0 Percent VA Disability Rating: What It Means and How to Make the Most of Your 0% Benefits

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How to Make the Most of Your 0% Benefits

If you’ve gone through the VA claims process and received a 0 percent VA disability rating, you may be disappointed by the outcome. We’re here to tell you that a 0 percent rating is a good starting place!

It’s important to understand that a 0 percent VA rating is a real disability rating, and there are many great benefits available to veterans with 0 percent ratings.

In this post, we break down what you need to know about your 0 percent VA disability rating and how to make the most of your benefits.

Summary of Key Points

• A 0% VA disability rating still matters: It confirms your condition is service-connected, even though it doesn’t qualify for monthly compensation right now.
• You still receive valuable benefits: These include free VA health care for your condition, travel reimbursement, life insurance eligibility, hiring preference, and base/recreational access.
• It creates a pathway to higher ratings: Since service connection is already established, it’s easier to increase your rating if your condition worsens over time.
• You can potentially earn compensation later: Multiple 0% ratings that impact employability can be increased to 10%, and submitting new medical evidence can support a higher rating claim

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What Does A 0% VA Disability Rating Mean?

A 0% VA disability rating means the VA has confirmed your condition is service connected, but it is not currently severe enough to qualify for monthly compensation.

Currently, a 0% VA disability rating does not provide any monthly tax-free compensation.

However, this rating is extremely valuable because it establishes service connection — the hardest part of winning a VA disability claim. Once service connection is in place, it becomes easier to qualify for a higher rating if your condition worsens over time. 

Even without monthly compensation, you may still be eligible for important VA benefits such as healthcare, travel reimbursement, and other federal or state-level programs.

How Do VA Ratings Work, And Why Was I Rated At 0%?

Once the VA has determined that your disability is service-connected, it will be rated at a specific percentage based on your symptoms’ presence and severity. Ratings typically increase in 10-point steps, but the rating criteria for each disability are different.

A 0 percent VA disability rating is usually given when you have a condition that might eventually worsen or improve but currently isn’t severe enough to be rated at a compensable level. (This is why a 0 percent rating is also called a non-compensable rating.)

You can find the criteria the VA uses to rate symptoms and severity for each condition in the VA’s Schedule for Rating Disabilities. This document contains a complete list of every condition that can be service-connected, along with the criteria used to rate it.

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What Benefits Can I Get With A 0 Percent Rating?

Although you aren’t eligible for monthly compensation with a 0 percent rating, there are still excellent benefits available to you. Some of the key 0% disability rating benefits include:

• No-cost medical treatment and medications for your condition through VA health care
• Higher priority for eligibility for health care services from the VA, including access to medical specialists and mental health treatment
• Reimbursement for certain travel costs related to your condition, such as mileage expenses when attending medical appointments
• Access to life insurance through the VA
• 10-point federal disabled veterans hiring preference when applying for a job with the government
• Base access to commissaries and exchanges, regardless of whether you’re retired
• State-specific benefits available to service-connected disabled veterans

In some cases, you may be eligible for disability compensation at the 10 percent level based on the impact of your disability on your ability to work.

Pro Tip: Stay updated with the with the most current VA disability rates. 

Health Care Benefits

As a veteran with a 0 percent VA disability rating, you’ll receive no-cost health care and medications for the condition you’ve been rated for.

When you sign up for VA health care, the VA assigns you to one of eight “priority groups.” The higher your priority group, the sooner you’ll be able to receive care and the less your care will cost. Most 0% rated veterans are assigned to Priority Group 6.

Priority Group 6 benefits include free inpatient care for any medical need. You’ll be charged a co-pay for:

• Prescription medications ($5-$33)
• Primary care visits ($15)
• Specialty care visits ($50)
• Specialty tests ($50)
• Urgent care visits (Up to $30 per visit)

If your income falls below the annual income limits based on your zip code, your priority group may be increased to Priority Group 5.

Priority Group 5 grants you quicker access to care, and your first three urgent care visits for each calendar year are also free.

Travel Reimbursement

The VA Beneficiary Travel Program reimburses eligible veterans for travel to and from approved healthcare appointments. Currently, the VA pays 41.5 cents per mile, along with reimbursement for tolls, parking, and approved lodging or meals when applicable.

A deductible of $3 one-way (or $6 round-trip) may apply, up to a maximum of $18 per month. Eligibility depends on factors such as your VA disability rating, income level, and the purpose of your visit.

Learn how to submit a VA travel reimbursement claim. You can file a claim online using the Access VA travel portal.

Life Insurance Benefits

With a 0 percent VA disability rating, you’ll also have the right to apply for life insurance through the VA with the Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI) program. 0%-rated veterans are eligible for up to $10,000 in coverage. This can be an important safety net for your family in the event of your death.

