MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE CO OF NEW YORK SEP ACCOUNT A
N-4/A, 1998-11-04
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<PAGE>   1
   
       As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 3, 1998.
    
                                                     Registration No. 333-61283


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM N-4


             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
   
                          PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1
    

              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
                               SEPARATE ACCOUNT A
                           (Exact name of Registrant)


              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
                               (Name of Depositor)


                             Corporate Center at Rye
                            555 Theodore Fremd Avenue
                               Rye, New York 10580
              (Address of Depositor's Principal Executive Offices)

                                 (914) 921-1020
               (Depositor's Telephone Number Including Area Code)



       A. Scott Logan, President                           Copy to:
   The Manufacturers Life Insurance                  J. Sumner Jones, Esq.
          Company of New York                         Jones & Blouch, LLP
       555 Theodore Fremd Avenue              1025 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W.
          Rye, New York 10580                        Washington, DC 20007
            (914) 921-1020
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)


Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the
effective date of this registration statement.

The Registrant hereby amends this Registration Statement on such date or dates
as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file
a further amendment which specifically states that this Registration Statement
shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the
Securities Act of 1933 or until the Registration Statement shall become
effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a),
may determine.



<PAGE>   2

              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
                  CROSS REFERENCE TO ITEMS REQUIRED BY FORM N-4


N-4 ITEM
PART A                  CAPTION IN PROSPECTUS

1.....................  Cover Page

2.....................  Special Terms

3.....................  Summary

4.....................  Performance Data; Financial Statements

5.....................  General Information about The Manufacturers Life
                        Insurance Company of New York, The Manufacturers Life
                        Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A and
                        Manufacturers Investment Trust

6 ....................  Charges and Deductions; Administration Fees;
                        Distribution Fee; Mortality and Expense Risk Charge;
                        Taxes; Appendix A; Appendix B

7.....................  Accumulation Provisions; Company Approval; Purchase
                        Payments; Accumulation Units; Net Investment Factor;
                        Transfers Among Investment Options; Telephone
                        Transactions; Special Transfer Services - Dollar Cost
                        Averaging; Asset Rebalancing Program; Withdrawals;
                        Special Withdrawal Services - Systematic Withdrawal
                        Plan; Contract Owner Inquiries; Other Contract
                        Provisions; Ownership; Beneficiary; Modification

8.....................  Annuity Provisions; General; Annuity Options;
                        Determination of Amount of the First Variable Annuity
                        Payment; Annuity Units and the Determination of
                        Subsequent Variable Annuity Payments; Transfers After
                        Maturity Date

9 ....................  Accumulation Provisions; Death Benefit Before Maturity
                        Date; Annuity Provisions; Death Benefit on or After
                        Maturity Date

10....................  Accumulation Provisions; Purchase Payments; Accumulation
                        Units; Value of Accumulation Units; Net Investment
                        Factor; Distribution of Contracts

11....................  Withdrawals; Restrictions under the Texas Optional
                        Retirement Program; Accumulation Provisions; Purchase
                        Payments; Other Contract Provisions; Ten Day Right to
                        Review

12....................  Federal Tax Matters; Introduction; The Company's Tax
                        Status; Taxation of Annuities in General;
                        Diversification Requirements; Qualified Retirement Plans

13....................  Legal Proceedings

14....................  Statement of Additional Information - Table of Contents


                        CAPTION IN STATEMENT OF
PART B                  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

15....................  Cover Page

16....................  Table of Contents

17....................  General History and Information

18....................  Services-Accountants; Services-Servicing Agent

19....................  Not Applicable

20....................  Services - Principal Underwriter

21....................  Performance Data

22....................  Not Applicable

23....................  Financial Statements



<PAGE>   3





                                     PART A



                      INFORMATION REQUIRED IN A PROSPECTUS







<PAGE>   4

   
              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
                           Corporate Center at Rye
                    555 Theodore Fremd Avenue, Suite C-209
                           Rye, New York 10580-9966

                     Annuity Service Office Mailing Address
                                  P.O. Box 9013
                              BOSTON, MA 02205-9013
    


                    THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                         OF NEW YORK SEPARATE ACCOUNT A

                       SINGLE PAYMENT INDIVIDUAL DEFERRED
                 COMBINATION FIXED AND VARIABLE ANNUITY CONTRACT
                                NON-PARTICIPATING

         This Prospectus describes a single payment individual deferred
combination fixed and variable annuity contract (the "contract") issued by The
Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York, formerly First North American
Life Assurance Company (the "Company"), a stock life insurance company the
ultimate parent of which is The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company
("Manulife"). The contract is designed for use in connection with retirement
plans which may or may not qualify for special Federal income tax treatment.

         The contract provides for the accumulation of contract values and the
payment of annuity benefits on a variable and/or fixed basis. The contract
offers thirty-seven investment options: thirty-five variable and two fixed
accounts. The contract value during the accumulation period and annuity
payments, if selected on a variable basis, will vary according to the investment
performance of the sub-accounts of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of
New York Separate Account A, formerly FNAL Variable Account (the "Variable
Account"). The Variable Account is a separate account established by the
Company. Purchase payments and earnings on those purchase payments may be
allocated to and transferred among one or more of thirty-five sub-accounts of
the Variable Account. The assets of each sub-account are invested in shares of
Manufacturers Investment Trust, formerly NASL Series Trust (the "Trust"), a
mutual fund having an investment portfolio for each sub-account of the Variable
Account (see the accompanying Prospectus of the Trust). Fixed contract values
may be accumulated under the one year fixed account investment option or a
dollar cost averaging fixed account investment option. Except as specifically
noted herein and as set forth under the caption "FIXED ACCOUNT INVESTMENT
OPTIONS" below, this Prospectus describes only the variable portion of the
contract.

         SHARES OF THE TRUST ARE NOT DEPOSITS OR OBLIGATIONS OF, OR GUARANTEED
OR ENDORSED BY, ANY BANK, AND THE SHARES ARE NOT FEDERALLY INSURED BY THE
FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, OR ANY OTHER
AGENCY.

   
         Additional information about the contract and the Variable Account is
contained in a Statement of Additional Information, dated the same date as this
Prospectus, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "SEC") and is incorporated herein by reference. The Statement of Additional
Information is available without charge upon request by writing the Company at
the above service address or telephoning (800) 551-2078. In addition, the SEC 
maintains a Web site (http://www.sec.gov) that contains the Statement of 
Additional Information, material incorporated by reference, and other 
information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The 
table of contents for the Statement of Additional Information is included on 
page 33 of this Prospectus.
    

PLEASE READ THIS PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY AND KEEP IT FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. IT
CONTAINS INFORMATION ABOUT THE VARIABLE ACCOUNT AND THE VARIABLE PORTION OF THE
CONTRACT THAT A PROSPECTIVE PURCHASER SHOULD KNOW BEFORE INVESTING.

THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SEC NOR HAS THE
SEC PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION
TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.


                  The date of this Prospectus is _______, 1998



<PAGE>   5

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS



SPECIAL TERMS ............................................................    3
SUMMARY...................................................................    5

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF 
NEW YORK, THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK SEPARATE 
ACCOUNT A AND MANUFACTURERS INVESTMENT TRUST .............................    9

     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York ................    9
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York 
      Separate Account A .................................................    9
     Manufacturers Investment Trust.......................................   10

DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTRACT ..............................................   14

   ACCUMULATION PROVISIONS ...............................................   14
     Purchase Payments ...................................................   14
     Accumulation Units ..................................................   14
     Value of Accumulation Units .........................................   15
     Net Investment Factor ...............................................   15
     Transfers Among Investment Options ..................................   15
     Maximum Number of Investment Options.................................   15
     Special Transfer Services - Dollar Cost Averaging....................   16
     Asset Rebalancing Program............................................   16
     Withdrawals..........................................................   16
     Special Withdrawal Services -Systematic Withdrawal Plan .............   17
     Loans................................................................   17
     Death Benefit Before Maturity Date...................................   18
   ANNUITY PROVISIONS ....................................................   19
     General .............................................................   19
     Annuity Options .....................................................   19
     Determination of Amount of the First Variable Annuity Payment........   20
     Annuity Units and the Determination of
       Subsequent Variable Annuity Payments ..............................   20
     Transfers After Maturity Date .......................................   21
     Death Benefit on or After Maturity Date..............................   21
   OTHER CONTRACT PROVISIONS .............................................   21
     Ten Day Right to Review .............................................   21
     Ownership ...........................................................   21
     Annuitant ...........................................................   22
     Beneficiary .........................................................   22
     Modification ........................................................   22
     Company Approval ....................................................   22
     Misstatement and Proof of Age, Sex or Survival.......................   22
   FIXED ACCOUNT INVESTMENT OPTIONS.......................................   22

CHARGES AND DEDUCTIONS ...................................................   24
     Administration Fees..................................................   24
     Distribution Fee.....................................................   24
     Mortality and Expense Risk Charge ...................................   24
     Taxes ...............................................................   25

FEDERAL TAX MATTERS ......................................................   25
   INTRODUCTION ..........................................................   25
   THE COMPANY'S TAX STATUS ..............................................   25
   TAXATION OF ANNUITIES IN GENERAL ......................................   25
     Tax Deferral During Accumulation Period .............................   25
     Taxation of Partial and Full Withdrawals ............................   27
     Taxation of Annuity Payments ........................................   27
     Taxation of Death Benefit Proceeds ..................................   27
     Penalty Tax on Premature Distributions ..............................   28
     Aggregation of Contracts ............................................   28
   QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS ............................................   28
     Qualified Plan Types ................................................   29
     Direct Rollovers ....................................................   31
   FEDERAL INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING.........................................   31

GENERAL MATTERS...........................................................   31
     Tax Deferral.........................................................   31
     Performance Data.....................................................   31
     Financial Statements.................................................   32
     Asset Allocation and Timing Services.................................   32
     Distribution of Contracts ...........................................   32
     Contract Owner Inquiries.............................................   32
     Confirmation Statements..............................................   32
     Legal Proceedings ...................................................   32
     Other Information ...................................................   33
     Impact of Year 2000..................................................   33

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION-
   TABLE OF CONTENTS......................................................   33




                                       2
<PAGE>   6
                                  SPECIAL TERMS

         The following terms as used in this Prospectus have the indicated
meanings:

         Accumulation Unit - A unit of measure that is used to calculate the
value of the variable portion of the contract before the maturity date.

         Annuitant - Any natural person or persons whose life is used to
determine the duration of annuity payments involving life contingencies. If the
contract owner names more than one person as an "annuitant," the second person
named shall be referred to as "co-annuitant." The "annuitant" and "co-annuitant"
will be referred to collectively as "annuitant." The "annuitant" is as
designated on the contract specification page or in the application, unless
changed.

         Annuity Option - The method selected by the contract owner or as
specified in the contract if no selection is made for annuity payments made by
the Company.

   
         Annuity Service Office - The mailing address of the annuity service 
office of the Company is Annuity Service Office, P.O. Box 9013, Boston, 
MA 02205-9013.
    

         Annuity Unit - A unit of measure that is used after the maturity date
to calculate variable annuity payments.

         Beneficiary - The person, persons or entity entitled to the death
benefit under the contract upon the death of a contract owner or, in certain
circumstances, an annuitant. The beneficiary is as specified in the application,
unless changed. If there is a surviving contract owner, that person will be
deemed the beneficiary.

         Contingent Beneficiary - The person, persons or entity to become the
beneficiary if the beneficiary is not alive. The contingent beneficiary is as
specified in the application, unless changed.

         Contract Anniversary - The anniversary of the contract date.

         Contract Date - The date of issue of the contract.

         Contract Value - The total of the investment account values and, if
applicable, any amount in the loan account attributable to the contract.

         Contract Year - The period of twelve consecutive months beginning on
the contract date or any anniversary thereof.

         Debt - Any amounts in the loan account attributable to the contract
plus any accrued loan interest. The loan provision is applicable to certain
qualified contracts only.

         Designated Beneficiary - For purposes of Section 72(s) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the "designated beneficiary" under the
contract shall be the individual who is entitled to receive the amounts payable
on death, or if any contract owner is not an individual, on any change in (or
death of) the annuitant or co-annuitant.

         Due Proof of Death - Due Proof of Death is required upon the death of
the contract owner or annuitant, as applicable. One of the following must be
received at the Annuity Service Office within one year of the date of death:

         (a)      A certified copy of a death certificate;
         (b)      A certified copy of a decree of a court of competent
                  jurisdiction as to the finding of death; or
         (c)      Any other proof satisfactory to us.

Death Benefits will be paid within 7 days of receipt of due proof of death and
all required claim forms by the Company's Annuity Service Office.

         Fixed Annuity - An annuity option with payments which are predetermined
and guaranteed as to dollar amount.

         General Account - All the assets of the Company other than assets in
separate accounts.



                                       3
<PAGE>   7
         Investment Account - An account established by the Company which
represents a contract owner's interest in an investment option prior to the
maturity date.

         Investment Account Value - The value of a contract owner's investment
in an investment account.

         Investment Options - The investment choices available to contract
owners. Currently, there are thirty-five variable and two fixed account
investment options under the contract.

         Loan Account - The portion of the general account that is used for
collateral when a loan is taken.

   
         Maturity Date - The date on which annuity benefits commence. The
maturity date is the date specified on the contract specifications page and is
generally the first day of the month following the later of the annuitant's 
85th birthday or the tenth contract anniversary, unless changed. In no event 
will the maturity date exceed age 90.
    

         Net Purchase Payment - The purchase payment less the amount of premium
tax, if any.

         Non-Qualified Contracts - Contracts which are not issued under
qualified plans.

         Owner or Contract Owner - The person, persons (co-owner) or entity
entitled to all of the ownership rights under the contract. The owner has the
legal right to make all changes in contractual designations where specifically
permitted by the contract. The owner is as specified in the application, unless
changed.

         Portfolio or Trust Portfolio - A separate investment portfolio of the
Trust, a mutual fund in which the Variable Account invests, or of any successor
mutual fund.

         Purchase Payment - An amount paid by a contract owner to the Company as
consideration for the benefits provided by the contract.

         Qualified Contracts - Contracts issued under qualified plans.

   
         Qualified Plans - Retirement plans which receive favorable tax
treatment under Section 401, 403, 408 or 408A of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended.
    

         Separate Account - A segregated account of the Company that is not
commingled with the Company's general assets and obligations.

         Sub-Account(s) - One or more of the sub-accounts of the Variable
Account. Each sub-account is invested in shares of a different Trust portfolio.

         Successor Owner - The person, persons, or entity to become the contract
owner if the contract owner dies prior to the maturity date. The successor owner
is as specified in the application, unless changed. If no successor owner is
designated, or the successor owner dies before the contract owner, the contract
owner's estate is the successor owner (see also "Beneficiary").

   
         Valuation Date - Any date on which the New York Stock Exchange is open
for business and the net asset value of a Trust Portfolio is determined. (The 
net asset value of a Trust Portfolio is determined on any day on which the New 
York Stock Exchange is open for business.)
    

         Valuation Period - Any period from one valuation date to the next,
measured from the time on each such date that the net asset value of each
portfolio is determined.

         Variable Account - The Variable Account, which is a separate account of
the Company.

         Variable Annuity - An annuity option with payments which: (1) are not
predetermined or guaranteed as to dollar amount, and (2) vary in relation to the
investment experience of one or more specified sub-accounts.





                                       4
<PAGE>   8

                                     SUMMARY

         The Contract. The contract offered by this Prospectus is a single
payment individual deferred combination fixed and variable annuity contract. The
contract provides for the accumulation of contract values and the payment of
annuity benefits on a variable and/or fixed basis.

   
         Retirement Plans. The contract may be issued pursuant to either
non-qualified retirement plans or plans qualifying for special income tax
treatment under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), such
as individual retirement accounts and annuities, including Roth IRAs, pension
and profit-sharing plans for corporations and sole proprietorships/partnerships
("H.R. 10" and "Keogh" plans) and tax-sheltered annuities. (see "QUALIFIED 
RETIREMENT PLANS").
    

         Purchase Payments. A contract may be issued upon the making of a single
payment of $25,000 or more. Additional purchase payments are not permitted.
Purchase payments in excess of $1,000,000 will be accepted only with the prior
approval of the Company (see "PURCHASE PAYMENTS").

         Investment Options. Purchase payments may be allocated among the
thirty-seven investment options currently available under the contract:
thirty-five variable account investment options and two fixed account investment
options. Due to current administrative capabilities, a contract owner is limited
to a maximum of seventeen investment options (including all fixed account
investment options) during the period prior to the maturity date of the
contract. The thirty-five investment options are the thirty-five sub-accounts of
the Variable Account, a separate account established by the Company. The
sub-accounts invest in corresponding portfolios of the Trust: the Pacific Rim
Emerging Markets Trust, the Science & Technology Trust, the International Small
Cap Trust, the Emerging Growth Trust, the Pilgrim Baxter Growth Trust, the
Small/Mid Cap Trust, the International Stock Trust, the Worldwide Growth Trust,
the Global Equity Trust, the Small Company Value Trust, the Equity Trust, the
Growth Trust, the Quantitative Equity Trust, the Blue Chip Growth Trust, the
Real Estate Securities Trust, the Value Trust, the International Growth and
Income Trust, the Growth and Income Trust, the Equity-Income Trust, the Balanced
Trust, the Aggressive Asset Allocation Trust, the High Yield Trust, the Moderate
Asset Allocation Trust, the Conservative Asset Allocation Trust, the Strategic
Bond Trust, the Global Government Bond Trust, the Capital Growth Bond Trust, the
Investment Quality Bond Trust, the U.S. Government Securities Trust, the Money
Market Trust, the Lifestyle Aggressive 1000 Trust, the Lifestyle Growth 820
Trust, the Lifestyle Balanced 640 Trust, the Lifestyle Moderate 460 Trust and
the Lifestyle Conservative 280 Trust (see the accompanying Prospectus of the
Trust). The contract value during the accumulation period and monthly annuity
payments, if selected on a variable basis, will reflect the investment
performance of the sub-accounts selected (see "THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE
COMPANY OF NEW YORK SEPARATE ACCOUNT A"). Purchase payments may also be
allocated to the one year fixed account investment option or a dollar cost
averaging fixed account investment option. Under the fixed account investment
options, the Company guarantees the principal value of purchase payments and the
rate of interest credited to the investment account for the term of the
guarantee period. The portion of the contract value in the fixed account
investment options and monthly annuity payments, if selected on a fixed basis,
will reflect such interest and principal guarantees (see "FIXED ACCOUNT
INVESTMENT OPTION"). Subject to certain regulatory limitations, the Company may
elect to add, subtract or substitute investment options.

         Transfers. Prior to the maturity date, amounts may be transferred among
the investment options. After the maturity date, amounts may be transferred from
one sub-account to another. After the maturity date, transfers are not permitted
from variable annuity options to fixed annuity options or from fixed annuity
options to variable annuity options. There is no transaction charge for
transfers. Transfers from any investment account must be at least $300 or, if
less, the entire balance in the investment account. If, after the transfer the
amount remaining in the investment account of the contract from which the
transfer is made is less than $100, then the Company will transfer the entire
amount instead of the requested amount. The Company may impose certain
additional limitations on transfers (see "TRANSFERS AMONG INVESTMENT OPTIONS"
and "TRANSFERS AFTER MATURITY DATE"). Transfer privileges may also be used under
a special service offered by the Company to dollar cost average an investment in
the contract (see "SPECIAL TRANSFER SERVICES - DOLLAR COST AVERAGING").

         Withdrawals. Prior to the earlier of the maturity date or the death of
the contract owner, the owner may withdraw all or a portion of the contract
value. The amount withdrawn from any investment account must be at least $300
or, if less, the entire balance of the investment account. If a partial
withdrawal would reduce the contract value to less than $300, the withdrawal
request will be treated as a request to withdraw the entire contract value. An
administration fee may be imposed (see "WITHDRAWALS"). A withdrawal may be
subject to income tax and a 10% penalty tax (see "FEDERAL TAX MATTERS").
Withdrawal privileges may also be exercised pursuant to the Company's systematic
withdrawal plan service (see "SPECIAL WITHDRAWAL SERVICES THE INCOME PLAN").




                                       5
<PAGE>   9

         Loans. The Company offers a loan privilege to owners of contracts
issued in connection with Section 403(b) qualified plans that are not subject to
Title I of ERISA. Owners of such contracts may obtain loans using the contract
as the only security for the loan. The effective cost of a contract loan is 2%
per year of the amount borrowed (see "LOANS").

         Confirmation Statements. Owners will be sent confirmation statements
for certain transactions in their account. Owners should carefully review these
statements to verify their accuracy. Any mistakes should immediately be reported
to the Company's Annuity Service Office. If the owner fails to notify the
Company's Annuity Service Office of any mistake within 60 days of the mailing of
the confirmation statement, the owner will be deemed to have ratified the
transaction.

         Death Benefits. The Company will pay the death benefit described below
(which, as defined, is net of any debt) to the beneficiary if any contract owner
dies before the maturity date. If there is a surviving contract owner, that
contract owner will be deemed to be the beneficiary. No death benefit is payable
on the death of any annuitant, except that if any contract owner is not a
natural person, the death of any annuitant will be treated as the death of an
owner. The death benefit will be determined as of the date on which written
notice and proof of death and all required claim forms are received at the
Company's Annuity Service Office.

         If any contract owner dies and the oldest owner had an attained age of
less than 81 years on the contract date, the death benefit will be determined as
follows: During the first contract year, the death benefit will be the greater
of: (a) the contract value or (b) the purchase payment, less any amounts
deducted in connection with partial withdrawals. During any subsequent contract
year, the death benefit will be the greater of: (a) the contract value or (b)
the death benefit on the last day of the previous contract year, less any
amounts deducted in connection with partial withdrawals since then. If any
contract owner dies on or after his or her 81st birthday, the death benefit will
be the greater of (a) contract value or (b) the death benefit on the last day of
the contract year ending just prior to the owner's 81st birthday, less amounts
deducted in connection with partial withdrawals.

         If any contract owner dies and the oldest owner had an attained age of
81 years or greater on the contract date, the death benefit will be the greater
of: (a) the contract value or (b) the excess of (i) the purchase payment over
(ii) the sum of any amounts deducted in connection with partial withdrawals.

         Annuity Payments. The Company offers a variety of fixed and variable
annuity options. Periodic annuity payments will begin on the maturity date. The
contract owner selects the maturity date, frequency of payment and annuity
option (see "ANNUITY PROVISIONS").

         Ten Day Review. Within 10 days of receipt of a contract, the contract
owner may cancel the contract by returning it to the Company (see "TEN DAY RIGHT
TO REVIEW").

         Charges and Deductions. The following table and Example are designed to
assist contract owners in understanding the various costs and expenses that
contract owners bear directly and indirectly. The table reflects expenses of the
separate account and the underlying portfolio company. In addition to the items
listed in the following table, premium taxes may be applicable to certain
contracts and the Company reserves the right to impose an annual $30 per
contract administration fee on contracts where the contract value is less than
$10,000 as a result of a partial withdrawal. The items listed under "Separate
Account Annual Expenses" are more completely described in this Prospectus (see
"CHARGES AND DEDUCTIONS"). The items listed under "Trust Annual Expenses" are
described in detail in the accompanying Trust Prospectus to which reference
should be made.

CONTRACT OWNER TRANSACTION EXPENSES

Deferred sales load (withdrawal charge as percentage of purchase payments)  None

SEPARATE ACCOUNT ANNUAL EXPENSES
(as a percentage of average account value)

Mortality and expense risk fees.........................................  1.25%
Administration fee .....................................................  0.25%
Distribution fee........................................................  0.15%

Total Separate Account Annual Expenses..................................  1.65%



                                       6
<PAGE>   10
TRUST ANNUAL EXPENSES
(as a percentage of Trust average net assets)

   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                    TOTAL TRUST
                                          MANAGEMENT         OTHER EXPENSES       ANNUAL EXPENSES
TRUST PORTFOLIO                              FEES             (AFTER EXPENSE       (AFTER EXPENSE
                                                             REIMBURSEMENT)*      REIMBURSEMENT)*
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
<S>                                        <C>                   <C>                   <C>   

Pacific Rim Emerging Markets........       0.850%                0.570%                1.420%
Science & Technology................       1.100%                0.160%                1.260%
International Small Cap.............       1.100%                0.210%                1.310%
Emerging Growth.....................       1.050%                0.060%                1.110%
Pilgrim Baxter Growth...............       1.050%                0.130%                1.180%
Small/Mid Cap.......................       1.000%                0.050%                1.050%
International Stock.................       1.050%                0.330%                1.380%
Worldwide Growth....................       1.000%                0.320%                1.320%
Global Equity.......................       0.900%                0.110%                1.010%
Small Company Value.................       1.050%                0.100%**              1.150%
Equity..............................       0.750%                0.050%                0.800%
Growth..............................       0.850%                0.100%                0.950%
Quantitative Equity.................       0.700%                0.070%                0.770%*
Blue Chip Growth....................       0.925%                0.050%                0.975%
Real Estate Securities..............       0.700%                0.070%                0.770%*
Value...............................       0.800%                0.160%                0.960%
International Growth and Income.....       0.950%                0.170%                1.120%
Growth and Income...................       0.750%                0.040%                0.790%
Equity-Income.......................       0.800%                0.050%                0.850%
Balanced............................       0.800%                0.080%                0.880%
Aggressive Asset Allocation.........       0.750%                0.150%                0.900%
High Yield..........................       0.775%                0.110%                0.885%
Moderate Asset Allocation...........       0.750%                0.100%                0.850%
Conservative Asset Allocation.......       0.750%                0.140%                0.890%
Strategic Bond......................       0.775%                0.100%                0.875%
Global Government Bond..............       0.800%                0.130%                0.930%
Capital Growth Bond.................       0.650%                0.080%                0.730%*
Investment Quality Bond.............       0.650%                0.090%                0.740%
U.S. Government Securities..........       0.650%                0.070%                0.720%
Money Market........................       0.500%                0.040%                0.540%
Lifestyle Aggressive 1000#..........           0%                1.116%***             1.116%
Lifestyle Growth 820#...............           0%                1.048%***             1.048%
Lifestyle Balanced 640#.............           0%                0.944%***             0.944%
Lifestyle Moderate 460#.............           0%                0.850%***             0.850%
Lifestyle Conservative 280#.........           0%                0.708%***             0.708%

</TABLE>


* During the one year period ended December 31, 1997, Manufacturers Securities
Services, LLC voluntarily waived fees payable to it and/or reimbursed expenses
to the extent necessary to prevent "Total Trust Annual Expenses" for the
Quantitative Equity, Real Estate Securities and Capital Growth Bond Trusts from
exceeding .50% of the Trust's average net assets. This voluntary fee waiver was
terminated effective January 1, 1998. Expenses shown in the table for these
three Trusts do not reflect the fee waiver.

** Based on estimates of payments to be made during the current fiscal year.



                                       7
<PAGE>   11
*** Reflects expenses of the Underlying Portfolios. Manufacturers Securities
Services, LLC has voluntarily agreed to pay the expenses of each Lifestyle Trust
(excluding the expenses of the Underlying Portfolios). This voluntary expense
reimbursement may be terminated at any time. If such expense reimbursement was
not in effect, Total Trust Annual Expenses would be .04% higher (based on
expenses of the Lifestyle Trusts for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997) as
noted in the chart below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          MANAGEMENT          OTHER           TOTAL TRUST
TRUST PORTFOLIO                              FEES            EXPENSES       ANNUAL EXPENSES
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                  <C>                      <C>             <C>               <C>   

Lifestyle Aggressive 1000...........          0%              1.156%            1.156%
Lifestyle Growth 820................          0%              1.088%            1.088%
Lifestyle Balanced 640..............          0%              0.984%            0.984%
Lifestyle Moderate 460..............          0%              0.890%            0.890%
Lifestyle Conservative 280..........          0%              0.748%            0.748%

</TABLE>

# Each Lifestyle Trust will invest in shares of the Underlying Portfolios.
Therefore, each Lifestyle Trust will bear its pro rata share of the fees and
expenses incurred by the Underlying Portfolios and the investment return of each
Lifestyle Trust will be net of the Underlying Portfolio expenses. Each Lifestyle
Portfolio must bear its own expenses. However, the Advisor is currently paying
these expenses as described in footnote (***) above.

EXAMPLE

A contract owner would pay the following expenses on a $1,000 investment,
assuming 5% annual return on assets, regardless of whether the contract owner
annuitizes as provided in the contract, surrenders the contract at the end of
the applicable time period or does not surrender the contract at the end of the
applicable time period:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

TRUST PORTFOLIO                           1 YEAR          3 YEARS          5 YEARS         10 YEARS
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                      <C>               <C>              <C>              <C> 

Pacific Rim Emerging Markets........     $31               $95              $161             $338
Science & Technology................      29                90               153              323
International Small Cap.............      30                92               156              328
Emerging Growth.....................      28                86               146              309
Pilgrim Baxter Growth...............      29                88               149              316
Small/Mid Cap.......................      27                84               143              303
International Stock.................      31                94               159              335
Worldwide Growth....................      30                92               156              329
Global Equity.......................      27                83               141              299
Small Company Value*................      28                87
Equity..............................      25                76               131              279
Growth..............................      26                81               138              293
Quantitative Equity.................      25                75               129              276
Blue Chip Growth....................      27                82               139              296
Real Estate Securities..............      25                75               129              276
Value...............................      26                81               139              294
International Growth and Income.....      28                86               146              310
Growth and Income...................      25                76               130              278
Equity-Income.......................      25                78               133              284
Balanced............................      26                79               135              287
Aggressive Asset Allocation.........      26                79               136              289
High Yield..........................      26                79               135              287
Moderate Asset Allocation...........      25                78               133              284
Conservative Asset Allocation.......      26                79               135              288
Strategic Bond......................      26                79               134              286
Global Government Bond..............      26                80               137              291
Capital Growth Bond.................      24                74               127              272
Investment Quality Bond.............      24                75               128              273
U.S. Government Securities..........      24                74               127              271
</TABLE>



                                       8
<PAGE>   12

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TRUST PORTFOLIO                           1 YEAR          3 YEARS          5 YEARS         10 YEARS
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                       <C>               <C>              <C>              <C>

Money Market........................      22                69               117              252
Lifestyle Aggressive 1000...........      28                86               146              310
Lifestyle Growth 820................      27                84               143              303
Lifestyle Balanced 640..............      26                81               138              293
Lifestyle Moderate 460..............      25                78               133              284
Lifestyle Conservative 280..........      24                74               126              269
</TABLE>


* The Example of Expenses for the Small Company Value Trust contains figures for
only one and three years since it is a newly created Trust.

