PRINCIPAL MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY SEPARATE ACCOUNT B
485APOS, 1997-10-17
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                                                      Registration No. 33-74232


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM N-4


             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                      Pre-Effective Amendment No. _____ _____
                                                       
                     Post-Effective Amendment No. __5__ __X__


                                     and/or


         REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

                             Amendment No. ___ _____

                        (Check appropriate box or boxes)

         Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company Separate Account B
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                           (Exact Name of Registrant)


                  Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               (Name of Depositor)

          The Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, Iowa              50392
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  (Address of Depositor's Principal Executive Offices)               (Zip Code)


Depositor's Telephone Number, including Area Code   (515) 248-3842


  M. D. Roughton, The Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, Iowa  50392
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Registrant  has  heretofore  registered  an  indefinite  amount of such Separate
Account B Variable  Annuity  Contracts under the Securities Act of 1933 pursuant
to Rule  24f-2;  Registrant  filed a 24f-2  notice  for the fiscal  year  ending
December 31, 1996 on February 27, 1997.

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)

        _____  immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485

        _____  on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485

        __X__  60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485

        _____  on (date) pursuant to paragraph  (a)(1) of Rule 485  

               75 days after filing  pursuant to paragraph  (a)(2) of Rule 485 

        _____  on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

               If appropriate, check the following box:

        _____  This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for
               a previously filed post-effective amendment.
<PAGE>
           PRINCIPAL MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY SEPARATE ACCOUNT B
                   FLEXIBLE VARIABLE ANNUITY ("FVA") CONTRACT

                       Registration Statement on Form N-4
                              Cross Reference Sheet

Form N-4 Item                                      Caption in Prospectus

Part A

  1.   Cover Page                                Principal Mutual Life
                                                 Insurance Company Separate
                                                 Account B Flexible Variable
                                                 Annuity ("FVA") Contract

  2.   Definitions                               Glossary of Special Terms

  3.   Synopsis                                  Expense Table and Example,
       Summary

  4.   Condensed Financial                       Performance Calculation,
       Information                               Independent Auditors, 
                                                 Financial Statements

  5.   General Description of                    Summary, Description of
       Registrant                                Principal Mutual Life
                                                 Insurance Company, Principal
                                                 Mutual Life Insurance Company
                                                 Separate Account B, Voting
                                                 Rights, Mutual Funds

  6.   Deductions                                Summary, Charges and
                                                 Deductions, Annual Fee,
                                                 Mortality and Expense Risks
                                                 Charge, Transaction Fee,
                                                 Premium Taxes, Surrender
                                                 Charge, Administrative Expense
                                                 Charge, Distribution of the
                                                 Contract

  7.   General Description of                    Summary, The Contract,
       Variable Annuity Contract                 Purchasing a Contract,
                                                 Purchase  Payment  Limitations,
                                                 Allocation of Purchase  Payment
                                                 Right to Examine the  Contract,
                                                 Exchange Credit,
                                                 Prior to the  Retirement  Date,
                                                 Determining   the   Accumulated
                                                 Value    of    the    Contract,
                                                 Allocation of Purchase Payments
                                                 and   Transfers,    Total   and
                                                 Partial   Surrenders,   Benefit
                                                 Payable on Death of
                                                 Annuitant or Owner, After the
                                                 Retirement Date, Retirement
                                                 Date, Benefit Options, Death
                                                 of Annuitant or Other Payee,
                                                 Principal Mutual Life
                                                 Insurance Company Separate
                                                 Account B, General Provisions,
                                                 Rights Reserved by the Company,
                                                 Contractholders' Inquiries

  8.   Annuity Period                            After the Retirement Date,
                                                 Retirement Date, Benefit
                                                 Options

  9.   Death Benefit                             Benefit Payable on Death of
                                                 Annuitant or Owner, Death of
                                                 Annuitant or Payee, Federal
                                                 Tax Matters, Non-Qualified
                                                 Contracts, Required
                                                 Distributions for Non-Qualified
                                                 Contracts

 10.   Purchase and Contract Value               Summary, The Contract,
                                                 Purchasing a Contract, Purchase
                                                 Payment Limitations, Allocation
                                                 of Purchase Payments, Right
                                                 to Examine the Contract, Prior
                                                 to the Retirement Date,
                                                 Determining the Accumulated
                                                 Value of the Contract,
                                                 Allocation of Purchase Payments
                                                 and Transfers, Postponement of
                                                 Payments, Distribution of the
                                                 Contract

 11.   Redemptions                               Summary, Benefit Options,
                                                 Total and Partial Surrenders,
                                                 Postponement of Payments

 12.   Taxes                                     Summary, Benefit Options,
                                                 Federal Tax Matters,
                                                 Non-Qualified Contracts,
                                                 Required Distributions for
                                                 Non-Qualified Contracts, IRA,
                                                 SEP, SAR/SEP and SIMPLE-IRA,
                                                 Withholding, Mutual Fund 
                                                 Diversification

 13.   Legal Proceedings                         Legal Proceedings

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

Part B                                           Statement of Additional
                                                 Information

                                                 Caption**

 15.   Cover Page                                Principal Mutual Life
                                                 Insurance Company Separate
                                                 Account B Flexible Variable
                                                 Annuity ("FVA") Contract

 16.   Table of Contents                         Table of Contents

 17.   General Information and                   None
       History

 18.   Services                                  Independent Auditors**, 
                                                 Independent Auditors

 19.   Purchase of Securities                    Summary**, Allocation of
       Being Offered                             Purchase Payments and
                                                 Transfers**, Distribution
                                                 of the Contract**

 20.   Underwriters                              Summary**, Distribution of the
                                                 Contract**

 21.   Calculation of Performance                Calculation of Yield and
       Data                                      Total Return

 22.   Annuity Payments                          Benefit Options**

 23.   Financial Statements                      Financial Statements

** Prospectus caption given where appropriate.

<PAGE>

                     PRINCIPAL MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                               SEPARATE ACCOUNT B


                   FLEXIBLE VARIABLE ANNUITY ("FVA") CONTRACT


        Issued by Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company (the "Company")





   
                 Prospectus dated _____________________________
    




This Prospectus  concisely sets forth  information  about Principal  Mutual Life
Insurance  Company Separate Account B and the Flexible Variable Annuity Contract
(the "Contract") that an investor ought to know before  investing.  It should be
read and retained for future reference.

Contributions  to the Contract are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed
by or  endorsed  by any bank nor are  contributions  to the  Contract  federally
insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation,  the Federal Reserve Board
or any other governmental agency.

   
Additional  information about the Contract,  including a Statement of Additional
Information,  dated  _____________,  has  been  filed  with the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission.  The Statement of Additional Information is incorporated by
reference  into this  Prospectus.  The table of  contents  of the  Statement  of
Additional  Information  appears  on page 30 of this  Prospectus.  A copy of the
Statement  of  Additional  Information  can be  obtained,  free of charge,  upon
request by writing or telephoning:
    



                                Variable Annuity
                          The Principal Financial Group
                                  P.O. Box 9382
                            Des Moines, IA 50306-9382
                            Telephone: 1-800-247-9988



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



   
This Prospectus is valid only when accompanied by the current prospectus for the
Principal Variable  Contracts Fund, Inc. These  prospectuses  should be kept for
future reference.
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                                            Page

Glossary of Special Terms ................................................    3
Expense Table and Example.................................................    5
Condensed Financial Information...........................................    6
Summary  .................................................................    7
Description of Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company ...................    9
Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company Separate Account B ...............   10
Mutual Funds..............................................................   10
Surplus Distribution at Sole Discretion of the Company ...................   11
The Contract .............................................................   11
   Purchasing a Contract..................................................   11
     Purchase Payment Limitations.........................................   11
     Allocation of Purchase Payments......................................   12
     Right to Examine the Contract........................................   12
     Exchange Credit......................................................   13
   Prior to the Retirement Date...........................................   13
     Determining the Accumulated Value of the Contract....................   13
     Allocation of Purchase Payments......................................   14
     Transfers............................................................   14
     Automatic Portfolio Rebalancing......................................   15
     Telephone Services...................................................   15
     Total and Partial Surrenders.........................................   16
     Benefit Payable on Death of Annuitant or Owner.......................   17
   After the Retirement Date..............................................   17
     Retirement Date .....................................................   17
     Benefit Options .....................................................   18
     Death of Annuitant or Other Payee....................................   19
Charges and Deductions ...................................................   19
   Annual Fee.............................................................   19
   Mortality and Expense Risks Charge ....................................   19
   Transaction Fee........................................................   20
   Premium Taxes .........................................................   20
   Surrender Charge.......................................................   20
   Administrative Expense Charge..........................................   21
Special Provisions for Group or Sponsored Arrangements....................   22
Fixed Account.............................................................   22
   General Description ...................................................   22
   Fixed Account Value ...................................................   23
   Fixed Account Transfers, Total and Partial Surrenders..................   23
General Provisions .......................................................   23
   The Contract...........................................................   23
   Postponement of Payments...............................................   23
   Misstatement of Age or Sex and Other Errors............................   24
   Assignment ............................................................   24
   Change of Owner........................................................   24
   Beneficiary............................................................   24
Reports  .................................................................   24
Rights Reserved by the Company............................................   25
Distribution of the Contract..............................................   25
Performance Calculation...................................................   25
Voting Rights.............................................................   26

                                                                           Page
Federal Tax Matters.......................................................   26
   Non-Qualified Contracts................................................   26
   Required Distributions for Non-Qualified Contracts.....................   27
   IRA, SEP, SAR/SEP and SIMPLE-IRA.......................................   27
   Withholding............................................................   28
   Mutual Fund Diversification............................................   28
State Regulation..........................................................   28
Legal Opinions............................................................   28
Legal Proceedings.........................................................   28
Registration Statement....................................................   29
Other Variable Annuity Contracts..........................................   29
Independent Auditors......................................................   29
Financial Statements......................................................   29
Contractholders' Inquiries................................................   29
Table of Contents of the Statement of Additional Information..............   30
Appendix A................................................................   31
    

This Prospectus does not constitute an offer of, or solicitation of any offer to
acquire, any interest in the Contract in any jurisdiction in which such an offer
or  solicitation  may not lawfully be made.  No person is authorized to give any
information or to make any representations in connection with the Contract other
than those contained in this Prospectus.