To apply, you must meet all four requirements:

• You were released from active duty on or after April 21, 1951, with an honorable discharge
• You’ve been rated with a service-connected disability
• You must be in good health other than your rated conditions (not suffering from any diseases or illnesses that would automatically disqualify you)
• You must apply within two years of receiving your rating or by December 31, 2022 (whichever comes first)

You can apply for S-DVI using the VA’s online application.

Employment Benefits

As a veteran with a 0 percent VA disability rating, you’re also eligible for a 10-point federal hiring preference when applying for jobs with the government.

Your application will receive priority over other applicants, and you may be more likely to land the job.  Many states also offer a hiring preference for disabled veterans applying to state jobs.

Base Access Privileges

In 2020, a new law was passed giving all service-connected disabled veterans and their caregivers base access to commissaries and exchanges, just like any other service member or retiree.

As a 0 percent-rated veteran, you now have access to save money on groceries and other essentials at commissaries and exchanges. With prices that are often significantly lower than those of commercial stores, 0 percent VA rated veterans can enjoy significant savings each time they shop at these base facilities.

You can also visit morale, welfare, and recreation (MWR) retail facilities to take advantage of equipment rentals and local discounts.

A Veterans Health Identification Card showing your 0 percent service-connected rating is all you need to get on base. If you don’t already have one, you can enroll in VA health care online or talk to your local enrollment coordinator for a card.

Recreation Benefits

0 percent VA disability rating benefits also include recreation. Veterans with a 0 percent rating have access to recreation benefits that include:

• Discounts on camping and fishing licenses in some states
• Free access to national parks for yourself and your family
• Free state park access in some states
• Discounts on amusement park tickets

To find out what 0 percent VA disability rating veterans benefits are specific to your state, visit your state’s local Department of Veteran Affairs website. Or check out our handy post on Disabled Veteran Benefits by State and Territory. It’s a jumping-off point for locating your state and all its unique benefits.

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Monthly Compensation with Multiple 0% VA Ratings

There are cases in which veterans with a 0 percent VA disability rating may be eligible for monthly compensation. If you have two or more service-connected disabilities that are rated at 0 percent and they make it difficult for you to work, your rating will be increased to 10 percent.

The biggest hurdle you’ll face in increasing your rating to 10 percent is proving to the VA that your 0 percent disabilities make it difficult for you to work.

You can prove that your conditions interfere with normal employability by submitting evidence from a medical professional, vocational rehabilitation counselor, or statements from your employer.

Note: You won’t receive a rating higher than 10 percent when combining multiple 0 percent non-compensable ratings. If you’re awarded a higher rating for any other disability or reason, this 10 percent non-compensable rating will be removed and will not factor into a combined rating.

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How to Increase Your 0 Percent Rating

If you believe your condition is more severe than is recognized by a 0 percent rating, or your condition worsens, you can file a claim for an increased rating. You can either file an appeal of the initial decision, or you can file an entirely new claim to increase your rating.

The best way to increase your 0 percent VA disability rating is to submit new and material evidence to the VA. This can include:

• Medical records
• Private treatment records
• Vocational rehabilitation reports
• Statements from your employer
• Personal statements (statement in support of a claim)

If you decide to file an appeal, you must do so within one year from the date of the original decision. If you simply want to provide new evidence to support your claim with a Decision Review Request: Supplemental Claim, use VA Form 20-0995.

When filing a claim for an increased rating, it’s important to be as detailed as possible in describing how your condition affects you. The more information you can provide, the better chance you have of getting a higher rating.  You can learn more in our post on how to increase your VA disability rating. If you’re not sure where to start, we can help.

Related: 8 BEST 10% VA Disability Benefits

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NEED MORE ASSISTANCE?

Most veterans are underrated for their disabilities and therefore not getting the compensation they’re due. At VA Claims Insider, we help you understand and take control of the claims process, so you can get the rating and compensation you’re owed by law.

Our process takes the guesswork out of filing a VA disability claim and supports you every step of the way in building a fully-developed claim (FDC)!

If you’ve filed your VA disability claim and have been denied or have received a low rating—or you’re unsure how to get started—reach out to us! Take advantage of a VA Claim Discovery Call. Learn what you’ve been missing—so you can FINALLY get the disability rating and compensation you deserve!

We’ve supported more than 25,000 veterans to win their claims and increase their ratings. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN.

Conclusion

A 0% VA disability rating may feel discouraging at first, but it’s actually a strategic starting point. It establishes service connection — often the hardest part of the claims process — and unlocks meaningful benefits that can support your health, finances, and daily life.

More importantly, it positions you for future increases if your condition worsens or new evidence emerges. Veterans who understand and actively manage their 0% rating can turn it into a foundation for greater compensation and long-term support.

FAQs | Frequently Asked Questions

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