         For purposes of presenting the foregoing Example, the Company has made
certain assumptions mandated by the SEC. The Company has assumed that there are
no transfers or other transactions and that the "Other Expenses" line item under
"Trust Annual Expenses" will remain the same. Such assumptions, which are
mandated by the SEC in an attempt to provide prospective investors with
standardized data with which to compare various annuity contracts, do not take
into account certain features of the contract and prospective changes in the
size of the Trust which may operate to change the expenses borne by contract
owners. Consequently, the amounts listed in the Example above should not be
considered a representation of past or future expenses and actual expenses borne
by contract owners may be greater or lesser than those shown.

         The above summary is qualified in its entirety by the detailed
information appearing elsewhere in this Prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information and the accompanying Prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information for the Trust, to which reference should be made. This Prospectus
generally describes only the variable aspects of the contract, except where
fixed aspects are specifically mentioned.

       GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
        OF NEW YORK, THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
              SEPARATE ACCOUNT A AND MANUFACTURERS INVESTMENT TRUST

THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

   
         The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York (the "Company"),
is a stock life insurance company organized under the laws of the State of New
York on February 10, 1992. The Company's principal office is located at
Corporate Center at Rye, 555 Theodore Fremd Avenue, Rye, New York 10580.
    

         The Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Manufacturers Life
Insurance Company of North America ("Manulife North America"). Manulife North
America is a stock life insurance company organized under the laws of Delaware
in 1979 with its principal office located at 116 Huntington Avenue, Boston,
Massachusetts 02116. Manulife North America's principal business is offering
variable annuity contracts, similar to those offered by the Company in New York,
in 49 other states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

         The ultimate parent of Manulife North America is The Manufacturers Life
Insurance Company ("Manulife"), a Canadian mutual life insurance company based
in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Prior to January 1, 1996, Manulife North America
was a wholly owned subsidiary of North American Life Assurance Company, ("NAL"),
a Canadian mutual life insurance company. On January 1, 1996, NAL and Manulife
merged with the combined company retaining the name Manulife.

THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK SEPARATE ACCOUNT A

         The Company established the Variable Account on March 4, 1992 as a
separate account under New York law. The income, gains and losses, whether or
not realized, from assets of the Variable Account are, in accordance with the
contracts, credited to or charged against the Variable Account without regard to
other income, gains or losses of the Company. Nevertheless, all obligations
arising under the contracts are general corporate obligations of the Company.
Assets of the Variable Account may not be charged with liabilities arising out
of any other business of the Company.

         The Variable Account is registered with the SEC under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") as a unit investment trust. A
unit investment trust is a type of investment company which invests its assets
in specified securities,



                                       9
<PAGE>   13
such as the shares of one or more investment companies. Registration under the
1940 Act does not involve supervision by the SEC of the management or investment
policies or practices of the Variable Account. If deemed by the Company to be in
the best interests of persons having voting rights under the contracts, the
Variable Account may be operated as a management company under the 1940 Act or
it may be deregistered under such Act in the event such registration is no
longer required.

         There are currently thirty-five sub-accounts within the Variable
Account. The Company reserves the right, subject to compliance with applicable
law, to add other sub-accounts, eliminate existing sub-accounts, combine
sub-accounts or transfer assets in one sub-account to another sub-account
established by the Company or an affiliated company. The Company will not
eliminate existing sub-accounts or combine sub-accounts without the prior
approval of the appropriate state or Federal regulatory authorities.

MANUFACTURERS INVESTMENT TRUST

         The assets of each sub-account of the Variable Account are invested in
shares of a corresponding portfolio of the Trust. A description of each
portfolio is set forth below. The Trust is registered under the 1940 Act as an
open-end management investment company. Each of the portfolios is diversified
for purposes of the 1940 Act, except for the Global Government Bond Trust,
Emerging Growth Trust and the five Lifestyle Trusts which are non-diversified.
The Trust receives investment advisory services from Manufacturers Securities
Services, LLC, the successor to NASL Financial Services, Inc. ("MSS").

         The Trust currently has fifteen subadvisers who manage all of the
portfolios:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

SUBADVISER                                      SUBADVISER TO
- ----------                                      -------------
<S>                                             <C>

Fidelity Management Trust Company               Equity Trust
                                                Conservative Asset Allocation Trust
                                                Moderate Asset Allocation Trust
                                                Aggressive Asset Allocation Trust

Founders Asset Management LLC                   Growth Trust
                                                Worldwide Growth Trust
                                                Balanced Trust
                                                International Small Cap Trust

Fred Alger Management, Inc.                     Small/Mid Cap Trust

J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc.          International Growth and Income Trust

Manufacturers Adviser Corporation               Pacific Rim Emerging Markets Trust
                                                Quantitative Equity Trust
                                                Real Estate Securities Trust
                                                Capital Growth Bond Trust
                                                Money Market Trust
                                                Lifestyle Trusts

Miller Anderson & Sherrerd, LLP                 Value Trust
                                                High Yield Trust

Morgan Stanley Asset Management Inc.            Global Equity Trust

Oechsle International Advisors, LLC             Global Government Bond Trust

Pilgrim Baxter & Associates, Ltd.               Pilgrim Baxter Growth Trust

Rosenberg Institutional Equity Management       Small Company Value Trust

Rowe Price-Fleming International, Inc.          International Stock Trust

</TABLE>


                                       10
<PAGE>   14

SUBADVISER                                      SUBADVISER TO
- ----------                                      -------------

Salomon Brothers Asset Management Inc           U.S. Government Securities Trust
                                                Strategic Bond Trust

T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc.                  Science & Technology Trust
                                                Blue Chip Growth Trust
                                                Equity-Income Trust

   
Warburg Pincus Asset Management, Inc.           Emerging Small Company Trust
    

Wellington Management Company LLP               Growth and Income Trust
                                                Investment Quality Bond Trust



         The following is a brief description of each portfolio:

         The PACIFIC RIM EMERGING MARKETS TRUST seeks long-term growth of
capital by investing in a diversified portfolio that is comprised primarily of
common stocks and equity-related securities of corporations domiciled in
countries in the Pacific Rim region.

         The SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY TRUST seeks long-term growth of capital.
Current income is incidental to the portfolio's objective.

         The INTERNATIONAL SMALL CAP TRUST seeks capital appreciation by
investing primarily in securities issued by foreign companies which have total
market capitalization or annual revenues of $1 billion or less. These securities
may represent companies in both established and emerging economies throughout
the world.

   
         The EMERGING SMALL COMPANY TRUST seeks maximum capital appreciation by
investing primarily in a portfolio of equity securities of domestic companies.
The Emerging Growth Trust ordinarily will invest at least 65% of its total
assets in common stocks or warrants of emerging small companies that represent
attractive opportunities for maximum capital appreciation.
    

         The PILGRIM BAXTER GROWTH TRUST seeks capital appreciation by investing
in companies believed by the subadviser to have an outlook for strong earnings
growth and the potential for significant capital appreciation.

         The SMALL/MID CAP TRUST seeks long-term capital appreciation by
investing at least 65% of its total assets (except during temporary defensive
periods) in small/mid cap equity securities. As used herein small/mid cap equity
securities are equity securities of companies that, at the time of purchase,
have total market capitalization between $500 million and $5 billion.

         The INTERNATIONAL STOCK TRUST seeks long-term growth of capital by
investing primarily in common stocks of established, non-U.S. companies.

         The WORLDWIDE GROWTH TRUST seeks long-term growth of capital by
normally investing at least 65% of its total assets in equity securities of
growth companies in a variety of markets throughout the world.

         The GLOBAL EQUITY TRUST seeks long-term capital appreciation by
investing primarily in equity securities throughout the world, including United
States issuers and emerging markets.

         The SMALL COMPANY VALUE TRUST seeks long term growth of capital by
investing in equity securities of smaller companies which are traded principally
in the markets of the United States.

         The EQUITY TRUST seeks growth of capital by investing primarily in
common stocks of United States issuers and securities convertible into or
carrying the right to buy common stocks.

         The GROWTH TRUST seeks long-term growth of capital by investing at
least 65% of the portfolio's total assets in the common stocks of
well-established, high-quality growth companies that the subadviser believes
have the potential to increase earnings faster than the rest of the market.




                                       11
<PAGE>   15
         The QUANTITATIVE EQUITY TRUST seeks to achieve intermediate and
long-term growth through capital appreciation and current income by investing in
common stocks and other equity securities of well established companies with
promising prospects for providing an above average rate of return.

         The BLUE CHIP GROWTH TRUST seeks to achieve long-term growth of capital
(current income is a secondary objective) and many of the stocks in the
portfolio are expected to pay dividends.

         The REAL ESTATE SECURITIES TRUST seeks to achieve a combination of
long-term capital appreciation and satisfactory current income by investing in
real estate related equity and debt securities.

         The VALUE TRUST seeks to realize an above-average total return over a
market cycle of three to five years, consistent with reasonable risk, by
investing primarily in common and preferred stocks, convertible securities,
rights and warrants to purchase common stocks, ADRs and other equity securities
of companies with equity capitalizations usually greater than $300 million.

         The INTERNATIONAL GROWTH AND INCOME TRUST seeks long-term growth of
capital and income by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 65% of its
total assets in equity securities of foreign issuers. The Portfolio may also
invest in debt securities of corporate or sovereign issuers rated A or higher by
Moody's Investor Services, Inc. or Standard & Poor's Corporation or, if unrated,
of equivalent credit quality as determined by the subadviser.

         The GROWTH AND INCOME TRUST seeks long-term growth of capital and
income, consistent with prudent investment risk, by investing primarily in a
diversified portfolio of common stocks of United States issuers which the
subadviser believes are of high quality.

         The EQUITY-INCOME TRUST seeks to provide substantial dividend income
and also long-term capital appreciation by investing primarily in
dividend-paying common stocks, particularly of established companies with
favorable prospects for both increasing dividends and capital appreciation.

         The BALANCED TRUST seeks current income and capital appreciation by
investing in a balanced portfolio of common stocks, U.S. and foreign government
obligations and a variety of corporate fixed-income securities.

         The HIGH YIELD TRUST seeks to realize an above-average total return
over a market cycle of three to five years, consistent with reasonable risk, by
investing primarily in high yield debt securities, including corporate bonds and
other fixed-income securities.

         The AUTOMATIC ASSET ALLOCATION TRUSTS seek the highest potential total
return consistent with a specified level of risk tolerance -- conservative,
moderate or aggressive -- by investing primarily in the kinds of securities in
which the Equity, Investment Quality Bond, U.S. Government Securities and Money
Market Trusts may invest.

                  - The AGGRESSIVE ASSET ALLOCATION TRUST seeks the highest
         total return consistent with an aggressive level of risk tolerance.
         This Trust attempts to limit the decline in portfolio value in very
         adverse market conditions to 15% over any three year period.

                  - The MODERATE ASSET ALLOCATION TRUST seeks the highest total
         return consistent with a moderate level of risk tolerance. This Trust
         attempts to limit the decline in portfolio value in very adverse market
         conditions to 10% over any three year period.

                  - The CONSERVATIVE ASSET ALLOCATION TRUST seeks the highest
         total return consistent with a conservative level of risk tolerance.
         This Trust attempts to limit the decline in portfolio value in very
         adverse market conditions to 5% over any three year period.

         The STRATEGIC BOND TRUST seeks a high level of total return consistent
with preservation of capital by giving its subadviser broad discretion to deploy
the portfolio's assets among certain segments of the fixed-income market as the
subadviser believes will best contribute to achievement of the portfolio's
investment objective.

         The GLOBAL GOVERNMENT BOND TRUST seeks a high level of total return by
placing primary emphasis on high current income and the preservation of capital
by investing primarily in a global portfolio of high-quality, fixed-income
securities of foreign and United States governmental entities and supranational
issuers.



                                       12
<PAGE>   16
         The CAPITAL GROWTH BOND TRUST seeks to achieve growth of capital by
investing in medium-grade or better debt securities, with income as a secondary
consideration. The Capital Growth Bond Trust differs from most "bond" funds in
that its primary objective is capital appreciation, not income.

         The INVESTMENT QUALITY BOND TRUST seeks a high level of current income
consistent with the maintenance of principal and liquidity, by investing
primarily in a diversified portfolio of investment grade corporate bonds and
U.S. Government bonds with intermediate to longer term maturities. The portfolio
may also invest up to 20% of its assets in non-investment grade fixed income
securities.

         The U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES TRUST seeks a high level of current
income consistent with preservation of capital and maintenance of liquidity, by
investing in debt obligations and mortgage-backed securities issued or
guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities and
derivative securities such as collateralized mortgage obligations backed by such
securities.

         The MONEY MARKET TRUST seeks maximum current income consistent with
preservation of principal and liquidity by investing in high quality money
market instruments with maturities of 397 days or less issued primarily by
United States entities.

         The LIFESTYLE AGGRESSIVE 1000 TRUST seeks to provide long-term growth
of capital (current income is not a consideration) by investing 100% of the
Lifestyle Trust's assets in other portfolios of the Trust ("Underlying
Portfolios") which invest primarily in equity securities.

         The LIFESTYLE GROWTH 820 TRUST seeks to provide long-term growth of
capital with consideration also given to current income by investing
approximately 20% of the Lifestyle Trust's assets in Underlying Portfolios which
invest primarily in fixed income securities and approximately 80% of its assets
in Underlying Portfolios which invest primarily in equity securities.

         The LIFESTYLE BALANCED 640 TRUST seeks to provide a balance between a
high level of current income and growth of capital with a greater emphasis given
to capital growth by investing approximately 40% of the Lifestyle Trust's assets
in Underlying Portfolios which invest primarily in fixed income securities and
approximately 60% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios which invest primarily
in equity securities.

         The LIFESTYLE MODERATE 460 TRUST seeks to provide a balance between a
high level of current income and growth of capital with a greater emphasis given
to high income by investing approximately 60% of the Lifestyle Trust's assets in
Underlying Portfolios which invest primarily in fixed income securities and
approximately 40% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios which invest primarily
in equity securities.

         The LIFESTYLE CONSERVATIVE 280 TRUST seeks to provide a high level of
current income with some consideration also given to growth of capital by
investing approximately 80% of the Lifestyle Trust's assets in Underlying
Portfolios which invest primarily in fixed income securities and approximately
20% of its assets in Underlying Portfolios which invest primarily in equity
securities.

         In pursuing the Strategic Bond, High Yield and Investment Quality Bond
Trusts' investment objective, each portfolio expects to invest a portion of its
assets in high yield securities, commonly known as "junk bonds" which also
present a high degree of risk. The risks of these securities include price
volatility and risk of default in the payment of interest and principle. See
"Risk Factors Relating to High Yield Securities" contained in the Trust
Prospectus before investing in any of these Trusts.

         In pursuing the International Stock, International Small Cap, Global
Equity, Strategic Bond, International Growth and Income, High Yield and Global
Government Bond Trusts' investment objective, each portfolio may invest up to
100% of its assets in foreign securities which may present additional risks. See
"Foreign Securities" in the Trust Prospectus before investing in any of these
Trusts.

         If the shares of a Trust portfolio are no longer available for
investment or in the Company's judgment investment in a Trust portfolio becomes
inappropriate in view of the purposes of the Variable Account, the Company may
eliminate the shares of a portfolio and substitute shares of another portfolio
of the Trust or another open-end registered investment company. Substitution may
be made with respect to both existing investments and the investment of future
purchase payments. However, no such substitution will be made without notice to
the contract owner and prior approval of the SEC to the extent required by the
1940 Act.


                                       13
<PAGE>   17
         The Company will vote shares of the Trust Portfolios held in the
Variable Account at meetings of shareholders of the Trust in accordance with
voting instructions received from the persons having the voting interest under
the contracts. The number of portfolio shares for which voting instructions may
be given will be determined by the Company in the manner described below, not
more than 90 days prior to the meeting of the Trust. Trust proxy material will
be distributed to each person having the voting interest under the contract
together with appropriate forms for giving voting instructions. Portfolio shares
held in the Variable Account that are attributable to contract owners and as to
which no timely instructions are received and portfolio shares held in the
Variable Account that are beneficially owned by the Company will be voted by the
Company in proportion to the instructions received.

         Prior to the maturity date, the person having the voting interest under
a contract is the contract owner and the number of votes as to each portfolio
for which voting instructions may be given is determined by dividing the value
of the investment account corresponding to the sub-account in which such
portfolio shares are held by the net asset value per share of that portfolio.
After the maturity date, the person having the voting interest under a contract
is the annuitant and the number of votes as to each portfolio for which voting
instructions may be given is determined by dividing the reserve for the contract
allocated to the sub-account in which such portfolio shares are held by the net
asset value per share of that portfolio. Generally, the number of votes tends to
decrease as annuity payments progress since the amount of reserves attributable
to a contract will usually decrease after commencement of annuity payments. The
Company reserves the right to make any changes in the voting rights described
above that may be permitted by the Federal securities laws or regulations or
interpretations of these laws or regulations.

         A full description of the Trust, including the investment objectives,
policies and restrictions of each of the Portfolios is contained in the
Prospectus for the Trust which accompanies this Prospectus and should be read by
a prospective purchaser before investing.

                           DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTRACT

ACCUMULATION PROVISIONS

PURCHASE PAYMENTS

         Purchase payments are paid to the Company at its Annuity Service
Office. The minimum purchase payment is $25,000. Subsequent purchase payments
are not permitted. Purchase payments of $1,000,000 or more will be accepted only
with the prior approval of the Company.

         The single purchase payment is allocated among the investment options
in accordance with the percentages designated by the contract owner in the
application.

ACCUMULATION UNITS

   
         The Company will establish an investment account for the contract owner
for each investment option to which such contract owner allocates the purchase
payment. Purchase payments are credited to such investment accounts in the form
of accumulation units. The following discussion of accumulation units, the value
of accumulation units and the net investment factor formula pertains only to the
accumulation in the variable account investment options. The parallel discussion
regarding accumulations in the fixed account investment options appears
elsewhere in this Prospectus (see "FIXED ACCOUNT INVESTMENT OPTIONS"). The
number of accumulation units to be credited to each investment account is
determined by dividing the net purchase payment allocated to that investment
account by the value of an accumulation unit for that investment account for the
valuation period during which the purchase payment is credited to the contract
pursuant to the procedures described below. The accumulation unit value is
determined at the end of each valuation period.
    

         A purchase payment received by mail will usually be credited in the
valuation period during which received at the Annuity Service Office, and in any
event not later than two business days after receipt of all information
necessary for processing issuance of the contract. The applicant will be
informed of any deficiencies preventing processing if the contract cannot be
issued and the purchase payment credited within two business days after receipt.
If the deficiencies are not remedied within five business days after receipt,
the purchase payment will be returned promptly to the applicant, unless the
applicant specifically consents to the Company's retaining the purchase payment
until all necessary information is received. A purchase payment received by wire
transfer from broker-dealers will be credited in the valuation period during
which received where such broker-dealers have made special arrangements with the
Company.



                                       14
<PAGE>   18
VALUE OF ACCUMULATION UNITS

         The value of accumulation units will vary from one valuation period to
the next depending upon the investment results of the particular sub-accounts to
which purchase payments are allocated. The value of an accumulation unit for
each sub-account was arbitrarily set at $10 or $12.50 for the first valuation
period under other contracts issued by the Company. The value of an accumulation
unit for any subsequent valuation period is determined by multiplying the value
of an accumulation unit for the immediately preceding valuation period by the
net investment factor for such sub-account (described below) for the valuation
period for which the value is being determined.

NET INVESTMENT FACTOR

         The net investment factor is an index used to measure the investment
performance of a sub-account from one valuation period to the next. The net
investment factor for each sub-account for any valuation period is determined by
dividing (a) by (b) and subtracting (c) from the result:

         Where (a) is:

                  (1)      the net asset value per share of a portfolio share
         held in the sub-account determined at the end of the current valuation
         period, plus

                  (2)      the per share amount of any dividend or capital gain
         distributions made by the portfolio on shares held in the sub-account
         if the "ex-dividend" date occurs during the current valuation period.

         Where (b) is:

                  the net asset value per share of a portfolio share held in the
         sub-account determined as of the end of the immediately preceding
         valuation period.

         Where (c) is:

                  a factor representing the charges deducted from the
         sub-account on a daily basis for administrative expenses, a portion of
         the distribution expenses, and mortality and expense risks. Such factor
         is equal on an annual basis to 1.65% (0.25% for administrative
         expenses, 0.15% for distribution expenses and 1.25% for mortality and
         expense risks). The charges deducted from the sub-account reduced the
         value of the accumulation units for the sub-account.

         The net investment factor may be greater or less than or equal to one;
therefore, the value of an accumulation unit may increase, decrease or remain
the same.

TRANSFERS AMONG INVESTMENT OPTIONS

         Before the maturity date the contract owner may transfer amounts among
the investment options at any time and without charge upon written notice to the
Company. Accumulation units will be canceled from the investment account from
which amounts are transferred and credited to the investment account to which
amounts are transferred. The Company will effect such transfers so that the
contract value on the date of the transfer will not be affected by the transfer.
The contract owner must transfer at least $300 or, if less, the entire value of
the investment account. If after the transfer the amount remaining in the
investment account is less than $100, then the Company will transfer the entire
amount instead of the requested amount. The Company reserves the right to limit,
upon notice, the maximum number of transfers a contract owner may make to one
per month or six at any time within a contract year. In addition, the Company
reserves the right to defer the transfer privilege at any time that the Company
is unable to purchase or redeem shares of the Trust portfolios. The Company also
reserves the right to modify or terminate the transfer privilege at any time.

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF INVESTMENT OPTIONS

         Due to current administrative capabilities, a contract owner is limited
to a maximum of seventeen investment options (including the one year fixed
account investment option and the DCA fixed account investment option) during
the period prior to the maturity date of the contract (the "Contract Period").
In calculating this limit for each contract owner, investment options to which




                                       15
<PAGE>   19
the contract owner has allocated purchase payments at any time during the
Contract Period will be counted toward the seventeen maximum even if the
contract owner no longer has contract value allocated to the investment option.

SPECIAL TRANSFER SERVICES - DOLLAR COST AVERAGING

         The Company administers a Dollar Cost Averaging ("DCA") program which
enables an owner to pre-authorize a periodic exercise of the contractual
transfer rights described above. Owners entering into a DCA agreement instruct
the Company to transfer monthly a predetermined dollar amount from any
sub-account or the one year fixed account investment option to other
sub-accounts until the amount in the sub-account from which the transfer is made
or one year fixed account investment option is exhausted. In states where
approved by the state insurance department, a DCA fixed account investment
option may be established under the DCA program to make automatic transfers.
Only the initial purchase payment may be allocated to the DCA fixed account
investment option. The DCA program is generally suitable for owners making a
substantial deposit and who desire to control the risk of investing at the top
of a market cycle. The DCA program allows such investments to be made in equal
installments over time in an effort to reduce such risk. Owners interested in
the DCA program may elect to participate in the program on the application or by
separate application. Owners may obtain a separate application and full
information concerning the program and its restrictions from their securities
dealer or the Annuity Service Office. There is no charge for participation in
the DCA program.

ASSET REBALANCING PROGRAM

         The Company administers an Asset Rebalancing Program which enables a
contract owner to indicate to the Company the percentage levels he or she would
like to maintain in particular portfolios. The contract owner's contract value
will be automatically rebalanced pursuant to the schedule described below to
maintain the indicated percentages by transfers among the portfolios. (The Fixed
Account Investment Options are not eligible for participation in the Asset
Rebalancing Program.) The entire value of the variable investment accounts must
be included in the Asset Rebalancing Program. Other investment programs, such as
the DCA program, or other transfers or withdrawals may not work in concert with
the Asset Rebalancing Program. Therefore, contract owners should monitor their
use of these other programs and any other transfers or withdrawals while the
Asset Rebalancing Program is being used. Contract owners interested in the Asset
Rebalancing Program may obtain a separate application and full information
concerning the program and its restrictions from their securities dealer or the
Annuity Service Office. There is no charge for participation in the Asset
Rebalancing Program.

         Asset rebalancing will only be permitted on the following time
schedules:

         (i)      quarterly on the 25th day of the last month of the quarter (or
                  the next business day if the 25th is not a business day);
         (ii)     semi-annually on June 25th or December 26th (or the next
                  business day if these dates are not business days); or
         (iii)    annually on December 26th (or the next business day if
                  December 26th is not a business day).

WITHDRAWALS

   
         Prior to the earlier of the maturity date or the death of the contract
owner, the owner may withdraw all or a portion of the contract value upon
written request, complete with all necessary information to the Company's
Annuity Service Office. For certain qualified contracts, exercise of the
withdrawal right may require the consent of the qualified plan participant's
spouse under the Code and regulations promulgated by the Treasury Department. In
the case of a total withdrawal, the Company will pay the contract value as of
the date of receipt of the request at its Annuity Service Office, less the
annual $30 administration fee if applicable, and the contract will be canceled.
The Company reserves the right to impose an annual $30 per contract
administration fee on contracts where the contract value is less than $10,000, 
at the time of the fee's assessment, as a result of a partial withdrawal.
Currently, however, this charge is not being assessed. In the case of a partial
withdrawal, the Company will pay the amount requested and cancel that number of
accumulation units credited to each investment account necessary to equal the
amount withdrawn from each investment account deducted from such investment
account (see "CHARGES AND DEDUCTIONS").
    

         When making a partial withdrawal, the contract owner should specify the
investment options from which the withdrawal is to be made. The amount requested
from an investment option may not exceed the value of that investment option. If
the contract owner does not specify the investment options from which a partial
withdrawal is to be taken, the withdrawal will be taken from the variable
account investment options until exhausted and then from the fixed account
investment option. If the partial withdrawal is less than the total value in the
variable account investment options, the withdrawal will be taken pro rata from
the variable account investment options: taking from each such variable account
investment option an amount which bears the same relationship to the total
amount withdrawn as the value of such variable account investment option bears
to the value of all the contract owner's




                                       16
<PAGE>   20

investments in variable account investment options. For rules governing the
order and manner of withdrawals from the fixed account investment options (see
"FIXED ACCOUNT INVESTMENT OPTIONS").

         There is no limit on the frequency of partial withdrawals; however, the
amount withdrawn must be at least $300 or, if less, the entire balance in the
investment option. If after the withdrawal the amount remaining in the
investment option is less than $100, the Company will treat the partial
withdrawal as a withdrawal of the entire amount held in the investment option.
If a partial withdrawal would reduce the contract value to less than $300, the
Company will treat the partial withdrawal as a total withdrawal of the contract
value.

         The amount of any withdrawal from the variable account investment
options will be paid promptly, and in any event within seven days of receipt of
the request, complete with all necessary information at the Company's Annuity
Service Office, except that the Company reserves the right to defer the right of
withdrawal or postpone payments for any period when: (1) the New York Stock
Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (2)
trading on the New York Stock Exchange is restricted, (3) an emergency exists as
a result of which disposal of securities held in the Variable Account is not
reasonably practicable or it is not reasonably practicable to determine the
value of the Variable Account's net assets, or (4) the SEC, by order, so permits
for the protection of security holders; provided that applicable rules and
regulations of the SEC shall govern as to whether the conditions described in
(2) and (3) exist.

         Withdrawals from the contract may be subject to income tax and a 10%
penalty tax. Withdrawals are permitted from contracts issued in connection with
Section 403(b) qualified plans only under limited circumstances (see "FEDERAL
TAX MATTERS").

SPECIAL WITHDRAWAL SERVICES - SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN

         The Company administers a Systematic Withdrawal Plan ("SWP") which
enables a contract owner to pre-authorize a periodic exercise of the contractual
withdrawal rights described above. Contract owners entering into a SWP agreement
instruct the Company to withdraw a level dollar amount from specified investment
options on a periodic basis. The total of SWP withdrawals in a contract year is
limited to not more than 20% of the purchase payment made. If an additional
withdrawal is made from a contract participating in SWP, the SWP will terminate
automatically and may be reinstated only on or after the next contract
anniversary pursuant to a new application. SWP is not available to contracts
participating in the dollar cost averaging program. SWP withdrawals may be
subject to income tax and a 10% penalty tax (see "FEDERAL TAX MATTERS").
Contract owners interested in SWP may elect to participate in this program on
the contract application or by separate application. Contract owners may obtain
a separate application and full information concerning the program and its
restrictions from their securities dealer or the Annuity Service Office. There
is no fee charged for participation in the SWP service.

LOANS

         The Company offers a loan privilege only to owners of contracts issued
in connection with Section 403(b) qualified plans that are not subject to Title
I of ERISA. Owners of such contracts may obtain loans using the contract as the
only security for the loan. Loans are subject to provisions of the Code and to
applicable retirement program rules (collectively, "loan rules"). Tax advisors
and retirement plan fiduciaries should be consulted prior to exercising loan
privileges.

         Under the terms of the contract, the maximum loan value is equal to 80%
of the contract value, although loan rules may serve to reduce such maximum loan
value in some cases. The amount available for a loan at any given time is the
loan value less any outstanding debt. Debt equals the amount of any loans plus
accrued interest. Loans will be made only upon written request from the owner.
The Company will make loans within seven days of receiving a properly completed
loan application (applications are available from the Annuity Service Office),
subject to postponement under the same circumstances that payment of withdrawals
may be postponed (see "WITHDRAWALS").

         When an owner requests a loan, the Company will reduce the owner's
investment in the investment accounts and transfer the amount of the loan to the
loan account, a part of the Company's general account. The owner may designate
the investment accounts from which the loan is to be withdrawn. Absent such a
designation, the amount of the loan will be withdrawn from the investment
accounts in accordance with the rules for making partial withdrawals (see
"WITHDRAWALS"). The contract provides that owners may repay contract debt at any
time. Under applicable loan rules, loans generally must be repaid within five
years, repayments must be made at least quarterly and repayments must be made in
substantially equal amounts. When a loan is repaid, the amount of the repayment
will be transferred from the loan account to the investment accounts. The owner
may designate the investment accounts to which a repayment is to be allocated.
Otherwise, the repayment will be allocated in the same manner as the 



                                       17
<PAGE>   21
owner's most recent purchase payment. On each contract anniversary, the Company
will transfer from the investment accounts to the loan account the amount by
which the debt on the contract exceeds the balance in the loan account.

