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NEW ENGLAND LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
NEW ENGLAND VARIABLE ANNUITY SEPARATE ACCOUNT
NEW ENGLAND VARIABLE LIFE SEPARATE ACCOUNT
SUPPLEMENT
DATED MARCH 17, 2000
TO
PROSPECTUSES DATED APRIL 30, 1999, OCTOBER 25, 1999
AND MAY 1, 1988
METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
THE NEW ENGLAND VARIABLE ACCOUNT
SUPPLEMENT
DATED MARCH 17, 2000
TO
PROSPECTUS DATED APRIL 30, 1999
PROPOSED SUBSTITUTION. New England Life Insurance Company ("NELICO"),
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company ("MetLife"), and other applicants intend
to file an application (the "Application") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") on or before May 1, 2000 seeking an order approving the
substitution of shares currently held by subaccounts of New England Variable
Annuity Separate Account, New England Variable Life Separate Account, and The
New England Variable Account. To the extent required by law, approval of the
substitution will also be obtained from the state insurance regulators in
certain jurisdictions.
NELICO and MetLife propose to substitute shares of the Putnam International
Stock Portfolio of the Metropolitan Series Fund, Inc. for shares of the Morgan
Stanley International Magnum Equity Series of the New England Zenith Fund. THE
EFFECT OF THE PROPOSED SHARE SUBSTITUTION WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE MORGAN
STANLEY INTERNATIONAL MAGNUM EQUITY SERIES AS AN INVESTMENT OPTION UNDER YOUR
CONTRACT WITH THE PUTNAM INTERNATIONAL STOCK PORTFOLIO. The investment
objective of the Putnam International Stock Portfolio is long-term growth of
capital. You will receive a prospectus for the Putnam International Stock
Portfolio prior to the substitution.
From the date the Application is filed with the SEC, to the date 30 days
after the substitution, you can make one transfer of contract value in the
Morgan Stanley International Magnum Equity Subaccount (before the
substitution) or the Putnam International Stock Subaccount (after the
substitution) to any other subaccount without that transfer counting toward
the number permitted under your contract (without charge, if relevant).
If the proposed substitution is carried out, we will send you a notice
informing you about the substitution and the transfer rights described above.
NEW ENGLAND ZENITH FUND CHANGES. A number of changes will affect the New
England Zenith Fund on May 1, 2000. Please refer to the enclosed supplement
for the New England Zenith Fund for more information.
* * *
This supplement should be retained with your Prospectus for future
reference.
VL-146-00