This Prospectus does not constitute an offer of, or solicitation of any offer to
acquire, any interest in the Contract in any jurisdiction in which such an offer
or  solicitation  may not lawfully be made.  No person is authorized to give any
information or to make any representations in connection with the Contract other
than those contained in this Prospectus.

GLOSSARY OF SPECIAL TERMS

   
Account -- Series or  portfolio  of a Mutual  Fund in which a  Separate  Account
Division invests.
    

Accumulated  Value  -- An  amount  equal to the  Fixed  Account  Value  plus the
Separate Account Value.

Anniversary -- The same date and month of each year following the Contract Date.

Annual Fee -- A charge  deducted once each Contract Year prior to the Retirement
Date,  either on the last day of the  Contract  Year or the date the Contract is
surrendered in full (a total redemption).

Annuitant  -- The  person,  including  any Joint  Annuitant,  on whose  life the
Benefit Option payment is based. This person may or may not be the Owner.

Benefit Option -- The options  described in the Benefit  Options section of this
Prospectus.

Contract  Date -- The date the  contract is issued as shown on the current  Data
Page of the contract.

Contract Year -- The one-year  period  beginning on the Contract Date and ending
one day before the Anniversary and any subsequent  one-year period  beginning on
an Anniversary.

     Example: If the Contract Date is June 5, 2000, the first Contract Year ends
     on June 4,  2001,  and the first  Anniversary  falls on June 5,  2001.  The
     second Contract Year ends on June 4, 2002, and the second Anniversary falls
     on June 5, 2002, etc.

Critical  Need -- The  Owner's  or  Annuitant's  confinement  to a  Health  Care
Facility, Terminal Illness diagnosis or Total and Permanent Disability.

   
Division -- A part of the  Separate  Account to which  Purchase  Payments may be
allocated  which invests in shares of an account of a Mutual Fund.  The value of
an  investment  in a Division  is  variable  and not  guaranteed.  Division  may
sometimes be referred to as a Subaccount.
    

Fixed Account -- An account to which  Purchase  Payments may be allocated  which
earns guaranteed interest.

Fixed  Account Value -- The amount of an Owner's  Accumulated  Value which is in
the Fixed Account.

Health  Care  Facility  -- A licensed  hospital or  inpatient  nursing  facility
providing  daily medical  treatment  and keeping daily medical  records for each
patient (not primarily  providing just residency or retirement  care). This does
not include a facility that primarily provides drug or alcohol  treatment,  or a
facility  owned or  operated  by the  Owner or  Annuitant  or a member  of their
immediate families.

Internal  Revenue Code -- The Internal  Revenue  Code of 1986,  as amended,  and
regulations  thereunder.  Reference to the Internal Revenue Code means such Code
or  the  corresponding  provisions  of  any  subsequent  revenue  code  and  any
regulations thereunder.

   
Joint Annuitant -- An additional Annuitant. The Joint Annuitants must be husband
and wife,  and must be named as Owner  and Joint  Owner.  Any  reference  to the
Annuitant's  death  means  the  death of the last  surviving  Annuitant.  (Joint
Annuitants are not permitted in New Jersey, New York or Pennsylvania.)

Joint  Owners  -- An Owner  who has an  undivided  interest  with  the  right of
survivorship  in this  contract  with  another  Owner.  The Joint Owners must be
husband  and  wife,  and must be named as  Annuitant  and Joint  Annuitant.  Any
reference  to the  Owner's  death means the death of the last  surviving  Owner.
Joint  ownership  is  not  available  for  Contracts   issued  to  residents  of
Pennsylvania or New York.
(Joint Owners are not permitted in New Jersey, New York or Pennsylvania.)

Mutual Fund -- A registered  open-end investment company, or Account thereof, in
which a Division invests.
    

Net Investment Factor -- The factor used to determine the change in the value of
a Unit during a Valuation Period.

Notice -- Any form of written communication  received by the Company at its home
office or in another form approved in advance by the Company.

Owner -- The  person,  including  any  Joint  Owner,  who owns  all  rights  and
privileges of this  contract.  If the Owner is not a natural  person,  the Owner
must be an entity with its own taxpayer identification number.

Purchase  Payments -- The gross  amount  contributed  to the  Contract  less any
applicable premium taxes or similar governmental assessments.

Retirement  Date -- The date the Owner's  Accumulated  Value is applied  under a
Benefit Option to make income payments.

   
Separate  Account B -- An account  established  by the Company under Iowa law to
receive  Purchase  Payments under the Contract and other contracts issued by the
Company.  It is divided into  Divisions,  each of which  invests in shares of an
Account of a Mutual Fund. Divisions may be added,  eliminated or combined in the
future.
    

Separate Account Value -- The amount of an Owner's  Accumulated Value in all the
Divisions of the Separate Account.

Surrender  Charge -- The charge  deducted upon any partial or total surrender of
the Contract before the Retirement Date.

Terminal  Illness  -- A  sickness  or injury  that  results  in the  Owner's  or
Annuitant's  life  expectancy  being 12 months  or less from the date  notice to
receive a distribution from the Contract is provided to the Company.

Total and Permanent  Disability  -- A disability  that occurs after the Contract
Date and that  qualifies  the Owner or  Annuitant  to  receive  Social  Security
disability benefits.

Transaction Fee -- A charge deducted due to unscheduled  partial surrenders from
the  Contract  after  the  first  such  surrender  in a  Contract  Year and from
unscheduled  transfers from a Separate  Account  Division after the twelfth such
transfer in a Contract Year.

Unit -- The  accounting  measure  used to  calculate  the value of the  Separate
Account Value prior to the Retirement Date.

Unit  Value -- A  measure  used to  determine  the value of an  investment  in a
Division.

Valuation  Date -- The date as of which the net asset  value of a Mutual Fund is
determined.

Valuation  Period -- The period of time  between  when the net asset  value of a
Mutual  Fund is  determined  on one  Valuation  Date  and  when  such  value  is
determined on the next following Valuation Date.

EXPENSE TABLE AND EXAMPLE

     The following  tables depict fees and expenses  applicable to the Contract.
The example  below should not be considered a  representation  of past or future
expenses;  actual expenses may be greater or less than those shown. See "Charges
and Deductions."


                                  EXPENSE TABLE

   Transaction Expenses
     Sales Load Imposed on Purchases
       (as a percentage of Purchase Payments)          None

     Surrender Charge (as a percentage Number of Completed  Contract Years Since
Surrender Charge Applied to all Purchase of amount surrendered) Purchase Payment
was madePayments Received in that Contract Year

   
           0 (year of Purchase Payment)                         6%
           1                                                    6%
           2                                                    6%
           3                                                    5%
           4                                                    4%
           5                                                    3%
           6                                                    2%
           7 and later                                          0%
    

     Transaction Fee (a) No fee on first unscheduled  partial surrender during a
Contract Year; $30 on each unscheduled surrender thereafter.

   Annual Contract Fee         The lesser of $30 or 2% of the Accumulated Value.
- ----------------------

   Separate Account Annual Expenses (b)
     (as a percentage of average account value)
     Mortality and Expense Risk Fees                          1.25%
     Other Separate Account Expenses                           0

     Total Separate Account Annual
       Expenses                                               1.25%

   
   Annual Expenses of Accounts
     (as a percentage of average net assets)

                                 Management                     Total Account
                                    Fees     Other Expenses    Annual Expenses
   Aggressive Growth Account        .80%        .05%               .85%
   Asset Allocation Account         .80%        .07%               .87%
   Balanced Account                 .60%        .03%               .63%
   Bond Account                     .50%        .03%               .53%
   Capital Value Account            .48%        .01%               .49%
   Government Securities Account    .50%        .02%               .52%
   Growth Account                   .50%        .02%               .52%
   International Account            .75%        .15%               .90%
   MidCap Account                   .64%        .02%               .66%
   Money Market Account             .50%        .06%               .56%

     (a)  $30  transaction  fee will be  assessed on each  unscheduled  transfer
          after the twelfth such transfer during a Contract Year.
    