         The Company charges interest of 6% per year on contract loans. Loan
interest is payable in arrears and, unless paid in cash, the accrued loan
interest is added to the amount of the debt and bears interest at 6% as well.
The Company credits interest with respect to amounts held in the loan account at
a rate of 4% per year. Consequently, the net cost of loans under the contract is
2%. If on any date debt under a contract exceeds the contract value, the
contract will be in default. In such case the owner will receive a notice
indicating the payment needed to bring the contract out of default and will have
a thirty-one day grace period within which to pay the default amount. If the
required payment is not made within the grace period, the contract may be
foreclosed (terminated without value).

   
         The amount of any debt will be deducted from the death benefit
otherwise payable under the contract (see "DEATH BENEFIT BEFORE MATURITY DATE").
In addition, in the event of a complete withdrawal, the contract value will be 
reduced by the amount of any debt. This reduction may give rise to taxable 
income in certain circumstances. Debt, whether or not repaid, will have a
permanent effect on the contract value because the investment results of the
investment accounts will apply only to the unborrowed portion of the contract
value. The longer debt is outstanding, the greater the effect is likely to be.
The effect could be favorable or unfavorable. If the investment results are
greater than the rate being credited on amounts held in the loan account while
the debt is outstanding, the contract value will not increase as rapidly as it
would have if no debt were outstanding. If investment results are below that
rate, the contract value will be higher than it would have been had no debt been
outstanding.
    

DEATH BENEFIT BEFORE MATURITY DATE

         In General. The following discussion applies principally to contracts
that are not issued in connection with qualified plans, i.e., a "non-qualified
contract." The requirements of the tax law applicable to qualified plans, and
the tax treatment of amounts held and distributed under such plans, are quite
complex. Accordingly, a prospective purchaser of the contract to be used in
connection with a qualified plan should seek competent legal and tax advice
regarding the suitability of the contract for the situation involved and the
requirements governing the distribution of benefits, including death benefits,
from a contract used in the plan. In particular, a prospective purchaser who
intends to use the contract in connection with a qualified plan should consider
that the contract provides a death benefit (described below) that could be
characterized as an incidental death benefit. There are limits on the amount of
incidental benefits that may be provided under certain qualified plans and the
provision of such benefits may result in currently taxable income to plan
participants (see "FEDERAL TAX MATTERS").

         Amount of Death Benefit. If any contract owner dies and the oldest
owner had an attained age of less than 81 years on the contract date, the death
benefit will be determined as follows: During the first contract year, the death
benefit will be the greater of: (a) the contract value or (b) the purchase
payment made, less any amounts deducted in connection with partial withdrawals.
During any subsequent contract year, the death benefit will be the greater of:
(a) the contract value or (b) the death benefit on the last day of the previous
contract year, less any amounts deducted in connection with partial withdrawals
since then. If any contract owner dies on or after his or her 81st birthday, the
death benefit will be the greater of (a) contract value or (b) the death benefit
on the last day of the contract year ending just prior to the owner's 81st
birthday, less amounts deducted in connection with partial withdrawals.

         If any contract owner dies and the oldest owner had an attained age of
81 years or greater on the contract date, the death benefit will be the greater
of: (a) the contract value or (b) the excess of (i) the purchase payment over
(ii) the sum of any amounts deducted in connection with partial withdrawals.

         The determination of the death benefit will be made on the date written
notice and proof of death, as well as all required claim forms, are received at
the Company's Annuity Service Office. No person is entitled to the death benefit
until this time. In addition, partial withdrawals include amounts applied under
an annuity option under the contract. If there is any debt under the contract,
the death benefit equals the death benefit, as described above, less such debt.

         Payment of Death Benefit. The Company will pay the death benefit
(which, as defined above, is net of any debt) to the beneficiary if any contract
owner dies before the maturity date. If there is a surviving contract owner,
that contract owner will be deemed to be the beneficiary. No death benefit is
payable on the death of any annuitant, except that if any contract owner is not
a natural person, the death of any annuitant will be treated as the death of an
owner. On the death of the last surviving annuitant, the contract owner, if a
natural person, will become the annuitant unless the contract owner designates
another person as the annuitant.

         The death benefit may be taken in the form of a lump sum immediately.
If not taken immediately, the contract will continue subject to the following:
(1) The beneficiary will become the contract owner. (2) Any excess of the death
benefit over the contract value will be allocated to the owner's investment
accounts in proportion to their relative values on the date of the Company's



                                       18
<PAGE>   22

receipt at its Annuity Service Office of due proof of the owner's death. (3) If
the beneficiary is not the deceased's owner spouse, distribution of the contract
owner's entire interest in the contract must be made within five years of the
owner's death, or alternatively, distribution may be made as an annuity, under
one of the annuity options described below, which begins within one year of the
owner's death and is payable over the life of the beneficiary or over a period
not extending beyond the life expectancy of the beneficiary. Upon the death of
the beneficiary, the death benefit will equal the contract value which must be
distributed immediately in a single sum. (4) If the owner's spouse is the
beneficiary, the spouse continues the contract as the new owner. In such a case,
the distribution rules described in "(3)" applicable when a contract owner dies
will apply when the spouse, as the owner, dies.

         If any annuitant is changed and any contract owner is not a natural
person, the entire interest in the contract must be distributed to the contract
owner within five years.

         A substitution or addition of any contract owner may result in
resetting the death benefit to an amount equal to the contract value as of the
date of the change. For purposes of subsequent calculations of the death benefit
prior to the maturity date, the contract value on the date of the change will be
treated as an initial purchase payment made on that date. In addition, all
payments made and all amounts deducted in connection with partial withdrawals
prior to the date of the change will not be considered in the determination of
the death benefit. No such change in death benefit will be made if the
individual whose death will cause the death benefit to be paid is the same after
the change in ownership or if ownership is transferred to the owner's spouse.

         Death benefits will be paid within seven days of the date the amount of
the death benefit is determined, as described above, subject to postponement
under the same circumstances that payment of withdrawals may be postponed (see
"WITHDRAWALS").

ANNUITY PROVISIONS

GENERAL

         The proceeds of the contract payable on death, withdrawal or the
contract maturity date may be applied to the annuity options described below,
subject to the distribution of death benefit provisions (see "DEATH BENEFIT
BEFORE MATURITY DATE").

         Generally, annuity benefits under the contract will begin on the
maturity date. The maturity date is the date specified on the contract
specifications page, unless changed. If no date is specified, the maturity date
is the maximum maturity date described below. The maximum maturity date is the
first day of the month following the 90th birthday of the annuitant. The
contract owner may specify a different maturity date at any time by written
request at least one month before both the previously specified and the new
maturity date. The new maturity date must be the first day of a month no later
than the first day of the month following the 90th birthday of the annuitant
(see "FEDERAL TAX MATTERS --Taxation of Annuities in General-- Delayed Maturity
Dates"). Distributions from qualified contracts may be required before the
maturity date (see "FEDERAL TAX MATTERS--Qualified Retirement Plans").

         The contract owner may select the frequency of annuity payments.
However, if the contract value at the maturity date is such that a monthly
payment would be less than $20, the Company may pay the contract value, less any
debt, in one lump sum to the annuitant on the maturity date.

ANNUITY OPTIONS

         Annuity benefits are available under the contract on a fixed or
variable basis, or any combination of fixed and variable bases. Upon purchase of
the contract, and on or before the maturity date, the contract owner may select
one or more of the annuity options described below on a fixed and/or variable
basis (except Option 5 which is available on a fixed basis only) or choose an
alternate form of settlement acceptable to the Company. If an annuity option is
not selected, the Company will provide as a default option variable annuity
payments in proportion to the Investment Account Value of each investment option
at the maturity date, such payments to be made for a period certain of 10 years
and continuing thereafter during the lifetime of the annuitant. Treasury
Department regulations may preclude the availability of certain annuity options
in connection with certain qualified contracts.

         The following annuity options are guaranteed in the contract.

         Option 1(a): Non-Refund Life Annuity - An annuity with payments during
         the lifetime of the annuitant. No payments are due after the death of
         the annuitant. Since there is no guarantee that any minimum number of
         payments will be made, an annuitant may receive only one payment if the
         annuitant dies prior to the date the second payment is due.




                                       19
<PAGE>   23

         Option 1(b): Life Annuity with Payments Guaranteed for 10 Years - An
         annuity with payments guaranteed for 10 years and continuing thereafter
         during the lifetime of the annuitant. Since payments are guaranteed for
         10 years, annuity payments will be made to the end of such period if
         the annuitant dies prior to the end of the tenth year.

         Option 2(a): Joint & Survivor Non-Refund Life Annuity - An annuity with
         payments during the lifetimes of the annuitant and a designated
         co-annuitant. No payments are due after the death of the last survivor
         of the annuitant and co-annuitant. Since there is no guarantee that any
         minimum number of payments will be made, an annuitant or co-annuitant
         may receive only one payment if the annuitant and co-annuitant die
         prior to the date the second payment is due.

         Option 2(b): Joint & Survivor Life Annuity with Payments Guaranteed for
         10 Years - An annuity with payments guaranteed for 10 years and
         continuing thereafter during the lifetimes of the annuitant and a
         designated co-annuitant. Since payments are guaranteed for 10 years,
         annuity payments will be made to the end of such period if both the
         annuitant and the co-annuitant die prior to the end of the tenth year.

         In addition to the foregoing annuity options which the Company is
contractually obligated to offer at all times, the Company currently offers the
following annuity options. The Company may cease offering the following annuity
options at any time and may offer other annuity options in the future.

         Option 3: Life Annuity with Payments Guaranteed for 5, 15 or 20 Years -
         An annuity with payments guaranteed for 5, 15 or 20 years and
         continuing thereafter during the lifetime of the annuitant. Since
         payments are guaranteed for the specific number of years, annuity
         payments will be made to the end of the last year of the 5, 15 or 20
         year period.

         Option 4: Joint & Two-Thirds Survivor Non-Refund Life Annuity - An
         annuity with full payments during the joint lifetime of the annuitant
         and a designated co-annuitant and two-thirds payments during the
         lifetime of the survivor. Since there is no guarantee that any minimum
         number of payments will be made, an annuitant or co-annuitant may
         receive only one payment if the annuitant and co-annuitant die prior to
         the date the second payment is due.

         Option 5: Period Certain Only Annuity for 5, 10, 15 or 20 years - An
         annuity with payments for a 5, 10, 15 or 20 year period and no payments
         thereafter.

DETERMINATION OF AMOUNT OF THE FIRST VARIABLE ANNUITY PAYMENT

         The first variable annuity payment is determined by applying that
portion of the contract value used to purchase a variable annuity, measured as
of a date not more than ten business days prior to the maturity date (minus any
applicable premium taxes), to the annuity tables contained in the contract. (The
amount of the first and all subsequent fixed annuity payments is determined on
the same basis using the portion of the contract value used to purchase a fixed
annuity.) The rates contained in such tables depend upon the annuitant's sex and
age (as adjusted depending on the annuitant's year of birth) and the annuity
option selected, except for contracts issued in connection with certain employer
sponsored plans where sex-based tables may not be used. Under such tables, the
longer the life expectancy of the annuitant under any life annuity option or the
duration of any period for which payments are guaranteed under the option, the
smaller will be the amount of the first monthly variable annuity payment. The
rates are based on the 1983 Table A projected at Scale G, assume births in year
1942 and reflect an assumed interest rate of 3% per year.

ANNUITY UNITS AND THE DETERMINATION OF SUBSEQUENT VARIABLE ANNUITY PAYMENTS

         Variable annuity payments subsequent to the first will be based on the
investment performance of the sub-accounts selected. The amount of such
subsequent payments is determined by dividing the amount of the first annuity
payment from each sub-account by the annuity unit value of such sub-account (as
of the same date the contract value to effect the annuity was determined) to
establish the number of annuity units which will thereafter be used to determine
payments. This number of annuity units for each sub-account is then multiplied
by the appropriate annuity unit value as of a uniformly applied date not more
than ten business days before the annuity payment is due, and the resulting
amounts for each sub-account are then totaled to arrive at the amount of the
payment to be made. The number of annuity units remains constant during the
annuity payment period.

         The value of an annuity unit for each sub-account for any valuation
period is determined by multiplying the annuity unit value for the immediately
preceding valuation period by the net investment factor for that sub-account
(see "NET INVESTMENT FACTOR") for the valuation period for which the annuity
unit value is being calculated and by a factor to neutralize the assumed
interest rate.



                                       20
<PAGE>   24

         A 3% assumed interest rate is built into the annuity tables in the
contract used to determine the first variable annuity payment. A higher
assumption would mean a larger first annuity payment, but more slowly rising
subsequent payments when actual investment performance exceeds the assumed rate,
and more rapidly falling subsequent payments when actual investment performance
is less than the assumed rate. A lower assumption would have the opposite
effect. If the actual net investment performance is 3% annually, annuity
payments will be level.

TRANSFERS AFTER MATURITY DATE

         Once variable annuity payments have begun, the contract owner may
transfer all or part of the investment upon which such payments are based from
one sub-account to another. Transfers will be made upon notice to the Company at
least 30 days before the due date of the first annuity payment to which the
change will apply. Transfers after the maturity date will be made by converting
the number of annuity units being transferred to the number of annuity units of
the sub-account to which the transfer is made, so that the next annuity payment
if it were made at that time would be the same amount that it would have been
without the transfer. Thereafter, annuity payments will reflect changes in the
value of the new annuity units. The Company reserves the right to limit, upon
notice, the maximum number of transfers a contract owner may make per contract
year to four. Once annuity payments have commenced, no transfers may be made
from a fixed annuity option to a variable annuity option or from a variable
annuity option to a fixed annuity option. In addition, the Company reserves the
right to defer the transfer privilege at any time that the Company is unable to
purchase or redeem shares of the Trust portfolios. The Company also reserves the
right to modify or terminate the transfer privilege at any time in accordance
with New York law.

DEATH BENEFIT ON OR AFTER MATURITY DATE

         If annuity payments have been selected based on an annuity option
providing for payments for a guaranteed period, and the annuitant dies on or
after the maturity date, the Company will make the remaining guaranteed payments
to the beneficiary. Any remaining payments will be made as rapidly as under the
method of distribution being used as of the date of the annuitant's death. If no
beneficiary is living, the Company will commute any unpaid guaranteed payments
to a single sum (on the basis of the interest rate used in determining the
payments) and pay that single sum to the estate of the last to die of the
annuitant and the beneficiary.

OTHER CONTRACT PROVISIONS

TEN DAY RIGHT TO REVIEW

         The contract owner may cancel the contract by returning it to the
Company's Annuity Service Office or agent at any time within 10 days after
receipt of the contract. Within 7 days of receipt of the contract by the
Company, the Company will pay the contract value, less any debt, computed at the
end of the valuation period during which the contract is received by the
Company, to the contract owner.

   
         During the first 7 days of the 10 day period, the Company will return
the purchase payment if it is greater than the amount otherwise payable.
    

OWNERSHIP

         The contract owner is the person entitled to exercise all rights under
the contract. Prior to the maturity date, the contract owner is the person
designated in the contract specifications page or as subsequently named. On and
after the maturity date, the annuitant is the contract owner. If amounts become
payable to any beneficiary under the contract, the beneficiary is the contract
owner.

         In the case of non-qualified contracts, ownership of the contract may
be changed or the contract may be collaterally assigned at any time prior to the
maturity date, subject to the rights of any irrevocable beneficiary. Assigning a
contract, or changing the ownership of a contract, may be treated as a
distribution of the contract value for Federal tax purposes (see "FEDERAL TAX
MATTERS"). A change of any contract owner may result in resetting the death
benefit to an amount equal to the contract value as of the date of the change
and treating such value as a purchase payment made on that date for purposes of
computing the amount of the death benefit (see "DEATH BENEFIT BEFORE MATURITY
DATE").

         Any change of ownership or assignment must be made in writing. Any
change must be approved by the Company. Any assignment and any change, if
approved, will be effective as of the date the Company receives the request at
its Annuity Service Office. The Company assumes no liability for any payments
made or actions taken before a change is approved or an assignment is




                                       21
<PAGE>   25
accepted or responsibility for the validity or sufficiency of any assignment. An
absolute assignment will revoke the interest of any revocable beneficiary.

         In the case of qualified contracts, ownership of the contract generally
may not be transferred except by the trustee of an exempt employees' trust which
is part of a retirement plan qualified under Section 401 of the Code or as
otherwise permitted by applicable Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") regulations.
Subject to the foregoing, a qualified contract may not be sold, assigned,
transferred, discounted or pledged as collateral for a loan or as security for
the performance of an obligation or for any other purpose to any person other
than the Company.

ANNUITANT

         The annuitant is any natural person or persons whose life is used to
determine the duration of annuity payments involving life contingencies. If the
contract owner names more than one person as an "annuitant," the second person
named shall be referred to as "co-annuitant." The annuitant is as designated on
the contract specifications page or in the application, unless changed.

         On the death of the annuitant, the co-annuitant, if living, becomes the
annuitant. If there is no living co-annuitant, the owner becomes the annuitant.
In the case of certain qualified contracts, there are limitations on the ability
to designate and change the annuitant and the co-annuitant.

BENEFICIARY

         The beneficiary is the person, persons or entity designated in the
contract specifications page or as subsequently named. However, if there is a
surviving contract owner, that person will be treated as the beneficiary. The
beneficiary may be changed subject to the rights of any irrevocable beneficiary.
Any change must be made in writing, approved by the Company and if approved,
will be effective as of the date on which written. The Company assumes no
liability for any payments made or actions taken before the change is approved.
If no beneficiary is living, the contingent beneficiary will be the beneficiary.
The interest of any beneficiary is subject to that of any assignee. If no
beneficiary or contingent beneficiary is living, the beneficiary is the estate
of the deceased contract owner. In the case of certain qualified contracts,
regulations promulgated by the Treasury Department prescribe certain limitations
on the designation of a beneficiary.

MODIFICATION

         The contract may not be modified by the Company without the consent of
the contract owner, except as may be required to make it conform to any law or
regulation or ruling issued by a governmental agency. The provisions of the
contract shall be interpreted so as to comply with the requirements of Section
72(s) of the Code.

COMPANY APPROVAL

         The Company reserves the right to accept or reject any contract
application at its sole discretion.

MISSTATEMENT AND PROOF OF AGE, SEX OR SURVIVAL

         The Company may require proof of age, sex or survival of any person
upon whose age, sex or survival any payment depends. If the age or sex of the
annuitant has been misstated, the benefits will be those that would have been
provided for the annuitant's correct age and sex. If the Company has made
incorrect annuity payments, the amount of any underpayment, adjusted with
interest at 3% per annum, will be paid immediately and the amount of any
overpayment will be deducted from future annuity payments.

FIXED ACCOUNT INVESTMENT OPTIONS

         Securities Registration. Due to certain exemptive and exclusionary
provisions, interests in the fixed account investment options are not registered
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "1933 Act") and the Company's
general account is not registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act.
Accordingly, neither interests in the fixed account investment options nor the
general account are subject to the provisions or restrictions of the 1933 Act or
the 1940 Act and the staff of the SEC has not reviewed the disclosures in the
Prospectus relating thereto. Disclosures relating to interests in the fixed
account investment options and the general account, however, may be subject to
certain generally applicable provisions of the Federal securities laws relating
to the accuracy of statements made in a registration statement.




                                       22
<PAGE>   26

         Investment Options. A one year fixed account investment option is
available under the contract. In addition, a DCA fixed account investment option
may be established under the DCA program to make automatic transfers to one or
more variable investment options (see "SPECIAL TRANSFER SERVICES-DOLLAR COST
AVERAGING" for details). Under the fixed account investment options, the Company
guarantees the principal value of purchase payments and the rate of interest
credited to the investment account for the term of the guarantee period. The
portion of the contract value in a fixed account investment option and monthly
annuity payments if selected on a fixed basis, will reflect such interest and
principal guarantees. The guaranteed interest rates on new amounts allocated or
transferred to a fixed investment account are determined from time-to-time by
the Company in accordance with market conditions. In no event will the
guaranteed rate of interest be less than 3%. Once an interest rate is guaranteed
for a fixed investment account, it is guaranteed for the duration of the
guarantee period and may not be changed by the Company.

         Investment Accounts. Contract owners may allocate purchase payments, or
make transfers from the variable investment options, to the one year fixed
account investment option at any time prior to the maturity date. The Company
establishes a separate investment account each time the contract owner allocates
or transfers amounts to the one year fixed account investment option. Amounts
may not be allocated to a fixed account investment option that would extend the
guarantee period beyond the maturity date.

         Renewals. At the end of a guarantee period, the contract owner may
establish a new investment account with a one year guarantee period at the then
current interest rate or transfer the amounts to a variable account investment
option, all without the imposition of any charge. In the case of renewals within
one year of the maturity date, the only fixed account investment option
available is to have interest accrued up to the maturity date at the then
current interest rate for one year guarantee periods.

         If the contract owner does not specify the renewal option desired, the
Company will select the one year fixed account investment option. In the case of
a renewal within one year of the maturity date, the Company will credit interest
up to the maturity date at the then current interest rate for one year guarantee
periods.

         Transfers. Prior to the maturity date, the contract owner may transfer
amounts from the fixed account investment options to the variable account
investment options at the end of the guaranteed period; however, amounts may be
transferred prior to the end of the guarantee period pursuant to the DCA
program.

         Where there are multiple investment accounts within the one year fixed
account investment option, amounts must be transferred from the one year fixed
account investment option on a first-in-first-out basis.

         Withdrawals. The contract owner may make total and partial withdrawals
of amounts held in the fixed account investment options at any time prior to the
maturity date or his or her death. Withdrawals from the fixed account investment
options will be made in the same manner and be subject to the same limitations
as set forth under "WITHDRAWALS" plus the following provisions also apply to
withdrawals from the fixed account investment options: (1) the Company reserves
the right to defer payment of amounts withdrawn from the fixed account
investment options for up to six months from the date it receives the written
withdrawal request (if a withdrawal is deferred for more than 10 days pursuant
to this right, the Company will pay interest on the amount deferred at a rate
not less than 3% per year (or such higher rate as may be required by the
applicable state or jurisdiction)); and (2) if there are multiple investment
accounts under the fixed account investment options, amounts must be withdrawn
from such accounts on a first-in-first-out basis.

         If the contract owner does not specify the investment options from
which a partial withdrawal is to be taken, a partial withdrawal will be taken
from the variable account investment options until exhausted and then from the
fixed account investment options. Such withdrawals will be made from the
investment options beginning with the shortest guarantee period. Within such
sequence, where there are multiple investment accounts within a fixed account
investment option, withdrawals will be made on a first-in-first out basis. For
this purpose, the DCA fixed account investment option is considered to have a
shorter guarantee period than the one year fixed account investment option.

         Withdrawals from the contract may be subject to income tax and a 10%
penalty tax. Withdrawals are permitted from contracts issued in connection with
Section 403(b) qualified plans only under limited circumstances (see "FEDERAL
TAX MATTERS" below).

         Loans. The Company offers a loan privilege only to owners of contracts
issued in connection with Section 403(b) qualified plans that are not subject to
Title I of ERISA. Owners of such contracts may obtain loans using the contract
as the only security for 




                                       23
<PAGE>   27

the loan. Owners of such contracts may borrow amounts allocated to the fixed
investment account in the same manner and subject to the same limitations as set
forth under "LOANS" above.

         Fixed Annuity Options. Subject to the distribution of death benefits
provisions (see "DEATH BENEFIT BEFORE MATURITY DATE" above), on death,
withdrawal or the maturity date of the contract, the proceeds may be applied to
a fixed annuity option (see "ANNUITY OPTIONS" above). The amount of each fixed
annuity payment is determined by applying the portion of the proceeds (less any
applicable premium taxes) applied to purchase the fixed annuity to the
appropriate table in the contract. If the table in use by the Company is more
favorable to the contract owner, the Company will substitute that table. The
Company guarantees the dollar amount of fixed annuity payments. In any case, the
amount of the fixed annuity payment will not be less than that provided by the
application of the portion of the contract value used to effect a fixed annuity,
measured as of a date not more than 10 business days prior to the maturity date
(minus any applicable premium taxes), to purchase any single premium immediate
annuity that may be offered by the Company at the time to this class of
annuitants.

                             CHARGES AND DEDUCTIONS

         Charges and deductions under the contracts are assessed against the
purchase payment, contract value or annuity payments. Currently, there are no
deductions made from the purchase payment. In addition, there are deductions
from and expenses paid out of the assets of the Trust Portfolios that are
described in the accompanying Prospectus of the Trust.

ADMINISTRATION FEES

         A daily fee in an amount equal to 0.25% of the value of each variable
investment account on an annual basis is deducted from each sub-account as an
administration fee. The fee is designed to compensate the Company for the cost
of providing administrative services attributable to the contracts and the
operations of the Variable Account and the Company in connection with the
contracts. This asset based administration fee will not be deducted from the
fixed account investment option. The fee will be reflected in the contract value
as a proportionate reduction in the value of each variable investment account.
Because the administration fee is a percentage of assets rather than a flat
amount, larger contracts will in effect pay a higher proportion of the
administrative expenses than smaller contracts.

         Also, if the contract value falls below $10,000 as a result of a
partial withdrawal, the Company may deduct an annual administration fee of $30
as partial compensation for administrative expenses. The fee will be deducted on
the last day of each contract year. It will be withdrawn from each investment
option in the same proportion that the value of such investment option bears to
the contract value. If the entire contract value is withdrawn on other than the
last day of any contract year, the fee will be deducted from the amount paid.

         The Company does not expect to recover from the administration fees any
amount in excess of its accumulated administrative expenses. Even though
administrative expenses may increase, the Company guarantees that it will not
increase the amount of the administration fees.

DISTRIBUTION FEE

         A daily fee in an amount equal to 0.15% of the value of each variable
investment account on an annual basis is deducted from each sub-account as a
distribution fee. The fee is designed to compensate the Company for a portion of
the sales expenses it incurs with respect to the contracts. This asset based
distribution fee will not be deducted from the fixed account investment option.
The fee will be reflected in the contract value as a proportionate reduction in
the value of each variable investment account. Because the distribution fee is a
percentage of assets rather than a flat amount, larger contracts will in effect
pay a higher proportion of sales expenses than smaller contracts.

MORTALITY AND EXPENSE RISK CHARGE

         The mortality risk assumed by the Company is the risk that annuitants
may live for a longer period of time than estimated. The Company assumes this
mortality risk by virtue of annuity rates incorporated into the contract which
cannot be changed. This assures each annuitant that his longevity will not have
an adverse effect on the amount of annuity payments. Also, the Company
guarantees that if the contract owner dies before the maturity date, it will pay
a death benefit (see "DEATH BENEFIT BEFORE 




                                       24
<PAGE>   28
MATURITY DATE"). The expense risk assumed by the Company is the risk that the
administration charges or withdrawal charge may be insufficient to cover actual
expenses.

         To compensate it for assuming these risks, the Company deducts from
each of the sub-accounts a daily charge in an amount equal to 1.25% of the value
of the variable investment accounts on an annual basis, consisting of .8% for
the mortality risk and .45% for the expense risk. The charge will be reflected
in the contract value as a proportionate reduction in the value of each variable
investment account. The rate of the mortality and expense risk charge cannot be
increased. If the charge is insufficient to cover the actual cost of the
mortality and expense risks undertaken, the Company will bear the loss.
Conversely, if the charge proves more than sufficient, the excess will be profit
to the Company and will be available for any proper corporate purpose including,
among other things, payment of distribution expenses. The mortality and expense
risk charge is not assessed against the fixed account investment option.

TAXES

   
         The Company reserves the right to charge, or provide for, certain taxes
against the purchase payment, contract value or annuity payments. Such taxes may
include premium taxes or other taxes levied by any government entity which the
Company determines to have resulted from the (i) establishment or maintenance of
the Variable Account, (ii) receipt by the Company of purchase payments, (iii)
issuance of the contacts, or (iv) commencement or continuance of annuity
payments under the contracts. The State of New York does not currently assess a
premium tax. In the event New York does impose a premium tax, the Company
reserves the right to pass-through such tax to contract owners. For a discussion
of premium taxes which may be applicable to non-New York residents, see "STATE
PREMIUM TAXES" in the Statement of Additional Information. These premium taxes
range from 0% to 2.25% for qualified contracts and from 0% to 3.50% for
non-qualified contracts. The Company will withhold taxes to the extent required
by applicable law.
    

                               FEDERAL TAX MATTERS

INTRODUCTION

         The following discussion of the Federal income tax treatment of the
contract is not exhaustive, does not purport to cover all situations, and is not
intended as tax advice. A qualified tax advisor should always be consulted with
regard to the application of law to individual circumstances. This discussion is
based on the Code, Treasury Department regulations, and interpretations existing
on the date of this Prospectus. These authorities, however, are subject to
change by Congress, the Treasury Department, and judicial decisions.

         This discussion does not address state or local tax consequences
associated with the purchase of a contract. In addition, THE COMPANY MAKES NO
GUARANTEE REGARDING ANY TAX TREATMENT -- FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL -- OF ANY
CONTRACT OR OF ANY TRANSACTION INVOLVING A CONTRACT.

THE COMPANY'S TAX STATUS

         The Company is taxed as a life insurance company under the Code. Since
the operations of the Variable Account are a part of, and are taxed with, the
operations of the Company, the Variable Account is not separately taxed as a
"regulated investment company" under the Code. Under existing Federal income tax
laws, investment income and capital gains of the Variable Account are not taxed
to the extent they are applied under a contract. The Company does not anticipate
that it will incur any Federal income tax liability attributable to such income
and gains of the Variable Account, and therefore the Company does not intend to
make provision for any such taxes. If the Company is taxed on investment income
or capital gains of the Variable Account, then the Company may impose a charge
against the Variable Account in order to make provision for such taxes.

TAXATION OF ANNUITIES IN GENERAL

TAX DEFERRAL DURING ACCUMULATION PERIOD

         Under existing provisions of the Code, except as described below, any
increase in the contract value is generally not taxable to the contract owner or
annuitant until received, either in the form of annuity payments, as
contemplated by the contract, or in some other form of distribution. However,
certain requirements must be satisfied in order for this general rule to apply,
including: (1) the contract must be owned by an individual (or treated as owned
by an individual), (2) the investments of the Variable Account must be




                                       25
<PAGE>   29


"adequately diversified" in accordance with Treasury Department regulations, (3)
the Company, rather than the owner, must be considered the owner of the assets
of the Variable Account for Federal tax purposes, and (4) the contract must
provide for appropriate amortization, through annuity payments, of the
contract's purchase payment and earnings, e.g., the maturity date must not occur
at too advanced an age.

