bad were to happen to us at BCT or over the course of our time at the Academy, will it all be covered?

Forget the word "ACADEMY". Right now, forget it. If you go to the air force base in Colorado Springs, Colorado; you are IN THE AIR FORCE. There is no difference between you and the captain, airman, or sergeant across town at Peterson Air Force Base. You are not mommy and daddy's responsibility any longer. You don't need their permission to sign papers and contracts. You can buy a cell phone without their permission. The air force could say: "Hey, we have a national security emergency and don't have enough military members. Your college is on hold, you're going to the middle east". Yes, these are all extremes, and they aren't going to send you to the desert instead of school. But the point is: You are no longer your mom and dad's dependent. You are now an adult. And as part of the military, you are covered for your medical, dental, and all other areas. "Just like the active duty military member".

For what it's worth, not ALL parents are happy about their kids going to the academy. I know one first hand who's family basically disowned him for going to the academy. He left for BCT and never went back home. He didn't go back at christmas, spring break, or summer vacation. And his parents did help him in any way, shape, or form. It took about 15 years for them to be on somewhat speaking terms again. Point is; there is nothing parents HAVE TO DO for their cadets. Anything you do is strictly because you WANT to. Just like giving them a birthday present. It's because you want to. This is also why your cadet is receiving a paycheck each month. Albeit not much. Welcome to adulthood. And in return, your parents no longer can claim you as a dependent on their taxes. (Possible for the first tax year, but it's rare and very unique.... I.e. parents are extremely wealthy and provided more to the student than the air force will.

Again; if a parent WANTS to keep their cadet on their car insurance until graduation, that's fine. It's not the parent's responsibility; but considering how much money the cadet saved their parents in college costs; assuming the parents would contribute; and extra couple hundred dollars a year is a nice this to do for your child so they don't go broke paying for insurance. (That's also 1 of the reasons, or many, why cars aren't authorized until your C2C year. You aren't making any real money yet. And the military doesn't want to encourage debt. But there is absolutely no reason at all to have your cadet on your health insurance. Pretend that they graduated high school; moved cross country; got married; and started their OWN life.

That's probably the hardest part of the academy for parents. They want to believe that their kid is simply going to college. And that they, the parent, still has control and responsibility for their son/daughter. Unfortunately, parents give up those rights and responsibilities the day their son/daughter walk into BCT. Any say so you have in your son/daughter's life from this point on, is strictly something that your child has chosen to ALLOW you to have; probably out of respect. Legally, you have no more say so over your kids once they get to the academy. YES... Even if they are 17 years old. When you signed the paperwork for them; being under 17; you basically gave your son/daughter the status of an emancipated minor. In other words, in the eyes of the court, they are now adults. They can make all their own decisions now. I know this hard for some to hear. But that's the way it is.

For what it's worth; it's exactly the same if they went to a traditional college. The only difference is that the government allows you to claim them on your taxes. Other than that, they are free to sign contracts, move away from home, and make all their own decisions.

First two years we kept ours on our family auto insurance policy with a college discount. Once he got his own car as a 2 dig he switched over to USAA and came off the family policy. I kept him on my employer-sponsored health plan as it didn't cost any more to keep him but now that he's committed I guess I could take him off. I didn't initially thinking if he was turned back or opted out I wouldn't have to add him back.

I'm pretty sure once they are in, they are in. Which means they are now getting "free" medical and dental. They should get all that stuff done while they are at the academy. I would imagine they have medical and dental facilities there. We are retired military, and they told us our son would be taken out of DEERS as soon as he entered the academy, or signed on the dotted line as they say. So I certainly hope they have everything they need out there!!!