A. Each individual life insurance policy shall contain a provision that the insured is entitled to a grace period of not less than thirty-one days within which the payment of any premium after the first premium may be made, subject at the insurer‘s option to an interest charge that is not to exceed six percent per year for the number of days of grace elapsing before the payment of the premium.

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Terms Used In Virginia Code 38.2-3303

  • Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. Source: Federal Reserve
  • Insurer: means an insurance company. See Virginia Code 38.2-100
  • Life insurance: includes policies that also provide (i) endowment benefits; (ii) additional benefits incidental to a loss in the event of death, dismemberment, or loss by accident or accidental means; (iii) additional benefits to safeguard the contract from lapse or to provide a special surrender value, a special benefit or an annuity, in the event of total and permanent disability of the insured; and (iv) optional modes of settlement of proceeds. See Virginia Code 38.2-102
  • Month: means a calendar month and "year" means a calendar year. See Virginia Code 1-223
  • policy: includes annuity contracts that provide for policy loans and certificates issued by a fraternal benefit society. See Virginia Code 38.2-3300
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
  • State: means any commonwealth, state, territory, district or insular possession of the United States. See Virginia Code 38.2-100

B. The provision shall also state that during the grace period the policy shall continue in full force, but if a claim arises under the policy during the grace period before the overdue premium or any overdue premium installment is paid, the amount of any earned overdue premium or installment through the policy month of death with interest may be deducted from any amount payable under the policy in settlement. The grace period shall start on the premium payment due date.

Code 1950, § 38-371(2); 1950, p. 179; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-392; 1986, c. 562.