JOHN HANCOCK VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT V
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 INDEPENDENCE 2000 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 7 and 8 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) your contract at the end of the applicable
time period, you would pay $88 at the end of 1 year; $120 at the end of
3 years; $156 at the end of 5 years; and $276 at the end of 10 years.
If you begin receiving payments under one of our annuity payment
options at the end of the following time periods, or if you do not
surrender your contact, you would pay $25 at the end of 1 year; $75 at
the end of 3 years; $129 at the end of 5 years; and $276 at the end of
10 years.
(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 14 of the prospectus.)
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JOHN HANCOCK VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT V
SUPPLEMENT DATED MAY 1, 2000 - continued
(5) The Condensed Financial Information table beginning on page 40 is
supplemented with the following selected data for Independence 2000
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 ...................................................... $12.61 $10.30
Number of Accumulation Shares outstanding at end of period .......... 9,114 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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