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File No. 33-79170, 811-8524
Filed under Rule 497(e)
EQUITABLE
OF IOWA COMPANIES
USG Annuity & Life Company
Equitable Life Insurance
Company of Iowa
March 16, 1998
Dear Equi-Select Contract Holder:
Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa ("Equitable Life")
is pleased to distribute this supplement to your variable
contract prospectus information* and to notify you of a
proposal to replace all shares of the Portfolios of the Equi-
Select Series Trust (the "ESS Trust") by substituting shares
of certain Series of The GCG Trust (the "GCG Trust") in
their place (the "Substitution"). Some of the shares to be
replaced may be held on your behalf under the terms of your
variable contract.
Recently, Equitable Life, together with its affiliated
insurance companies (collectively, the "Companies"), on
behalf of themselves, their separate accounts and the ESS
and GCG Trusts filed an application with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") requesting an order
approving the Substitution. Upon obtaining such an order
from the Commission, and subject to any prior approval by
applicable insurance authorities, the Companies propose to
effect the Substitution as soon as is practicable.
When approved, the following substitutions will occur:
ESS TRUST PORTFOLIO TO BE REPLACED GCG TRUST SUBSTITUTE SERIES
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Growth & Income Portfolio Growth & Income Series
Research Portfolio Research Series
Total Return Portfolio Total Return Series
Value + Growth Portfolio Value + Growth Series
International Fixed Income Portfolio Global Fixed Income Series
OTC Portfolio Mid-Cap Growth Series
Money Market Portfolio Liquid Assets Series
Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio Limited Maturity Bond Series
Advantage Portfolio Limited Maturity Bond Series
This proposal for substitution is being made to provide a
transfer of the assets of each Portfolio of the ESS Trust
into similar Series of the GCG Trust in order to reduce
operating expenses and create larger economies of scale from
which a further reduction of expenses is anticipated.
Contract holders will benefit directly from any reduction of
Trust expenses. You will not bear any expense associated
with the Substitution.
Two of the Series of the GCG Trust to be substituted, the
Liquid Assets and Limited Maturity Bond Series, already
exist and may be offered currently under your variable
contract.
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* This supplement updates the following prospectus:
Equitable Life's Equi-Select Individual Flexible Purchase
Payment Deferred Variable and Fixed Annuity Contract
Prospectus, dated May 1, 1997 as amended July 9, 1997,
October 29, 1997 and January 5, 1998.
Equi-Select
909 Locust Street . Des Moines, IA 50309
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Equi-Select Contract Holder
March 16, 1998
Page 2
The other Series are not available under your contract now,
but will be made available at the time of substitution.
A contract holder with holdings in the ESS Trust, prior to
the date of Substitution, may transfer or reallocate the
value in his or her subaccount in the ESS Trust to any
subaccount currently available under his or her variable
contract including those subaccounts of the GCG Trust from
now until the Substitution without any limitation or
charges. Moreover, following the Substitution for a period
of 30 days, unlimited transfers or reallocations will be
permitted without any limitation or charge. After the 30
days, any subaccount transfers or reallocations will be
subject to the current restrictions, if any, described in
your contract Prospectus.
Enclosed is an updated Prospectus for the GCG Trust
detailing all Series currently available. Some of these
Series may not be available under the terms of your variable
contract. Please refer to your contract prospectus for the
GCG Trust Series available currently to you. Also enclosed
is a supplement GCG Trust Prospectus which describes those
Series of the GCG Trust which are not offered currently, but
will be, effective with the substitution. You may obtain
additional Prospectuses by writing or calling at the address
or telephone number set out below.
The Companies believe, based on a review of existing federal
income tax laws and regulations, that the Substitution will
not have any tax consequences to contract holders.
Upon obtaining the requested order for substitution from the
Commission, and subject to any prior approval by applicable
insurance authorities, the Companies will effect the
Substitution by simultaneously placing an order to redeem
the shares of the Portfolios of the ESS Trust and an order
to purchase shares of Series of the GCG Trust. Contract
holders will not bear any expenses associated with the
Substitution. Directed Services, Inc., Equitable Life
Insurance Company of Iowa, Golden American Life Insurance
Company and First Golden American Life Insurance Company of
New York will bear all expenses attributable to the
Substitution. After the Substitution has been completed,
Customer Service will send affected contract holders a
notice within five days.
If you have any questions, please call Customer Service at
800-344-6855.
