If you have Veterans’ Group Life Insurance, check how you pay your premium. In most cases, you will not need to do anything.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is providing eligible VGLI policyholders with a three-month premium holiday. No VGLI premiums will be due for November 2026, December 2026, or January 2027, while coverage continues under existing policy terms.
This is the first-ever three-month VGLI premium holiday. About 457,000 Veterans are affected. VA estimates the holiday will save VGLI enrollees nearly $150 million in total.
The short version
For eligible policies:
- November 2026 premium: $0 due
- December 2026 premium: $0 due
- January 2027 premium: $0 due
- Coverage continues during all three months.
- Regular premiums resume in February 2027.
VGLI premiums average around $110 per month, so the average eligible Veteran may save approximately $330 over the three-month period.
Your actual savings may be different. VGLI premiums are based on your age and the amount of coverage you selected.
Most Veterans do not have to do anything
The premium holiday applies automatically to VGLI policies that are active as of November 1, 2026.
If you use either of these payment methods, your payments will be paused automatically:
- AutoPay
- Deductions from military retirement pay or VA disability compensation
You do not need to call VA or OSGLI to stop those payments. AutoPay will be adjusted automatically. Retirement and disability compensation deductions will also be paused during the holiday and will resume afterward.
You may still receive a billing statement. Depending on your billing schedule, that statement could include a past-due balance or premiums for months outside the holiday period. Read the statement carefully before assuming something is wrong.
One group needs to take action
The most important practical point is this:
If you pay VGLI through a third-party bill-payment service, you must stop the payments yourself.
This includes using your bank’s online bill-pay system to send recurring payments to OSGLI.
The pause is not automatic for third-party bill-pay services. Contact your bank or log in to your bill-pay account and stop payments scheduled for:
- November 2026
- December 2026
- January 2027
Then restart the payments for February 2027.
Check your payment method today. This one step can help you avoid sending money when no premium is due.
If you prefer, you can review the VA VGLI premium holiday FAQs and consider enrolling in AutoPay through your VGLI account.
What if you already paid?
If you already paid premiums covering one or more of the holiday months, you will not lose the benefit.
VA says those amounts will be credited toward future bills. This may happen automatically on a later statement, especially if you pay quarterly, semiannually, or annually.
If you prefer a refund instead of a future credit, contact the Office of Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance, or OSGLI, at 800-419-1473.
OSGLI administers VA life insurance programs, including VGLI.
You can also contact OSGLI if a payment accidentally goes through during the holiday. The amount covering an eligible holiday month can be credited toward a future bill, or you can request a refund.
Who qualifies for the premium holiday?
Your VGLI coverage must be active on November 1, 2026.
You are not eligible if your coverage:
- Lapsed on or before October 31, 2026
- Was canceled on or before October 31, 2026
If you have a past-due balance, pay it as soon as possible. A past-due balance is not erased by the premium holiday. You need to resolve the balance to help keep your coverage active and qualify.
You can review your account through the VGLI online account portal or call OSGLI at 800-419-1473.
Reinstatement may be possible under standard VGLI rules. If your coverage has lapsed, review the VA VGLI program page and speak directly with OSGLI. Do not assume reinstatement is automatic.
New VGLI policies receive a partial holiday
If your new VGLI policy takes effect during the holiday period, you may receive only a partial benefit.
- Coverage effective before November 1, 2026: November, December, and January premiums are covered.
- Coverage effective in November 2026: the initial activation payment is required, then December and January may be covered.
- Coverage effective in December 2026: the initial activation payment is required, then January may be covered.
- Coverage effective on or after January 1, 2027: the policy does not receive holiday benefits.
Your first payment is always required to activate new coverage. The premium holiday does not replace that initial payment.
What the holiday does not cover
This is a VGLI-only premium holiday.
It does not apply to:
- SGLI, or Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance
- FSGLI, or Family Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance
- TSGLI, or Traumatic Injury Protection
- VALife
- S-DVI, or Service-Disabled Veterans Insurance
VA has stated that there are currently no plans to extend this holiday to those other programs.