     (b)  The Company has  reserved  the right to assess a daily  administrative
          charge  at a  nominal  annual  rate of .15% of the  average  daily net
          assets of each Division of the Separate Account.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     EXAMPLE

                                                Separate Account Division      1 Year     3 Years    5 Years   10 Years
                                           -------------------------------     ------     -------    -------   -------- 
<S>                                        <C>                                   <C>       <C>         <C>       <C> 
   
  If you surrender your contract at the    Aggressive Growth Division            $83       $121        $149      $246
  end of the applicable time period:       Asset Allocation Division             $84       $122        $150      $248
                                           Balanced Division                     $81       $115        $138      $223
     You would pay the following           Bond Division                         $80       $112        $133      $213
     expenses on a $1,000 investment,      Capital Value Division                $80       $111        $131      $208
     assuming 5% annual return on assets:  Government Securities Division        $80       $112        $133      $212
                                           Growth Division                       $80       $112        $133      $212
                                           International Division                $84       $123        $151      $251
                                           MidCap Division                       $82       $116        $140      $227
                                           Money Market Division                 $81       $113        $135      $216

   If you annuitize at the end of the      Aggressive Growth Division            $22        $67        $114      $246
   applicable time period or do not        Asset Allocation Division             $22        $67        $115      $248
   surrender your contract:                Balanced Division                     $19        $60        $103      $223
                                           Bond Division                         $18        $57         $98      $213
                                           Capital Value Division                $18        $56         $96      $208
     You would pay the following           Government Securities Division        $18        $57         $98      $212
     expenses on a $1,000 investment,      Growth Division                       $18        $57         $98      $212
     assuming 5% annual return on assets:  International Division                $22        $68        $117      $251
                                           MidCap Division                       $20        $61        $105      $227
                                           Money Market Division                 $19        $58        $100      $216
</TABLE>

The  purpose  of the above  table is to assist  the Owner in  understanding  the
various costs and expenses that a Owner will bear  directly or  indirectly.  The
table reflects  expenses of the Separate  Account as well as the expenses of the
Accounts in which the Separate Account invests. In certain circumstances,  state
premium taxes will also be applicable. See "Charges and Deductions."
    

CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

     Financial   statements   are  included  in  the   Statement  of  Additional
Information.  Following  are  Unit  Values  for the  Flexible  Variable  Annuity
Contract for the periods ended December 31.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             Accumulation Unit Value           Number of Accumulation Units
                                            Beginning         End              Outstanding at End of Period
                                            of period      of period                  (in thousands)
<S>                                          <C>              <C>                        <C>
   
     Aggressive Growth Division
       Year Ended December 31
         1996                                14.503           18.340                     3,971
         1995                                10.184           14.503                     1,324
       Period Ended December 31, 1994 (1)    10.075           10.184                       362
     Asset Allocation Division
       Year Ended December 31
         1996                                11.891           13.260                     2,264
         1995                                 9.978           11.891                       912
       Period Ended December 31, 1994 (1)    10.075            9.978                       303
     Balanced Division
       Year Ended December 31
         1996                                12.270           13.708                     4,661
         1995                                 9.972           12.270                     1,373
       Period Ended December 31, 1994 (1)    10.266            9.972                       370
     Bond Division
       Year Ended December 31
         1996                                12.143           12.275                     3,872
         1995                                10.064           12.143                     1,401
       Period Ended December 31, 1994 (1)    10.050           10.064                       301
     Capital Value Division
       Year Ended December 31
         1996                                13.333           16.261                     6,267
         1995                                10.234           13.333                     2,232
       Period Ended December 31, 1994 (1)    10.328           10.234                       699
     Government Securities Division
       Year Ended December 31
         1996                                11.728           11.969                     5,443
         1995                                 9.973           11.728                     2,023
       Period Ended December 31, 1994 (1)    10.133            9.973                       572
     Growth Division
       Year Ended December 31
         1996                                12.970           14.411                     6,089
         1995                                10.454           12.970                     2,619
       Period Ended December 31, 1994 (1)    10.336           10.454                       764
     International Division
       Year Ended December 31
         1996                                10.804           13.347                     4,797
         1995                                 9.582           10.804                     2,146
       Period Ended December 31, 1994 (1)     9.624            9.582                       936
     MidCap Division
       Year Ended December 31
         1996                                12.880           15.405                     7,285
         1995                                10.108           12.880                     3,059
       Period Ended December 31, 1994 (1)    10.157           10.108                       973
     Money Market Division
       Year Ended December 31
         1996                                10.628           11.027                     2,929
         1995                                10.194           10.628                     1,370
       Period Ended December 31, 1994 (1)    10.027           10.194                       702
    

<FN>
(1) Commenced operations on June 16, 1994. 
</FN>
</TABLE>

SUMMARY

The  following   summary  should  be  read  in  conjunction  with  the  detailed
information in this  Prospectus.  This Prospectus  generally  describes only the
portion of the Contract involving the Separate Account.  For a brief description
of the Fixed  Account,  please  refer to the  heading  "Fixed  Account"  in this
Prospectus.

The Flexible  Variable  Annuity  Contract (also known as the Principal  Variable
Annuity  Contract) (the "Contract")  described in this Prospectus is designed to
provide  individuals with retirement  benefits in connection with (1) Individual
Retirement Annuity plans or programs ("IRA Plans"),  Simplified Employee Pension
Plans ("SEPs"),  Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SAR/SEPs")
and Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees  ("SIMPLE") IRAs adopted pursuant
to Section 408 of the  Internal  Revenue Code and (2)  non-qualified  retirement
plans.

Minimum Investment Amount

For Contracts  issued in connection with  non-qualified  retirement  plans,  the
initial Purchase  Payment must be at least $2,500.  The initial Purchase Payment
for all  other  Contracts  must  be at  least  $1,000.  The  minimum  subsequent
investment  is  $100.  A  $100  monthly   minimum  for  initial  and  subsequent
investments is available for Contracts to which Purchase  Payments are made on a
monthly basis through a payroll  deduction plan or through an account of bank or
similar financial  institution under an Automatic Investment Program.  Forms and
preauthorized check agreements to establish an Automatic  Investment Program are
available from Princor Financial Services  Corporation.  For Contracts which are
issued in connection with a retirement plan covering more than four people,  the
initial and subsequent  monthly Purchase Payment under each Contract must at all
times  average  at  least  $100 and in no case be less  than  $50.  The  Company
reserves the right to terminate a Contract and distribute the Accumulated Value,
less any  applicable  charges,  if no  Purchase  Payments  are paid  during  two
consecutive  calendar years and the Accumulated Value or total Purchase Payments
less partial  surrenders and applicable  surrender  charges is less than $2,000.
See "Purchase Payment Limitations."

The initial  Purchase  Payment is  allocated,  as  specified by the Owner in the
Contract  application,  among  one or  more  of the  Divisions  of the  Separate
Account, or to the Fixed Account,  or to both.  Subsequent Purchase Payments are
allocated in the same way, or pursuant to different allocation  percentages that
the Owner may subsequently specify.

Separate Account Investment Options

   
Each  of  the  Divisions  of  the  Separate  Account  invests  in  shares  of  a
corresponding  Account  in the  Principal  Variable  Contracts  Fund,  Inc.  The
Accumulated  Value in each of the Divisions of the Separate Account will vary to
reflect the investment experience of each of the corresponding  Accounts as well
as deductions for certain charges.

Each Account has a separate and distinct investment  objective and is managed by
Principal   Management   Corporation   ("Manager").   For  providing  investment
management  services to the Accounts of the Principal  Variable  Contracts Fund,
Inc., the Manager receives fees from each Account based on the average daily net
assets of the Account.  Each Account  also bears most of its other  expenses.  A
full description of Accounts and their investment objectives, policies and risks
can be found in the current  Prospectus  for the  Principal  Variable  Contracts
Fund, Inc., which accompanies this Prospectus.
    

Transfers

Subject to restrictions described in this Prospectus,  an Owner can transfer all
or part of the Accumulated Value among the Contract's  investment  options prior
to the Retirement Date. Transfers from one Division to another or into the Fixed
Account can be made by the Owner on an  unscheduled or scheduled  basis.  Owners
may transfer  limited  amounts once each Contract Year from the Fixed Account to
the Separate Account or may elect to make scheduled monthly transfers.

Total or Partial Surrenders

All or part of the  Accumulated  Value of a Contract may be  surrendered  by the
Owner prior to the  Retirement  Date.  Amounts  surrendered  may be subject to a
Surrender  Charge and total  surrenders  will be subject to the Annual  Fee,  if
applicable. The Surrender Charge does not apply to certain withdrawals including
the  withdrawal  during any Contract Year of an amount not to exceed the greater
of the  earnings  in the  Contract  or 10% of the  Purchase  Payments  otherwise
subject to the Surrender Charge. See "Total and Partial Surrenders,"  "Surrender
Charge"  and  "Annual  Fee."  Particular  attention  should  be  paid to the tax
implications  of any  surrender,  including  possible  penalties  for  premature
distributions. See "Federal Tax Matters."

Charges and Deductions

   
 The Company  deducts  daily charges at a rate of 1.25% per year of the value of
the average net assets of the  Separate  Account for the  mortality  and expense
risks it assumes. The Company has reserved the right to assess a daily charge at
a rate of .15% per year of the value of the average  net assets in the  Separate
Account to cover certain  administrative  expenses.  See  "Mortality and Expense
Risks Charge" and "Administrative Expense Charge."
    

To permit investment of the entire Purchase Payment, the Company does not deduct
sales charges at the time of investment.  However, a Surrender Charge is imposed
on certain total or partial  surrenders of the Contract to help defray  expenses
relating  to the  sale of the  Contract,  including  commissions  to  registered
representatives  and  other  promotional   expenses.   Certain  amounts  may  be
surrendered  without the  imposition of any  Surrender  Charge.  See  "Surrender
Charge."

There is also an Annual Fee for Contract  administration  and maintenance.  This
charge is the lesser of $30 or 2% of the Owner's  Accumulated  Value (subject to
any applicable  state law  limitations)  and is deducted on each Anniversary and
upon total  surrender of the  Contract.  This charge is not deducted  during the
Benefit Option period. The Company currently waives the Annual Fee for Contracts
that have an Accumulated  Value on the last day of the Contract Year of at least
$30,000.

