Veterans Group Life Insurance policyholders will not be billed for November, December or January, and the Department of Veterans Affairs says the break saves an average of $330 per policyholder. VA announced the premium holiday on Sept. 16, and it starts Nov. 1, 2026, four days from now. More than 457,000 veterans take part in the program, and the total savings come to about $150 million.
The $330 is an average, not a flat credit. VA says veterans pay about $110 a month on average, and three months at that rate comes to $330. Premiums depend on age and coverage amount, so an individual veteran’s savings can run above or below that figure.
VA Secretary Doug Collins said the department is “all about making life better and more affordable for Veterans.” The department said the program is self-funded and that its financial performance made the holiday possible.
The holiday does not reach every policy on the books. It covers eligible policyholders, meaning those whose policy is current and has not lapsed or been cancelled for non-payment. A veteran who is paying on time does not have to do anything, and VA says it will notify eligible veterans by letter or email in the coming weeks. A veteran who wants proof can check the November statement and confirm that no premium was taken.
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Who gets the three free months?
The VA announcement says eligible policyholders are exempted automatically and that no action is required. The condition is a current policy that has not lapsed or been cancelled for unpaid premiums.
VA’s VGLI program page states the window as Nov. 1, 2026, through Jan. 31, 2027, and says coverage continues during those months. The page links to a question-and-answer list that lets a veteran test whether a particular policy qualifies.
VGLI is the policy that former service members can keep after leaving the military if they carried Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) while serving. Coverage runs from $10,000 to $500,000, and monthly premiums depend on age and the amount chosen.
What if a premium was already paid ahead?
Some veterans pay in advance, and the holiday falls inside that prepaid period. VA says those veterans can take a three-month credit on the policy or ask for a refund.
The announcement does not give a deadline for choosing between the two. A veteran in that position should ask early. Ask VA takes questions online, and the VA life insurance office at 800-419-1473 handles calls about the VGLI program.
Will the November bill really be zero?
The first check comes with the first statement after Nov. 1. A policy in good standing should show no premium due or taken for November, December or January. A veteran who still sees a charge should call the number on the VA life insurance page and ask that it be reversed or credited.
Veterans who pay by automatic bank draft should look at the bank statement as well as the insurer’s statement. The Military Officers Association of America also reported on the holiday.
The holiday covers three months only: November 2026 through January 2027.
What else do VGLI households sometimes miss?
A lower life insurance bill often matters most to households living on a fixed income. For wartime veterans and surviving spouses with limited income, VA also runs a needs-based pension, with extra amounts for those who need help at home or are housebound. Many eligible families never apply.
The VA pension page says the benefit is for some wartime veterans and their survivors who have limited or no income and meet age or disability requirements. It is separate from life insurance, and a policy does not change eligibility on its own.
Paying a VGLI bill that should be zero in November?
Look at the first statement after Nov. 1 and call VA’s life insurance line at 800-419-1473 if a charge appears.
Three months without a premium is a small gain, and the money is easy to spend without noticing. A bigger one can sit in the same household: a VA pension that no one in the family has ever filed for, or that was filed wrongly with a paid helper.
The Veterans Benefits Action Kit picks up where the premium holiday leaves off. It shows the three VA pension levels including Aid & Attendance, how to file for free (VA Form 21P-527EZ), the pension-poacher warning signs and a claim tracker for wartime veterans and surviving spouses.
Get the kit that shows how to file the free 21P-527EZ pension form once the VGLI holiday ends →
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
David M. Keller is a finance writer based in Columbus, Ohio, covering personal finance and consumer-focused economic topics. He earned his degree in journalism from Ohio University and began his career reporting on local business and economic trends for a regional media outlet. Since then, he has contributed to a variety of online publications, focusing on clear, practical coverage of topics such as cost of living, debt, and everyday financial decision-making.