         Non-Natural Owners. As a general rule, deferred annuity contracts held
by "non-natural persons" such as a corporation, trust or other similar entity,
as opposed to a natural person, are not treated as annuity contracts for Federal
income tax purposes. The investment income on such contracts is taxed as
ordinary income that is received or accrued by the owner of the contract during
the taxable year. There are several exceptions to this general rule for
non-natural contract owners. First, contracts will generally be treated as held
by a natural person if the nominal owner is a trust or other entity which holds
the contract as an agent for a natural person. However, this special exception
will not apply in the case of any employer who is the nominal owner of an
annuity contract under a non-qualified deferred compensation arrangement for its
employees.

         In addition, exceptions to the general rule for non-natural contract
owners will apply with respect to (1) contracts acquired by an estate of a
decedent by reason of the death of the decedent, (2) certain qualified
contracts, (3) certain contracts purchased by employers upon the termination of
certain qualified plans, (4) certain contracts used in connection with
structured settlement agreements, and (5) contracts purchased with a single
premium when the annuity starting date (as defined in the tax law) is no later
than a year from purchase of the annuity and substantially equal periodic
payments are made, not less frequently than annually, during the annuity period.

         Loss of Interest Deduction Where Contracts are Held by or for the
Benefit of Certain Non-Natural Persons. In the case of contracts issued after
June 8, 1997 to a non-natural taxpayer (such as a corporation or a trust), or
held for the benefit of such an entity, recent changes in the tax law may result
in otherwise deductible interest no longer being deductible by the entity,
regardless of whether the interest relates to debt which is used to purchase or
carry the contract. However, this interest deduction disallowance does not
affect contracts where the income on such contracts is treated as ordinary
income that is received or accrued by the owner during the taxable year.
Entities that are considering purchasing the contract, or entities that will be
beneficiaries under a contract, should consult a tax advisor.

         Diversification Requirements. For a contract to be treated as an
annuity for Federal income tax purposes, the investments of the Variable Account
must be "adequately diversified" in accordance with Treasury Department
Regulations. The Secretary of the Treasury has issued regulations which
prescribe standards for determining whether the investments of the Variable
Account are "adequately diversified." If the Variable Account failed to comply
with these diversification standards, a contract would not be treated as an
annuity contract for Federal income tax purposes and the contract owner would
generally be taxable currently on the excess of the contract value over the
premiums paid for the contract.

         Although the Company does not control the investments of the Trust, it
expects that the Trust will comply with such regulations so that the Variable
Account will be considered "adequately diversified."

         Ownership Treatment. In certain circumstances, a variable annuity
contract owner may be considered the owner, for Federal income tax purposes, of
the assets of the separate account used to support his or her contract. In those
circumstances, income and gains from such separate account assets would be
includible in the contract owner's gross income. The IRS has stated in published
rulings that a variable contract owner will be considered the owner of separate
account assets if the owner possesses incidents of ownership in those assets,
such as the ability to exercise investment control over the assets. In addition,
the Treasury Department announced, in connection with the issuance of
regulations concerning investment diversification, that those regulations "do
not provide guidance concerning the circumstances in which investor control of
the investments of a segregated asset account may cause the investor, rather
than the insurance company, to be treated as the owner of the assets in the
account." This announcement also stated that guidance would be issued by way of
regulations or rulings on the "extent to which Policyholders may direct their
investments to particular sub-accounts [of a separate account] without being
treated as owners of the underlying assets." As of the date of this Prospectus,
no such guidance has been issued.

         The ownership rights under this contract are similar to, but different
in certain respects from, those described by the IRS in rulings in which it was
determined that contract owners were not owners of separate account assets. For
example, the owner of this contract has the choice of many more investment
options to which to allocate purchase payment and contract values, and may be
able to transfer among investment options more frequently than in such rulings.
These differences could result in the contract owner being treated as the owner
of the assets of the Variable Account and thus subject to current taxation on
the income and gains from those assets. In addition, the Company does not know
what standards will be set forth in the regulations or rulings which the





                                       26
<PAGE>   30


Treasury Department has stated it expects to issue. The Company therefore
reserves the right to modify the contract as necessary to attempt to prevent the
contract owner from being considered the owner of the assets of the Variable
Account.

         Delayed Maturity Dates. If the contract's maturity date occurs (or is
scheduled to occur) at a time when the annuitant has reached an advanced age,
e.g., past age 85, it is possible that the contract would not be treated as an
annuity for Federal income tax purposes. In that event, the income and gains
under the contract could be currently includible in the owner's income.

         The remainder of this discussion assumes that the contract will be
treated as an annuity contract for Federal income tax purposes and that the
Company will be treated as the owner of the Variable Account assets.

TAXATION OF PARTIAL AND FULL WITHDRAWALS

         In the case of a partial withdrawal, amounts received are includible in
income to the extent the contract value before the withdrawal exceeds the
"investment in the contract." In the case of a full withdrawal, amounts received
are includible in income to the extent they exceed the "investment in the
contract." For these purposes the investment in the contract at any time equals
the purchase payment made under the contract to that time (to the extent such
payment was neither deductible when made nor excludible from income as, for
example, in the case of certain employer contributions to qualified plans) less
any amounts previously received from the contract which were not included in
income.

         Other than in the case of certain qualified contracts, any amount
received as a loan under a contract, and any assignment or pledge (or agreement
to assign or pledge) any portion of the contract value, is treated as a
withdrawal of such amount or portion. (Loans, assignments and pledges are
permitted only in limited circumstances under qualified contracts.) The
investment in the contract is increased by the amount includible in income with
respect to such assignment or pledge, though it is not affected by any other
aspect of the assignment or pledge (including its release). If an individual
transfers his or her interest in an annuity contract without adequate
consideration to a person other than the owner's spouse (or to a former spouse
incident to divorce), the owner will be taxed on the difference between the
"contract value" and the "investment in the contract" at the time of transfer.
In such case, the transferee's investment in the contract will be increased to
reflect the increase in the transferor's income.

         The contract provides a death benefit that in certain circumstances may
exceed the greater of the purchase payment and the contract value. As described
elsewhere in this Prospectus, the Company imposes certain charges with respect
to the death benefit. It is possible that those charges (or some portion
thereof) could be treated for Federal income tax purposes as a partial
withdrawal from the contract.

         There may be special income tax issues present in situations where the
owner and the annuitant are not the same person and are not married to one
another. A tax advisor should be consulted in those situations.

TAXATION OF ANNUITY PAYMENTS

         Normally, the portion of each annuity payment taxable as ordinary
income is equal to the excess of the payment over the exclusion amount. In the
case of variable annuity payments, the exclusion amount is the "investment in
the contract" (defined above) allocated to the variable annuity option, adjusted
for any period certain or refund feature, when payments begin to be made divided
by the number of payments expected to be made (determined by Treasury Department
regulations which take into account the annuitant's life expectancy and the form
of annuity benefit selected). In the case of fixed annuity payments, the
exclusion amount is the amount determined by multiplying (1) the payment by (2)
the ratio of the investment in the contract allocated to the fixed annuity
option, adjusted for any period certain or refund feature, to the total expected
value of annuity payments for the term of the contract (determined under
Treasury Department regulations). A simplified method of determining the taxable
portion of annuity payments applies to contracts issued in connection with
certain qualified plans other than IRAs.

         Once the total amount of the investment in the contract is excluded
using these ratios, annuity payments will be fully taxable. If annuity payments
cease because of the death of the annuitant and before the total amount of the
investment in the contract is recovered, the unrecovered amount generally will
be allowed as a deduction to the annuitant in his or her last taxable year.

TAXATION OF DEATH BENEFIT PROCEEDS

         Amounts may be distributed from a contract because of the death of an
owner or the annuitant. Prior to the maturity date, such death benefit proceeds
are includible in income as follows: (1) if distributed in a lump sum, they are
taxed in the same manner as a full withdrawal, as described above, or (2) if
distributed under an annuity option, they are taxed in the same manner as
annuity




                                       27
<PAGE>   31

payments, as described above. After the maturity date, where a guaranteed period
exists under an annuity option and the annuitant dies before the end of that
period, payments made to the beneficiary for the remainder of that period are
includible in income as follows: (1) if received in a lump sum, they are
includible in income to the extent that they exceed the unrecovered investment
in the contract at that time, or (2) if distributed in accordance with the
existing annuity option selected, they are fully excludable from income until
the remaining investment in the contract is deemed to be recovered, and all
annuity payments thereafter are fully includible in income.

PENALTY TAX ON PREMATURE DISTRIBUTIONS

         There is a 10% penalty tax on the taxable amount of any payment from a
non-qualified contract unless the payment is: (a) received on or after the
contract owner reaches age 59 1/2; (b) attributable to the contract owner
becoming disabled (as defined in the tax law); (c) made to a beneficiary on or
after the death of the contract owner or, if the contract owner is not an
individual, on or after the death of the primary annuitant (as defined in the
tax law); (d) made as a series of substantially equal periodic payments (not
less frequently than annually) for the life (or life expectancy) of the
annuitant or for the joint lives (or joint life expectancies) of the annuitant
and designated beneficiary (as defined in the tax law); (e) made under an
annuity contract purchased with a single premium when the annuity starting date
(as defined in the tax law) is no later than a year from purchase of the annuity
and substantially equal periodic payments are made, not less frequently than
annually, during the annuity period; or (f) made with respect to certain
annuities issued in connection with structured settlement agreements. (A similar
penalty tax, applicable to distributions from certain qualified contracts, is
discussed below.)

AGGREGATION OF CONTRACTS

         In certain circumstances, the amount of an annuity payment or a
withdrawal from a contract that is includible in income may be determined by
combining some or all of the non-qualified contracts owned by an individual. For
example, if a person purchases a contract offered by this Prospectus and also
purchases at approximately the same time an immediate annuity, the IRS may treat
the two contracts as one contract. In addition, if a person purchases two or
more deferred annuity contracts from the same insurance company (or its
affiliates) during any calendar year, all such contracts will be treated as one
contract. The effects of such aggregation are not clear; however, it could
affect the amount of a withdrawal or an annuity payment that is taxable and the
amount which might be subject to the penalty tax described above.

QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS

         The contracts are also designed for use in connection with certain
types of retirement plans which receive favorable treatment under the Code.
Numerous special tax rules apply to the participants in such qualified plans and
to the contracts used in connection with such qualified plans. Therefore, no
attempt is made in this Prospectus to provide more than general information
about use of the contract with the various types of qualified plans.

         The tax rules applicable to qualified plans vary according to the type
of plan and the terms and conditions of the plan itself. For example, for both
withdrawals and annuity payments under certain qualified contracts, there may be
no "investment in the contract" and the total amount received may be taxable.
Also, loans from qualified contracts, where allowed, are subject to a variety of
limitations, including restrictions as to the amount that may be borrowed, the
duration of the loan, and the manner in which the loan must be repaid. (Owners
should always consult their tax advisors and retirement plan fiduciaries prior
to exercising their loan privileges.) Both the amount of the contribution that
may be made, and the tax deduction or exclusion that the owner may claim for
such contribution, are limited under qualified plans. Those who are considering
the purchase of a contract in connection with a qualified plan should consider,
in evaluating the suitability of the contract, that the contract requires a
minimum initial purchase payment of $25,000 and that additional purchase
payments are not allowed. If this contract is used in connection with a
qualified plan, the owner and annuitant must be the same individual. If a
co-annuitant is named, all distributions made while the annuitant is alive must
be made to the annuitant. Also, if a co-annuitant is named who is not the
annuitant's spouse, the annuity options which are available may be limited,
depending on the difference in ages between the annuitant and co-annuitant.
Furthermore, the length of any guarantee period may be limited in some
circumstances to satisfy certain minimum distribution requirements under the
Code.

         In addition, special rules apply to the time at which distributions
must commence and the form in which the distributions must be paid. For example,
failure to comply with minimum distribution requirements applicable to qualified
plans will result in the imposition of an excise tax. This excise tax generally
equals 50% of the amount by which a minimum required distribution exceeds the
actual distribution from the qualified plan. In the case of IRAs (other than
Roth IRAs), distributions of minimum amounts (as specified in the tax law) must
generally commence by April 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year
in which the owner




                                       28
<PAGE>   32

attains age 70 1/2. In the case of certain other qualified plans, distributions
of such minimum amounts must generally commence by the later of this date or
April 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the employee
retires.

         There is also a 10% penalty tax on the taxable amount of any payment
from certain qualified contracts (but not Section 457 plans). (The amount of the
penalty tax is 25% of the taxable amount of any payment received from a "SIMPLE
retirement account" during the 2-year period beginning on the date the
individual first participated in any qualified salary reduction arrangement (as
defined in the tax law) maintained by the individual's employer.) There are
exceptions to this penalty tax which vary depending on the type of qualified
plan. In the case of an "Individual Retirement Annuity" or an "IRA," including a
"SIMPLE IRA," exceptions provide that the penalty tax does not apply to a
payment (a) received on or after the contract owner reaches age 59 1/2, (b)
received on or after the owner's death or because of the owner's disability (as
defined in the tax law), or (c) made as a series of substantially equal periodic
payments (not less frequently than annually) for the life (or life expectancy)
of the owner or for the joint lives (or joint life expectancies) of the owner
and designated beneficiary (as defined in the tax law). These exceptions, as
well as certain others not described herein, generally apply to taxable
distributions from other qualified plans (although, in the case of plans
qualified under Sections 401 and 403, exception "c" above for substantially
equal periodic payments applies only if the owner has separated from service).
In addition, the penalty tax does not apply to certain distributions from IRAs
taken after December 31, 1997 which are used for qualified first time home
purchases or for higher education expenses. Special conditions must be met to
quality for these two exceptions to the penalty tax. Owners wishing to take a
distribution from an IRA for these purposes should consult their tax advisor.

         When issued in connection with a qualified plan, a contract will be
amended as generally necessary to conform to the requirements of the plan.
However, contract owners, annuitants, and beneficiaries are cautioned that the
rights of any person to any benefits under qualified plans may be subject to the
terms and conditions of the plans themselves, regardless of the terms and
conditions of the contract. In addition, the Company shall not be bound by terms
and conditions of qualified plans to the extent such terms and conditions
contradict the contract, unless the Company consents.

QUALIFIED PLAN TYPES

         Following are brief descriptions of various types of qualified plans in
connection with which the Company may issue a contract.

         Individual Retirement Annuities. Section 408 of the Code permits
eligible individuals to contribute to an individual retirement program known as
an "Individual Retirement Annuity" or "IRA." IRAs are subject to limits on the
amounts that may be contributed, the persons who may be eligible and on the time
when distributions may commence. Also, distributions from certain other types of
qualified retirement plans may be "rolled over" on a tax-deferred basis into an
IRA. The contract may not, however be used in connection with an "Education IRA"
under Section 530 of the Code.

         IRAs generally may not provide life insurance coverage, but they may
provide a death benefit that equals the greater of the premiums paid and the
contract value. The contract provides a death benefit that in certain
circumstances may exceed the greater of the purchase payments and the contract
value. It is possible that the contract's death benefit could be viewed as
providing life insurance coverage with the result that the contract would not be
viewed as satisfying the requirements of an IRA.

         Simplified Employee Pensions (SEP-IRAs). Section 408(k) of the Code
allows employers to establish simplified employee pension plans for their
employees, using the employees' IRAs for such purposes, if certain criteria are
met. Under these plans the employer may, within specified limits, make
deductible contributions on behalf of the employees to IRAs. As discussed above
(see Individual Retirement Annuities), there is some uncertainty regarding the
treatment of the contract's death benefit for purposes of the tax rules
governing IRAs (which would include SEP-IRAs). Employers intending to use the
contract in connection with such plans should seek competent advice.

         SIMPLE IRAs. Section 408(p) of the Code permits certain small employers
to establish "SIMPLE retirement accounts," including SIMPLE IRAs, for their
employees. Under SIMPLE IRAs, certain deductible contributions are made by both
employees and employers. SIMPLE IRAs are subject to various requirements,
including limits on the amounts that may be contributed, the persons who may be
eligible, and the time when distributions may commence. As discussed above (see
"Individual Retirement Annuities"), there is some uncertainty regarding the
proper characterization of the contract's death benefit for purposes of the tax
rules governing IRAs (which would include SIMPLE IRAs). Employers intending to
use the contract in connection with such plans should seek competent advice.

         Corporate and Self-Employed ("H.R. 10" and "Keogh") Pension and
Profit-Sharing Plans. Sections 401(a) and 403(a) of the Code permit corporate
employers to establish various types of tax-favored retirement plans for
employees. The Self-Employed





                                       29
<PAGE>   33
Individuals' Tax Retirement Act of 1962, as amended, commonly referred to as
"H.R. 10" or "Keogh," permits self-employed individuals also to establish such
tax-favored retirement plans for themselves and their employees. Such retirement
plans may permit the purchase of the contracts in order to provide benefits
under the plans. The contract provides a death benefit that in certain
circumstances may exceed the greater of the purchase payments and the contract
value. It is possible that such death benefit could be characterized as an
incidental death benefit. There are limitations on the amount of incidental
benefits that may be provided under pension and profit sharing plans. In
addition, the provision of such benefits may result in current taxable income to
participants. Employers intending to use the contract in connection with such
plans should seek competent advice.

         Tax-Sheltered Annuities. Section 403(b) of the Code permits public
school employees and employees of certain types of charitable, educational and
scientific organizations specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code to have
their employers purchase annuity contracts for them and, subject to certain
limitations, to exclude the amount of purchase payments from gross income for
tax purposes. These annuity contracts are commonly referred to as "tax-sheltered
annuities". Purchasers of the contracts for such purposes should seek competent
advice as to eligibility, limitations on permissible amounts of purchase
payments and other tax consequences associated with the contracts. In
particular, purchasers should consider that the contract provides a death
benefit that in certain circumstances may exceed the greater of the purchase
payments and the contract value. It is possible that such death benefit could be
characterized as an incidental death benefit. If the death benefit were so
characterized, this could result in currently taxable income to purchasers. In
addition, there are limitations on the amount of incidental benefits that may be
provided under a tax-sheltered annuity. Even if the death benefit under the
contract were characterized as an incidental death benefit, it is unlikely to
violate those limits unless the purchaser also purchases a life insurance
contract as part of his or her tax-sheltered annuity plan.

         Tax-sheltered annuity contracts must contain restrictions on
withdrawals of (i) contributions made pursuant to a salary reduction agreement
in years beginning after December 31, 1988, (ii) earnings on those
contributions, and (iii) earnings after 1988 on amounts attributable to salary
reduction contributions (and earnings on those contributions) held as of the
last day of the year beginning before January 1, 1989. These amounts can be paid
only if the employee has reached age 59 1/2, separated from service, died, or
become disabled (within the meaning of the tax law), or in the case of hardship
(within the meaning of the tax law). Amounts permitted to be distributed in the
event of hardship are limited to actual contributions; earnings thereon cannot
be distributed on account of hardship. Amounts subject to the withdrawal
restrictions applicable to Section 403(b)(7) custodial accounts may be subject
to more stringent restrictions. (These limitations on withdrawals do not apply
to the extent the Company is directed to transfer some or all of the contract
value to the issuer of another tax-sheltered annuity or into a Section 403(b)(7)
custodial account.)

   
    

         Roth IRAs. Recently enacted Section 408A of the Code permits eligible
individuals to contribute to a type of IRA known as a "Roth IRA." Roth IRAs
differ from other IRAs in several respects. Among the differences is that,
although contributions to a Roth IRA are not deductible, "qualified
distributions" from a Roth IRA will be excludable from income. Additionally, the
eligibility and mandatory distribution requirements for Roth IRAs differ from
non-Roth IRAs. Furthermore, a rollover may be made to a Roth IRA only if it is a
"qualified rollover contribution." A "qualified rollover contribution" is a
rollover contribution to a Roth IRA from another Roth IRA or from a non-Roth
IRA, but only if such rollover contribution meets the rollover requirements for
IRAs under Section 408(d)(3) of the Code. In the case of a qualified rollover
contribution or a transfer from a non-Roth IRA to a Roth IRA, any portion of the
amount rolled over which would be includible in gross income were it not part of
a qualified rollover contribution or a nontaxable transfer will be includible in
gross income. However, the 10 percent penalty tax on premature distributions
generally will not apply.

         All or part of amounts in a non-Roth IRA may be converted into a Roth
IRA. Such a conversion can be made without taking an actual distribution from
the IRA. For example, an individual may make a conversion by notifying the IRA
issuer or trustee, whichever is applicable. The conversion of an IRA to a Roth
IRA is a special type of qualified rollover distribution. Hence, the IRA
participant must be eligible to make a qualified rollover distribution in order
to convert an IRA to a Roth IRA. A conversion typically will result in the
inclusion of some or all of the IRA value in gross income, as described above.
Persons with adjusted gross incomes in excess of $100,000 or who are married and
file a separate return are not eligible to make a qualified rollover
contribution or a transfer in a taxable year from a non-Roth IRA to a Roth IRA.

         Any "qualified distribution" from a Roth IRA is excludible from gross
income. A "qualified distribution" is a payment or distribution which satisfies
two requirements. First, the payment or distribution must be (a) made after the
owner attains age 59 1/2, 


                                       30
<PAGE>   34

(b) made after the owner's death, (c) attributable to the owner being disabled,
or (d) a qualified first-time homebuyer distribution within the meaning of
Section 72(t)(2)(F) of the Code. Second, the payment or distribution must be
made in a taxable year that is at least five years after (a) the first taxable
year for which a contribution was made to any Roth IRA established for the
owner, or (b) in the case of a payment or distribution properly allocable to a
qualified rollover contribution from a non-Roth IRA (or income allocable
thereto), the taxable year in which the rollover contribution was made. A
distribution from a Roth IRA which is not a qualified distribution is generally
taxed in the same manner as a distribution from non-Roth IRAs. Distributions
from a Roth IRA need not commence at age 70 1/2.

         As described above (see "Individual Retirement Annuities"), there is
some uncertainty regarding the proper characterization of the contract's death
benefit for purposes of the tax rules governing IRAs (which include Roth IRAs).
Persons intending to use the contract in connection with a Roth IRA should seek
competent advice.

         The state income tax treatment of a Roth IRA may differ from the
Federal income tax treatment of a Roth IRA. A tax advisor should be consulted
regarding the state law treatment of a Roth IRA.

DIRECT ROLLOVERS

         If the contract is used in connection with a retirement plan that is
qualified under Sections 401(a), 403(a), or 403(b) of the Code, any "eligible
rollover distribution" from the contract will be subject to "direct rollover"
and mandatory withholding requirements. An eligible rollover distribution
generally is any taxable distribution from such qualified plans, excluding
certain amounts such as (i) minimum distributions required under Section
401(a)(9) of the Code, and (ii) certain distributions for life, life expectancy,
or for 10 years or more which are part of a "series of substantially equal
periodic payments."

         Under these requirements, Federal income tax equal to 20% of the
eligible rollover distribution will be withheld from the amount of the
distribution. Unlike withholding on certain other amounts distributed from the
contract, discussed below, the owner cannot elect out of withholding with
respect to an eligible rollover distribution. However, this 20% withholding will
not apply if, instead of receiving the eligible rollover distribution, the
distributee elects to have it directly transferred to certain qualified plans.
Prior to receiving an eligible rollover distribution, a notice will be provided
explaining generally the direct rollover and mandatory withholding requirements
and how to avoid the 20% withholding by electing a direct rollover.

FEDERAL INCOME TAX WITHHOLDING

         The Company will withhold and remit to the U.S. Government a part of
the taxable portion of each distribution made under a contract unless the
distributee notifies the Company at or before the time of the distribution that
he or she elects not to have any amounts withheld. In certain circumstances, the
Company may be required to withhold tax. The withholding rates applicable to the
taxable portion of periodic annuity payments are the same as the withholding
rates generally applicable to payments of wages. In addition, the withholding
rate applicable to the taxable portion of non-periodic payments (including
withdrawals prior to the maturity date and rollovers from non-Roth IRAs to Roth
IRAs) is 10%. As discussed above, the withholding rate applicable to eligible
rollover distributions is 20%.

                                 GENERAL MATTERS

TAX DEFERRAL

         The status of the contract as an annuity generally allows all earnings
on the underlying investments to be tax-deferred until withdrawn or until
annuity payments begin (see "FEDERAL TAX MATTERS"). This tax deferred treatment
may be beneficial to contract owners in building assets in a long-term
investment program.

PERFORMANCE DATA

         Each of the sub-accounts may in its advertising and sales materials
quote total return figures. The sub-accounts may advertise both "standardized"
and "non-standardized" total return figures, although standardized figures will
always accompany non-standardized figures. Non-standardized total return figures
may be quoted assuming both (i) redemption at the end of the time period and
(ii) not assuming redemption at the end of the time period. Standardized figures
include total return figures from: (i) the inception date of the sub-account of
the Variable Account which invests in the portfolio or (ii) ten years, whichever
period is shorter. Non-standardized figures include total return numbers from:
(i) inception date of the portfolio or (ii) ten year, whichever period is
shorter. Such figures will always include the average annual total return for
recent one year and, when applicable, five and ten year periods and, where less
than ten years, the inception




                                       31
<PAGE>   35

date of the sub-account, in the case of standardized returns, and the inception
date of the portfolio, in the case of non-standardized returns. Where the period
since inception is less than one year, the total return quoted will be the
aggregate return for the period. The average annual total return is the average
annual compounded rate of return that equates a purchase payment to the market
value of such purchase payment on the last day of the period for which such
return is calculated. The aggregate total return is the percentage change (not
annualized) that equates a purchase payment to the market value of such purchase
payment on the last day of the period for which such return is calculated. For
purposes of the calculations it is assumed that an initial payment of $1,000 is
made on the first day of the period for which the return is calculated. For
total return figures quoted for periods prior to the commencement of the
offering of the contract, standardized performance data will be the historical
performance of the Trust portfolio from the date the applicable sub-account of
the Variable Account first became available for investment under other contracts
offered by the Company, adjusted to reflect current contract charges. In the
case of non-standardized performance, performance figures will be the historical
performance of the Trust portfolio from the inception date of the portfolio (or
in the case of the Trust portfolios created in connection with the merger of
Manulife Series Fund, Inc. into the Trust, the inception date of the applicable
predecessor Manulife Series Fund, Inc. portfolio), adjusted to reflect current
contract charges. Past performance figures quoted are not intended to indicate
future performance of any sub-account. More detailed information on the
computations is set forth in the Statement of Additional Information.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

         Financial Statements for the Variable Account and the Company are
contained in the Statement of Additional Information.

ASSET ALLOCATION AND TIMING SERVICES

         The Company is aware that certain third parties are offering asset
allocation and timing services in connection with the contracts. In certain
cases the Company has agreed to honor transfer instructions from such asset
allocation and timing services where it has received powers of attorney, in a
form acceptable to it, from the contract owners participating in the service.
The COMPANY DOES NOT ENDORSE, APPROVE OR RECOMMEND SUCH SERVICES IN ANY WAY AND
CONTRACT OWNERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT FEES PAID FOR SUCH SERVICES ARE SEPARATE
AND IN ADDITION TO FEES PAID UNDER The CONTRACTS.

DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRACTS

         Manufacturers Securities Services, LLC ("MSS"), a Delaware limited
liability company organized on October 1, 1997, whose principal offices are
located at 73 Tremont Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108, acts as the principal
underwriter of, and continuously offer, the contracts pursuant to an
Underwriting and Distribution Agreement with the Company in addition to
providing advisory services to the Trust. MSS is a subsidiary of Manulife North
America, the ultimate parent of which is Manulife, a Canadian mutual life
insurance company. MSS is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, is a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers and is duly appointed and licensed as an insurance agent of the Company.

         The contracts will be sold by registered representatives of
broker-dealers having distribution agreements with MSS and the Company who are
also licensed by the New York State Insurance Department and appointed with the
Company. MSS will pay distribution compensation to selling brokers in varying
amounts which under normal circumstances are not expected to exceed 1% of
purchase payment plus 1.00% of the contract value per year commencing one year
after the purchase payment.

CONTRACT OWNER INQUIRIES

   
         All contract owner inquiries should be directed to the Company's
Annuity Service Office mailing address at Annuity Service Office, P.O. Box
9013, Boston, MA 02205-9013.
    

CONFIRMATION STATEMENTS

         Owners will be sent confirmation statements for certain transactions in
their account. Owners should carefully review these statements to verify their
accuracy. Any mistakes should immediately be reported to the Company's Annuity
Service Office. If the owner fails to notify the Company's Annuity Service
Office of any mistake within 60 days of the mailing of the confirmation
statement, the owner will be deemed to have ratified the transaction.

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS



                                       32
<PAGE>   36
         There are no legal proceedings to which the Variable Account is a party
or to which the assets of the Variable Account are subject. Neither the Company
nor MSS are involved in any litigation that is of material importance in
relation to their total assets or that relates to the Variable Account.

OTHER INFORMATION

         A registration statement has been filed with the SEC under the 1933 Act
with respect to the contracts described in this Prospectus. Not all the
information set forth in the registration statement, amendments and exhibits
thereto has been included in this Prospectus. Statements contained in this
Prospectus or the Statement of Additional Information concerning the content of
the contracts and other legal instruments are only summaries. For a complete
statement of the terms of these documents, reference should be made to the
instruments filed with the SEC.

IMPACT OF YEAR 2000

         Preparing computer systems to deal with the Year 2000 risk has become a
major issue for businesses throughout the world. Within the Manulife group, a
group-wide program has been underway since 1996 to make all critical systems
compliant by the end of 1998 and other systems compliant by the end of 1999.
Included in this program are all systems applicable to and shared by the Company
with Manulife. Based on a detailed assessment, Manulife determined that a
portion of its software needs to be modified or replaced so that its computer
systems will function properly into the Year 2000 and beyond. Like most
companies, the Year 2000 issue represents a significant challenge for Manulife
and extensive resources have been dedicated to modifying existing software and
to converting to new software. However, there can be no assurances that
Manulife's systems, nor those of other companies on which Manulife relies, will
be fully converted on a timely basis and therefore that all adverse effect on
the Company due to the Year 2000 risk will be avoided. Manulife is presently
consulting with vendors, customers, subsidiaries, third-parties and other
businesses with which it deals to ensure that no material aspect of its, or the
Company's, operations will be hindered by the Year 2000 risk.

         The costs of the project and the date on which Manulife plans to
complete the modifications are based on management's best estimates and are
subject to some uncertainty. Manulife is using both internal and external
resources to reprogram, or replace, and test the software for Year 2000
modifications. The total cost of this program to Manulife is estimated to be $64
million, comprised of $55 million for specifically budgeted programs and $9
million for general contingencies. Manulife has incurred $15 million as at
December 31, 1997 of which the Company will receive an allocation due to its
shared systems. The costs allocated are not expected to have a material effect
on the net operating income of the Company.