Certain  states  and  other  jurisdictions   impose  premium  taxes  or  similar
assessments upon the Company,  either at the time Purchase  Payments are made or
when the Accumulated Value is surrendered or applied under a Benefit Option. The
Company  reserves  the  right to  deduct an amount  from  Purchase  Payments  or
Accumulated Value to cover such taxes or assessments, if any, when applicable.

Benefit Option Payments

The  Contract  provides  several  types  of fixed  payment  Benefit  Options  to
Annuitants or their  Beneficiaries.  The Owner has  considerable  flexibility in
choosing the Retirement  Date.  However,  the tax  implications of distributions
must be  carefully  considered,  including  the  possibility  of  penalties  for
commencing  benefits  either too soon or too late.  See  "Benefit  Options"  and
"Federal Tax Matters."

Death Benefit

In the event that the Annuitant or Owner dies prior to the  Retirement  Date, an
enhanced death benefit is payable to the Beneficiary of the Contract.  The death
benefit  may be paid as  either a single  sum cash  benefit  or under a  Benefit
Option.  See "Benefit  Payable on Death of Annuitant or Owner." In the event the
Annuitant dies on or after the Retirement  Date,  the  Beneficiary  will receive
only any  continuing  payments  which may be provided  by the Benefit  Option in
effect.

Right to Examine the Contract

The Owner has a right to examine the Contract. The Owner can cancel the Contract
by delivering or mailing it, together with a written  request,  to the Company's
home office or to the sales representative through whom it was purchased, before
the close of  business  on the  tenth day (or such  later  date as  provided  by
applicable state law) after receipt of the Contract.  If these items are sent by
mail, properly addressed and postage prepaid, they will be deemed to be received
by the  Company on the date  postmarked.  The  Company  will  return  either all
Purchase  Payments made,  without interest or  appreciation,  or the Accumulated
Value of the Contract, whichever is required by applicable state law.

Tax Implications

The tax  implications  for Owners,  Annuitants  and  Beneficiaries  can be quite
important.  A brief  discussion  of some of these is set out under  "Federal Tax
Matters"  in  this  Prospectus,   but  such  discussion  is  not  comprehensive.
Therefore,  an Owner  should  consider  these  matters  carefully  and consult a
qualified tax advisor before making Purchase Payments or taking any other action
in  connection  with the  Contract.  Failure  to do so could  result in  serious
adverse tax consequences which might otherwise have been avoided.

Questions and Other Communications

Any question  about  procedures  or the  Contract  should be directed to a sales
representative,  or the Company's home office:  Variable Annuity,  The Principal
Financial Group,  P.O. Box 9382, Des Moines,  Iowa  50306-9382;  1-800-247-9988.
Purchase Payments and written requests should be mailed or delivered to the same
home office address. All communications  should include the Contract number, the
Owner's name and, if different, the Annuitant's name.

Any  Purchase  Payment  or other  communication,  except a  cancellation  notice
described above under "Right to Examine the Contract," is deemed received at the
Company's  home office on the actual date of receipt there in proper form unless
received (1) after the close of regular  trading on the New York Stock Exchange,
or (2) on a date that is not a Valuation Date. In either of these two cases, the
date of receipt will be deemed to be the next Valuation Date.

Total or Partial Surrenders

An Owner may withdraw cash from the Contract at any time prior to the Retirement
Date  subject  to any  charges  that may be  applied.  See  "Total  and  Partial
Surrenders."  Note that withdrawals  before age 59 1/2 may involve an income tax
penalty. See "Federal Tax Matters."

DESCRIPTION OF PRINCIPAL MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (The "Company")

Principal Mutual Life Insurance  Company is a mutual life insurance company with
its home  office at The  Principal  Financial  Group,  Des  Moines,  Iowa 50306,
telephone number 515-247-5111.  It was originally incorporated under the laws of
the  State of Iowa in 1879 as  Bankers  Life  Association,  changed  its name to
Bankers  Life  Company in 1911 and  changed  its name to  Principal  Mutual Life
Insurance  Company in 1986. It is a member of The Principal  Financial  Group, a
diversified family of insurance and financial services corporations.

Principal  Mutual Life Insurance  Company is authorized to do business in the 50
states of the United  States,  the District of  Columbia,  the  Commonwealth  of
Puerto Rico, and the Canadian Provinces of Alberta, British Columbia,  Manitoba,
Ontario and Quebec. The Company offers a full range of products and services for
businesses, groups and individuals including individual insurance, pension plans
and group/employee  benefits. The Company has ranked in the upper one percent of
life  insurers  in assets  and  premium  income  and has  consistently  received
excellent  ratings  from  the  major  rating  firms  based  upon  the  Company's
claims-paying  ability. The Company has $56.8 billion in assets under management
and serves more than 9.7 million individuals and their families.

PRINCIPAL MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY SEPARATE ACCOUNT B

Separate  Account B was established on January 12, 1970 pursuant to a resolution
(as  amended)  of the  Executive  Committee  of the  Board of  Directors  of the
Company.  Under Iowa insurance laws and regulations the income, gains or losses,
whether  or not  realized,  of  Separate  Account B are  credited  to or charged
against the assets of  Separate  Account B without  regard to the other  income,
gains or losses of the Company.  Although the assets of Separate Account B equal
to the reserves and liabilities  arising under the contracts  issued  thereunder
will not be  charged  with any  liabilities  arising  out of any other  business
conducted  by the  Company,  the  reverse is not true.  Hence,  all  obligations
arising  under the Contract,  including  the promise to make payments  under the
Benefit Options, are general corporate obligations of the Company.

Separate  Account B was  registered  on July 17,  1970 with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission as a unit investment trust under the Investment Company Act
of 1940,  as amended.  Such  registration  does not involve  supervision  by the
Commission of the investments or investment policies of Separate Account B.

The Company is taxed as an insurance  company  under the Internal  Revenue Code.
The  operations  of Separate  Account B are part of the total  operations of the
Company  but are treated  separately  for  accounting  and  financial  statement
purposes and are considered separately in computing the Company's tax liability.
Separate  Account B is not affected by federal  income taxes paid by the Company
with respect to its other operations, and under existing federal income tax law,
investment  income and capital gains  attributable to Separate Account B are not
taxed.  The Company reserves the right to charge Separate Account B with, and to
create a reserve for, any tax liability which the Company  determines may result
from maintenance of Separate Account B. To the best of the Company's  knowledge,
there is no current prospect of any such liability.

   
There are currently ten Divisions in Separate Account B. The assets of Divisions
are invested  exclusively in shares of a corresponding  Account of the Principal
Variable  Contracts  Fund, Inc. New Divisions may be added and made available to
Owners of the  Contract.  Divisions  may also be  eliminated  from the  Separate
Account.  Some of these  Accounts  also offer their  shares to variable  annuity
separate  accounts  of the Company and to  variable  annuity and  variable  life
separate accounts of unaffiliated insurance companies.
    

MUTUAL FUNDS

   
The Divisions of Separate Account B currently invest exclusively in shares of an
Account of Principal  Variable  Contracts Fund, Inc. The ten Accounts  available
for investment are as follows:  Aggressive Growth, Asset Allocation,  Balanced ,
Bond, Capital Value, Government Securities,  Growth,  International,  MidCap and
Money Market. A full description of the Accounts,  their investment policies and
restrictions, their charges, the risks attendant to investing in them, and other
aspects  of  their  operations  is  contained  in the  Prospectus  for the  Fund
accompanying this Prospectus and in the Statement of Additional  Information for
the Fund  referred  to  therein.  Additional  copies of these  documents  may be
obtained from a sales representative or from the Company's home office.

The  Principal  Variable  Contracts  Fund,  Inc.  is  a  diversified,   open-end
investment management company, typically known as a Mutual Fund. The Manager for
the Principal Variable Contracts Fund, Inc. is Principal Management Corporation.
Some of the Accounts of the Principal  Variable  Contracts  Fund,  Inc. are also
used to fund variable life insurance contracts issued by the Company. The Fund's
Board of  Directors  will  monitor  events  in order to  identify  any  material
irreconcilable  conflicts between the interests of the variable annuity contract
owners and life  insurance  policyowners  that may develop and to determine what
action, if any, should be taken in response thereto. If it becomes necessary for
any separate  account to replace shares of any Account with another  investment,
the Account may have to liquidate  securities on a  disadvantageous  basis.  See
"Eligible  Purchasers  and  Purchase  of  Shares" in the Fund  prospectus  for a
discussion of the potential risks associated with "mixed funding."

The  Company  purchases  and redeems  shares of the  Accounts  for the  Separate
Account  at their  net  asset  value  without  the  imposition  of any  sales or
redemption  charges.  Such  shares  represent  interests  in  the  ten  Accounts
available for investment by the Separate  Account.  Each Account  corresponds to
one of the  Divisions  of the Separate  Account.  The assets of each Account are
separate  from the others and each  Account's  performance  has no effect on the
investment performance of any other Account.

Any  dividend or capital  gain  distributions  attributable  to the Contract are
automatically  reinvested  in shares of the Account from which they are received
at that  Account's  net  asset  value  on the  date  paid.  Such  dividends  and
distributions will have the effect of reducing the net asset value of each share
of the corresponding Account and increasing,  by an equivalent value, the number
of shares  outstanding of that Account.  However,  the value of the interests of
Owners in the  corresponding  Division  will not  change as a result of any such
dividends and distributions.
    

SURPLUS DISTRIBUTION AT SOLE DISCRETION OF THE COMPANY

It is not anticipated  that any divisible  surplus will ever be distributable to
these  Contracts in the future  because the Contracts are not expected to result
in a  contribution  to the  divisible  surplus of the Company.  However,  if any
distribution of divisible surplus is made, it will be made to Owners in the form
of cash.

