JOHN HANCOCK VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT U
SUPPLEMENT DATED MAY 1, 2000
TO
PROSPECTUS DATED MAY 1, 2000
Notwithstanding any language in the prospectus to the contrary, the following
shall apply with respect to ACCOMMODATOR VARIABLE ANNUITY contracts delivered or
issued for delivery on or before May 1, 2000:
(1) Your contract enables you to invest in the Global Equity variable
investment option. If you select this variable investment option, we
will invest your money in the corresponding Fund of the John Hancock
Variable Series Trust I ("Trust"). We may modify or delete this
investment option in the future.
(2) The Annual Fund Expenses table on page 5 of the prospectus is
supplemented with the following information on the Global Equity
variable investment option:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Investment Other Total Fund Other Operating
Management Operating Operating Expenses Absent
Fund Name Fee Expenses Expenses Reimbursement
---------- --------- ---------- ---------------
John Hancock Variable Series Trust I (See Note 1 on page 5):
Global Equity................................................... 0.90% 0.10% 1.00% 0.50%
(3) The examples on pages 8 and 9 of the prospectus are supplemented
with the following information on the current expenses you would pay,
directly or indirectly, on a $1,000 investment allocated to the Global
Equity variable investment option, assuming a 5% annual return on
assets (but not including any applicable premium taxes or any fees for
optional benefit riders; actual expense may be greater or less than
those shown above and in the Fee table on page 5 of the prospectus):
If you "surrender" (turn in) a periodic premium deferred contract or
begin receiving annuity payments under one of its annuity options at
the end of the applicable time period, you would pay $99 at the end of
1 year; $138 at the end of 3 years; $180 at the end of 5 years; and
$295 at the end of 10 years.
If you "surrender" (turn in) a single premium deferred contract or
begin receiving annuity payments under on the its annuity options at
the end of the applicable time period, you would pay $74 at the end of
1 year; $114 at the end of 3 years; $157 at the end of 5 years; and
$275 at the end of 10 years.
If you begin receiving annuity payments at the earliest possible date
on a single premium immediate annuity contract, you would pay $69 at
the end of 1 year; $110 at the end of 3 years; $152 at the end of 5
years; and $271 at the end of 10 years.
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JOHN HANCOCK VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT U
SUPPLEMENT DATED MAY 1, 2000 - continued
(4) The Global Equity variable investment option is subject to all the
terms and conditions of the contracts and the procedures described in
the prospectus (See "How can I change my contract's investment
allocations?" beginning on page 15 of the prospectus.)
(5) The Condensed Financial Information table beginning on page 34 is
supplemented with the following selected data for Accommodator
accumulation units for the Global Equity investment option. Values
shown for 1998 begin on May 1, 1998:
<S> <C> <C>
Year Ended Year Ended
December 31, 1999 December 31, 1998
----------------- -----------------
Global Equity
Accumulation share value:
Beginning of period ......................................... $10.30 $10.00
End of period................................................ $12.67 $10.30
Number of Accumulation Shares outstanding at end of period ... 629 0
This supplement is accompanied with a prospectus supplement dated May 1, 2000
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for the Trust that contains detailed information about the Global Equity Fund. Be sure
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to read that prospectus supplement before selecting the Global Equity investment option.
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