                       STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

   
General Information and History............................................   3
Performance Data...........................................................   3
State Premium Taxes........................................................   9
Service....................................................................   9
       Independent Auditors................................................   9
       Servicing Agent.....................................................  10
       Principal Underwriter...............................................  10
Appendix A: State Premium Taxes............................................  11
Financial Statements.......................................................  12
    



                                       33
<PAGE>   37




                                     PART B


                           INFORMATION REQUIRED IN A

                      STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION





<PAGE>   38



- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
                        THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE
                      COMPANY OF NEW YORK SEPARATE ACCOUNT
                                       A

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                                       of



                        THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE
                              COMPANY OF NEW YORK



                       SINGLE PAYMENT INDIVIDUAL DEFERRED
                 COMBINATION FIXED AND VARIABLE ANNUITY CONTRACT
                                NON-PARTICIPATING








   
This Statement of Additional Information is not a Prospectus. It contains
information in addition to that described in the Prospectus and should be read
in conjunction with the Prospectus dated the same date as this Statement of
Additional Information. The Prospectus may be obtained by writing The
Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York, at the Annuity Service Office 
at P.O. Boston, MA 02205-9013 or by telephoning 1 (800) 551-2078.
    

    The date of this Statement of Additional Information is __________, 1998.
 





- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VIS27.SAI___98

                                       
<PAGE>   39



                       STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                         Page
<S>                                                                      <C>

General Information and History..........................................  3

Performance Data.........................................................  3

State Premium Taxes......................................................  9

Services.................................................................  9

         Independent Auditors............................................  9
         Servicing Agent................................................. 10
         Principal Underwriter........................................... 10

Appendix A - State Premium Taxes......................................... 11

Financial Statements..................................................... 12
</TABLE>
    

                                       2
<PAGE>   40
                         GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY

         The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
("Variable Account") is a separate investment account of The Manufacturers Life
Insurance Company of New York, formerly First North American Life Assurance
Company (the "Company"), a stock life insurance company organized under the laws
of New York in 1992. The Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The
Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of North America, formerly North American
Security Life Insurance Company ("Manulife North America"), a stock life
insurance company established in 1979 in Delaware. The ultimate parent of
Manulife North America is The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company ("Manulife"),
a Canadian mutual life insurance company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Prior to January 1, 1996, Manulife North America was a wholly owned subsidiary
of North American Life Assurance Company ("NAL"), a Canadian mutual life
insurance company. On January 1, 1996, NAL and Manulife merged with the combined
company retaining the name Manulife.

                                PERFORMANCE DATA

         Each of the sub-accounts may in its advertising and sales materials
quote total return figures. The sub-accounts may advertise both "standardized"
and "non-standardized" total return figures, although standardized figures will
always accompany non-standardized figures. Non-standardized total return figures
may be quoted assuming both (i) redemption at the end of the time period and
(ii) not assuming redemption at the end of the time period. Standardized figures
include total return figures from: (i) the inception date of the sub-account of
the Variable Account which invests in the portfolio or (ii) inception date of
the portfolio or (ii) ten years, whichever period is shorter. Such figures will
always include the average annual total return for recent one year and, when
applicable, five and ten year periods and, where less than ten years, the
inception date of the sub-account, in the case of standardized returns, and the
inception date of the portfolio, in the case of non-standardized returns. Where
the period since inception is less than one year, the total return quoted will
be the aggregate return for the period. The average annual total return is the
average annual compounded rate of return that equates a purchase payment to the
market value of such purchase payment on the last day of the period for which
such return is calculated. The aggregate total return is the percentage change
(not annualized) that equates a purchase payment to the market value of such
purchase payment on the last day of the period for which such return is
calculated. For purposes of the calculations it is assumed that an initial
payment of $1,000 is made on the first day of the period for which the return is
calculated.

         In calculating standardized return figures, all recurring charges (all
asset charges (mortality and expense risk fees and administrative fees)) are
reflected and the asset charges are reflected in changes in unit values.
Standardized total return figures will be quoted assuming redemption at the end
of the period. Non-standardized total return figures reflecting redemption at
the end of the time period are calculated on the same basis as the standardized
returns. Non-standardized total return figures not reflecting redemption at the
end of the time period are calculated on the same basis as the standardized
returns except that the calculations assume no redemption at the end of the
period and do not reflect deduction of the annual contract fee. The Company
believes such non-standardized figures not reflecting redemptions at the end of
the time period are useful to contract owners who wish to assess the performance
of an ongoing contract of the size that is meaningful to the individual contract
owner.

   
         For total return figures quoted for periods prior to the commencement
of the offering of this contract, __________________, standardized performance
data will be the historical performance of the Trust portfolio from the date the
applicable sub-account of the Variable Account first became available for
investment under other contracts offered by the Company; adjusted to reflect
current contract charges. In the case of non-standardized performance,
performance figures will be the historical performance of the Trust portfolio
from the inception date of the portfolio (or in the case of the Trust portfolios
created in connection with the merger of Manulife Series Fund, Inc. into the
Trust, the inception date of the applicable predecessor Manulife Series Fund,
Inc. portfolio), adjusted to reflect current contract charges.
    


                                       3

<PAGE>   41

                STANDARDIZED AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN FIGURES
                       CALCULATED AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1997

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===============================================================================================================
                                                                                 SINCE INCEPTION OR
                                                                                     10 YEARS,        INCEPTION
           TRUST PORTFOLIO                       1 YEAR            5 YEAR        WHICHEVER SHORTER      DATE*
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                              <C>               <C>                  <C>            <C>
Pacific Rim Emerging Markets                        N/A               N/A               -34.72%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science & Technology                                N/A               N/A                 8.91%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Small Cap                          -0.86%               N/A                 3.66%          3/4/96
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Emerging Small Company                              N/A               N/A                16.30%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pilgrim Baxter Growth                               N/A               N/A                -1.63%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Small/Mid Cap                                    13.37%               N/A                10.30%          3/4/96
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Stock                                 N/A               N/A                 0.97%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worldwide Growth                                    N/A               N/A                11.45%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Global Equity                                    18.82%            12.77%                13.08%        10/31/92
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Small Company Value                                 N/A               N/A                -4.87%         10/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity                                           17.30%            16.86%                18.13%        10/31/92
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Growth                                           23.30%               N/A                22.92%         7/15/96
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quantitative Equity                                 N/A               N/A                28.54%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blue Chip Growth                                 24.86%            11.26%                10.96%        12/11/92
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Real Estate Securities                              N/A               N/A                19.30%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Value                                               N/A               N/A                20.16%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Growth and Income                  -1.72%               N/A                 4.68%          1/9/95
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Growth and Income                                30.66%            16.96%                17.33%        10/31/92
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity-Income                                    27.59%               N/A                15.58%         2/19/93
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balanced                                            N/A               N/A                16.59%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggressive Asset Allocation                      17.15%            10.75%                11.02%        10/31/92
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
High Yield                                          N/A               N/A                10.85%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moderate Asset Allocation                        13.98%             8.92%                 9.09%        10/31/92
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conservative Asset Allocation                     9.61%             6.77%                 6.85%        10/31/92
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strategic Bond                                    9.16%               N/A                 7.62%         2/19/93
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Global Government Bond                            1.26%             8.16%                 7.70%        10/31/92
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capital Growth Bond                                 N/A               N/A                 7.54%          1/1/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>


                                       4
<PAGE>   42

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
===============================================================================================================
                                                                                  SINCE INCEPTION OR
                                                                                       10 YEARS,      INCEPTION
           TRUST PORTFOLIO                       1 YEAR            5 YEAR          WHICHEVER SHORTER     DATE*
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                               <C>               <C>                 <C>            <C>
Investment Quality Bond                           7.96%             5.38%                 5.44%        10/31/92
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Government Securities                        6.70%             4.87%                 4.79%        10/31/92
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Money Market                                      3.43%             2.76%                 2.70%        10/31/92
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Aggressive 1000                           N/A               N/A                 9.11%          1/7/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Growth 820                                N/A               N/A                12.01%          1/7/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Balanced 640                              N/A               N/A                12.28%          1/7/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Moderate 460                              N/A               N/A                11.88%          1/7/97
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Conservative 280                          N/A               N/A                10.35%          1/7/97
===============================================================================================================
</TABLE>

  * Inception date of the sub-account of the Variable Account which invests in 
    the portfolio.


                                       5
<PAGE>   43


              NON-STANDARDIZED AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN FIGURES
               (ASSUMING REDEMPTION AT THE END OF THE TIME PERIOD)
                       CALCULATED AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1997

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
==================================================================================================================
                                                                                  SINCE INCEPTION OR     INCEPTION
                                                                                       10 YEARS,           DATE OF
            TRUST PORTFOLIO                      1 YEAR             5 YEAR         WHICHEVER SHORTER     PORTFOLIO
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                              <C>                <C>                   <C>              <C>
Pacific Rim Emerging Markets*                    -35.20%               N/A                -9.51%           10/4/94
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science & Technology                                 N/A               N/A                 8.91%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Small Cap                           -0.86%               N/A                 3.66%            3/4/96
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Emerging Small Company                               N/A               N/A                16.30%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pilgrim Baxter Growth                                N/A               N/A                -1.63%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Small/Mid Cap                                     13.37%               N/A                10.30%            3/4/96
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Stock                                  N/A               N/A                 0.97%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worldwide Growth                                     N/A               N/A                11.45%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Global Equity                                     18.82%            12.77%                 7.96%           3/18/88
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Small Company Value                                  N/A               N/A                -4.87%           10/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity                                            17.30%            16.86%                13.26%           6/18/85
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Growth                                            23.30%               N/A                22.92%           7/15/96
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quantitative Equity*                              27.71%            14.63%                13.23%           4/30/87
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blue Chip Growth                                  24.86%            11.26%                10.96%          12/11/92
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Real Estate Securities*                           16.47%            15.05%                13.98%           4/30/87
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Value                                                N/A               N/A                20.16%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Growth and Income                   -1.72%               N/A                 4.68%            1/9/95
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Growth and Income                                 30.66%            16.96%                15.33%           4/23/91
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity-Income                                     27.59%               N/A                15.58%           2/19/93
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balanced                                             N/A               N/A                16.59%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggressive Asset Allocation                       17.15%            10.75%                 8.30%            8/3/89
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
High Yield                                           N/A               N/A                10.85%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moderate Asset Allocation                         13.98%             8.92%                 7.29%            8/3/89
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conservative Asset Allocation                      9.61%             6.77%                 6.00%            8/3/89
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strategic Bond                                     9.16%               N/A                 7.62%           2/19/93
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Global Government Bond                             1.26%             8.16%                 7.09%           3/18/88
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>


                                       6
<PAGE>   44



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
=================================================================================================================
                                                                                   SINCE INCEPTION OR  INCEPTION
                                                                                        10 YEARS,       DATE OF
            TRUST PORTFOLIO                     1 YEAR             5 YEAR          WHICHEVER SHORTER   PORTFOLIO
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                               <C>                <C>                  <C>              <C>
Capital Growth Bond*                             6.94%              5.43%                 6.75%+          6/26/84
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Investment Quality Bond                          7.96%              5.38%                 4.02%           6/18/85
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Government Securities                       6.70%              4.87%                 5.49%           3/18/88
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Money Market                                     3.43%              2.76%                 3.72%           6/18/85
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Aggressive 1000                          N/A                N/A                 9.11%            1/7/97
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Growth 820                               N/A                N/A                12.01%            1/7/97
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Balanced 640                             N/A                N/A                12.28%            1/7/97
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Moderate 460                             N/A                N/A                11.88%            1/7/97
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Conservative 280                         N/A                N/A                10.35%            1/7/97
=================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

  +Ten year average annual return.

  *Performance for each of these sub-accounts is based upon the historical
  performance of the portfolio, adjusted to reflect current contract charges. On
  December 31, 1996, Manulife Series Fund, Inc. merged with the Trust.
  Performance for each of these sub-accounts is based on the historical
  performance of the respective predecessor Manulife Series Fund, Inc. portfolio
  for periods prior to December 31, 1996.


                                       7

<PAGE>   45


              NON-STANDARDIZED AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN FIGURES
             (ASSUMING NO REDEMPTION AT THE END OF THE TIME PERIOD)
                       CALCULATED AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1997

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
==================================================================================================================
                                                                                  SINCE INCEPTION OR     INCEPTION
                                                                                       10 YEARS,          DATE OF
            TRUST PORTFOLIO                      1 YEAR             5 YEAR         WHICHEVER SHORTER     PORTFOLIO
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                             <C>                 <C>                   <C>             <C>
Pacific Rim Emerging Markets*                   -35.20%                N/A                -9.51%           10/4/94
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Science & Technology                                N/A                N/A                 8.91%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Small Cap                          -0.86%                N/A                 3.66%            3/4/96
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Emerging Growth                                     N/A                N/A                16.30%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pilgrim Baxter Growth                               N/A                N/A                -1.63%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Small/Mid Cap                                    13.37%                N/A                10.30%            3/4/96
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Stock                                 N/A                N/A                 0.97%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Worldwide Growth                                    N/A                N/A                11.45%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Global Equity                                    18.82%             12.77%                 7.96%           3/18/88
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Small Company Value                                 N/A                N/A                -4.87%           10/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity                                           17.30%             16.86%                13.26%           6/18/85
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Growth                                           23.30%                N/A                22.92%           7/15/96
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quantitative Equity*                             27.71%             14.63%                13.23%           4/30/87
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blue Chip Growth                                 24.86%             11.26%                10.96%          12/11/92
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Real Estate Securities*                          16.47%             15.05%                13.98%           4/30/87
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Value                                               N/A                N/A                20.16%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
International Growth and Income                  -1.72%                N/A                 4.68%            1/9/95
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Growth and Income                                30.66%             16.96%                15.33%           4/23/91
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Equity-Income                                    27.59%                N/A                15.58%           2/19/93
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balanced                                            N/A                N/A                16.59%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggressive Asset Allocation                      17.15%             10.75%                 8.30%            8/3/89
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
High Yield                                          N/A                N/A                10.85%            1/1/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Moderate Asset Allocation                        13.98%              8.92%                 7.29%            8/3/89
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conservative Asset Allocation                     9.61%              6.77%                 6.00%            8/3/89
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Strategic Bond                                    9.16%                N/A                 7.62%           2/19/93
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Global Government Bond                            1.26%              8.16%                 7.09%           3/18/88
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>


                                       8
<PAGE>   46



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
==================================================================================================================
                                                                                   SINCE INCEPTION OR    INCEPTION
                                                                                        10 YEARS,         DATE OF
            TRUST PORTFOLIO                      1 YEAR             5 YEAR         WHICHEVER SHORTER     PORTFOLIO
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                               <C>                <C>                  <C>              <C>
Capital Growth Bond*                              6.94%              5.43%                 6.75%           6/26/84
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Investment Quality Bond                           7.96%              5.38%                 4.02%           6/18/85
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. Government Securities                        6.70%              4.87%                 5.49%           3/18/88
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Money Market                                      3.43%              2.76%                 3.72%           6/18/85
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Aggressive 1000                           N/A                N/A                 9.11%            1/7/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Growth 820                                N/A                N/A                12.01%            1/7/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Balanced 640                              N/A                N/A                12.28%            1/7/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Moderate 460                              N/A                N/A                11.88%            1/7/97
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lifestyle Conservative  280                         N/A                N/A                10.35%            1/7/97
==================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

  +Ten year average annual return.

  *Performance for each of these sub-accounts is based upon the historical
  performance of the portfolio, adjusted to reflect current contract charges. On
  December 31, 1996, Manulife Series Fund, Inc. merged with the Trust.
  Performance for each of these sub-accounts is based on the historical
  performance of the respective predecessor Manulife Series Fund, Inc. portfolio
  for periods prior to December 31, 1996.
   
    
                                    * * * * *

         In addition to the non-standardized returns quoted above, each of the
sub-accounts may from time to time quote aggregate non-standardized total
returns calculated in the same manner as set forth above for other time periods.
From time to time the Trust may include in its advertising and sales literature
general discussions of economic theories, including but not limited to,
discussions on how demographic and political trends can affect the financial
markets. Further, the Trust may also include in its advertising and sales
literature specific information on each of the Trust's subadvisers, including
but not limited to, research capabilities of a subadviser, assets under
management, information relating to other clients of a subadviser, and other
generalized information.

                               STATE PREMIUM TAXES

         New York does not currently assess a premium tax. In the event New York
does impose a premium tax, the Company reserves the right to pass-through such
tax to contract owners.

                                    SERVICES

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

         The financial statements of the Company and the Variable Account at
December 31, 1997 and 1996 and for the years then ended appearing in this
Statement of Additional Information have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP,
independent auditors, as set forth in their reports thereon appearing elsewhere
herein, and are included in reliance upon such reports given upon the authority
of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.


                                       9

<PAGE>   47


   
         The consolidated statements of income, changes in shareholder's equity
and cash flows of the Company for the year ended December 31, 1995, appearing in
this Statement of Additional Information have been included elsewhere herein in
reliance on the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent accountants,
given on the authority of that firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
    

         The financial statements of the Company which are included in the
Statement of Additional Information should be considered only as bearing on the
ability of the Company to meet its obligations under the contracts. They should
not be considered as bearing on the investment performance of the assets held in
the Variable Account.

SERVICING AGENT

         Computer Sciences Corporation Financial Services Group ("CSC FSG")
provides to the Company a computerized data processing recordkeeping system for
variable annuity administration. Vantage provides various daily, semimonthly,
monthly, semiannual and annual reports including: daily updates on accumulation
unit values, variable annuity participants and transactions, and agent
production and commissions; semimonthly commission statements; monthly summaries
of agent production and daily transaction reports; semiannual statements for
contract owners; and annual contract owner tax reports. CSC FSG receives
approximately $7.50 per policy per year, plus certain other fees paid by the
Company for the services provided.

PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITER

         Manufacturers Securities Services, LLC, ("MSS") the successor to NASL
Financial Services, Inc., a Delaware limited liability company controlled by the
parent of the Company, serves as principal underwriter of the contracts.
Contracts are offered on a continuous basis. The aggregate dollar amount of
underwriting commissions paid to MSS in 1997 was $3,222,530. The aggregate
dollar amount of underwriting commissions paid to NASL Financial Serivces, Inc.
in 1997, 1996 and 1995 respectively were $8,439,218, $7,049,687, $5,659,896. MSS
and NASL Financial Services, Inc. did not retain any of these amounts during
such periods.

                                       10

<PAGE>   48

                                   APPENDIX A

         STATE PREMIUM TAXES

         Premium taxes vary according to the state and are subject to change. In
many jurisdictions there is no tax at all. For current information, a tax
advisor should be consulted.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                  TAX RATE
                                        ------------------------------------
                                        QUALIFIED              NON-QUALIFIED
STATE                                   CONTRACTS                CONTRACTS
- -----                                   ---------              -------------
<S>                                      <C>                      <C>
CALIFORNIA                                 .50%                    2.35%
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA                      2.25%                    2.25%
KENTUCKY                                  2.00%                    2.00%
MAINE                                      .00                     2.00%
NEVADA                                     .00                     3.50%
PUERTO RICO                               1.00%                    1.00%
SOUTH DAKOTA*                              .00                     1.25%
WEST VIRGINIA                             1.00%                    1.00%
WYOMING                                    .00                     1.00%
</TABLE>

* Premium tax paid upon receipt of premium (no tax at annuitization if tax paid
on premium at issue).


                                       11
<PAGE>   49
 


                             FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
   

    



                                       12
<PAGE>   50
              The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

                          Audited Financial Statements

                  Years ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995

                                    CONTENTS

   
Reports of Independent Auditors..........................................   1

Audited Financial Statements

Balance Sheets...........................................................   3
Statements of Income.....................................................   4
Statements of Changes in Shareholder's Equity............................   5
Statements of Cash Flows.................................................   6
Notes to Financial Statements............................................   7
    
<PAGE>   51
                         Report of Independent Auditors

The Board of Directors and Shareholder
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of The Manufacturers Life
Insurance Company of New York (formerly First North American Life Assurance
Company and hereinafter referred to as the Company) as of December 31, 1997 and
1996, and the related statements of income, changes in shareholder's equity, and
cash flows for the years then ended. These financial statements are the
responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an
opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the 1997 and 1996 financial statements referred to above present
fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of The Manufacturers
Life Insurance Company of New York at December 31, 1997 and 1996, and the
results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.



                                              /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Boston, Massachusetts
February 18, 1998

                                                                               1

<PAGE>   52
                          [COOPERS & LYBRAND LETTERHEAD]




                       REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS



The Board of Directors and Shareholder of
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York:


We have audited the accompanying statements of income, changes in stockholder's
equity and cash flows of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York
(formerly First North American Life Assurance Company) for the year ended
December 31, 1995. These financial statements are the responsibility of the
Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these
financial statements based on our audit.


We conducted our audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of
material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence
supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit
also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant
estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial
statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis
for our opinion.


In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the results of operations and cash flows of The
Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York for the year ended December
31, 1995 in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.


As discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements, the Company adopted
Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 40 (FIN 40) and
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 120 (SFAS 120), which required
implementation of several accounting pronouncements not previously adopted. The
effects of adopting FIN 40 and SFAS 120 were retroactively applied to the
Company's previously issued financial statements, consistent with the
implementation guidance of those standards.



                                                  Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.

Boston, Massachusetts
January 22, 1998


                                                                               2
<PAGE>   53
              The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

                                 Balance Sheets

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       DECEMBER 31
                                                                  1997            1996

<S>                                                           <C>            <C>         
ASSETS
Investments:

   Fixed maturities available-for-sale, at fair value         $129,150,862   $ 83,466,225
   Short-term investments                                        9,998,179      3,984,370
   Policy loans                                                    398,270        183,070
                                                              ---------------------------
                                                               139,547,311     87,633,665

Cash and cash equivalents                                        1,431,114      4,104,731
Accrued investment income                                        2,401,173      1,528,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs                               28,363,714     20,208,071
Other assets                                                       231,211        152,140
Separate account assets                                        597,193,343    361,309,525
                                                              ---------------------------

Total assets                                                  $769,167,866   $474,936,132
                                                              ===========================

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY
Liabilities:

   Policyholder funds                                         $ 86,611,035   $ 80,033,667
   Payable to affiliates                                         4,345,038      2,016,646
   Deferred tax liability                                        2,269,418      1,935,001
   Other liabilities                                               987,521        872,306
   Separate account liabilities                                597,193,343    361,309,525
                                                              ---------------------------
Total liabilities                                              691,406,355    446,167,145

Shareholder's equity:

   Common stock (shares authorized, issued and
     outstanding: 2,000,000; par value $1)                       2,000,000      2,000,000
   Additional paid-in capital                                   72,530,624     24,800,000
   Unrealized appreciation on available-for-sale securities      1,095,152        419,378
   Retained earnings                                             2,135,735      1,549,609
                                                              ---------------------------
Total shareholder's equity                                      77,761,511     28,768,987
                                                              ---------------------------

Total liabilities and shareholder's equity                    $769,167,866   $474,936,132
                                                              ===========================
</TABLE>

See accompanying notes.

                                                                               3
<PAGE>   54
              The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

                              Statements of Income

   
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31
                                                1997            1996           1995
                                           -------------------------------------------
<S>                                        <C>             <C>            <C>         
Revenues:

   Fees from separate account and
     policyholder funds                    $  7,395,201    $  4,761,702   $  3,139,174
   Net investment income                      6,716,053       5,224,209      4,767,914
   Net realized investment gain                 769,361          88,772        466,164
                                           -------------------------------------------
                                             14,880,615      10,074,683      8,373,252

Benefits and expenses:

   Benefits to policyholders                  4,746,668       4,189,360      4,734,027
   Amortization of deferred policy
     acquisition costs                        3,393,073       2,318,595      1,162,044
   Other insurance expenses                   5,845,047       1,191,984      1,193,232
                                           -------------------------------------------
                                             13,984,788       7,699,939      7,089,303
                                           -------------------------------------------

Income before provision for income taxes        895,827       2,374,744      1,283,949

Provision for income taxes

  Current                                       339,161         612,686        101,510
  Deferred                                      (29,460)        220,079        349,000
                                           -------------------------------------------
                                                309,701         832,765        450,510
                                           -------------------------------------------

Net income                                 $    586,126    $  1,541,979   $    833,439
                                           ===========================================
</TABLE>
    

See accompanying notes.

                                                                               4
<PAGE>   55
              The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

                  Statements of Changes in Shareholder's Equity

                  Years ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995




<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       UNREALIZED
                                                                      APPRECIATION
                                                        ADDITIONAL    ON AVAILABLE-    RETAINED          TOTAL
                                                         PAID-IN        FOR-SALE       EARNINGS       SHAREHOLDER'S
                                      COMMON STOCK       CAPITAL       SECURITIES      (DEFICIT)         EQUITY
                                      ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                   <C>             <C>              <C>            <C>             <C>
Balance at December 31, 1994, as
   previously reported                $  2,000,000    $  8,500,000                    $ (2,396,360)   $  8,103,640
     Cumulative effect of applying
     new basis of accounting                                             $(567,943)      1,570,551       1,002,608
                                      ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance at January 1, 1995               2,000,000       8,500,000        (567,943)       (825,809)      9,106,248
   Capital contribution                                  3,000,000                                       3,000,000
   Net income                                                                              833,439         833,439
   Change in unrealized
     appreciation of
     available-for-sale 
     securities, net of tax and
      adjustment for DPAC                                                2,272,070                       2,272,070
                                      ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance at December 31, 1995             2,000,000      11,500,000       1,704,127           7,630      15,211,757
   Capital contribution                                 13,300,000                                      13,300,000
   Net income                                                                            1,541,979       1,541,979
   Change in unrealized
     appreciation of available-for-
     sale securities, net of tax and 
     adjustment for DPAC                                                (1,284,749)                     (1,284,749)
                                      ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance at December 31, 1996             2,000,000      24,800,000         419,378       1,549,609      28,768,987
   Capital contribution                                 47,730,624                                      47,730,624
   Net income                                                                              586,126         586,126
   Change in unrealized
     appreciation of available-for-
     sale securities, net of tax and
     adjustment for DPAC                                                   675,774                         675,774
                                      ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Balance at December 31, 1997             $2,000,000     $72,530,624    $ 1,095,152     $ 2,135,735     $77,761,511
                                      =============================================================================

                                                                                                                 5
</TABLE>


See accompanying notes.
<PAGE>   56
              The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

                            Statements of Cash Flows

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31
                                                               1997             1996             1995
                                                         -----------------------------------------------
<S>                                                      <C>              <C>              <C>
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income                                               $     586,126    $   1,541,979    $     833,439
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash
   (used) provided by operating activities:
     Amortization of bond discount and premium                 333,012          141,447           46,319
     Net realized investment gain                             (769,361)         (88,772)        (466,164)
     Deferred income tax provision                             (29,460)         220,079          349,000
     Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs       3,393,073        2,318,595        1,162,044
     Policy acquisition costs deferred                     (11,684,074)      (7,224,022)      (5,481,175)
     Return credited to policyholders and other
       benefits                                              4,746,668        4,189,360        4,734,027
     Changes in assets and liabilities:
       Accrued investment income                              (873,173)          (6,987)      (1,191,261)
       Other assets                                            (79,071)         195,420           68,994
       Payable to affiliates                                 2,328,392          864,422          327,843
       Other liabilities                                       115,215         (152,572)         580,171
                                                         -----------------------------------------------
Net cash (used) provided by operating activities            (1,932,653)       1,998,949          963,237

INVESTING ACTIVITIES

Purchase of fixed maturities                              (103,382,988)     (41,409,440)     (69,601,388)
Proceeds from fixed maturities sold, matured or
   repaid                                                   59,307,170       31,658,755       18,834,870
Net change in short-term investments                        (6,011,270)      (3,984,370)
Net change in policy loans                                    (215,200)        (115,747)         (67,323)
                                                         -----------------------------------------------
Net cash used in investing activities                      (50,302,288)     (13,850,802)     (50,833,841)

FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Receipts credited to policyholder funds                     17,212,556       18,408,172       40,048,872
Return of policyholder funds                               (15,381,856)     (24,676,276)      (1,915,371)
Change in notes payable                                                      (2,000,000)       2,000,000
Capital contribution                                        47,730,624       13,300,000        3,000,000
                                                         -----------------------------------------------
Net cash provided by financing activities                   49,561,324        5,031,896       43,133,501
                                                         -----------------------------------------------
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents                   (2,673,617)      (6,819,957)      (6,737,103)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year               4,104,731       10,924,688       17,661,791
                                                         -----------------------------------------------

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year                 $   1,431,114    $   4,104,731    $  10,924,688
                                                         ===============================================
</TABLE>

See accompanying notes.

                                                                               6
<PAGE>   57
              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

                         NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                               DECEMBER 31, 1997

1.  ORGANIZATION

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York (formerly First North
American Life Assurance Company and hereinafter referred to as the Company), a
stock life insurance company, was organized on February 10, 1992 under the laws
of the state of New York. Subsequently, on July 22, 1992, the Company was
granted a license by the New York State Insurance Department. The Company is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of North
America (formerly North American Security Life Insurance Company and hereinafter
referred to as MNA or the Parent).

On January 1, 1996, North American Life Assurance Company (NAL), the previous
owner of the Parent, merged with The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (MLI).
The surviving company conducts business under the name "The Manufacturers Life
Insurance Company."

Concurrent with the merger, the Company's Parent went through a corporate
restructuring which resulted in the formation of a newly organized holding
corporation, Manulife Wood Logan Holding Company, Inc. (formerly NAWL Holding
Company, Inc. and hereinafter referred to as MWL). At that time, all of the
assets and liabilities of MNA and its subsidiaries, the Company and NASL
Financial Services, Inc. (NASL Financial), were transferred from MLI to MWL. In
addition, MLI's 20.2% ownership interest in Wood Logan Associates, Inc. (Wood
Logan) was transferred to MWL. In exchange, MLI received all Class A shares of
MWL common stock. On January 1, 1997, MLI contributed 62.5% of its 85% ownership
interest to its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary, The Manufacturers Life
Insurance Company (U.S.A.). Effective December 18, 1997, MLI transferred its
remaining 22.5% interest to MRL Holding, LLC, a newly formed Delaware limited
liability company.