THE CONTRACT

The Contract  described in this  Prospectus  is designed to provide  individuals
with retirement  benefits in connection with (1) Individual  Retirement  Annuity
plans or programs ("IRA Plans"),  Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SEPs") and
Salary  Reduction  Simplified  Employee  Pension Plans  ("SAR/SEPs") and Savings
Incentive Match Plan for Employees  ("SIMPLE") IRAs adopted  pursuant to Section
408 of the Internal  Revenue Code and (2)  non-qualified  retirement  plans. The
Contract  provides for the  accumulation of values on a fixed and variable basis
and the payment of annuity  benefits  in the form of Benefit  Options on a fixed
basis.

A.   Purchasing a Contract

   
     Persons  wishing to purchase a Contract  must complete an  application  and
     make an initial Purchase  Payment.  Receipt of the Initial Purchase Payment
     at the time of  application  is not required in connection  with SEPs.  The
     application  is  forwarded  to the Company for  processing.  Acceptance  is
     subject to underwriting and suitability  rules and procedures.  The Company
     reserves the right to reject any application or any Purchase Payment if, in
     the view of the Company,  the Company's  underwriting and suitability rules
     and procedures are not satisfied.
    

     Purchase  Payments  which are  remitted  through an employer  for  multiple
     employee-Owner/Annuitants   must  also  be   accompanied   by   information
     identifying the proper  Contracts and accounts to be credited with Purchase
     Payments.

     If the  application  can be  accepted  in the form  received,  the  initial
     Purchase  Payment  will be credited  within two  Valuation  Dates after the
     later of receipt of the  application  or  receipt of the  initial  Purchase
     Payment at the  Company's  home  office.  If the initial  Purchase  Payment
     cannot be credited  within five Valuation  Dates after receipt  because the
     application  or other  issuing  requirements  are  incomplete,  the initial
     Purchase  Payment  will be returned  unless the  applicant  consents to our
     retaining  the  initial  Purchase  Payment  and  crediting  it  within  two
     Valuation Dates after the necessary requirements are fulfilled.

     The date that the  Contract is issued is the  Contract  Date.  The Contract
     Date is the date used to determine  Contract Years,  regardless of when the
     Contract is  delivered.  The  crediting  of  investment  experience  in the
     Separate Account, or a fixed rate of return in the Fixed Account, begins as
     of the Contract Date,  even if that date is delayed due to  underwriting or
     administrative requirements.

     Generally,  additional Purchase Payments will be accepted at any time after
     the  Contract  Date  and  prior  to the  Retirement  Date,  as  long as the
     Annuitant  is  living.   Purchase  Payments  (together  with  any  required
     information  identifying  the proper  Contracts and accounts to be credited
     with Purchase  Payments)  must be delivered to the  Company's  home office.
     Additional  Purchase Payments are credited to the Contract and added to the
     Accumulated  Value as of the end of the Valuation  Period in which they are
     received.

     1.  Purchase Payment Limitations

         For Contracts issued in connection with non-qualified retirement Plans,
         the  initial  Purchase  Payment  must be at least  $2,500.  The initial
         Purchase  Payment for all other Contracts must be at least $1,000.  The
         minimum  subsequent  investment  is $100.  A $100  monthly  minimum for
         initial and subsequent  investments is available for Contracts to which
         Purchase  Payments are made on a monthly  basis through an account of a
         bank or similar  financial  institution  under an Automatic  Investment
         Program.  Forms and  preauthorized  check  agreements  to  establish an
         Automatic  Investment  Program are  available  from  Princor  Financial
         Services Corporation. For Contracts which are issued in connection with
         a  retirement  plan  covering  more than four  people,  the initial and
         subsequent  monthly  Purchase  Payments under each Contract must at all
         times  average  at least  $100  and in no case be less  than  $50.  The
         Company  reserves  the right to increase  the  minimum  amount for each
         Purchase  Payment to not more than  $1,000.  The Company  reserves  the
         right to terminate a Contract and  distribute  the  Accumulated  Value,
         less  any  applicable  charges,  if no  premiums  are paid  during  two
         consecutive  calendar years and the Accumulated Value or total Purchase
         Payments less partial  surrenders and applicable  surrender  charges is
         less than  $2,000.  The Company  will notify the Owner of its intent to
         exercise  this right and  provide the Owner a 60 day period to increase
         the Accumulated Value to $2,000.

   
         The total of all Purchase  Payments may not exceed  $2,000,000  without
         the Company's prior approval.  In New Jersey,  after the first Contract
         Year,  the total of Purchase  Payments  made during a Contract Year may
         not exceed $100,000.
    

     2.  Allocation of Purchase Payments

         The initial Purchase Payment is allocated, as specified by the Owner in
         the  Contract  application,  among one or more of the  Divisions of the
         Separate  Account,  or to the  Fixed  Account,  or to both.  Subsequent
         Purchase  Payments  are  allocated  in the same  way,  or  pursuant  to
         different  allocation  percentages  that  the  Owner  may  subsequently
         specify.  Allocations to the Fixed Account are not allowed if the Fixed
         Account Value  immediately  after the  allocation  exceeds  $1,000,000,
         except with our prior approval.

   
         Some states require the Company to return the initial  Purchase Payment
         to an Owner who  reconsiders  the  decision  to purchase  the  Contract
         within a certain  time  period.  See "Right to Examine  the  Contract."
         Initial Purchase Payments for a Contract issued in one of the states in
         the following table are allocated to the Money Market Division until 15
         days (20 days for  Contracts  issued in the  State of Idaho)  after the
         Contract Date at which time they are reallocated in accordance with the
         Owner's allocation instructions.

                 States in Which Purchase Payments are Returned
    

              California*         Kentucky             North Carolina
              Colorado            Louisiana            Oklahoma
              Connecticut**       Maryland             Rhode Island
              Georgia             Michigan             South Carolina
              Hawaii              Missouri             Utah
              Idaho               Nebraska             Washington
              Indiana

               *  Purchase  Payments  are refunded if the Owner is less than 60.
                  If the Owner is 60 or over, the Accumulated Value is returned.

              **  Purchase  Payments  are  refunded if the Contract is cancelled
                  prior  to  its  delivery,   otherwise  the  account  value  is
                  refunded.


     3.  Right to Examine the Contract

         Under state law, the Owner has the right to examine the  Contract.  The
         right is often  referred  to as a "free look"  period.  The "free look"
         period is 10 days after the date the contract is delivered to the Owner
         in all states except as follows:

          a.   Contracts  issued in  California to Owners age 60 and over have a
               30 day "free look" period;

          b.   Contracts  issued in Colorado  have a 15 day "free look"  period;
               and

          c.   Contracts  issued in Idaho and North  Dakota  have a 20 day "free
               look" period.

         The Owner can cancel the Contract by delivering or mailing it, together
         with a written  request,  to the Company's  home office or to the sales
         representative  through  whom it was  purchased,  before  the  close of
         business on the last day of the "free look" period.  If these items are
         sent by mail,  properly  addressed  and postage  prepaid,  they will be
         deemed to be  received by the  Company on the date  postmarked  for the
         purpose of determining  whether the "free look" period has elapsed.  If
         the  Purchase  Payments are  allocated to the Money Market  Division as
         described  above under  "Allocation of Purchase  Payments," the Company
         will return the greater of the  Contract's  value or Purchase  Payments
         paid if the Contract is cancelled.  Otherwise,  the Company will return
         the Accumulated Value of the Contract.

     4.  Exchange Credit

   
         Owners of Single Premium Deferred Annuities ("SPDA") and Single Premium
         Deferred Annuity Plus ("SPDA+")  contracts that have been issued by the
         Company  and are within at least  eight  months of the eighth  Contract
         Year may transfer the accumulated  value,  free of surrender charge, to
         the Contract  described in this  Prospectus.  In addition,  the Company
         will add an amount as an Exchange Credit.  Currently, the amount of the
         Exchange  Credit  is one  percent  (1%) of the SPDA or SPDA+  surrender
         value.  The amount of the  Exchange  Credit is  subject to change.  The
         Company reserves the right to terminate this Exchange Credit program.
    

         In making the  decision  as to whether to make an  exchange,  the Owner
         should  carefully  review the SPDA  contract or the SPDA+  contract and
         this Prospectus as the charges and provisions of the contracts  differ.
         If the existing SPDA or SPDA+ contract is currently eligible for waiver
         of Surrender  Charge due to critical  need,  similar  riders may not be
         available under this Contract.

         To initiate an exchange,  the Company  must receive 1) an  application
         for the  Contract;  2) a surrender  form for the  existing  SPDA/SPDA+
         contract;  3) a  replacement  form (based on state  written) and 4) an
         Annuity  Exchange  Request and Release Form.  The exchange will become
         effective upon receipt of completed  items listed above and acceptance
         of the  application.  The transaction will be valued at the end of the
         Valuation  Period  in which the  Company  receives  all the  necessary
         documentation at its home office.

         The Exchange  Credit is allocated  among the  Divisions of the Separate
         Account  or to the Fixed  Account,  or both,  in the same  ratio as the
         Purchase Payment. The credit is treated as additional income for income
         tax purposes.  If the Owner  exercises the right to return the Contract
         during the "free look"  period,  the amount  returned is reduced by any
         credit applied. See "Right to Examine the Contract".

B.   Prior to the Retirement Date

     1.  Determining the Accumulated Value of the Contract

         The  Owner's  Accumulated  Value is the total of any  Separate  Account
         Value plus any Fixed Account Value under the Contract. For a discussion
         of how Fixed Account Value is calculated, see "Fixed Account."