Sincerely,
Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa
Equi-Select
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EQUITABLE
OF IOWA COMPANIES
USG Annuity & Life Company
Equitable Life Insurance
Company of Iowa
March 16, 1998
Dear PrimElite Contract Holder:
Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa ("Equitable Life")
is pleased to distribute this supplement to your variable
contract prospectus information* and to notify you of a
proposal to replace all shares of the Portfolios of the Equi-
Select Series Trust (the "ESS Trust") by substituting shares
of certain Series of The GCG Trust (the "GCG Trust") in
their place (the "Substitution"). Some of the shares to be
replaced may be held on your behalf under the terms of your
variable contract.
Recently, Equitable Life, together with its affiliated
insurance companies (collectively, the "Companies"), on
behalf of themselves, their separate accounts and the ESS
and GCG Trusts filed an application with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") requesting an order
approving the Substitution. Upon obtaining such an order
from the Commission, and subject to any prior approval by
applicable insurance authorities, the Companies propose to
effect the Substitution as soon as is practicable.
When approved, the following substitutions will occur:
ESS TRUST PORTFOLIO TO BE REPLACED GCG TRUST SUBSTITUTE SERIES
---------------------------------- ---------------------------
Growth & Income Portfolio Growth & Income Series
Research Portfolio Research Series
Total Return Portfolio Total Return Series
Value + Growth Portfolio Value + Growth Series
International Fixed Income Portfolio Global Fixed Income Series
OTC Portfolio Mid-Cap Growth Series
Money Market Portfolio Liquid Assets Series
Mortgage-Backed Securities Portfolio Limited Maturity Bond Series
Advantage Portfolio Limited Maturity Bond Series
This proposal for substitution is being made to provide a
transfer of the assets of each Portfolio of the ESS Trust
into similar Series of the GCG Trust in order to reduce
operating expenses and create larger economies of scale from
which a further reduction of expenses is anticipated.
Contract holders will benefit directly from any reduction of
Trust expenses. You will not bear any expense associated
with the Substitution.
Two of the Series of the GCG Trust to be substituted, the
Liquid Assets and Limited Maturity Bond Series, already
exist and may be offered currently under your variable
contract.
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* This supplement updates the following prospectus:
Equitable Life's PrimElite Individual Flexible Purchase
Payment Deferred Variable and Fixed Annuity Contract
Prospectus, dated May 1, 1997 as amended July 9, 1997,
October 29, 1997 and January 5, 1998.
PrimElite
909 Locust Street . Des Moines, IA 50309
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<PAGE>
PrimElite Contract Holder
March 16, 1998
Page 2
The other Series are not available under your contract now,
but will be made available at the time of substitution. Some
of the existing ESS Trust Portfolios may not be available
under the terms of your variable contract, and, generally,
there is no plan to make the corresponding GCG Trust Series
available.
A contract holder with holdings in the ESS Trust, prior to
the date of Substitution, may transfer or reallocate the
value in his or her subaccount in the ESS Trust to any
subaccount currently available under his or her variable
contract including those subaccounts of the GCG Trust from
now until the Substitution without any limitation or
charges. Moreover, following the Substitution for a period
of 30 days, unlimited transfers or reallocations will be
permitted without any limitation or charge. After the 30
days, any subaccount transfers or reallocations will be
subject to the current restrictions, if any, described in
your contract Prospectus.
Enclosed is an updated Prospectus for the GCG Trust
detailing all Series currently available. Currently, none of
these Series is available under the terms of your variable
contract. Please refer to your contract prospectus for the
investment options available currently to you. Effective
with the substitution, the Liquid Asset Series of the GCG
Trust will replace the Money Market Portfolio of the ESS
Trust. You may obtain additional Prospectuses by writing or
calling at the address or telephone number set out below.
The Companies believe, based on a review of existing federal
income tax laws and regulations, that the Substitution will
not have any tax consequences to contract holders.
Upon obtaining the requested order for substitution from the
Commission, and subject to any prior approval by applicable
insurance authorities, the Companies will effect the
Substitution by simultaneously placing an order to redeem
the shares of the Portfolios of the ESS Trust and an order
to purchase shares of Series of the GCG Trust. Contract
holders will not bear any expenses associated with the
Substitution. Directed Services, Inc., Equitable Life
Insurance Company of Iowa, Golden American Life Insurance
Company and First Golden American Life Insurance Company of
New York will bear all expenses attributable to the
Substitution. After the Substitution has been completed,
Customer Service will send affected contract holders a
notice within five days.
If you have any questions, please call Customer Service at
800-648-6810.
Sincerely,
Equitable Life Insurance Company of Iowa
PrimElite
