<PAGE>
Supplement to Prospectus for Metropolitan Life Separate Account E for Preference
Plus Group and Individual Annuity Contracts dated April 30, 1999.
The numbers in the Table of Expenses on B-PPA-6 for the Russell 2000 Index
Portfolio of the Metropolitan Fund should read as follows:
Metropolitan Fund Annual Expenses (as a percentage of average net assets)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | MANAGEMENT | OTHER EXPENSES | TOTAL EXPENSES | OTHER EXPENSES | TOTAL EXPENSES
| | FEES | WITHOUT | WITHOUT | AFTER EXPENSE | AFTER EXPENSE
| | | REIMBURSEMENT | REIMBURSEMENT | REIMBURSEMENT | REIMBURSEMENT
| | | | | |
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
|Russell 2000 Index | .25 | .70 | .95 | .20 | .45
|Portfolio(7) | | | | |
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
KEEP THIS SUPPLEMENT WITH YOUR PROSPECTUS
May 24, 1999
