§1908 — Title 38 Veterans' Benefits | U.S. Code

Summary

The Secretary must set rules for when and how insurance premiums are paid. You cannot be forced to prepay more than one month's premium. You may choose to have premiums taken out of your active‑service pay or pay another way. The government may advance the first National Service Life Insurance premium to any active member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard from active‑service pay funds. That advance is a lien (a legal claim) on any service or other pay and will be collected from pay if not repaid. Pay officers are not responsible for loss from the advance. Any advance beyond available pay becomes a lien on the policy under section 5301(b).

Title 38, §1908

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The Secretary shall, by regulations, prescribe the time and method of payment of the premiums on insurance, but payments of premiums in advance shall not be required for periods of more than one month each, and may at the election of the insured be deducted from the insured’s active-service pay or be otherwise made. An amount equal to the first premium due under a National Service Life Insurance policy may be advanced from current appropriations for active-service pay to any person in the active service in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard, which amount shall constitute a lien upon any service or other pay accruing to the person for whom such advance was made and shall be collected therefrom if not otherwise paid. No disbursing or certifying officer shall be responsible for any loss incurred by reason of such advance. Any amount so advanced in excess of available service or other pay shall constitute a lien on the policy within the provisions of section 5301(b) of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Pub. L. 116–283 inserted “Space Force,” after “Marine Corps,”. 1991—Pub. L. 102–83 renumbered section 708 of this title as this section and substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”. Pub. L. 102–40 substituted “5301(b)” for “3101(b)”. 1986—Pub. L. 99–576 substituted “the insured’s” for “his”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.

§1908 Premium Payments