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DEAN WITTER SELECT DIMENSIONS VARIABLE ANNUITY
Hartford Life Insurance Company
Supplement Dated December 31, 1996
to the Dean Witter Select Dimensions Variable Annuity
Prospectus Dated May 1, 1996
The second paragraph on page 1 should read as follows:
There are currently thirteen Sub-Accounts available under the Contract.
The underlying investment portfolios ("Portfolios") of the Dean
Witter Select Dimensions Investment Series for the Sub-Accounts
are the Money Market Portfolio, the North American Government
Securities Portfolio, the Diversified Income Portfolio, the
Balanced Portfolio, the Utilities Portfolio, the Dividend Growth
Portfolio, the Value-Added Market Portfolio, the Core Equity Portfolio,
the American Value Portfolio, the Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio, the
Global Equity Portfolio, the Developing Growth Portfolio, and the
Emerging Markets Portfolio.
The table entitled "Annual Operating Expenses" on page 4 should contain the
following information:
Total Fund
Management Other Operating
Fees Expenses Expenses
---------- -------- --------
The Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio* 0.750% 0.060% 0.810%
*The Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio did not commence operations prior to
December 31, 1996. The Investment Manager has undertaken to assume
all expenses of the Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio and waive the compensation
provided for that Portfolio in its Management Agreement with the Fund
until such time as the Portfolio has $50 million of net assets or until
six months from the date of the Portfolio's commencement of
operations, whichever occurs first.
The Example on page 5 should contain the following information:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
If you surrender your contract If you annuitize at the end If you do not surrender your
at the end of the applicable time of the applicable time period: contract: You would pay the
period: You would pay the following You would pay the following expenses following expenses on a
expenses on a $1,000 investment, on a $1,000 investment assuming $1,000 investment, assuming
assuming a 5% annual return on assets: a 5% annual return on assets: a 5% annual return on assets:
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Sub-Account 1 3 5 10 1 3 5 10 1 3 5 10
- ---------- yr. yrs. yrs. yrs. yr. yrs. yrs. yrs. yr. yrs. yrs. yrs.
---- ----- ----- ----- ---- ----- ----- ----- ---- ----- ----- -----
The Money
Market $83 $122 $164 $265 $23 $71 $123 $264 $23 $72 $124 $265
Portfolio
</TABLE>
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<TABLE>
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
The North 101 174 248 425 40 123 207 424 41 124 208 425
American Gov't
Securities
Portfolio
The Diversified 89 138 190 317 28 87 149 316 29 88 150 317
Income Portfolio
The Balanced 89 140 193 323 29 89 152 322 29 90 153 323
Portfolio
The Utilities 90 141 195 327 29 90 154 326 30 91 155 327
Portfolio
The Dividend 84 123 165 267 23 72 124 266 24 73 125 267
Growth Portfolio
The Value-Added 90 142 197 330 29 91 156 329 30 92 157 330
Market Portfolio
The Core Equity 101 174 248 425 40 123 207 424 41 124 208 425
Portfolio
The American 85 127 171 280 24 76 131 279 25 77 131 280
Value Portfolio
The Mid-Cap 83 122 164 265 23 71 123 264 23 72 124 265
Growth Portfolio
The Global 92 149 208 352 32 98 167 351 32 99 168 352
Equity
Portfolio
The Developing 88 136 186 308 27 85 145 307 28 86 146 308
Growth Portfolio
The Emerging 101 174 248 425 40 123 207 424 41 124 208 425
Markets
Portfolio
</TABLE>
The purpose of this table is to assist the Contract Owner in understanding
various costs and expenses that a Contract Owner will bear directly or
indirectly. The table reflects expenses of the Separate Account and Funds.
Premium taxes may also be applicable.
This EXAMPLE should not be considered a representation of past or future
expenses and actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown.
The paragraph entitled "What Types of Investments Are Available Under the
Contract" on page 7 should read as follows:
The underlying investments for the Contract are shares of the Dean Witter
Select Dimensions Investment Series, an open-end diversified series
investment company with multiple portfolios ("Portfolio") as follows: the
Money Market Portfolio, the North American Government Securities
Portfolio, the Diversified Income Portfolio, the Balanced Portfolio,
the Utilities Portfolio, the Dividend Growth Portfolio, the Value-Added
Market Portfolio, the Core Equity Portfolio, the American Value Portfolio,
the Mid-Cap Growth Portfolio, the Global Equity Portfolio, the
Developing Growth Portfolio, and the Emerging Markets
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Portfolio and such other Portfolios as shall be offered from time to
time, and the Fixed Account, or a combination of the Portfolios and
the Fixed Account. (See "The Portfolios" commencing on page 11 and
"The Fixed Account" commencing on page 10.)
The paragraph entitled "American Value Portfolio" under the section entitled
"The Portfolios" on page 11 should be replaced with the following:
AMERICAN VALUE PORTFOLIO
Seeks long-term capital growth consistent with an effort to reduce
volatility, by investing principally in common stock of companies in
industries which, at the time of the investment, are believed to be
attractively valued given their above average relative earnings growth
potential at that time.
The section entitled "The Portfolios" on page 11 should contain the following
additional paragraph:
MID-CAP GROWTH PORTFOLIO
Seeks long-term capital growth by investing primarily in equity
securities of "mid-cap" companies (that is, companies whose
equity market capitalization falls within the range of
$250 million to $5 billion).
HV-2092
33-80738