PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. If you carry Veterans’ Group Life Insurance, your November premium should not have been collected. The VGLI premium holiday runs from November 2026 through January 2027, and the Department of Veterans Affairs says more than 457,000 veterans qualify automatically. But how much you save, and whether a payment still slips through, depends on two things most coverage of this skipped: your age and how you pay.
We ran the VA’s own rate table against the three free months. A veteran in the 50 to 54 age band with the $500,000 maximum keeps $435. At 60 to 64 it’s $1,275. At 80 and older it’s $6,600. And if you pay through your bank’s bill pay instead of VA AutoPay, nothing stops automatically. You have to stop it yourself, and you have to remember to restart it in February.
Who gets the VGLI premium holiday and who doesn’t
The VA announced the break on Sept. 16, calling it the first premium holiday in the program’s history. In its press release, the department put the total savings at nearly $150 million, with an average premium of about $110 a month, or roughly $330 per policyholder over the three months. The VA said the program is self-funded and its finances are strong enough to cover the break. Secretary Doug Collins said the move is meant to make life “more affordable for Veterans.”
The rules come from the VA’s premium holiday FAQ:
- Your VGLI coverage had to be active on Nov. 1, 2026. If it lapsed or was canceled on or before Oct. 31, you’re out.
- No application. Eligible policies are covered automatically.
- Past-due balances are not forgiven. If you owe for earlier months, pay it, or the policy can lapse when the holiday ends.
- Only VGLI is covered. SGLI, Family SGLI, TSGLI, VALife and S-DVI are not part of it, and the VA says it has no current plans for a similar break on those programs.
What three months is worth at your age
VGLI premiums climb as you age, so the older policyholders get the biggest break. The VA’s VGLI rate page lists these monthly premiums for the $500,000 maximum. We multiplied each by three:
- Age 29 and younger: $30 a month, $90 saved
- Age 40 to 44: $70 a month, $210 saved
- Age 50 to 54: $145 a month, $435 saved
- Age 60 to 64: $425 a month, $1,275 saved
- Age 70 to 74: $1,075 a month, $3,225 saved
- Age 80 and older: $2,200 a month, $6,600 saved
Carry less than $500,000? Your savings scale down in proportion. A $250,000 policy saves half of what’s listed for your age band.
One catch for anyone close to a birthday. If you cross into a higher age band during the holiday, the VA covers those months, but you start paying the higher rate when billing resumes. Don’t mistake that bigger February bill for an error.
Your statement checklist, by how you pay
This is where people get tripped up. The VA’s FAQ handles each payment method a little differently.
Military retired pay or VA disability deduction. The deduction pauses for the three months and restarts on its own. Look at your November, December and January pay statements and confirm the VGLI line is gone. If it’s still there, call.
VGLI AutoPay. AutoPay only pulls for months outside the holiday. Check your bank account for any VGLI draft dated in November.
Bank bill pay. Your bank doesn’t know about the holiday. The VA told bill-pay users to stop recurring payments effective Nov. 1 and restart them Feb. 1, 2027. If a November payment already went out, it isn’t lost. You can leave it as a credit on future bills or ask for a refund.
Monthly bills. Expect your January bill to show the premium for February, the first month you owe again.
Quarterly, semi-annual or annual payers. Your bill may still list premiums for months outside the holiday, and the credit for the free months can be split across two bills. If the credit isn’t on your latest statement, check the next one before you call.
For a missing credit, a stray payment or a refund, call the Office of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance at 800-419-1473, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern, Monday through Friday. The VA says to answer “No” at the first prompt to reach a VGLI representative. Refund requests can also go to osgli.osgli@prudential.com.
Leaving the military now? Read this before you enroll
If you’re separating this fall, the holiday may help you less than you think. The VA’s FAQ says your first VGLI premium is never covered by the holiday. Because SGLI keeps you covered for 120 days after you leave, VGLI can’t start until day 121. Coverage that starts in November gets December and January free. Coverage that starts in December gets January. Coverage starting Jan. 1, 2027, or later gets nothing.
Don’t let that change your timing. You have one year and 120 days after separation to apply for VGLI, and applying within 240 days means no health questions, according to the VA. Waiting past that window to chase a few free months could cost you the easy approval.
The same FAQ notes two more things worth knowing. If you elect the optional $25,000 coverage increase and it takes effect during the holiday, the added premium is covered too. And if you ask to cancel or cut your coverage during the holiday, the change won’t take effect until after Jan. 31, 2027. Beneficiary changes go through right away, which makes this a good month to check who’s listed on your policy.
The holiday lands alongside other money questions for disabled veterans this month, including the veterans COLA bill the House takes up today and the 2026 changes to VA disability ratings. We track all of it on our Veterans page. Military Times also has its own rundown of the announcement.
VGLI premium holiday questions
Do I have to pay VGLI premiums in November 2026?
No, as long as your policy was active on Nov. 1, 2026. Premiums for November, December and January are waived automatically. Past-due amounts from earlier months are still owed.
Is my life insurance coverage still in force during the holiday?
Yes. Your coverage stays in force while premiums are waived. Nothing about your death benefit changes.
I already paid for November. How do I get a VGLI refund?
Prepaid holiday months are credited to your next bill automatically. If you’d rather have the money back, email osgli.osgli@prudential.com or call 800-419-1473.
Does the premium holiday cover SGLI, Family SGLI or VALife?
No. The VA says the holiday applies only to VGLI. SGLI, FSGLI, TSGLI, VALife and S-DVI premiums are unchanged.
I’ll take a win for veterans’ wallets when one shows up, and three free months is a real one, especially for older vets paying four figures a month. But the program only covers the bills it can see. If your bank is still sending a check every month, that’s on you to stop. Take ten minutes this week, pull your statement, and make sure the money is staying where it belongs. Then mark Feb. 1 on the calendar so your coverage doesn’t lapse.
Spot an error or have a tip on a VA benefit change? Reach us through our Contact page.
Rocci J. Stucci is the founder and CEO of Stucci Media and host of The Rocci Stucci Show.