Also effective January 1, 1996, as part of the restructuring, the remaining
79.8% of Wood Logan was purchased by MWL. In exchange for the remaining shares
of Wood Logan, certain employees and former owners of Wood Logan received Class
B voting shares of MWL representing a 15% ownership interest. Until October 1,
1997, Wood Logan was the promotional agent for the sale of the insurance
products of the Company and MNA.

                                                                               7
<PAGE>   58
              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)


1.  ORGANIZATION (CONTINUED)

On December 22, 1995, the New York State Insurance Department approved the
application submitted by MLI to acquire control of the Company subject to
commitment letters given to the Department by MNA and the Company. As part of
the agreement, MLI contributed $13,300,000 of additional surplus to the Company
in 1996.

On April 17, 1997, a revised plan of operation was submitted to the New York
State Insurance Department in connection with the Company's intention to expand
its product offerings. On October 21, 1997, the Company received approval of the
revised plan including modifications from the New York State Insurance
Department, and as part of the agreement, MNA contributed $47,730,624 in support
of the new plan of operations.

The Company issues variable annuity and individual life insurance contracts in
the State of New York. Amounts invested in the fixed portion of the contracts
are allocated to the general account of the Company. Amounts invested in the
variable portion of the contracts are allocated to the separate account of the
Company. The separate account assets are invested in shares of the Manufacturers
Investment Trust (formerly NASL Series Trust and hereinafter referred to as
MIT), a no-load, open-end management investment company organized as a
Massachusetts business trust.

Prior to October 1, 1997, NASL Financial acted as investment adviser to MIT and
as principal underwriter of the annuity contracts issued by the Company. NASL
Financial had an agreement with Wood Logan to act as the promotional agent for
the sale of the annuity contracts.

Effective October 1, 1997, Manufacturers Securities Services, LLC (MSS), an
affiliate of the Company, replaced NASL Financial as the investment advisor to
MIT and as the principal underwriter of the annuity contracts. Wood Logan
provides marketing services for the sale of annuity contracts under an
Administrative Services Agreement dated October 7, 1997, between the Company and
MLI.

2.  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying financial statements of the Company have been prepared in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

                                                                               8
<PAGE>   59
              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

2.  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

Prior to 1996, the Company prepared its financial statements in conformity with
accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the New York Insurance
Department which practices were considered GAAP for mutual life insurance
companies. FASB Interpretation 40, Applicability of Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles to Mutual Life Insurance and other Enterprises (FIN 40),
as amended, which is effective for 1996 annual financial statements, no longer
permits statutory-basis financial statements to be described as being prepared
in conformity with GAAP. Accordingly, the Company has adopted various accounting
pronouncements, principally Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 120,
Accounting and Reporting by Mutual Life Insurance Enterprises and by Insurance
Enterprises for Certain Long-Duration Participating Contracts (SFAS No. 120),
which addresses the accounting for long-duration insurance contracts.

Pursuant to the requirements of the above pronouncements, the effect of the
changes in accounting have been applied retroactively and the previously issued
1995 financial statements have been restated for the change. The effect of the
change applicable to years prior to January 1, 1995 has been presented as a
restatement of shareholder's equity as of this date.

The adoption  had the effect of increasing net income for 1995 by $1,412,338.

The preparation of financial statements requires management to make estimates
and assumptions that affect amounts reported in the financial statements and the
accompanying notes. Such estimates and assumptions could change in the future as
more information becomes known, which could impact the amounts reported and
disclosed herein.

INVESTMENTS AND INVESTMENT INCOME

The Company accounts for its fixed maturities in accordance with Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 115, Accounting for Certain Investments in
Debt and Equity Securities (SFAS 115). SFAS 115 requires that fixed maturities
be designated as either held-to-maturity, available-for-sale or trading at the
time of purchase. Held-to-maturity

                                                                               9
<PAGE>   60
              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

2.  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

fixed maturities are reported at amortized cost and the remainder of fixed
maturities are reported at fair value with unrealized holding gains and losses
reported in income for those designated as trading and as a separate component
of shareholder's equity for those designated as available-for-sale.

The Company has classified all of its fixed maturities as available-for-sale. As
a result, these securities are reported in the accompanying financial statements
at fair value. Changes in fair values, after adjustment for deferred policy
acquisition costs (DPAC) and deferred income taxes, are reported as unrealized
appreciation or depreciation directly in shareholder's equity, and accordingly,
have no effect on net income. The DPAC offset to the unrealized appreciation or
depreciation represents valuation adjustments or reinstatements of DPAC that
would have been required as a charge or credit to operations had such unrealized
amounts been realized.

The cost of fixed maturities is adjusted for the amortization of premiums and
accretion of discounts using the interest method. This amortization or accretion
is included in net investment income.

For the mortgage-backed bond portion of the fixed maturities portfolio, the
Company recognizes amortization using a constant effective yield based on
anticipated prepayments and the estimated economic life of the securities. When
actual prepayments differ significantly from anticipated prepayments, the
effective yield is recalculated to reflect actual payments to date and
anticipated future payments. The net investment in the security is adjusted to
the amount that would have existed had the new effective yield been applied
since the acquisition of the security. That adjustment is included in net
investment income.

Short-term investments generally consist of instruments which have a maturity of
less than one year at the time of acquisition. Short-term investments are
reported at cost, which approximates fair value.

Policy loans are reported at unpaid balances, not in excess of the underlying
cash value of the policies.

Realized gains or losses on investments sold and declines in value judged to be
other-than-temporary are determined on the specific identification basis.

                                                                              10
<PAGE>   61
              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

2.  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

CASH EQUIVALENTS

The Company considers all highly liquid debt instruments purchased with an
original maturity date of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash
equivalents are stated at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates fair
value.

DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS

Commissions and other costs of acquiring new business that vary with and are
primarily related to the production of new business have been deferred. These
acquisition costs are being amortized generally in proportion to the present
value of expected gross profits from surrender charges and investment, mortality
and expense margins. That amortization is adjusted retrospectively when
estimates of current or future gross profits to be realized from a group of
products are revised.

SEPARATE ACCOUNT ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

Separate account assets and liabilities that are reported in the accompanying
balance sheets represent investments in MIT, which are mutual funds that are
separately administered for the exclusive benefit of the annuity policyholders
and are reported at fair value. Such policyholders, rather than the Company,
bear the investment risk. The operations of the separate accounts are not
included in the accompanying financial statements. Fees charged on separate
account policyholder funds are included in revenues.

POLICYHOLDER FUNDS AND BENEFITS TO POLICYHOLDERS

Policyholder funds for the fixed portion of variable annuity contracts are
computed under a retrospective deposit method and represent account balances
before applicable surrender charges. Benefits to policyholders include interest
credited to policyholders and other benefits that are charged to expense
including benefit claims incurred in the period in excess of the related
policyholder account balances. Interest crediting rates for the fixed portion of
annuity contracts range from 4.10% to 6.15% in 1997; 4.00% to 6.15% in 1996 and
4.20% to 7.00% in 1995.

                                                                              11
<PAGE>   62
              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

2.  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (CONTINUED)

RECOGNITION OF REVENUES

Fees from separate accounts and policyholder funds represent fees assessed
against policyholder account balances, and include mortality and expense risk
charges, surrender charges and an annual administrative charge.

INCOME TAXES

Income taxes have been provided using the liability method in accordance with
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 109, Accounting for Income
Taxes. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined
based on differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and
liabilities and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that likely
will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The measurement
of deferred tax assets is reduced by a valuation allowance if, based upon the
available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred
tax assets will not be realized.

3.  INVESTMENTS

The major components of net investment income are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31
                                1997           1996          1995
                           -----------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>            <C>            <C>        
Fixed maturities           $ 6,342,800    $ 4,476,472    $ 4,436,994
Short-term investments         475,545        873,146        403,497
                           -----------------------------------------
                             6,818,345      5,349,618      4,840,491
Less investment expenses      (102,292)      (125,409)       (72,577)
                           -----------------------------------------

Net investment income      $ 6,716,053    $ 5,224,209    $ 4,767,914
                           =========================================
</TABLE>

                                                                              12
<PAGE>   63
              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

3.  INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED)

The gross unrealized gains and losses for available-for-sale fixed maturities
held at December 31, 1997 and 1996 are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              GROSS           GROSS
                                               AMORTIZED    UNREALIZED      UNREALIZED     FAIR
                                                 COST         GAINS           LOSSES       VALUE
                                              --------------------------------------------------
                                                               (In Thousands)
<S>                                           <C>              <C>                    <C>       
DECEMBER 31, 1997 Fixed maturities:

   U.S. Treasury securities and
     obligations of U.S. Government
     agencies                                 $    7,422       $   284                $    7,706
   Corporate securities                          108,682         1,879        $  23      110,538
   Mortgage-backed securities                      5,016            69                     5,085
   States, territories and possessions             5,594           228                     5,822
                                           -----------------------------------------------------

Total                                           $126,714        $2,460        $  23     $129,151
                                           =====================================================


DECEMBER 31, 1996
Fixed maturities:

   U.S. Treasury securities and
     obligations of U.S. Government
     agencies                                 $    3,244      $    193                  $  3,437
   Corporate securities                           73,366         1,082        $ 191       74,257  
   Mortgage-backed securities                      1,017                          5        1,012  
   States, territories and possessions             4,578           182                     4,760  
                                           -----------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                
Total                                          $  82,205        $1,457        $ 196     $ 83,466  
                                           =====================================================
</TABLE>

                                                                              13
<PAGE>   64
              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)

3.  INVESTMENTS (CONTINUED)

The amortized cost and fair value of fixed maturities at December 31, 1997, by
contractual maturity, are shown below. Expected maturities may differ from
contractual maturities because borrowers or lenders may have the right to call
or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              AMORTIZED              FAIR
                                                COST                 VALUE
                                           -------------------------------------
                                                    (In Thousands)
<S>                                           <C>                 <C>      
FIXED MATURITIES AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE

Due in one year or less                       $  12,618           $  12,617
Due after one year through five years            59,514              60,938
Due after five years through ten years           28,353              28,627
Due after ten years through twenty years          1,921               1,967
Due after twenty years                           19,292              19,917
Mortgage-backed securities                        5,016               5,085
                                           -------------------------------------

Total fixed maturities available-for-sale      $126,714            $129,151
                                           =====================================
</TABLE>

The proceeds from sales of available-for-sale fixed maturities for the year
ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995 were $45,217,170, $6,558,755 and
$11,634,871, respectively. Gross gains of $772,361, $90,811 and $466,164 and
gross losses of $5,539, $2,039 and $0 were realized on these sales,
respectively.

Fixed maturities with a fair value of $414,100 at December 31, 1997 are in a
custody account on behalf of the New York State Insurance Department to satisfy
regulatory requirements. At December 31, 1996, the comparable amount was
$401,651.

4.  FEDERAL INCOME TAXES

Beginning in 1996, the Company participates as a member of the MWL affiliated
group consolidated federal income tax return. In 1995, the Company participated
as a member of the MNA consolidated federal income tax return. The Company files
separate state income tax returns. The method of allocation between companies is
subject to a written tax sharing agreement. The tax liability is allocated to
each member on a pro rata basis based on the relationship that the member's tax
liability computed on a separate return

                                                                              14
<PAGE>   65

              The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

                   Notes to Financial Statements (continued)



4.  FEDERAL INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED)

basis bears to the tax liability of the consolidated group. The tax charge to
the Company shall not be more than the Company would have paid on a separate
return basis. The Company settles its current income tax each year through an
intercompany account.

The Company's effective income tax rate varies from the statutory federal income
tax rate as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                YEAR ENDED 
                                                                DECEMBER 31  
                                                             1997    1996  1995
                                                             ------------------
<S>                                                            <C>    <C>   <C>
Statutory federal income tax rate applied to income
   before federal income taxes                                 35%    35%   35%
Add (deduct):
   Disallowed meals, entertainment                                           2
   Nondeductible consulting fees                                             4
   Reversal of deferred asset valuation allowance
                                                                            (6)

                                                             ------------------

Effective income tax rate                                      35%    35%   35%
                                                             ==================
</TABLE>

Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences
between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting
purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Significant components of
the Company's net deferred tax liability are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    DECEMBER 31
                                                1997          1996
                                          --------------------------
<S>                                       <C>            <C>        
Deferred tax assets:

   Investment amortization                $    92,345    $    62,711
   Reserves                                                  117,558
                                          --------------------------
Total deferred tax assets                      92,345        180,269
                                          --------------------------

Deferred tax liabilities:

   Deferred policy acquisition costs       (1,134,971)    (1,283,150)
   Reserves                                    (3,683)
   Unrealized gain on fixed maturities,
     net of DPAC effect                      (589,696)      (225,819)
   Other                                     (633,413)      (606,301)
                                          --------------------------
Total deferred tax liabilities             (2,361,763)    (2,115,270)
                                          --------------------------

Net deferred tax liability                $(2,269,418)   $(1,935,001)
                                          ==========================
</TABLE>

                                                                              15
<PAGE>   66

              The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

                   Notes to Financial Statements (continued)



4.  FEDERAL INCOME TAXES (CONTINUED)

In the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that the Company will
realize the benefit of the deferred tax assets and, therefore, no valuation
allowance has been established.

5.  SHAREHOLDER'S EQUITY

The net assets of the Company available for the Parent as dividends are
generally limited to and cannot be made except from earned statutory-basis
profits. The maximum amount of dividends that may be paid by life insurance
companies without prior approval of the New York Insurance Commissioner is
subject to restrictions relating to statutory surplus and net gain from
operations on a statutory basis.

Net income (loss) and capital and surplus, as determined in accordance with
statutory accounting principles, for the Company were as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31
                                1997            1996           1995
                          ------------    ------------   ------------ 
<S>                       <C>             <C>            <C>          
Net income (loss)         $ (1,562,544)   $    231,315   $   (578,899)
Net capital and surplus     68,336,238      22,265,070      8,821,782
</TABLE>


The components of the balance sheet caption "Unrealized appreciation on
available-for-sale securities" in shareholder's equity are summarized as
follows:

<TABLE>
                                                 DECEMBER 31
                                             1997         1996
                                           ----------------------
                                                 (In Thousands)
<S>                                        <C>          <C>      
Fair value of securities                   $ 129,151    $  83,466
Amortized cost of securities                 126,714       82,205
                                           ----------------------
Unrealized appreciation                        2,437        1,261
Adjustment to deferred policy
  acquisition costs                             (752)        (616)
Deferred income taxes                           (590)        (226)
                                           ----------------------
Unrealized appreciation on securities
  available-for-sale                       $   1,095    $     419
                                           ======================
</TABLE>

                                                                              16
<PAGE>   67

              The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

                   Notes to Financial Statements (continued)



6.  RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Company utilizes various services administered by its Parent and affiliates
such as legal, personnel, investment accounting and other corporate services. In
1995, NAL charged the Company approximately $456,000 and, in 1996, MLI and MNA
charged the Company approximately $661,000 for those services. At December 31,
1996, the Company had a net liability of $1,965,338 to MLI and MNA for these
charges. For the first nine months of 1997, MLI and MNA charged the Company
approximately $623,000. Effective October 1, 1997, pursuant to a new Plan of
Operations, all intercompany expenses were billed through MLI. For the fourth
quarter of 1997, MLI billed the Company expenses of $869,000. At December 31,
1997, the Company had a net liability to MLI of $2,977,176 for these services.

For the nine months ended September 30, 1997 and the two years ended December
31, 1996 and 1995, the Company paid underwriting commissions to NASL Financial
of $8,421,182, $7,049,687 and $5,348,500, respectively. NASL Financial then
reimbursed Wood Logan for promotional agent services. Effective October 1, 1997,
MSS replaced NASL Financial as underwriter. Thereafter, all commissions were
paid to MSS by the Company, and Wood Logan marketing services were paid by MLI
who was reimbursed by the Company. Underwriting commissions and marketing
services expense of $4,431,068 was incurred during the fourth quarter of 1997.
At December 31, 1997 and 1996, the Company had a net liability of $1,367,857 and
$51,308, respectively, for these services.

The financial statements have been prepared from the records maintained by the
Company and may not necessarily be indicative of the financial conditions or
results of operations that would have occurred if the Company had been operated
as an unaffiliated corporation (see also Notes 1, 4, 5 and 8 for additional
related-party transactions).

7.  NOTES PAYABLE

The Company has an unsecured line of credit with State Street Bank and Trust in
the amount of $5,000,000, bearing interest at the bank's money market rate plus
50 basis points. There were no outstanding advancements under the line of credit
at December 31, 1997 and 1996.

                                                                              17
<PAGE>   68

              The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

                   Notes to Financial Statements (continued)



8.  RETIREMENT PLANS

MLI, and formerly NAL prior to the merger, sponsors a defined benefit pension
plan (the Plan) covering substantially all of the Company's employees. The
benefits are based on years of service and the employee's compensation during
the last five years of employment. MLI's funding policy is to contribute
annually the normal cost up to the maximum amount that can be deducted for
federal income tax purposes and to charge each subsidiary for its allocable
share of such contributions based on a percentage of payroll. No pension costs
were allocated to the Company in 1997, 1996 or 1995, as the Plan was subject to
the full funding limitation under the Internal Revenue Code.

The Company participates in a defined contribution retirement plan sponsored by
the Parent pursuant to regulation 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code. All
employees who are 21 years old are eligible after one year of service. The
Company contributes two percent of base pay plus fifty percent of the employee
savings contribution. The employee savings contribution is limited to six
percent of base pay.

9.  LEASES

The Company leases office space under an operating lease agreement which expires
in 1999 and is subject to a renewal option at market rates prevailing at the
time of renewal. For the years ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995, the
Company incurred rent expense of $83,809, $79,950 and $72,695, respectively. The
minimum lease payments associated with the office space are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            MINIMUM LEASE 
                                               PAYMENTS
                                           --------------
<S>                                        <C>      
                         Year ended:

                            1998             $  81,648
                            1999                61,236
                                           --------------

                           Total              $142,884
                                           ==============
</TABLE>

                                                                              18
<PAGE>   69

              The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

                   Notes to Financial Statements (continued)



10.  FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 107 (SFAS 107), Disclosures
About Fair Value of Financial Instruments, requires disclosure of fair value
information about financial instruments, whether or not recognized in the
consolidated balance sheet, for which it is practicable to estimate that value.
In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair values are based on
estimates using present value or other valuation techniques. Those techniques
are significantly affected by the assumptions used, including the discount rate
and estimates of future cash flows. In that regard, the derived fair value
estimates cannot be substantiated by comparison to independent markets and, in
many cases, could not be realized in immediate settlement of the instrument.
SFAS No. 107 also excludes certain financial instruments and all nonfinancial
instruments from its disclosure requirements and allows companies to forego the
disclosures when those estimates can only be made at excessive cost.
Accordingly, the aggregate fair value amounts presented herein are limited by
each of these factors and do not purport to represent the underlying value of
the Company.

The following methods and assumptions were used by the Company in estimating the
fair value disclosures for financial instruments:

     Fixed Maturities: Fair values for fixed maturities are obtained from an
     independent pricing service.

     Short-Term Investments and Cash and Cash Equivalents: The carrying amounts
     reported in the accompanying balance sheet for short-term investments, cash
     and cash equivalents approximate their fair values.

     Policy Loans: The carrying amount in the balance sheet for policy loans
     approximates the fair value.

     Policyholder Funds: Fair values of the Company's liabilities under
     contracts not involving significant mortality risk (deferred annuities) are
     estimated to be the cash surrender value, or the cost the Company would
     incur to extinguish the liability.

                                                                              19
<PAGE>   70

              The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York

                   Notes to Financial Statements (continued)



10.  FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (CONTINUED)

The carrying values and estimated fair values of the Company's financial
instruments are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                    DECEMBER 31, 1997                     DECEMBER 31, 1996
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                CARRYING            FAIR             CARRYING              FAIR
                                 VALUE              VALUE             VALUE                VALUE
                              ----------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>                <C>                 <C>                 <C>        
Assets:

   Fixed maturities           $129,150,862       $129,150,862        $83,466,225         $83,466,225
   Short-term investments        9,998,179          9,998,179          3,984,370           3,984,370
   Policy loans                    398,270            398,270            183,070             183,070
   Cash and cash equivalents     1,431,114          1,431,114          4,104,731           4,104,731

Liabilities:

   Policyholder funds           86,611,035         81,715,263         80,033,667          74,985,163
</TABLE>

11.  YEAR 2000 ISSUES (UNAUDITED)

Like other business organizations and individuals, the Company would be
adversely affected if its computer systems and those of its service providers do
not properly process and calculate date-related information and data from and
after January 1, 2000. The Company is completing an assessment of the Year 2000
impact on its systems and business processes. Management believes that the
Company will complete its Year 2000 project for all critical systems and
processes by September 30, 1998, prior to any anticipated impact on the critical
systems and processes.

The date on which the Company believes it will complete the Year 2000 project is
based on management's best estimates, which were derived utilizing numerous
assumptions of future events. However, there can be no guarantee that these
estimates will be achieved and actual results could differ materially from those
anticipated. Specific factors that might cause such material differences
include, but are not limited to, the availability and cost of personnel trained
in this area, the ability to locate and correct all relevant computer code, and
other similar uncertainties.

                                                                              20
<PAGE>   71
          The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate
     Account A (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North American Life
                               Assurance Company)

                  Audited Statutory-Basis Financial Statements

                     Years ended December 31, 1997 and 1996



                                    CONTENTS

Report of Independent Auditors................................................1

Audited Financial Statements

Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Contract Owners' Equity..................2
Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity...............3
Notes to Financial Statements................................................15
<PAGE>   72
                         REPORT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS



To the Contract Owners of
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of
  New York Separate Account A


We have audited the accompanying statement of assets, liabilities and contract
owners' equity of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate
Account A (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North American Life Assurance
Company) of the Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York (formerly First
North American Life Assurance Company and hereinafter referred to as the
Company) as of December 31, 1997, and the related statement of operations and
changes in contract owners' equity for each of the two years in the period then
ended. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial
statements based on our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of The Manufacturers Life
Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A at December 31, 1997, and the
results of its operations and the changes in its contract owners' equity for
each of the two years in the period then ended in conformity with generally
accepted accounting principles.

                                                          /s/ Ernst & Young, LLP

Boston, Massachusetts
February 5, 1998


                                                                               1
<PAGE>   73
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)

          Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Contract Owners' Equity

                                December 31, 1997


<TABLE>
<S>                                                                                        <C>         
ASSETS
Investments at market value:
   Sub-accounts:
     Equity Portfolio - 3,582,006 Shares (Cost $67,468,793)                                $ 77,013,136
     Investment Quality Bond Portfolio - 665,156 Shares (Cost $7,666,335)                     8,068,338
     Growth and Income Portfolio - 3,764,444 Shares (Cost $64,892,117)                       89,932,572
     Blue Chip Growth Portfolio - 2,688,521 Shares (Cost $33,194,006)                        40,327,819
     Money Market Portfolio - 2,667,971 Shares (Cost $26,679,706)                            26,679,706
     Global Equity Portfolio - 2,348,755 Shares (Cost $38,956,965)                           45,518,863
     Global Government Bond Portfolio - 615,787 Shares (Cost $8,264,231)                      8,664,117
     U.S. Government Securities Portfolio - 1,071,265 Shares (Cost $13,939,619)              14,462,083
     Conservative Asset Allocation Portfolio - 573,567 Shares (Cost $6,332,487)               6,756,624
     Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio - 1,865,406 Shares (Cost $21,553,104)               24,157,010
     Aggressive Asset Allocation Portfolio - 830,875 Shares (Cost $10,103,354)               11,931,366
     Equity-Income Portfolio - 4,506,441 Shares (Cost $59,620,098)                           77,691,038
     Strategic Bond Portfolio - 2,649,051 Shares (Cost $30,163,970)                          32,795,253
     International Growth and Income Portfolio - 1,473,433 Shares (Cost $16,305,760)         16,222,499
     Growth  Portfolio - 420,287 Shares (Cost $6,492,244)                                     7,233,133
     Small/Mid Cap Portfolio - 1,180,945 Shares (Cost $16,314,534)                           18,198,366
     International Small Cap Portfolio - 499,683 Shares (Cost $6,814,983)                     6,845,654
     Pacific Rim Emerging Markets Portfolio - 58,779 Shares (Cost $529,034)                     420,856
     Science & Technology Portfolio - 413,975 Shares (Cost $5,829,665)                        5,638,339
     Emerging Growth Portfolio - 125,159 Shares (Cost $2,772,729)                             3,020,096
     Pilgrim Baxter Growth Portfolio - 185,512 Shares (Cost $2,242,562)                       2,318,897
     International Stock Portfolio - 145,305 Shares (Cost $1,784,135)                         1,666,646
     Worldwide Growth Portfolio - 113,140 Shares (Cost $1,598,432)                            1,588,485
     Quantitative Equity Portfolio - 79,148 Shares (Cost $1,706,560)                          1,780,838
     Value Trust Portfolio - 267,176 Shares (Cost $3,918,143)                                 3,954,210
     Real Estate Securities Portfolio - 113,299 Shares (Cost $2,090,032)                      2,273,903
     Balanced Portfolio - 44,099 Shares (Cost $820,074)                                         852,430
     High Yield Portfolio - 288,456 Shares (Cost $3,851,398)                                  3,911,466
     Capital Growth Bond Portfolio - 35,024 Shares (Cost $405,005)                              415,039
     Lifestyle Aggressive 1000 Portfolio - 364,008 Shares (Cost $4,749,944)                   4,903,191
     Lifestyle Growth 820 Portfolio - 1,670,751 Shares (Cost $22,267,358)                    23,006,242
     Lifestyle Balanced 640 Portfolio - 1,519,843 Shares (Cost $19,871,712)                  20,609,066
     Lifestyle Moderate 460 Portfolio - 488,488 Shares (Cost $6,284,358)                      6,521,313
     Lifestyle Conservative 280 Portfolio - 139,489 Shares (Cost $1,746,674)                  1,814,749
                                                                                           ------------

Total assets                                                                               $597,193,343
                                                                                           ============

LIABILITIES
Due to The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York                                $     61,009
                                                                                           ------------
Total liabilities                                                                                61,009

CONTRACT OWNERS' EQUITY
Variable annuity contracts                                                                  597,132,334
                                                                                           ------------
Total contract owners' equity                                                               597,132,334
                                                                                           ------------

Total liabilities and contract owners' equity                                              $597,193,343
                                                                                           ============
</TABLE>


See accompanying notes.


                                                                               2
<PAGE>   74
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


         Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             SUB-ACCOUNT
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               EQUITY                  INVESTMENT QUALITY BOND               GROWTH AND INCOME
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,          YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,           YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                        1997             1996            1997            1996             1997             1996
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>             <C>              <C>         
Income:
   Dividends                       $ 12,486,387     $  4,212,194     $   466,752     $   330,960     $  4,210,169     $  1,201,526
Expenses:
   Mortality & expense risk and
     administrative charges             973,089          696,214          98,931          81,731        1,011,442          554,839
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)         11,513,298        3,515,980         367,821         249,229        3,198,727          646,687
Net realized gain (loss)              1,152,410          803,960         (39,663)        (41,679)       1,459,961          699,979
Unrealized appreciation
   (depreciation) during the
   period                            (1,707,499)       4,001,154         243,636        (126,465)      13,568,863        6,590,316
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity from
   operations                        10,958,209        8,321,094         571,794          81,085       18,227,551        7,936,982
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Changes from principal
   transactions:
     Purchase payments                9,500,943       12,415,699       1,310,962       1,522,442       17,401,810       12,711,765
     Transfers between sub-
       accounts and the
       Company                         (350,550)       6,970,084          28,925         143,185        4,249,654        5,146,931
     Withdrawals                     (3,231,007)      (2,484,007)       (387,897)       (305,464)      (2,405,054)      (1,647,121)
     Annual contract fee                (40,938)         (31,168)         (3,433)         (2,952)         (36,410)         (22,473)
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity from
   principal transactions             5,878,448       16,870,608         948,557       1,357,211       19,210,000       16,189,102
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity           16,836,657       25,191,702       1,520,351       1,438,296       37,437,551       24,126,084

Contract owners' equity at
   beginning of period               60,176,479       34,984,777       6,547,987       5,109,691       52,495,021       28,368,937
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contract owners' equity at end
   of period                       $ 77,013,136     $ 60,176,479     $ 8,068,338     $ 6,547,987     $ 89,932,572     $ 52,495,021
                                   ===============================================================================================
</TABLE>

See accompanying notes.


                                                                               3
<PAGE>   75
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


   Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity (continued)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              SUB-ACCOUNT
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         BLUE CHIP GROWTH                     MONEY MARKET                     GLOBAL EQUITY
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,           YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,           YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                       1997             1996             1997             1996             1997             1996
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                               <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>         
Income:
   Dividends                      $  4,355,890     $     49,244     $    951,844     $    666,610     $  3,668,941     $    508,320
Expenses:
   Mortality & expense risk and
     administrative charges            432,353          256,791          264,763          190,702          576,664          452,278
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)         3,923,537         (207,547)         687,081          475,908        3,092,277           56,042
Net realized gain (loss)               800,939        1,130,363           (1,945)               0          838,480          328,529
Unrealized appreciation
   (depreciation) during the
   period                            1,966,728        2,929,786                0                0        3,169,356        3,040,904
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity from
   operations                        6,691,204        3,852,602          685,136          475,908        7,100,113        3,425,475
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Changes from principal
   transactions:
     Purchase payments              10,078,132        3,792,020       23,992,681       17,222,435        5,521,967        4,732,647
     Transfers between sub-
       accounts and the
       Company                       2,208,938          837,918      (14,589,991)      (6,926,625)      (1,298,656)       1,228,061
     Withdrawals                      (861,115)        (785,268)      (1,875,345)      (1,374,481)      (1,526,906)      (1,254,487)
     Annual contract fee               (15,363)         (11,504)          (5,681)          (4,191)         (23,902)         (21,916)
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity from
   principal transactions           11,410,592        3,833,166        7,521,664        8,917,138        2,672,503        4,684,305
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity          18,101,796        7,685,768        8,206,800        9,393,046        9,772,616        8,109,780

Contract owners' equity at
   beginning of period              22,226,023       14,540,255       18,472,906        9,079,860       35,746,247       27,636,467
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contract owners' equity at end
   of period                      $ 40,327,819     $ 22,226,023     $ 26,679,706     $ 18,472,906     $ 45,518,863     $ 35,746,247
                                  =================================================================================================
</TABLE>

See accompanying notes.


