<PAGE> 1
SUPPLEMENT TO PROSPECTUS
FOR THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NORTH AMERICA
SEPARATE ACCOUNT A
DATED MAY 1, 2000
NEW INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO
Effective November 1, 2000, one new investment portfolio, the Capital
Appreciation Trust will be added to the variable portion of your contract. The
new portfolio is a series of Manufacturers Investment Trust (the "Trust"). The
new portfolios are not available for investment for Ven 1 and Ven 3 contract
owners. Set forth below is a brief description of the portfolio's investment
objective and certain policies relating to that objective and a schedule of fees
applicable to that portfolio.
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES
CAPITAL APPRECIATION TRUST. The investment objective of the Capital Appreciation
Trust is long-term capital growth. Jennison Associates, LLC ("Jennison") manages
the Capital Appreciation Trust and seeks to achieve this investment objective by
investing at least 65% of the portfolio's total assets in equity-related
securities of companies that exceed $1 billion in market capitalization and that
Jennison believes have above-average growth prospects. These companies are
generally medium- to large-capitalization companies.
For more information on the new portfolio and its investment adviser, see the
Trust's prospectus dated November 1, 2000.
FEE TABLE AND EXAMPLE
The Contract Owner or owner (collectively, "Contract Owner") Transaction
Expenses, Annual Contract Fee and Separate Account Annual Expenses are as set
forth in the current Fee Table with respect to existing portfolios. Trust Annual
Expenses and Example are amended to include the following new portfolio:
ANNUAL EXPENSES
(as a percentage of average net assets)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Management Other Total Trust
Fees Expenses Annual Expenses
---------- -------- ---------------
<S> <C> <C> <C>
Capital Appreciation Trust 0.900%* 0.100%** 1.000%
</TABLE>
*0.900% on the first $300 million of net assets, 0.850% on net assets over $300
million
**Based on estimates of payments to be made during the current fiscal year.
EXAMPLE
ASSUMING GRIP IS NOT ELECTED
A Contract Owner would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment,
assuming 5% annual return on assets, if the Contract Owner surrendered the
contract at the end of the applicable time period:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Trust Portfolio 1 Year 3 Years
--------------- ------ -------
<S> <C> <C>
Capital Appreciation Trust $80 $125
</TABLE>
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A Contract Owner would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment,
assuming 5% annual return on assets, if the Contract Owner annuitized as
provided in the contract or did not surrender the contract at the end of the
applicable time period:
Trust Portfolio 1 Year 3 Years
--------------- ------ -------
Capital Appreciation Trust $25 $76
ASSUMING GRIP IS ELECTED
(The Example assumes a growth factor of 6% and
that the Income Base in not stepped-up)
A Contract Owner would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment,
assuming 5% annual return on assets, if the Contract Owner surrendered the
contract at the end of the applicable time period:
Trust Portfolio 1 Year 3 Years
--------------- ------ -------
Capital Appreciation Trust $83 $133
A Contract Owner would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment,
assuming 5% annual return on assets, if the Contract Owner annuitized as
provided in the contract or did not surrender the contract at the end of the
applicable time period:
Trust Portfolio 1 Year 3 Years
--------------- ------ -------
Capital Appreciation Trust $27 $85
RATINGS OF THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NORTH AMERICA
Due to the merger of the rating firms Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. and
Fitch IBCA, the disclosure regarding the ratings of The Manufacturers Life
Insurance Company of North America are amended to delete the reference to the
Duff & Phelps rating and replace it with the following:
AAA Fitch
Highest in insurer financial strength; 1st category of 22
AMENDMENT TO TRUST ANNUAL EXPENSES TABLE
The Trust Annual Expenses Table is amended to reflect that effective June
1, 2000, the Adviser voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of its advisory fee
for the Science & Technology Trust, the Blue Chip Growth Trust, the
Equity-Income Trust and the International Stock Trust. The fee reduction is
based on the combined asset level of all four portfolios. Once the combined
assets exceed specified amounts, the fee reduction is increased. The percentage
fee reduction for each asset level is as follows:
COMBINED ASSET LEVELS FEE REDUCTION
(AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE ADVISORY FEE)
First $750 million 0.0%
Between $750 million and $1.5 billion 2.5%
Between $1.5 billion and $3.0 billion 3.75%
Over $3.0 billion 5.0%
The fee reductions are applied to the advisory fees of each of the four
portfolios. This voluntary fee waiver may be terminated at any time by the
Adviser.
SUPPLEMENT DATED NOVEMBER 1, 2000
Venture.Supp112000