         There is no guaranteed  minimum  Separate  Account Value.  The Separate
         Account  Value will  reflect the  investment  experience  of the chosen
         Divisions of the Separate  Account,  all Purchase  Payments  made,  any
         partial  surrenders,  and all charges  assessed in connection  with the
         Contract.  Therefore, the Separate Account Value changes from Valuation
         Period  to  Valuation  Period.  To  the  extent  Accumulated  Value  is
         allocated  to  the  Separate  Account,   the  Owner  bears  the  entire
         investment risk.

         A Contract's Separate Account Value is based on Unit Values,  which are
         determined on each  Valuation  Date. The value of a Unit for a Division
         on any Valuation Date is equal to the previous value of that Division's
         Unit  multiplied by that  Division's Net Investment  Factor  (discussed
         directly below) for the Valuation Period ending on that Valuation Date.
         Net  Purchase  Payments  applied  to a given  Division  will be used to
         purchase Units at the Unit Value of that Division next determined after
         receipt of a Purchase Payment. See "Allocation of Purchase Payments and
         Transfers."

     At the end of any Valuation Period, a Contract's  Separate Account Value in
a Division is equal to:

          o    The number of Units in the Division; times

          o    The value of one Unit for that Division.

     The number of Units in each Division is equal to:

          o    The initial Units purchased on the Contract Date; plus

          o    Units purchased at the time that additional Purchase Payments are
               allocated to the Division; plus

          o    Units purchased  through  transfers from another Division or from
               the Fixed Account; less

          o    Units  redeemed to pay for the portion of any partial  surrenders
               allocated to the Division; less

          o    Units  redeemed as part of a transfer  to another  Division or to
               the Fixed Account; less

          o    Units redeemed to pay charges under the Contract.

          Net Investment Factor.  Each Net Investment Factor is the quantitative
          measure of the  investment  performance  of each  Division of Separate
          Account  B. For any  specified  Valuation  Period  the Net  Investment
          Factor for a Division for a Contract is equal to

   
              (a) the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the net asset value of a
                  share of the underlying Account as of the end of the Valuation
                  Period,  plus the per share  amount of any  dividend  or other
                  distribution  made by the Account during the Valuation  Period
                  (less an adjustment  for taxes,  if any) by (ii) the net asset
                  value  of a  share  of  the  Account  as of  the  end  of  the
                  immediately preceding Valuation Period,
    

                            reduced by

              (b) a mortality  and expense  risks charge in an amount equal to a
                  simple  interest  rate  for  the  number  of days  within  the
                  Valuation  Period  equivalent to an annual rate of 1.25%.  The
                  Company   has   reserved   the   right   to   assess  a  daily
                  administrative  expense charge at an annual rate of up to .15%
                  of the value of the average  Separate  Account net assets.  If
                  and to the extent such a charge is assessed,  such charge will
                  be included in the calculation of the Net Investment Factor in
                  the same manner as the mortality and expense risks charge.

         The  amount  of  any  taxes  referred  to  in  subparagraph  (a)  above
         (currently  none)  and the  amounts  derived  from  applying  the  rate
         specified in  subparagraph  (b) above will be accrued daily and will be
         transferred from Separate Account B at the discretion of the Company.

     2.  Allocation of Purchase Payments

         Allocation of Purchase Payments. In the application for a Contract, the
         Owner can  allocate  Purchase  Payments,  or portions  thereof,  to the
         available Divisions of the Separate Account or to the Fixed Account, or
         both.  Percentages  must be in whole  numbers and the total  allocation
         must  equal  100%.  The  percentage  allocations  for  future  Purchase
         Payments  may be  changed,  without  charge,  at any time by  sending a
         written  request  to the  Company's  home  office  or by  telephone  as
         described below.  Changes in the allocation of future Purchase Payments
         will be  effective  at the end of the  Valuation  Period  in which  the
         Company receives the Owner's request.

   
     3.  Transfers
    

         Unscheduled Transfers. Transfers of amounts from one available Division
         of the  Separate  Account to another or into the Fixed  Account  can be
         made by the Owner.  A transfer from a Division of the Separate  Account
         to the  Fixed  Account  may not be made if a  transfer  from the  Fixed
         Account to a Division of the Separate  Account has been made within the
         six-month  period  prior to the date of the  requested  transfer to the
         Separate  Account or if  immediately  after the  transfer  to the Fixed
         Account the Owner's Fixed Account Value exceeds $1 million.  The amount
         to be  transferred  may be stated as a dollar amount or as a percentage
         of the Separate  Account  Value of the Division from which the transfer
         is to be made. The amount  transferred from each Division must equal or
         exceed  the  lesser  of $100 or 100%  of the  Owner's  interest  in the
         Division.  Transfers  may be completed by sending a written  request to
         the Company at its home office, or by telephone as described below.

   
         All or part of the  values  in one or more  Divisions  of the  Separate
         Account  may be  transferred  at one  time.  Transfers  from the  Fixed
         Account are  restricted on both amount and timing.  See "Fixed  Account
         Transfers,  Total and Partial Surrenders." Transfers from a Division of
         the Separate  Account will be executed and values will be determined in
         connection with the transfers as of the end of the Valuation  Period in
         which the Company receives the transfer request.  There is a $30 charge
         on  unscheduled  transfers  after the twelfth  such  transfer  during a
         Contract  year. For this purpose,  all transfers  between and among the
         Divisions of the Separate Account and the Fixed Account will be treated
         as one transfer, if all the transfer requests are made at the same time
         as part of one request.  The Company also  reserves the right to reject
         transfer  instructions provided by a person providing them for multiple
         contracts.
    

         Scheduled  Transfers.  The owner may elect to have automatic  transfers
         completed  on a  periodic  basis  from  any  Division  of the  Separate
         Account.  Scheduled transfers are available from a Division only if the
         value of the Separate  Account Value in such Division equals or exceeds
         $5,000. An Owner may establish scheduled transfers by sending a written
         request to the Company at its home office or by  telephone as described
         below.  Scheduled transfers will be completed on a monthly,  quarterly,
         semi-annual  or annual basis on the date (other than the 29th,  30th or
         31st)  specified by the Owner. If the requested date is not a Valuation
         Date,  the  transfer  will be  completed  on the  next  valuation  date
         following such specified date. Scheduled transfers of the dollar amount
         specified  by the  Owner  (minimum  of $100)  will  continue  until the
         Separate  Account Value in the Division  from which such  transfers are
         made  is  exhausted  or  until  the  Owner   notifies  the  Company  to
         discontinue such transfers. The Company reserves the right to limit the
         number of Divisions from which  transfers will be made  simultaneously,
         but in no event will such limitation be less than two Divisions.

   
     4.  Automatic Portfolio Rebalancing

         Automatic Portfolio Rebalancing (APR) allows you to maintain a specific
         percentage of your contract  values in each account over time.  You may
         elect APR at the time of  application  or after the  Contract  has been
         issued.

         For  example,  a customer may elect APR and choose to rebalance so 50 %
         of policy values are in the Capital Value  Division and 50 % are in the
         Money Market Division.  At the end of the specified period, 60 % of the
         values  may be  invested  in  the  Capital  Value  Division,  with  the
         remaining 40 % invested in the Money Market  Division.  By rebalancing,
         units from the  Capital  Value  Division  are  redeemed  and applied as
         purchase  payments to the Money Market Division so 50 % of the contract
         values are once again invested in each division.

         APR is not available for values in the Fixed Account. You may elect APR
         only if you have not arranged  for  scheduled  transfers  from the same
         divisions.

         APR  transfers  will not begin until the  expiration of the "free look"
         period (see "Right to Examine the  Contract").  There will be no charge
         for  APR  transfers.   These   transfers  will  not  be  considered  as
         unscheduled transfers in determining any transfer fee.

         You may rebalance  through APR  quarterly,  semi-annually,  or annually
         based  on a  calendar  year or  contract  year.  In  addition,  you may
         rebalance on a one-time basis by completing a form and submitting it to
         the Company  home  office or by calling  1-800-247-9988  (if  telephone
         privileges  apply).  The transfers  will be made at the end of the next
         Valuation Period after the APR instruction is received by the Company.

     5.  Telephone Services

         Unless telephone  transaction services (where allowed by state law) are
         declined on the application  for a Contract,  or at any subsequent time
         the  Owner  notifies  the  Company  in  writing  to  remove   telephone
         transaction  services,  changes in the  allocation  of future  Purchase
         Payments and transfers may be made pursuant to telephone  instructions,
         subject to the above terms. The telephone transactions may be exercised
         by  telephoning  1-800-247-9988.  Telephone  transfer  requests must be
         received by the close of the New York Stock  Exchange on a day when the
         Company is open for business to be effective  that day.  Requests  made
         after that time or on a day when the  Company is not open for  business
         will be effective the next business day.  Although neither the Separate
         Account  nor  the  Company  is  responsible  for  the  authenticity  of
         telephone  transaction  requests,  the right is  reserved  to refuse to
         accept  telephone  requests when in the opinion of the Company it seems
         prudent to do so. The Owner bears the risk of loss caused by fraudulent
         telephone  instructions the Company reasonably  believes to be genuine.
         The  Company  will employ  reasonable  procedures  to assure  telephone
         instructions  are genuine and if such procedures are not followed,  the
         Company  may be liable  for losses due to  unauthorized  or  fraudulent
         transactions.   Such   procedures   include   recording  all  telephone
         instructions,  requesting personal  identification  information such as
         the caller's name,  daytime  telephone  number,  social security number
         and/or birthdate and sending a written  confirmation of the transaction
         to  the  Owner's  address  of  record.  Owners  may  obtain  additional
         information  and  assistance  by  telephoning  the  toll  free  number.
         Telephone  instructions  received from any joint contract owner will be
         binding on all  contract  owners.  The Company may modify or  terminate
         telephone transfer procedures at any time.