                                                                               4
<PAGE>   76
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


   Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity (continued)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           SUB-ACCOUNT
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                         GLOBAL GOVERNMENT                U.S. GOVERNMENT                 CONSERVATIVE ASSET
                                              BOND                           SECURITIES                       ALLOCATION
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,          YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,          YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                       1997            1996             1997             1996            1997            1996
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                <C>             <C>             <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>        
Income:
   Dividends                       $   783,380     $   691,071     $    834,686     $    695,497     $   563,780     $   303,060
Expenses:
   Mortality & expense risk and
     administrative charges            125,157         117,412          187,607          180,392          91,137          74,150
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)           658,223         573,659          647,079          515,105         472,643         228,910
Net realized gain (loss)               (18,110)         49,478          118,520          (90,826)         35,895          (5,915)
Unrealized appreciation
   (depreciation) during the
   period                             (505,617)        302,087          135,070         (161,555)        100,855          52,849
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity from
   operations                          134,496         925,224          900,669          262,724         609,393         275,844
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Changes from principal
   transactions:
     Purchase payments               1,025,262       1,280,963        2,213,798        3,026,542         540,228       1,430,444
     Transfers between sub-
       accounts and the
       Company                      (1,236,660)       (173,816)      (1,002,548)        (487,892)       (520,669)        479,988
     Withdrawals                      (408,918)       (299,284)        (884,908)        (760,893)       (287,581)       (157,409)
     Annual contract fee                (4,515)         (4,601)          (6,841)          (6,466)         (4,606)         (3,929)
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity from
   principal transactions             (624,831)        803,262          319,501        1,771,291        (272,628)      1,749,094
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity            (490,335)      1,728,486        1,220,170        2,034,015         336,765       2,024,938

Contract owners' equity at
   beginning of period               9,154,452       7,425,966       13,241,913       11,207,898       6,419,859       4,394,921
                                   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contract owners' equity at end
   of period                       $ 8,664,117     $ 9,154,452     $ 14,462,083     $ 13,241,913     $ 6,756,624     $ 6,419,859
                                   =============================================================================================
</TABLE>


See accompanying notes.


                                                                               5
<PAGE>   77
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


   Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity (continued)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             SUB-ACCOUNT
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           MODERATE ASSET                 AGGRESSIVE ASSET
                                            ALLOCATION                       ALLOCATION                        EQUITY INCOME
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,           YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,            YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                       1997             1996             1997             1996             1997             1996
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Income:
<S>                               <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>         
   Dividends                      $  2,264,586     $  1,444,910     $  1,038,315     $    591,316     $  7,869,988     $  2,760,886
Expenses:
   Mortality & expense risk and
     administrative charges            321,851          260,204          155,411          123,166          920,557          626,800
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)         1,942,735        1,184,706          882,904          468,150        6,949,431        2,134,086
Net realized gain (loss)               177,670           45,838          137,438          102,080        1,348,326        1,002,895
Unrealized appreciation
   (depreciation) during the
   period                              932,989          302,322          738,123          399,926        7,719,775        4,397,254
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity from
   operations                        3,053,394        1,532,866        1,758,465          970,156       16,017,532        7,534,235
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Changes from principal
   transactions:
     Purchase payments               1,602,078        4,663,584          869,661        2,011,845        9,213,615        9,586,456
     Transfers between sub-
       accounts and the
       Company                      (1,158,960)         348,765         (488,660)         426,113        1,275,136        1,711,762
     Withdrawals                      (866,466)        (790,985)        (225,655)        (327,864)      (2,621,838)      (1,552,108)
     Annual contract fee               (13,414)         (11,874)          (7,970)          (6,447)         (36,208)         (27,883)
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity from
   principal transactions             (436,762)       4,209,490          147,376        2,103,647        7,830,705        9,718,227
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity           2,616,632        5,742,356        1,905,841        3,073,803       23,848,237       17,252,462

Contract owners' equity at
   beginning of period              21,540,378       15,798,022       10,025,525        6,951,722       53,842,801       36,590,339
                                  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contract owners' equity at end
   of period                      $ 24,157,010     $ 21,540,378     $ 11,931,366     $ 10,025,525     $ 77,691,038     $ 53,842,801
                                  =================================================================================================
</TABLE>

See accompanying notes.


                                                                               6
<PAGE>   78
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


   Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity (continued)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               SUB-ACCOUNT
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              INTERNATIONAL
                                           STRATEGIC BOND                   GROWTH AND INCOME                   GROWTH (1)
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,           YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31,         PERIOD ENDED DECEMBER 31,
                                        1997             1996             1997             1996            1997            1996
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>        
Income:
   Dividends                       $  1,679,486     $    895,859     $    885,754     $     11,510     $        87     $    12,025
Expenses:
   Mortality & expense risk and
     administrative charges             388,062          211,859          212,232          121,381          64,976           5,889
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)          1,291,424          684,000          673,522         (109,871)        (64,889)          6,136
Net realized gain (loss)                390,907           92,972          253,795          115,386         147,916          11,692
Unrealized appreciation
   (depreciation) during the
   period                               810,491        1,076,844       (1,196,179)       1,003,453         716,026          24,863
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity
   from operations                    2,492,822        1,853,816         (268,862)       1,008,968         799,053          42,691
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Changes from principal
   transactions:
     Purchase payments               10,705,119        8,169,822        4,149,234        5,129,470       2,997,064       1,266,705
     Transfers between sub-
       accounts and the
       Company                       (1,094,529)       2,164,565          256,352        2,564,247       1,662,952         621,477
     Withdrawals                     (1,336,309)        (434,689)        (567,740)        (460,411)       (150,147)         (4,637)
     Annual contract fee                (11,345)          (6,859)          (9,090)          (5,629)         (1,909)           (116)
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity from
   principal transactions             8,262,936        9,892,839        3,828,756        7,227,677       4,507,960       1,883,429
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in
   contract owners' equity           10,755,758       11,746,655        3,559,894        8,236,645       5,307,013       1,926,120

Contract owners' equity at
   beginning of period               22,039,495       10,292,840       12,662,605        4,425,960       1,926,120               0
                                   -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Contract owners' equity at end
   of period                       $ 32,795,253     $ 22,039,495     $ 16,222,499     $ 12,662,605     $ 7,233,133     $ 1,926,120
                                   ===============================================================================================
</TABLE>


(1)   From commencement of operations July 15, 1996

See accompanying notes.


                                                                               7
<PAGE>   79
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


   Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity (continued)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      SUB-ACCOUNT
                                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      PACIFIC RIM
                                                                            INTERNATIONAL          EMERGING MARKETS
                                          SMALL/MID CAP (2)                 SMALL CAP (2)                  (3)
                                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                       YEAR ENDED
                                      PERIOD ENDED DECEMBER 31,       PERIOD ENDED DECEMBER 31,       DECEMBER 31,
                                        1997            1996            1997            1996             1997
                                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                <C>              <C>             <C>             <C>            <C>      
Income:                                                                                              
   Dividends                       $          0     $         0     $     3,321     $    18,137        $   1,220
Expenses:                                                                                            
   Mortality & expense risk and                                                                      
     administrative charges             199,889          60,914          95,122          28,083            4,946
                                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)           (199,889)        (60,914)        (91,801)         (9,946)          (3,726)
Net realized gain (loss)                275,484         (39,038)        142,993          27,193          (61,488)
Unrealized appreciation                                                                              
   (depreciation) during the                                                                         
   period                             1,502,306         381,526        (156,452)        187,123         (108,178)
                                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in                                                                           
   contract owners' equity                                                                           
   from operations                    1,577,901         281,574        (105,260)        204,370         (173,392)
                                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     
Changes from principal                                                                               
   transactions:                                                                                     
     Purchase payments                4,904,177       6,512,107       1,883,923       3,155,015          408,285
     Transfers between sub-                                                                          
       accounts and the                                                                                
       Company                        2,325,955       3,214,790         364,530       1,665,228          186,610
     Withdrawals                       (464,579)       (145,116)       (223,256)        (94,862)            (600)
     Annual contract fee                 (7,535)           (908)         (3,550)           (484)             (47)
                                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in                                                                           
   contract owners' equity from                                                                      
   principal transactions             6,758,018       9,580,873       2,021,647       4,724,897          594,248
                                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in                                                                         
   contract owners' equity            8,335,919       9,862,447       1,916,387       4,929,267          420,856
                                                                                                     
Contract owners' equity at                                                                           
   beginning of period                9,862,447               0       4,929,267               0                0
                                   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                     
Contract owners' equity at end                                                                       
   of period                       $ 18,198,366     $ 9,862,447     $ 6,845,654     $ 4,929,267        $ 420,856
                                   ================================================================================
</TABLE>

(2)  From commencement of operations on March 4, 1996.

(3)  Denotes former Manulife Series Fund, Inc. which merged into Manufacturers
     Investment Trust after the close of business on December 31, 1996.

See accompanying notes.


                                                                               8
<PAGE>   80
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


   Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity (continued)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                      SUB-ACCOUNT
                                                 -----------------------------------------------------
                                                   SCIENCE &      EMERGING GROWTH        PILGRIM
                                                 TECHNOLOGY (4)         (3)          BAXTER GROWTH (4)
                                                 -----------------------------------------------------
                                                   YEAR ENDED        YEAR ENDED         YEAR ENDED 
                                                  DECEMBER 31,      DECEMBER 31,       DECEMBER 31,
                                                      1997               1997               1997
                                                 -----------------------------------------------------
<S>                                              <C>              <C>                <C>        
Income:
   Dividends                                      $    88,803        $         0        $         0
Expenses:
   Mortality & expense risk and
     administrative charges                            40,948             21,107             16,862
                                                 -----------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)                           47,855            (21,107)           (16,862)
Net realized gain (loss)                               32,246             30,095             (4,782)
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
   during the period                                 (191,326)           247,367             76,335
                                                 -----------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in contract owners'
   equity from operations                            (111,225)           256,355             54,691
                                                 -----------------------------------------------------

Changes from principal transactions:
   Purchase payments                                4,250,885          2,039,572          1,608,478
   Transfers between sub-accounts and the
     Company                                        1,544,783            820,149            692,632
   Withdrawals                                        (45,757)           (95,697)           (36,691)
   Annual contract fee                                   (347)              (283)              (213)
                                                 -----------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in contract owners'
   equity from principal transactions               5,749,564          2,763,741          2,264,206
                                                 -----------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in contract
   owners' equity                                   5,638,339          3,020,096          2,318,897
Contract owners' equity at beginning of
   period                                                   0                  0                  0
                                                 -----------------------------------------------------

Contract owners' equity at end of period          $ 5,638,339        $ 3,020,096        $ 2,318,897
                                                 =====================================================
</TABLE>


(3)  Denotes former Manulife Series Fund, Inc. which merged into Manufacturers
     Investment Trust after the close of business on December 31, 1996.

(4)  From commencement of operations January 1, 1997

See accompanying notes.


                                                                               9
<PAGE>   81
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


   Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity (continued)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     SUB-ACCOUNT
                                             ----------------------------------------------------------
                                             INTERNATIONAL STOCK      WORLDWIDE GROWTH     QUANTITATIVE
                                                     (3)                    (4)             EQUITY (3)
                                             ----------------------------------------------------------
                                                  YEAR ENDED             YEAR ENDED         YEAR ENDED 
                                                 DECEMBER 31,           DECEMBER 31,       DECEMBER 31,
                                                     1997                   1997               1997
                                             ----------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                          <C>                      <C>                  <C>        
Income:                                                                
   Dividends                                      $    22,697            $    13,596        $         0
Expenses:                                                              
   Mortality & expense  risk and                       11,181                 11,839              9,581
     administrative charges                                            
                                             ----------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)                           11,516                  1,757             (9,581)
Net realized gain (loss)                               15,045                 37,872             24,157
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation)                                 
   during the period                                 (117,489)                (9,947)            74,278
                                             ----------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in contract owners'                            
   equity from operations                             (90,928)                29,682             88,854
                                             ----------------------------------------------------------
Changes from principal transactions:                                   
     Purchase payments                              1,297,853              1,425,291          1,032,261
     Transfers between sub-accounts and                                
         the Company                                  481,899                151,565            668,825
     Withdrawals                                      (22,120)               (17,954)            (9,016)
     Annual contract fee                                  (58)                   (99)               (86)
                                             ----------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in contract owners'                            
   equity from principal transactions               1,757,574              1,558,803          1,691,984
                                             ----------------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in contract                                  
   owners' equity                                   1,666,646              1,588,485          1,780,838
Contract owners' equity at beginning of                                
   period                                                   0                      0                  0
                                             ----------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       
Contract owners' equity at end of period          $ 1,666,646            $ 1,588,485        $ 1,780,838
                                             ==========================================================
</TABLE>

(3)  Denotes former Manulife Series Fund, Inc. which merged into Manufacturers
     Investment Trust after the close of business on December 31, 1996.

(4)  From commencement of operations January 1, 1997.

See accompanying notes.


                                                                              10
<PAGE>   82
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


   Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity (continued)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     SUB-ACCOUNT
                                                ---------------------------------------------------
                                                                     REAL ESTATE
                                                VALUE TRUST (4)     SECURITIES (3)      BALANCED (3)
                                                ---------------------------------------------------
                                                   YEAR ENDED         YEAR ENDED        YEAR ENDED 
                                                  DECEMBER 31,       DECEMBER 31,      DECEMBER 31,
                                                      1997               1997             1997
                                                ---------------------------------------------------
<S>                                             <C>                 <C>                <C>      
Income:
   Dividends                                      $   121,213        $         0        $       0
Expenses:
   Mortality & expense risk and
     administrative charges                            24,617             14,364            4,012
                                                -------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)                           96,596            (14,364)          (4,012)
Net realized gain (loss)                               54,041             75,356            3,982
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
   during the period                                   36,067            183,871           32,356
                                                 ------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in contract owners'
   equity from operations                             186,704            244,863           32,326
                                                 ------------------------------------------------
Changes from principal transactions:
   Purchase payments                                3,080,913          1,668,997          583,883
   Transfers between sub-accounts and the
     Company                                          711,554            369,754          237,500
   Withdrawals                                        (24,773)            (9,622)          (1,275)
   Annual contract fee                                   (188)               (89)              (4)
                                                 ------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in contract owners'
   equity from principal transactions               3,767,506          2,029,040          820,104
                                                 ------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in contract
   owners' equity                                   3,954,210          2,273,903          852,430
Contract owners' equity at beginning of
   period                                                   0                  0                0
                                                 ------------------------------------------------

Contract owners' equity at end of period          $ 3,954,210        $ 2,273,903        $ 852,430
                                                 ================================================
</TABLE>


(3)  Denotes former Manulife Series Fund, Inc. which merged into Manufacturers
     Investment Trust after the close of business on December 31, 1996.

(4)  From commencement of operations January 1, 1997.

See accompanying notes.


                                                                              11
<PAGE>   83
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


   Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity (continued)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       SUB-ACCOUNT
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          CAPITAL            LIFESTYLE
                                                  HIGH YIELD (4)      GROWTH BOND (3)   AGGRESSIVE 1000 (4)
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------
                                                    YEAR ENDED           YEAR ENDED          YEAR ENDED
                                                   DECEMBER 31,         DECEMBER 31,        DECEMBER 31,
                                                        1997               1997                 1997
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                               <C>                 <C>               <C>        
Income:
   Dividends                                        $   145,840          $       0          $    25,615
Expenses:
   Mortality & expense risk and
     administrative charges                              29,216              2,231               31,492
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)                            116,624             (2,231)              (5,877)
Net realized gain (loss)                                 49,427              5,380               16,091
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
   during the period                                     60,068             10,034              153,247
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in contract owners'
   equity from operations                               226,119             13,183              163,461
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------

Changes from principal transactions:
     Purchase payments                                3,947,397            308,180            3,805,176
     Transfers between sub-accounts and
        the Company                                    (234,593)            96,961              941,364
     Withdrawals                                        (27,399)            (3,280)              (6,907)
     Annual contract fee                                    (58)                (5)                (344)
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in contract owners'
   equity from principal transactions                 3,685,347            401,856            4,739,289
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in contract
   owners' equity                                     3,911,466            415,039            4,902,750
Contract owners' equity at beginning of
   period                                                     0                  0                    0
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------

Contract owners' equity at end of period            $ 3,911,466          $ 415,039          $ 4,902,750
                                                  =========================================================
</TABLE>


(3)  Denotes former Manulife Series Fund, Inc. which merged into Manufacturers
     Investment Trust after the close of business on December 31, 1996.

(4)  From commencement of operations January 1, 1997.

See accompanying notes.


                                                                              12
<PAGE>   84
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


   Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity (continued)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                          SUB-ACCOUNT
                                                    ----------------------------------------------------------
                                                      LIFESTYLE             LIFESTYLE             LIFESTYLE
                                                    GROWTH 820 (4)       BALANCED 640 (4)     MODERATE 460 (4)
                                                    ----------------------------------------------------------
                                                      YEAR ENDED            YEAR ENDED           YEAR ENDED
                                                     DECEMBER 31,          DECEMBER 31,         DECEMBER 31,
                                                          1997                  1997                 1997
                                                    ----------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                                 <C>                  <C>                  <C>        
Income:
   Dividends                                         $    233,491          $    295,156          $   136,780
Expenses:
   Mortality & expense risk and
     administrative charges                               142,644               132,309               45,898
                                                    ----------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)                               90,847               162,847               90,882
Net realized gain (loss)                                   21,224                30,037                  469
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation)
   during the period                                      738,884               737,354              236,955
                                                    ----------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in contract owners'
   equity from operations                                 850,955               930,238              328,306
                                                    ----------------------------------------------------------

Changes from principal transactions:
     Purchase payments                                 17,308,083            16,773,691            4,527,287
     Transfers between sub-accounts and
       the Company                                      5,044,274             3,245,867            1,713,547
     Withdrawals                                         (220,725)             (366,383)             (56,284)
     Annual contract fee                                     (547)                 (440)                 (53)
                                                    ----------------------------------------------------------
Net increase  (decrease) in contract owners'
   equity from principal transactions                  22,131,085            19,652,735            6,184,497
                                                    ----------------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in contract
   owners' equity                                      22,982,040            20,582,973            6,512,803
Contract owners' equity at beginning
   of period                                                    0                     0                    0
                                                    ----------------------------------------------------------

Contract owners' equity at end of period             $ 22,982,040          $ 20,582,973          $ 6,512,803
                                                    ==========================================================
</TABLE>


(4)  From commencement of operations January 1, 1997.

See accompanying notes.


                                                                              13
<PAGE>   85
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)


   Statements of Operations and Changes in Contract Owners' Equity (continued)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                           SUB-ACCOUNT
                                                --------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     LIFESTYLE                              TOTAL
                                                CONSERVATIVE 280 (4)
                                                --------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     YEAR ENDED                           YEAR ENDED
                                                    DECEMBER  31,                        DECEMBER 31
                                                         1997                   1997                   1996
                                                --------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                             <C>                       <C>                    <C>          
Income:
   Dividends                                        $     42,545          $  43,190,322          $  14,393,125
Expenses:
   Mortality & expense risk and
     administrative charges                               12,554              6,675,044              4,042,805
                                                --------------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income (loss)                              29,991             36,515,278             10,350,320
Net realized gain (loss)                                  (8,788)             7,541,380              4,232,907
Unrealized appreciation (depreciation)                          
   during the period                                      68,075             30,266,422             24,402,387
                                                --------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in contract owners'
   equity from operations                                 89,278             74,323,080             38,985,614
                                                --------------------------------------------------------------
Changes from principal transactions:
     Purchase payments                                 1,530,748            173,507,634             98,629,961
     Transfers between sub-accounts and
       the Company                                       205,923              7,509,833             19,934,781
     Withdrawals                                         (12,896)           (19,282,100)           (12,879,086)
     Annual contract fee                                     (67)              (235,638)              (169,401)
                                                --------------------------------------------------------------
Net increase (decrease) in contract owners'
   equity from principal transactions                  1,723,708            161,499,729            105,516,255
                                                --------------------------------------------------------------
Total increase (decrease) in contract
   owners' equity                                      1,812,986            235,822,809            144,501,869
Contract owners' equity at beginning of
   period                                                      0            361,309,525            216,807,656
                                                --------------------------------------------------------------

Contract owners' equity at end of period            $  1,812,986          $ 597,132,334          $ 361,309,525
                                                ==============================================================
</TABLE>


(4)  From commencement of operations January 1, 1997.

See accompanying notes.


                                                                              14
<PAGE>   86
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)

                         Notes to Financial Statements

                               December 31, 1997

1.   ORGANIZATION

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
(formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North American Life Assurance Company
and hereinafter referred to as the Account) is a separate account established by
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York (formerly First North
American Life Assurance Company and hereinafter referred to as the Company). The
Company established the Account on July 22, 1992 as a separate account under New
York law. The Account operates as a Unit Investment Trust under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, and invests in thirty-five subaccounts of
Manufacturers Investment Trust (formerly NASL Series Trust and hereinafter
referred to as the Trust). The Account is a funding vehicle for variable annuity
contracts (the "Contracts") issued by the Company. The account includes two
contracts, distinguished principally by the level of expenses and surrender
charges. These two contracts are Venture Variable Annuity 9 (VEN9) and Venture
Variable Annuity 10 (VEN10). The Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The
Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of North America (formerly North American
Security Life Insurance Company and hereinafter referred to as MNA). MNA is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Manulife Wood Logan Holding Company, Inc. (formerly
NAWL Holding Company, Inc. And hereinafter referred to as MWL). MWL holds all
the outstanding shares of MNA and Wood Logan Associates, Inc. ("Wood Logan").
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company ("MLI") owns all Class A shares of MWL,
representing 85% of the voting shares of MWL. Certain employees of Wood Logan
own all Class B shares, which represent the remaining 15% voting interest in
MWL.

Effective after the close of business on December 31, 1996, the portfolios of
the Manulife Series Funds, Inc. (a series trust of MLI) were merged with the
Trust. As a result of this merger, seven additional sub-accounts became
available as investment options to the contract owners of the Account and
include the Emerging Growth, Quantitative Equity, Balanced, Real Estate
Securities, Capital Growth, Pacific Rim Emerging Markets and International Stock
portfolios. Also effective after the close of business on December 31, 1996, ten
new portfolios became available as investment options to contract owners of the
Account and include the five Lifestyle portfolios and the Pilgrim Baxter Growth,
Science and Technology, Worldwide Growth, Value Trust and High Yield portfolios.


                                                                              15
<PAGE>   87
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)


1.  ORGANIZATION (CONTINUED)

On December 23, 1997, a new sub-account, Small Company Value, commenced
operations. Although the fund was available to contract owners in 1997, no
investments were made.

On March 4, 1996, two new sub-accounts, Small/Mid Cap and International Small
Cap, commenced operations. On July 15, 1996, the Growth sub-account commenced
operations.

2.   SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Investments are made in the portfolios of the Trust and are valued at the
reported net asset value of such portfolios. Transactions are recorded on the
trade date. Income from dividends is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Realized
gains and losses on the sales of investments are computed on the basis of the
identified cost of the investment sold.

In addition to the Account, a contract holder may also allocate funds to the
Fixed Account, which is part of the Company's general account. Because of
exemptive and exclusionary provisions, interests in the Fixed Account have not
been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, and the Company's general
account has not been registered as an investment company under the Investment
Company act of 1940.

The operations of the Account are included in the federal income tax return of
the Company, which is taxed as a life insurance company under the provisions of
the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code"). Under the current provisions of the
Code, the Company does not expect to incur federal income taxes on the earnings
of the Account to the extent the earnings are credited under the contracts.
Based on this, no charge is being made currently to the Account for federal
income taxes. The Company will review periodically the status of such decision
based on changes in the tax law. Such a charge may be made in future years for
any federal income taxes that would be attributable to the contract.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principals requires management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes.
Such estimates and assumptions could change in the future as more information
becomes known, which could impact the amounts reported and disclosed herein.


                                                                              16
<PAGE>   88
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)


3.   AFFILIATED COMPANY TRANSACTIONS

Administrative services necessary for the operation of the Account are performed
by the Company. The Company had an underwriting agreement with its wholly-owned
subsidiary, NASL Financial Services, Inc. (NASL Financial). NASL Financial had
an agreement with Wood Logan to promote the sale of annuity contracts. On
October 1, 1997, NASL Financial ceased operations, and certain assets and
liabilities of NASL Financial were contributed to form a new company,
Manufacturers Securities Services LLC (MSS), for a 99.9% ownership interest. MSS
has an Administrative Services Agreement with Wood Logan for marketing services
for the sale of annuity contracts. Certain officers of the Account are officers
and directors of the Company or the Trust.

4.   CONTRACT CHARGES

There are no deductions made from purchase payments for sales charges at the
time of purchase. In the event of a surrender, a contingent deferred sales
charge may be made by the Company to cover sales expenses. An annual
administrative fee of $30 is deducted from each contract owners' account on the
contract anniversary date to cover contract administration costs. This charge is
waived on certain contracts.

Deductions from each sub-account are made daily for administrative fees and for
the assumption of mortality and expense risk charges, equal to an effective
annual rate of 0.15% and 1.25% of the contract value, respectively.


                                                                              17
<PAGE>   89
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)


5.   PURCHASES AND SALES OF INVESTMENTS

The following table shows aggregate cost of shares purchased and proceeds from
sales of each sub-account for the year ended December 31, 1997.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                    PURCHASES             SALES
                                                  --------------------------------

<S>                                               <C>                  <C>        
Equity Portfolio                                  $ 21,967,487         $ 4,575,741
Investment Quality Bond Portfolio                    2,337,330           1,020,952
Growth and Income Portfolio                         25,947,670           3,538,943
Blue Chip Growth Portfolio                          17,849,737           2,515,608
Money Market Portfolio                              36,858,199          28,649,454
Global Equity Portfolio                             10,607,613           4,842,833
Global Government Bond Portfolio                     2,011,356           1,977,964
U.S. Government Securities Portfolio                 4,742,448           3,775,868
Conservative Asset Allocation Portfolio              1,320,533           1,120,518
Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio                  4,067,225           2,561,252
Aggressive Asset Allocation Portfolio                2,044,340           1,014,060
Equity-Income Portfolio                             19,068,632           4,288,496
Strategic Bond Portfolio                            13,600,499           4,046,139
International Growth and Income Portfolio            7,127,919           2,625,641
Growth Portfolio                                     5,174,014             730,943
Small/Mid Cap Portfolio                              9,240,362           2,682,233
International Small Cap Portfolio                    4,047,994           2,118,148
Pacific Rim Emerging Markets Portfolio                 954,557             364,035
Science & Technology Portfolio                       6,932,375           1,134,956
Emerging Growth Portfolio                            3,400,723             658,089
Pilgrim Baxter Growth Portfolio                      2,413,022             165,678
International Stock Portfolio                        2,121,748             352,658
Worldwide Growth Portfolio                           2,072,061             511,501
Quantitative Equity Portfolio                        1,847,979             165,576
Value Trust Portfolio                                4,401,205             537,103
Real Estate Securities Portfolio                     2,858,292             843,616
Balanced Portfolio                                     863,770              47,678
High Yield Portfolio                                 4,568,906             766,935
Capital Growth Bond Portfolio                          691,538             291,913
Lifestyle Aggressive 1000 Portfolio                  4,938,717             204,864
Lifestyle Growth 820 Portfolio                      22,531,589             285,455
Lifestyle Balanced 640 Portfolio                    22,195,269           2,353,594
Lifestyle Moderate 460 Portfolio                     6,407,993             124,104
Lifestyle Conservative 280 Portfolio                 2,051,931             296,469
                                                  ------------         -----------

Total                                             $279,265,033         $81,189,017
                                                  ============         ===========
</TABLE>


                                                                              18
<PAGE>   90
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)


6.   UNIT VALUES

A summary of the accumulation unit values at December 31, 1996 and 1997 and the
accumulation units and dollar value outstanding at December 31, 1997 are as
follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     1996                                  1997
                                                   ----------         ------------------------------------------------
                                                     UNIT               UNIT
                                                     VALUE              VALUE              UNITS             DOLLARS
                                                   ----------         ------------------------------------------------

<S>                                                <C>                <C>                <C>               <C>        
Equity Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                      $24.664354         $29.002593         2,655,388         $77,013,136

Investment Quality Bond Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                       16.943257          18.336912           440,005           8,068,338

Growth and Income Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                       20.178770          26.431239         3,402,511          89,932,572

Blue-Chip Growth Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                       13.688523          17.134232         2,353,640          40,327,819

Money Market Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                       14.699636          15.241915         1,750,417          26,679,706

Global Equity Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                       18.276450          21.770913         2,090,811          45,518,863

Global Government Bond Sub-Account:
     Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                     19.803954          20.104158           430,961           8,664,117

U.S. Government Securities Sub-Account
     Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                     16.393307          17.535478           824,733          14,462,083

Conservative Asset Allocation Sub-Account:
     Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                     15.113142          16.607511           406,841           6,756,624

Moderate Asset Allocation Sub-Account:
     Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                     15.995076          18.276161         1,321,777          24,157,010
</TABLE>


                                                                              19
<PAGE>   91
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)


6.   UNIT VALUES (CONTINUED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            1996                                1997
                                          ----------        -----------------------------------------------
                                            UNIT              UNIT
                                            VALUE             VALUE             UNITS             DOLLARS
                                          ----------        -----------------------------------------------

<S>                                       <C>               <C>               <C>               <C>        
Aggressive Asset Allocation Sub-
   Account:
     Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts           16.701647         19.614359           608,298         $11,931,366

Equity-Income Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts             16.011513         20.479412         3,793,617          77,691,038

Strategic Bond Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts             13.250563         14.500997         2,261,586          32,795,253

International Growth and Income
   Sub-Account:
     Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts           11.718276         11.545714         1,405,067          16,222,499

Growth Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts             13.727312         16.968111           426,278           7,233,133

Small/Mid-Cap Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts             13.215952         15.020670         1,211,555          18,198,366

International Small-Cap Sub-
   Account:
     Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts           13.493094         13.410016           510,488           6,845,654

Pacific Rim Emerging Markets Sub-
   Account:
     Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                  --          8.180904            51,444             420,856

Science & Technology Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                    --         13.647195           413,150           5,638,339

Emerging Growth Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                    --         14.574077           207,224           3,020,096

Pilgrim Baxter Growth Sub-Account
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                    --         12.327066           188,114           2,318,897

International Stock Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                    --         12.652231           131,727           1,666,646
</TABLE>


                                                                              20
<PAGE>   92
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)


6.   UNIT VALUES (CONTINUED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          1996                               1997
                                        ----------      -----------------------------------------------
                                          UNIT            UNIT
                                          VALUE           VALUE              UNITS            DOLLARS
                                        ----------      -----------------------------------------------

<S>                                     <C>             <C>               <C>               <C>        
Worldwide Growth Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                --         13.965674           113,742         $ 1,588,485

Quantitative Equity Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                --         16.107191           110,562           1,780,838

Value Trust Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                --         15.057118           262,614           3,954,210

Real Estate Securities Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                --         14.949140           152,109           2,273,903

Balanced Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                --         14.609853            58,346             852,430

High-Yield Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                --         13.890491           281,593           3,911,466

Capital Growth Bond Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                --         13.475788            30,799             415,039

Lifestyle Aggressive 1000 Sub-
   Account:
     Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts              --         13.669625           358,660           4,902,750

Lifestyle Growth 820 Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                --         14.033299         1,637,679          22,982,040

Lifestyle Balanced 640 Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                --         14.066417         1,463,270          20,582,973

Lifestyle Moderate 460 Sub-Account:
   Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts                --         14.016704           464,646           6,512,803
</TABLE>


                                                                              21
<PAGE>   93
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)


6.   UNIT VALUES (CONTINUED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          1996                               1997
                                        ----------      -----------------------------------------------
                                          UNIT            UNIT
                                          VALUE           VALUE              UNITS           DOLLARS
                                        ----------      -----------------------------------------------

<S>                                     <C>             <C>                 <C>            <C>        
Lifestyle Conservative 280 Sub-
   Account:
     Ven 9 and Ven 10 Contracts               --        13.825120           131,137        $  1,812,986
                                                                                           ------------

Total Contract Owners' Equity                                                              $597,132,334
                                                                                           ============
</TABLE>

7.   DIVERSIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Under the provisions of Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code, a variable
annuity contract other than a contract issued in connection with certain types
of employee benefits plans, will not be treated as an annuity contract for
federal tax purposes for any period for which the investments of the segregated
asset account on which the contract is based are not adequately diversified. The
Code provides that the "adequately diversified" requirement may be met if the
underlying investments satisfy either a statutory safe harbor test or
diversification requirements set forth in regulations issued by the Secretary of
Treasury.

