Raises the amount of life insurance the state provides at no charge to Rhode Island National Guard members called up for federal duty to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000).

Rhode Island National Guard Life Insurance Bill

This bill would increase the free life insurance coverage that Rhode Island provides to National Guard members when they are called up for federal duty. Currently, the state provides some level of life insurance at no cost to these service members, and this bill would raise that coverage amount to $500,000.

The bill directly affects Rhode Island National Guard members who are activated for federal service — meaning they are called up to serve outside of their normal state duties, such as being deployed overseas or to another part of the country under federal orders. When Guard members are activated this way, the state would automatically provide them with $500,000 worth of life insurance coverage at no charge to the service member or their family.

This change is essentially a benefit enhancement for Guard members and their families. If a covered service member were to die while on federal duty, their designated beneficiaries — typically a spouse, children, or other family members — would receive the $500,000 payout. The bill has been introduced and sent to the Senate Finance Committee, which will review how the increased coverage amount would affect the state's budget before deciding whether to move it forward.