         You may  obtain  contract  information  from our  Direct  Dial  system.
         Through this automated  telephone  system,  you can obtain  information
         about unit values and contract values, initiate certain changes to your
         contract,  change your Personal  Identification  Number (PIN), or speak
         directly to a customer service representative.  The telephone number is
         1-800-247-9988. As with other telephone services, instructions received
         via our Direct Dial system will be binding on all contractowners.

     6.  Total and Partial Surrenders
    

         Total  Surrenders.  The Owner may surrender  all of the cash  surrender
         value at any time  during  the life of the  Annuitant  and prior to the
         Retirement Date by a written request sent to the Company's home office.
         The Company reserves the right to require that the Contract be returned
         to the Company prior to making  payment,  although this will not affect
         the  determination  of the  amount of the cash  surrender  value.  Cash
         surrender  value is the  Accumulated  Value at the end of the Valuation
         Period  during  which the written  request for the total  surrender  is
         received  by the  Company  at its  home  office,  less  any  applicable
         Surrender  Charge,  Annual Fee and  Transaction  Fee. For discussion of
         these charges and the circumstances under which they apply, see "Annual
         Fee," "Surrender Charge," and "Transaction Fee."

         The  written  consent  of  all  collateral  assignees  and  irrevocable
         beneficiaries of a non-qualified Contract must be obtained prior to any
         total surrender. Surrenders from the Separate Account will generally be
         paid  within  seven days of the date of receipt by the  Company's  home
         office of the written request, or such earlier date as required by law.
         Postponement of payments may occur, however, in certain  circumstances.
         See "Postponement of Payments."

         Since the Owner  assumes the  investment  risk with  respect to amounts
         allocated to the Separate Account,  and because certain  surrenders are
         subject to a Surrender Charge,  the amount paid upon total surrender of
         the cash  surrender  value  (taking  into  account  any  prior  partial
         surrenders) may be more or less than the total Purchase Payments made.

         Unscheduled  Partial  Surrenders.  At any time prior to the  Retirement
         Date and during the lifetime of the Annuitant,  the Owner may surrender
         a portion of the Fixed Account Value and/or the Separate  Account Value
         by sending a written request to the Company's home office.  The minimum
         unscheduled  partial surrender amount is $100 and the Accumulated Value
         of the Contract  must be $5,000 or more  immediately  after the partial
         surrender.  The  Company  reserves  the right to  increase  the minimum
         $5,000  remaining  Accumulated  Value  but in no event  will it  exceed
         $10,000.

         In order for a request  to be  processed,  the Owner must  specify  the
         dollar  amount  of the  Accumulated  Value  to  surrender.  The  amount
         surrendered  will be deducted  from the  Owner's  Fixed  Account  Value
         and/or  interest in a Division  according to the  surrender  allocation
         percentages  provided by the Owner.  Percentages  may be either zero or
         any whole number and must total 100%.

         The Company  will  surrender  Units from the  Separate  Account  and/or
         dollar  amounts from the Fixed  Account so that the total amount of the
         partial  surrender  equals the dollar  amount of the partial  surrender
         request plus any applicable  Surrender  Charge.  The partial  surrender
         will be  effective  at the end of the  Valuation  Period  in which  the
         Company receives the written request for partial  surrender at its home
         office.  Payments  will  generally  be made  within  seven  days of the
         effective date of such request or such earlier date as required by law,
         although certain delays are permitted. See "Postponement of Payments."

         Scheduled  Partial  Surrenders.  The owner  may  elect to have  partial
         surrenders  completed  on a  periodic  basis from any  Division  of the
         Separate  Account and/or Fixed Account.  Scheduled  partial  surrenders
         (sometimes referred to as a "Flexible Withdrawal Option") are available
         only if the value of the  Accumulated  Value is at least  $5,000 at the
         time  the  surrenders  begin.   Scheduled  partial  surrenders  may  be
         established by the Owner by providing  written notice to the Company at
         the Company's home office.  The Owner may specify  monthly,  quarterly,
         semi-annual  or annual  partial  surrenders to be completed on any date
         other than 29th, 30th or 31st. If the specified date is not a Valuation
         Date, surrenders will be completed on the next Valuation Date following
         such  specified  date.  Partial  surrenders  will  continue  until  the
         Accumulated  Value is exhausted or until the Owner notifies the Company
         to discontinue the scheduled surrenders.

         The Internal  Revenue Code  provides that a penalty tax will be imposed
         on certain premature surrenders. For a discussion of this and other tax
         implications  of total and partial  surrenders,  including  withholding
         requirements, see "Federal Tax Matters."

   
     7.  Benefit Payable on Death of Annuitant or Owner
    

         If the  Annuitant or Owner dies prior to the  Retirement  Date, a death
         benefit will be paid to the deceased's  Beneficiary.  The amount of the
         death benefit will be the greater of:

               (1)  the  Accumulated  Value  on the date  the  Company  receives
                    Notice (including proof) of death; or

               (2)  total  Purchase  Payments less any partial  surrenders  (and
                    Surrender  Charges  incurred)  as of the  date  the  Company
                    receives Notice (including proof) of death; or

               (3)  the  death   benefit   that  was  in  effect  on  any  prior
                    Anniversary  that is  divisible  equally by seven,  plus any
                    Purchase  Payments  and less  any  partial  surrenders  (and
                    Surrender Charges incurred) made after that Anniversary.

         The death  benefit  generally  will be paid within seven days after the
         Company  receives  Notice   (including  proof)  of  death  and  written
         instructions  as to the manner of payment to the  Beneficiary,  or such
         earlier date as required by law. Under certain  circumstances,  payment
         of the death benefit may be postponed.  See "Postponement of Payments."
         The  death  benefit  will be paid  according  to  benefit  instructions
         provided  by the  deceased.  If  benefit  instructions  have  not  been
         provided  the  death  benefit  will be paid upon  receipt  of a written
         request for  settlement  method.  The Company  will pay interest (at an
         annual rate equal to or greater than 3% or such other rate  required by
         state  law) on the death  benefit  from the date it  receives  proof of
         death (or such  other  date  required  by state  law) until the date of
         payment or until the date the death  benefit is applied under a Benefit
         Option.

         If the Owner dies before the Annuitant and the Owner's  Beneficiary  is
         the surviving  spouse,  the Company will continue the Contract with the
         spouse as the new Owner  unless the spouse  elects to receive the death
         benefit.   If  benefit   instructions  have  not  been  provided,   the
         Beneficiary may (a) receive a single sum payment,  which terminates the
         Contract,  or (b) select a Benefit Option. If the beneficiary selects a
         Benefit Option, he or she will have all the rights and privileges of an
         Annuitant  under the  Contract.  If the  Beneficiary  desires a Benefit
         Option,  the  election  should  be made  within 60 days of the date the
         death benefit  becomes  payable.  Failure to make a timely election can
         result in unfavorable tax consequences.  For further  information,  see
         "Federal Tax Matters."

         We accept any of the following as proof of death: a certified copy of a
         death certificate; a copy of a certified decree of a court of competent
         jurisdiction  as to the  finding  of death;  a written  statement  by a
         medical  doctor who attended the deceased at the time of death;  or any
         other proof satisfactory to us.

         If the Owner dies before the Annuitant and before the  Retirement  Date
         with respect to a Contract  not issued in  connection  with  retirement
         plans qualified under Section 408 of the Internal Revenue Code, certain
         additional  requirements  are  mandated by the Internal  Revenue  Code,
         which are discussed under  "Required  Distributions  for  Non-Qualified
         Contracts."  It is imperative  that written  notice of the death of the
         Owner be promptly  transmitted  to the Company at its home  office,  so
         that  arrangements  can be made for distribution of the entire interest
         in the  Contract  to the  Beneficiary  in a manner that  satisfies  the
         Internal   Revenue  Code   requirements.   Failure  to  satisfy   these
         requirements may result in the Contract not being treated as an annuity
         for  federal  income  tax  purposes,   which  could  have  adverse  tax
         consequences.

C.   After the Retirement Date

     1.  Retirement Date

         The  Owner  may  specify  a  Retirement  Date in the  application.  The
         Retirement  Date  marks the  beginning  of the period  during  which an
         Annuitant  receives  Benefit Option  payments  under the Contract.  The
         Company may not permit a Retirement Date which is on or after the later
         of the  Annuitant's  85th birthday or ten years after the Contract Date
         (but no later than age 88 in Pennsylvania and age 85 in New York).

         Depending on the type of  retirement  arrangement  in  connection  with
         which a Contract is issued,  amounts  that are  distributed  either too
         soon or too late may be  subject to penalty  taxes  under the  Internal
         Revenue Code.  See "Federal Tax Matters."  Owners should  consider this
         carefully in selecting or changing a Retirement Date.

         The Owner may  change  the  Retirement  Date with the  Company's  prior
         approval,  by  written  request  any time  prior to the  issuance  of a
         supplementary  contract  which  provides  a  Benefit  Option.  The  new
         Retirement  Date  must be any  Anniversary  on or  before  the  maximum
         Retirement Date.