The Internal Revenue Service has issued regulations under Section 817(h) of the
Code. The Company believes that the Account satisfies the current requirements
of the regulations, and it intends that the Account will continue to meet such
requirements.

8.   YEAR 2000 ISSUES (UNAUDITED)

Like other investment funds, financial and business organizations and
individuals, the Account would be adversely affected if the computer systems
used by the Company and other service providers do not properly process and
calculate date-related information and data from and after January 1, 2000. The
Company is completing an assessment of the year 2000 impact on its systems and
business processes. Management believes that the Company will complete its Year
2000 project for all critical systems and processes by September 30, 1998, prior
to any anticipated impact on the critical systems and processes.


                                                                              22
<PAGE>   94
     The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
                 (formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North
                        American Life Assurance Company)

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)


8.   YEAR 2000 ISSUES (UNAUDITED) (CONTINUED)

The date on which the Company believes it will complete the Year 2000 project is
based on management's best estimates, which were derived utilizing numerous
assumptions of future events. However, there can be no guarantee that these
estimates will be achieved and actual results could differ materially from those
anticipated. Specific factors that might cause such material differences
include, but are not limited to, the availability and cost of personnel trained
in this area, the ability to locate and correct all relevant computer code, and
other similar uncertainties.


                                                                              23
<PAGE>   95
                                     PART C


                               OTHER INFORMATION


<PAGE>   96


Item 24.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

         (a)      Financial Statements
   

                  (1)      Financial Statements of the Registrant, The
                           Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York
                           Separate Account A (Part B of the registration
                           statement) - Filed herewith.
    
   

                  (2)      Financial Statements of the Depositor, The
                           Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York
                           (Part B of the registration statement) - Filed
                           herewith.
    

         (b)      Exhibits

         (1)      (a)      Resolution of the Board of Directors of First
                           North American Life Assurance Company establishing
                           the FNAL Variable Account - Incorporated by reference
                           to Exhibit (b)(1)(a) to Form N-4, file number
                           33-46217, filed February 25, 1998.

                  (b)      Resolution of the Board of Directors of First North
                           American Life Assurance Company establishing the
                           Fixed Separate Account - Incorporated by reference to
                           Exhibit (b)(1)(b) to Form N-4, file number 33-46217,
                           filed February 25, 1998.

                  (c)      Resolution of the Board of Directors of First North
                           American Life Assurance Company establishing The
                           Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York
                           Separate Account D and The Manufacturers Life
                           Insurance Company of New York Separate Account E
                           Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (b)(1)(c) to
                           Form N-4, file number 33-46217, filed February 25,
                           1998.

         (2)      Agreements for custody of securities and similar investments -
                  Not Applicable.

         (3)     (a)       Underwriting Agreement between Manufacturers Life
                           Insurance Company of New York (Depositor) and
                           Manufacturers Securities Services, LLC (Underwriter)
                           - Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (b)(3)(a) to
                           Form N-4, file number 33-46217, filed February 25,
                           1998.

                  (b)      Selling Agreement between The Manufacturers Life
                           Insurance Company of New York, Manufactures
                           Securities Services, LLC (Underwriter), Selling
                           Broker Dealers, and General Agent - Incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit (b)(3)(b) to Form N-4, file
                           number 33-46217, filed February 25, 1998.
   

         (4)      (a)      Specimen Single Purchase Payment Individual
                           Deferred Combination Fixed and Variable Annuity
                           Contract, Non-Participating - Previously filed as
                           Exhibit (B)(4)(a) to the Initial Registration
                           Statement to Form N-4 filed August 12, 1998.
    


<PAGE>   97

   

                  (b)      Specimen Endorsements to Contract: (i) ERISA Tax
                           Sheltered Annuity Endorsement; (ii) Tax-sheltered
                           Annuity Endorsement; (iii) Qualified Plan Endorsement
                           Section 401 Plans, (iv) Simple Individual Retirement
                           Annuity Endorsement; (v) Unisex Benefits and Payments
                           Endorsement; (vi) Individual Retirement Annuity
                           Endorsement - Previously filed as Exhibit (B)(4)(b)
                           to the Initial Registration Statement to Form N-4
                           filed August 12, 1998.
    
   

         (5)      Specimen Application for Single Purchase Payment Individual
                  Deferred Combination Fixed and Variable Annuity Contract,
                  Non-Participating - Previously filed as Exhibit (B)(5) to the
                  Initial Registration Statement to Form N-4 filed August 12,
                  1998.
    

         (6)      (a)(i)   Declaration of Intention and Charter of First
                           North American Life Assurance Company Incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit (b)(6)(a)(i) to Form N-4, file
                           number 33-46217, filed February 25, 1998.

                  (a)(ii)  Certificate of amendment of the Declaration of
                           Intention and Charter of First North American Life
                           Assurance Company - Incorporated by reference to
                           Exhibit (b)(6)(a)(ii) to Form N-4, file number
                           33-46217, filed February 25, 1998.

                  (a)(iii) Certificate of amendment of the Declaration of
                           Intention and Charter of The Manufacturers Life
                           Insurance Company of New York - Incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit (b)(6)(a)(iii) to Form N-4, file
                           number 33-46217, filed February 25, 1998.

                  (b)      By-laws of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company
                           of New York - Incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                           (b)(6)(b) to Form N-4, file number 33-46217, filed
                           February 25, 1998.

         (7)      Contract of reinsurance in connection  with the variable  
                  annuity  contracts  being offered - Not Applicable.

         (8)      Other material contracts not made in the ordinary course of
                  business which are to be performed in whole or in part on or
                  after the date the registration statement is filed:

                  (a)      Administrative Agreement between The Manufacturers
                           Life Insurance Company of New York and The
                           Manufacturers Life Insurance Company - Incorporated
                           by reference to Exhibit (b)(8)(a) to Form N-4, file
                           number 33-46217, filed February 25, 1998.

                  (b)      Investment Services Agreement between The
                           Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York and
                           The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company -
                           Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 1(A)(8)(c) to
                           Form S-6, file number 333-33351, filed March 16,
                           1998.

                  (c)      License and Service Agreement between North American
                           Security Life Insurance Company, First North American
                           Life Assurance Company, and Mentap Systems, Inc. 



                                       2

<PAGE>   98
                           - Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (b)(8)(v) to
                           Form N-4, file number 33-46217, filed April 28, 1995.
   

         (9)      Opinion of Counsel and consent to its use as to the legality 
                  of the securities being registered - Filed herewith.
    
   

         (10)     (a) Written consent of Ernst & Young LLP, independent auditors
                      - Filed herewith.
    
   

                  (b) Written consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P., independent
                      accountants - Filed herewith.
    
         (11)     All financial statements omitted from Item 23, Financial 
                  Statements - Not Applicable.

         (12)     Agreements in consideration for providing initial capital
                  between or among Registrant, Depositor, Underwriter or initial
                  contract owners - Not Applicable.
   

         (13)     Schedule for computation of each performance quotation
                  provided in the Registration Statement in response to Item 21
                  - Incorporated by Reference to Exhibit (B)(13) to Form N-4,
                  33-76162 filed March 1, 1996.
    

         (14)     Power of Attorney - The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company
                  of New York Directors Incorporated by reference to Exhibit (7)
                  to Form S-6, file number 333-33351, filed March 16, 1998.
   
    
   

Item 25.          DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE DEPOSITOR.
    

Officers and Directors of THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

NAME AND PRINCIPAL                        POSITION WITH THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE
BUSINESS ADDRESS                          INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
<S>                                       <C>

John Richardson                           Director and Chairman
200 Bloor Street East
North Tower 11
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M4W-1E5

A. Scott Logan                            Director & President
1455 East Putnam Avenue
Old Greenwich, CT 06870

Bruce R. Gordon                           Director
200 Bloor Street East
North Tower 10
</TABLE>

                                       3
<PAGE>   99

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

NAME AND PRINCIPAL                        POSITION WITH THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE
BUSINESS ADDRESS                          INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
<S>                                       <C>

Toronto, Ontario
Canada M4W-1E5

Theodore Kilkuskie                        Director
73 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02108
</TABLE>

                                       4

<PAGE>   100

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

NAME AND PRINCIPAL                        POSITION WITH THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE
BUSINESS ADDRESS                          INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
<S>                                       <C>

John D. DesPrez III                       Director
73 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02108

Robert C. Perez                           Director
715 North Avenue
New Rochelle, NY 01801

James K. Robinson                         Director
7 Summit Drive
Rochester, New York 14620-3127

Neil M. Merkl Esq.                        Director
35-35 161st Street
Flushing, New York 11358

Bruce Avedon                              Director
6601 Hitching Post Lane
Cincinnati, OH 45230

Ruth Ann Fleming                          Director
205 Highland Avenue
Short Hills, NJ 07078

Tracy Anne Kane                           Secretary and Counsel
73 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02108

David W. Libbey                           Treasurer
73 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02108

   
Paige Sabine                              Assistant Vice President & Chief 
73 Tremont Street                         Administrative Officer
Boston, MA 02108
    
</TABLE>

                                       5

<PAGE>   101



Item 26.  PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH DEPOSITOR OR 
          REGISTRANT.

THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
   
Manulife Corporate Organization
    

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Canada)

1.       Cantay Holdings Inc. - Ontario (100%)
2.       484551 Ontario Limited - Ontario (100%)
         a.       911164 Ontario Inc. - Ontario (100%)
3.       Churchill Lifestyles Corp. (100%)
4.       495603 Ontario Limited - Ontario (100%)
5.       1198183 Ontario Limited - Ontario (100%)
6.       1198184 Ontario Limited - Ontario (100%)
7.       1235434 Ontario Limited - Ontario (100%)
8.       576986 Ontario Inc. - Ontario (100%)
9.       Balmoral Developments Inc. - Ontario (100%)
10.      Manulife Bank of Canada - Canada (100%)
11.      Manulife Securities International Ltd. - Canada (100%)
12.      Family Realty First Corp. - Ontario (100%)
13.      NAL Resources Limited - Alberta (100%)
14.      Manulife International Capital Corporation Limited - Ontario (100%)
         a.       Regional Power Inc. - Ontario (100%)
                  i.       La Regionale Power (Port Cartier) Inc.- Ontario 
                           (100%)
                  ii.      La Regionale Power Angliers Inc. - Ontario (100%)
                  iii.     Addalam Power Corporation - Philippines (100%)
15.      Peel-de Maisonneuve Investments Ltd. - Canada (100%)
         a.       2932121 Canada Inc. - Canada (100%)
16.      FNA Financial Inc. - Canada (100%)
         a.       NAL Trustco Inc. - Ontario (100%)
         b.       First North American Insurance Company - Canada (100%)
         c.       Elliott & Page Limited - Ontario (100%)
         d.       Seamark Asset Management Ltd. - Canada (67.86%)
         e.       NAL Resources Management Limited - Canada (100%)
                  i.       NAL Energy Inc. - Alberta (100%)
17.      ManuCab Ltd. - Canada (100%)
         a.       Plazcab Service Limited - Newfoundland (100%)
18.      Manufacturers Life Capital Corporation Inc. - Canada (100%)
19.      The North American Group Inc. - Ontario (100%)
20.      994744 Ontario Inc. - Ontario (100%)
21.      1268337 Ontario Inc. - Ontario (100%)
22.      3426505 Canada Inc. - Canada (100%)
23.      The Manufacturers Investment Corporation - Michigan (100%)
         a.       Manulife Reinsurance Corporation (U.S.A.) - Michigan (100%)
                  i.       The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) - 
                           Michigan (100%)
                           (1)      Dover Leasing Investments, LLC - Delaware 
                                    (99%)

                                       6

<PAGE>   102


                           (2)      The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of 
                                    America - Michigan (100%)
                                    (a)     Manulife Holding Corporation - 
                                            Delaware (100%)
                                            (i)      Manufacturers Adviser 
                                                     Corporation - Colorado 
                                                     (100%)
                                            (ii)     Succession Planning 
                                                     International, Inc. - 
                                                     Wisconsin (100%)
                                            (iii)    ManEquity, Inc. - Colorado 
                                                     (100%)
                                            (iv)     Manulife  Property  
                                                     Management  of  Washington,
                                                     D.C. Inc. - Washington, 
                                                     D.C. (100%)
                                            (v)      ManuLife Service 
                                                     Corporation - Colorado 
                                                     (100%)
                                            (vi)     Manulife Leasing Company, 
                                                     LLC - Delaware (80%)
                           (3)      Capitol Bankers Life Insurance Company - 
                                    Michigan (100%)
                           (4)      Ennal, Inc. - Ohio (100%)
                           (5)      Manulife-Wood Logan Holding Co. Inc. - 
                                    Delaware (62.5%)
                                    (a)     Wood Logan Associates, Inc. - 
                                            Connecticut (100%)
                                            (i)      Wood Logan Distributors, 
                                                     Inc. - Connecticut (100%)
                                    (b)     The  Manufacturers  Life Insurance  
                                            Company of North America - Delaware
                                            (100%)
                                            (i)      Manufacturers Securities 
                                                     Services, LLC - 
                                                     Massachusetts (100%)
                                            (ii)     The  Manufacturers  Life  
                                                     Insurance Company of New 
                                                     York - New York (100%)
                  ii.      Manulife Reinsurance Limited - Bermuda (100%) (1) MRL
                           Holding, LLC - Delaware (99%)
                                    (a)     Manulife-Wood Logan Holding Co. Inc.
                                            - Delaware (22.5%)
                  iii.     MRL Holding, LLC - Delaware (1%)
24.      Manulife International Investment Management Limited - U.K. (100%)
         a.       Manulife International Fund Management Limited - U.K. (100%)
25.      WT(SW) Properties Ltd. - U.K. (100%)
26.      Manulife Europe Ruckversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft - Germany (100%)
27.      Manulife International Holdings Limited - Bermuda (100%)
         a.       Manulife (International) Limited - Bermuda (100%)
                  i.       Zhong Hong Life Insurance Co., Ltd. - China (51%)
                  ii.      The Manufacturers (Pacific Asia) Insurance Company 
                           Limited - H.K. (100%)
                  iii.     Newtime Consultants Limited - H.K. (100%)
28.      Manulife (International) Reinsurance Limited - Bermuda (100%)
         a.       Manulife (International) P & C Limited - Bermuda (100%)
         b.       Manufacturers P & C Limited - Barbados (100%)
         c.       Manufacturers Life Reinsurance Limited - Barbados (100%)
29.      Chinfon-Manulife Insurance Company Limited - Bermuda (100%)
30.      Manulife (Malaysia) SDN. BHD. - Malaysia (100%)
31.      Manulife (Thailand) Ltd. - Thailand (100%)
32.      Young Poong Manulife Insurance Company - Korea (100%)
33.      Manulife Data Services Inc. - Barbados (100%)
         a.       Manulife Funds Direct (Barbados) Limited - Barbados (100%)
                  i.       Manulife Funds Direct (Hong Kong) Limited - H.K. 
                           (100%)


                                       7
<PAGE>   103


34.      OUB Manulife Pte. Ltd. - Singapore (100%)
35.      Manulife Holdings (Hong Kong) Limited - H.K. (100%)
36.      ManuLife Financial Systems (Hong Kong) Limited - H.K. (100%)
37.      P.T. Asuransi Jiwa Dhamala ManuLife - Indonesia (51%)
         a.       P.T. AMP Panin Life - Indonesia (100%)

Item 27.  NUMBER OF CONTRACT OWNERS.

There were no contracts issued as of the date of this filing.

Item 28.  INDEMNIFICATION.

Article 10 of the Charter of the Company provides as follows:

TENTH: No director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the
Corporation or any of its shareholders for damages for any breach of duty as a
director; provided, however, the foregoing provision shall not eliminate or
limit (i) the liability of a director if a judgment or other final adjudication
adverse to such director established his or her such acts or omissions were in
bad faith or involved intentional misconduct or were acts or omissions (a) which
he or she knew or reasonably should have known violated the New York Insurance
Law or (b) which violated a specific standard of care imposed on directors
directly, and not by reference, by a provision of the New York Insurance Law (or
any regulations promulgated thereunder) or (c) which constituted a knowing
violation of any other law, or establishes that the director personally gained
in fact a financial profit or other advantage to which the director was not
legally entitled or (ii) the liability of a director for any act or omission
prior to the adoption of this Article by the shareholders of the Corporation.
Any repeal or modification of this Article by the shareholders of the
Corporation shall be prospective only, and shall not adversely affect any
limitation on the personal liability of a director of the Corporation existing
at the time of such repeal or modification.

Article VII of the By-laws of the Company provides as follows:

SECTION VII.1. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS. The Corporation may
indemnify any person made, or threatened to be made, a party to an action by or
in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of
the fact that he or she, his or her testator, testatrix or intestate, is or was
a director or officer of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of
the Corporation as a director or officer of any other corporation of any type or
kind, domestic or foreign, of any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee
benefit plan or other enterprise, against amounts paid in settlement and
reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees, actually and necessarily
incurred by him or her in connection with the defense or settlement of such
action, or in connection with an appeal therein, if such director or officer
acted, in good faith, for a purpose which he or she reasonably believed to be
in, or, in the case of service for any other corporation or any partnership,
joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, not opposed to,
the best interests of the Corporation, except that no indemnification under this
Section shall be made in respect of (1) a threatened action, or a pending action
which is settled or is otherwise disposed of, or (2) any claim, issue or matter
as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the
Corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action
was brought, or , if no action was brought, any court of competent jurisdiction,
determines upon application that, in view of all the 


                                       8

<PAGE>   104

circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to 
indemnity for such portion of the settlement amount and expenses as the court 
deems proper.

The Corporation may indemnify any person made, or threatened to be made, a party
to an action or proceeding (other than one by or in the right of the Corporation
to procure a judgment in its favor), whether civil or criminal, including an
action by or in the right of any other corporation of any type or kind, domestic
or foreign, or any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or
other enterprise, which any director or officer of the Corporation served in any
capacity at the request of the Corporation, by reason of the fact that he or
she, his or her testator, testatrix or intestate, was a director or officer of
the Corporation, or served such other corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise in any capacity, against
judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses, including
attorneys' fees actually and necessarily incurred as a result of such action or
proceeding, or any appeal therein, if such director or officer acted, in good
faith, for a purpose which he or she reasonably believed to be in, or, in the
case of service for any other corporation or any partnership, joint venture,
trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, not opposed to, the best
interests of the Corporation and, in criminal actions or proceedings, in
addition, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was
unlawful.

The termination of any such civil or criminal action or proceeding by judgment,
settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere, of its equivalent,
shall not in itself create a presumption that any such director or officer did
not act, in good faith, for a purpose which he or she reasonably believed to be
in, or, in the case of service for any other corporation or any partnership,
joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, not opposed to,
the best interest of the Corporation or that he or she had reasonable cause to
believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.


Notwithstanding the foregoing, Registrant hereby makes the following undertaking
pursuant to Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933:

         Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities
         Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
         persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
         otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
         Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against
         public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
         In the event a claim for indemnification against such liabilities
         (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid
         by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the
         successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
         such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
         securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion
         of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
         submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
         indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act
         and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Registrant hereby makes the following undertaking
pursuant to Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933:

         Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities
         Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
         persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
         otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
         Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against
         public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
         In


                                       9


<PAGE>   105


         the event a claim for indemnification against such liabilities
         (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid
         by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the
         successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
         such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
         securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion
         of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
         submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
         indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act
         and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Item 29. PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

a.       NAME OF INVESTMENT COMPANY                    CAPACITY IN WHICH ACTING
<S>      <C>                                           <C>

         Manufacturers Investment Trust                Investment Adviser

         The Manufacturers Life Insurance              Principal Underwriter
         Company of North America Separate
         Account A

         The Manufacturers Life Insurance              Principal Underwriter
         Company of North America Separate
         Account B

         The Manufacturers Life Insurance              Principal Underwriter
         Company of New York Separate
         Account A

         The Manufacturers Life Insurance              Principal Underwriter
         Company of New York Separate
         Account B
</TABLE>

b. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of North America is the managing
member of Manufacturers Securities Services, LLC and has sole power to act on
behalf of Manufacturers Securities Services, LLC. The officers and directors of
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of North America are set forth below.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

NAME AND PRINCIPAL                     POSITION WITH THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE 
BUSINESS ADDRESS                       INSURANCE COMPANY OF NORTH AMERICA
<S>                                    <C>   
John D. Richardson                     Director and Chairman of the Board of
200 Bloor Street East                  Directors
North Tower, 11th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
Canada  M4W-1E5

</TABLE>

                                       10
<PAGE>   106


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

NAME AND PRINCIPAL                     POSITION WITH THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE
BUSINESS ADDRESS                       COMPANY OF NORTH AMERICA
<S>                                    <C>   
Peter S. Hutchison                     Director
200 Bloor Street East
North Tower, 7th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
Canada  M4W-1E5

John D. DesPrez III                    President & Director
73 Tremont Street
Boston, MA  02108

Robert Boyda                           Vice President, Investment Management 
73 Tremont Street                      Services
Boston, MA   01208

James Boyle                            Vice President, Institutional Markets
116 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02116

James D. Gallagher                     Vice President, Secretary and General 
73 Tremont Street                      Counsel
Boston, MA  02108

Bill Hayward                           Vice President, Administration
116 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02116

David W. Libbey                        Vice President, Treasurer & Chief
73 Tremont Street                      Financial Officer
Boston, MA 02108

Hugh McHaffie                          Vice President, U.S. Annuities and 
73 Tremont Street                      Product Development
Boston, MA 02108

Janet Sweeney                          Vice President, Corporate Services
73 Tremont Street
Boston, MA 02108

John G. Vrysen                         Vice President & Chief Actuary
73 Tremont Street
Boston, MA  02108
</TABLE>

                                       11

<PAGE>   107

c.       None.

Item 30. LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS.

All books and records are maintained at Corporate Center at Rye, 555 Theodore
Fremd Avenue, Rye, New York 10580.

Item 31. MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

The Company has entered into an Administrative Services Agreement with The
Manufacturers Life Insurance Company ("Manulife"). This Agreement provides that
under the general supervision of the Board of Directors of the Company, and
subject to initiation, preparation and verification by the Chief Administrative
Officer of the Company, Manulife shall provide accounting services related to
the provision of a payroll support system, general ledger, accounts payable, tax
and auditing services.

Item 32. UNDERTAKINGS.

a.       The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
         undertakes (a) to file a post-effective amendment to this registration
         statement as frequently as is necessary to ensure that the audited
         financial statements in the registration statement are never more than
         16 months old for so long as payments under the variable annuity
         contracts may be accepted, (b) to include either (1) as part of any
         application to purchase a contract offered by the prospectus, a space
         that an applicant can check to request a Statement of Additional
         Information, or (2) a post card or similar written commuication affixed
         to or included in the prospectus that the applicant can remove to send
         for a Statement of Additional Information and (c) to deliver any
         Statement of Additional Information and any financial statements
         required to be made available under this Form promptly upon written or
         oral request.

b.       Representation of Insurer pursuant to Section 26 of the Investment
         Company Act of 1940.

         The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York (the "Company")
         hereby represents that the fees and charges deducted under the
         Contracts issued pursuant to this registration statement, in the
         aggregate, are reasonable in relation to the services rendered, the
         expenses expected to be incurred and the risks assumed by the Company.


                                       12

<PAGE>   108

                                   SIGNATURES

As required by the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of
1940, the Registrant, THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
SEPARATE ACCOUNT A, has caused this amended Registration Statement to be signed
on its behalf, in the City of Boston, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts on this
3rd day of November, 1998.

                                          THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE
                                          COMPANY OF NEW YORK SEPARATE
                                          ACCOUNT A
                                                  (Registrant)

                                          By: THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE
                                              COMPANY OF NEW YORK
                                                   (Depositor)


                                          By: A. Scott Logan
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              A. Scott Logan
                                              President
Attest
Tracy A. Kane
- ----------------------------
Tracy A. Kane
Secretary

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Depositor has
duly caused this amended Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned on the 3rd day of November, 1998 in the City of Boston, and
Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

                                          THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE
                                          COMPANY OF NEW YORK SEPARATE
                                          ACCOUNT A
                                                    (Registrant)


                                          By: THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE
                                              COMPANY OF NEW YORK
                                                   (Depositor)

                                          By: A. Scott Logan
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              A. Scott Logan
                                              President

Attest
Tracy A. Kane
- ----------------------------
Tracy A. Kane
Secretary


                                       13
<PAGE>   109

As required by the Securities Act of 1933, this amended Registration Statement
has been signed by the following persons in the capacities with the Depositor
on the 3rd day of November, 1998.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

SIGNATURE                          TITLE
<S>                                <C>   
A. Scott Logan                     Director and President
- --------------------------------   (Principal Executive
A. Scott Logan                     Officer

*                                  Chairman of the Board
- --------------------------------   of Directors
John D. Richardson

*                                  Director
- --------------------------------
John D. DesPrez, III

*                                  Director
- --------------------------------
Ruth Ann Flemming

*                                  Director
- --------------------------------
Neil M. Merkl

*                                  Director
- --------------------------------
Robert C. Perez

*                                  Director
- --------------------------------
James K. Robinson

*                                  Director
- --------------------------------
Theodore Kilkuskie

*                                  Director
- --------------------------------
Bruce Avedon

*                                  Director
- --------------------------------
Bruce Gordon


David W. Libbey                    Treasurer (Principal
- --------------------------------   Financial and Accounting
                                   Officer)
* By: Tracy A. Kane
  ------------------------------
      Tracy A. Kane
      Attorney-in-Fact Pursuant
      to Powers of Attorney
</TABLE>


                                       14
<PAGE>   110


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Exhibit No.                Description
- -----------                -----------
<S>                        <C>
   

(9)                        Opinion of Counsel and Consent to its use as to the Legality  
                           of the Securities being Registered

(10)(a)                    Written Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Auditors

(10)(b)                    Written Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP Independent Accountants
</TABLE>
    

                                       15


<PAGE>   1

                                                                       EXHIBIT 9

              THE MANUFACTURERS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK
                      55 Theodore Fremd Avenue, Suite C-209
                               Rye, MA 10580-9966

November 3, 1998

To whom it may concern,

This opinion is written in reference to the single payment individual deferred
combination fixed and variable annuity contracts (the "Contracts") to be issued
by The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York, a New York corporation
(the "Company"), with respect to the variable portion of which pre-effective
Amendment No. 1 to a Registration Statement on Form N-4, File No. 333-61283 (the
"Registration Statement") is being filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the"Act").

As counsel to the Company, I have examined such records and documents and
reviewed such question of law as I deemed necessary for purposes of this
opinion.

1. The Company has been duly incorporated under the laws of the state of New
York and is a validly existing corporation.

2. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A (the
"Variable Account") is a separate account of the Company and is duly created and
validly existing pursuant to Article 42, Section 4240 of the New York Insurance
Laws.

3. The portion of the assets to be held in the Variable Account equal to the
reserves and other liabilities under the Contracts is not chargeable with
liabilities arising out of any other business the Company may conduct.

4. The Contracts, when issued in accordance with the prospectus contained in the
effective Registration Statement and upon compliance with applicable local law,
will be legal and binding obligations of the Company.

I consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

Very truly yours,

Tracy A. Kane

Tracy A. Kane
Secretary and Counsel





<PAGE>   1
                                                                  EXHIBIT (10(a)


                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS


We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Independent Auditors"
and to the use of our reports dated February 18, 1998 with respect to the
financial statements of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York
(formerly First North American Life Assurance Company and hereinafter referred
to as the Company) and February 5, 1998 with respect to the financial statements
of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A
(formerly FNAL Variable Account of First North American Life Assurance Company)
in Pre Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement (form N-4 File
No. 333-61283).


                                                 /s/ ERNST & YOUNG LLP

                                                 ERNST & YOUNG LLP


Boston, Massachusetts
November 2, 1998



<PAGE>   1
                                                                  EXHIBIT (10(b)


                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


We consent to the inclusion in Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to this
Registration Statement on Form N-4 (File No. 333-61283) of our report which
includes an explanatory paragraph, regarding the adoption of Financial
Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 40 and Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 120, dated January 22, 1998, on our audit of the
financial statements of The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company of New York
(formerly First North American Life Assurance Company). We also consent to the
reference to our firm under the caption "Independent Auditors." 


                                                  /s/ PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP

                                                  PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP


Boston, Massachusetts
November 2, 1998






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