FEGLI Premium Rates 2026: Every Age Band for Basic, Option A, B, and C

The Rate Tables OPM Buries in a 100-Page Handbook

Every FEGLI premium is published by OPM in the Federal Register, but finding the complete picture — active employee rates, annuitant rates, age-band breakpoints, and the interaction between reduction elections and post-65 premiums — requires pulling from multiple OPM documents. Here are all the current rates in one place.

Basic Insurance Rates

Your Basic Insurance Amount (BIA) = annual basic pay rounded up to the nearest $1,000, plus $2,000.

Active employees (all ages): $0.1600 per $1,000 of BIA, biweekly ($0.3467/month). The government pays an additional $0.0800 per $1,000 biweekly — you pay two-thirds, the government pays one-third. This rate is flat regardless of age.

Annuitant (retiree) rates depend on your reduction election:

Example: On a $130,000 BIA, the No Reduction election costs $337.57/month before 65 and $292.50/month after 65 — paid for life.

Option A (Standard) — $10,000 Flat Coverage

Option A provides a fixed $10,000 death benefit. After 65, it reduces by $200/month until reaching a $2,500 floor, at which point premiums stop entirely.

The jump from 55–59 ($3.90) to 60–64 ($13.00) is the sharpest in the table — a 233% increase in a single age-band crossing.

Option B (Additional) — 1 to 5 Multiples of Annual Basic Pay

Option B premiums are charged per $1,000 of coverage per month. To calculate your total cost, multiply the rate by your coverage amount in thousands.

Retiree note: If you elect Full Reduction at retirement, you pay age-banded premiums until 65, then premiums stop as coverage reduces to zero over 50 months. If you elect No Reduction, you pay these escalating rates for life.

Practical example: A GS-14 Step 7 earning $140,000 (annual basic pay rounded to $140,000 for Option B) carrying 3 multiples of Option B ($420,000 coverage):

At the 80+ band, Option B alone would consume more than most FERS annuities.

Option C (Family) — Per Multiple

Each multiple provides $5,000 for a spouse and $2,500 per eligible child. Premiums are based on the retiree's age, not the covered family member's age.

Example: 5 multiples ($25,000 spouse / $12,500 per child) at age 70: $41.50/month.

Biweekly vs. Monthly: The Paycheck Conversion

Active employees pay biweekly (26 pay periods per year). Retirees pay monthly (12 deductions per year from their annuity). The biweekly rate shown on your Leave and Earnings Statement is not simply the monthly rate divided by two — the annual cost divided by 26 gives the biweekly amount, while the annual cost divided by 12 gives the monthly amount.

For a quick conversion: multiply the biweekly amount by 26, then divide by 12, to get the monthly annuity deduction you'll see in retirement.

When Rates Change

OPM adjusts FEGLI rates through Federal Register notices. The rates in this article reflect 2026 published rates. Check OPM's FEGLI rate tables for any later adjustments.

The FEGLI Decision Guide includes the full rate tables plus a premium projection framework that models your specific coverage amounts across every age band through age 85, so you can see the total cost of each election before it becomes permanent.

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