There is also no connection whatsoever between this life insurance premium holiday and VA home loan benefits or the Hometown Hero Credit. They are separate programs with separate rules.
Why is VA doing this?
VA previously announced premium discounts in 2025 for SGLI, FSGLI, and VGLI. VGLI premiums were reduced between 2% and 17%, with an average reduction of about 11%.
The new holiday provides additional relief for VGLI policyholders. VGLI rates rise as policyholders get older and adjust at five-year age brackets. For many older Veterans, life insurance premiums can become a significant monthly expense.
A three-month pause does not change the policy or eliminate future premiums. It does provide real short-term financial relief at a time when household budgets may be under pressure.
Your checklist for this week
Take these steps:
-
Find out how you pay VGLI.
Check whether you use AutoPay, a retirement or disability compensation deduction, or a third-party bill-pay service. -
Stop third-party bill-pay payments.
If your bank sends the payments, stop payments for November, December, and January. -
Confirm your coverage is active.
Check your VGLI account and resolve any past-due balance before October 31, 2026. -
Mark the three holiday months on your calendar.
Note November 2026, December 2026, and January 2027. -
Set a February reminder.
Premiums resume in February 2027. Restart third-party payments before the February payment is due. -
Contact OSGLI with questions.
Call 800-419-1473.
Do not forget the restart date. Under VGLI rules, coverage can be canceled if the full amount due is not paid within 60 days of the premium due date. A missed February payment could create a coverage problem after the holiday ends.
A quick reminder about VGLI
VGLI allows eligible Veterans to keep life insurance coverage after leaving military service, as long as premiums are paid.
Veterans can generally apply for coverage up to the amount of SGLI they had when they left service. Certain coverage increases may be available later under VGLI rules.
VGLI is an insurance program. Operation T.A.G. does not offer or commercially endorse VGLI. For current eligibility, coverage amounts, premium rates, and policy questions, use the official VA VGLI page or contact OSGLI.
Where Operation T.A.G. fits
At Operation T.A.G., our mission is tangible gratitude. That means helping military families understand the benefits they actually have, not just discussing the programs we can offer.
The Hometown Hero Credit is a non-profit program and a partnership between Operation T.A.G. and PRMG, one of the nation’s top VA lenders. Operation T.A.G. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit project of the High Desert Community Foundation and administers the program. PRMG is the lending partner that originates and underwrites the VA loan.
PRMG’s published industry rankings include No. 14 nationally for VA loans in the 2026 Scotsman Guide. Rankings are industry measurements, not a guarantee of loan approval or outcome.
For eligible Veterans, active-duty service members, reservists, and Gold Star surviving spouses, the Hometown Hero Credit provides a 2% credit up to $21,000. There is no repayment required when the credit is used according to program terms.
The 2% credit up to $21,000 may be applied to:
- Eligible closing fees
- Buying down the interest rate
- Real estate agent fees
- In some cases, paying down debt to help with VA loan qualification
It cannot be used for a down payment or for non-loan purposes. The credit is calculated on the loan amount, not the sales price. VA loans generally do not require a down payment.
Final loan approval, terms, rates, and eligibility are determined by PRMG and applicable program and lender requirements. The credit does not guarantee loan approval.
This article is about VA life insurance. The Hometown Hero Credit is a homebuying program. They are separate. Serving military families means being straight with readers about what a benefit is and is not.
There is a difference between serving military families and simply marketing to them. Clear information is part of tangible gratitude.
Brett Stacy
National Director & Founder of the Hometown Hero Credit, a program of Operation T.A.G. (Tangible Act of Gratitude), and 501(c)(3) non-profit project of HDCF
Phone: 760-456-8748 (24-hour Information Line)
Websites: OperationTAG.org and HometownHeroCredit.com
Free Mission Homeownership E-Book
A separate educational resource for military families exploring homeownership.
Disclaimer: This article provides educational information only. It is not legal, financial, tax, or insurance advice. VA program rules, eligibility requirements, payment methods, and timelines can change. Verify your coverage and premium status directly with VA and OSGLI. Operation T.A.G. is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Leave a Reply