     2.  Benefit Options

         The  Company  currently  offers  only fixed  Benefit  Option  payments;
         variable  Benefit  Option  payments are not currently  offered.  If the
         Accumulated Value at the end of the Valuation Period which contains the
         Retirement  Date is less than $5,000 or if the amount  applied  under a
         Benefit  Option would result in a periodic  payment below the Company's
         minimum  requirements  in effect at that time,  the Company may pay the
         entire Accumulated Value,  without the imposition of any charges,  in a
         single sum payment to the Annuitant or other properly  designated payee
         and  cancel  the  Contract.  Otherwise,  the  Company  will  apply  the
         Accumulated Value to provide a fixed Benefit Option.

         Benefit  Option  payments  will be made as  elected  by the  Owner on a
         monthly,  quarterly,  semi-annual  or annual basis to the  Annuitant or
         other  properly-designated  payee.  The  dollar  amount of any  Benefit
         Option  payment  is  specified  during the  entire  period of  payments
         according to the provisions of the Benefit Option selected. There is no
         right to make any  total or  partial  surrender  after  Benefit  Option
         payments commence.

         The amount of each Benefit  Option payment will depend on the amount of
         Accumulated  Value applied to the Benefit  Option,  the form of Benefit
         Option  selected  and,  for  Benefit  Options  other than Fixed  Income
         described below,  the age of the Annuitant.  The amount of each Benefit
         Option payment  ordinarily will be higher for a male Annuitant than for
         a  female  Annuitant  with an  otherwise  identical  Contract.  This is
         because,  statistically,  females tend to have longer life expectancies
         than males.  However,  there will be no  differences  between  male and
         female  Annuitants in any  jurisdiction  where such differences are not
         permitted.  The Company will also make available Contracts with no such
         differences  in  connection  with  certain  employer-sponsored  benefit
         plans. Employers should be aware that, under most such plans, Contracts
         that make distinctions based on gender are prohibited by law.

         The  Owner  may  select a  Benefit  Option  form or  change a  previous
         selection by written request,  which must be received by the Company on
         or before the  Retirement  Date. If no Benefit Option form is chosen by
         the Owner,  the Company  automatically  applies a Life  Income  Benefit
         Option (described below),  with payments guaranteed for 10 years. If an
         Annuitant and Joint Annuitant have been designated  under the Contract,
         payments  will be made  pursuant  to a Joint and Full  Survivor  Income
         Benefit Option (described below) with payments guaranteed for 10 years,
         unless otherwise  elected.  Tax laws and regulations may impose further
         restrictions on Benefit Options.

         The following Benefit Options are available:

              Fixed  Income.  Payments of a fixed amount or payments for a fixed
              period of at least 5 years but not more than 30 years, are made as
              of  the  first  day of  each  payment  period  starting  with  the
              Retirement Date.  Payments will stop after all guaranteed payments
              are made.

              Life Income. Payments are made as of the first day of each payment
              period during the Annuitant's  life,  starting with the Retirement
              Date.  No payments  will be made after the  Annuitant  dies. It is
              possible  for the payee to  receive  only one  payment  under this
              option if the Annuitant dies before the second payment is due.

              Life  Income  with  Payments  Guaranteed  for a Period  of 5 to 20
              Years.  Payments  are  made as of the  first  day of each  payment
              period starting on the Retirement Date.  Payments will continue as
              long as the Annuitant  lives.  If the Annuitant dies before all of
              the guaranteed  payments have been made, the Company will continue
              installments of the guaranteed payments to the Beneficiary.

              Joint and Full  Survivor  Income with  Payments  Guaranteed  for a
              Period of 10 Years.  Payments are made as of the first day of each
              payment period  starting with the Retirement  Date.  Payments will
              continue as long as either the Annuitant or the Joint Annuitant is
              alive.  If the Annuitant and Joint Annuitant die before all of the
              guaranteed  payments  have been made,  the Company  will  continue
              installments of the guaranteed payments to the Beneficiary.

              Joint and Two-Thirds Survivor Life Income. Payments are made as of
              the first day of each payment period  starting with the Retirement
              Date.  Payments  will  continue as long as either the Annuitant or
              the Joint Annuitant is alive. If either the Annuitant or the Joint
              Annuitant  dies,   payments  will  continue  to  the  survivor  at
              two-thirds the original  amount.  Payments will stop when both the
              Annuitant  and Joint  Annuitant  have died. It is possible for the
              payee or payees  under this option to receive  only one payment if
              both Annuitants die before the second payment is due.

         Other  Benefit  Options  may be  made  available  with  the  Company's
         approval.

         In order to avoid tax penalties,  distributions  from any Contract that
         is not a  non-qualified  contract  must  begin no later  than April 1st
         following  the calendar year in which the Owner attains age 70 1/2. The
         minimum  distribution   requirement  is  a  distribution  in  equal  or
         substantially  equal  amounts  over the Owner's  life or over the joint
         lives of the Owner and Owner's designated beneficiary,  or a period not
         extending  beyond  the  Owner's  life  expectancy,  or the  joint  life
         expectancy  of  the  Owner  and  Owner's  designated  beneficiary.   In
         addition,  distribution  payments must be made at least  annually.  Tax
         penalties  may  also  apply at the  Owner's  death  on  certain  excess
         accumulations.  Owners should  consider  potential  tax penalties  with
         their tax  advisors  when  electing  a Benefit  Option or taking  other
         distributions from the Contract.

     3.  Death of Annuitant or Other Payee

         Under the Benefit Options offered by the Company,  the amounts, if any,
         payable on the death of the Annuitant during the Benefit Option payment
         period are the  continuation  of payments for any  remaining  guarantee
         period or for the life of any Joint Annuitant. In all cases, the person
         entitled to receive  payments also  receives any rights and  privileges
         under the Benefit Option.

         Additional rules applicable to such distributions  under  Non-Qualified
         Contracts are described under "Required Distributions for Non-Qualified
         Contracts."  Though the rules there described do not apply to Contracts
         issued in connection with IRAs, SEPs, SAR/SEPs or SIMPLE-IRAs,  similar
         rules apply to the plans, themselves.

CHARGES AND DEDUCTIONS

An  Annual  Fee,  a  mortality   and  expense   risks  charge  and,  in  certain
circumstances,  a Transaction Fee and state premium taxes are deducted under the
Contract.  Also, in certain  circumstances,  a Surrender  Charge may be deducted
from certain cash  withdrawals  before the Retirement Date. The Company has also
reserved the right to assess a daily Administrative Expense Charge.

   
There  are also  deductions  from and  expenses  paid out of the  assets  of the
Accounts which are described in the Fund prospectus.
    

A.   Annual Fee

     An Annual Fee equal to the lesser of $30 or 2% of the  Owner's  Accumulated
     Value is deducted on the day before each Contract  Anniversary prior to the
     Retirement  Date. (This charge will be lower to the extent legally required
     in some  states.)  The Annual Fee will be  deducted  from  either the Fixed
     Account  Value or the  Owner's  interest  in a Separate  Account  Division,
     whichever  has the greatest  value on the date the fee is deducted.  If the
     Contract  is fully  surrendered,  the full amount of the Annual Fee will be
     deducted at the time of surrender.  The Annual Fee currently does not apply
     to Contracts that have an Accumulated  Value of at least $30,000 on the day
     before   the   Contract   Anniversary.   This   charge  is  to  help  cover
     administrative   costs  such  as  those  incurred  in  issuing   Contracts,
     establishing  and  maintaining  the records  relating to Contracts,  making
     regulatory filings and furnishing  confirmation  notices,  voting materials
     and other  communications,  providing  computer,  actuarial and  accounting
     services,  and  processing  Contract  transactions.  The  Company  does not
     anticipate any profit from this charge.

B.   Mortality and Expense Risks Charge

     The Company will assess each Division of the Separate  Account with a daily
     charge for mortality and expense risks at a nominal annual rate of 1.25% of
     the  average  daily  net  assets of the  Separate  Account  (consisting  of
     approximately  .80% for mortality risk and  approximately  .45% for expense
     risk).  This  charge is assessed  only prior to the  Retirement  Date.  The
     Company  guarantees  not to increase  this  charge for the  duration of the
     Contract.  This charge is assessed daily when  determining  the value of an
     accumulation Unit.

     The mortality  risk borne by the Company arises from its obligation to make
     Benefit Options payments  (determined in accordance with the annuity tables
     and other  provisions  contained in the  Contract) for the full life of all
     Annuitants  regardless  of  how  long  all  Annuitants  or  any  individual
     Annuitant might live. This undertaking  assures that neither an Annuitant's
     own longevity,  nor an improvement in life expectancy generally,  will have
     any adverse  effect on the  Benefit  Option  payments  the  Annuitant  will
     receive under the Contract. This, therefore,  relieves the Annuitant of the
     risk that he or she will outlive the funds accumulated for retirement.  The
     Benefit  Option  tables  contained in the Contract are based on the Annuity
     Mortality  1983 Table a. These  tables are  guaranteed  for the life of the
     Contract.

     In addition,  the Company  bears a mortality  risk in that it guarantees to
     pay a death benefit in a single sum (which may also be taken in the form of
     a Benefit  Option)  upon the death of an  Annuitant  or Owner  prior to the
     Retirement Date. No Surrender Charge is imposed upon the payment of a death
     benefit, which places a further mortality risk on the Company.

     The expense risk  assumed is that actual  expenses  incurred in  connection
     with  issuing and  administering  the  Contracts  will exceed the limits on
     administrative charges set in the Contracts.

     If the mortality and expense risk charge is insufficient to cover the costs
     assumed, the loss will be borne by the Company.  Conversely,  if the amount
     deducted  proves  more than  sufficient,  the excess  will be profit to the
     Company.  The Company expects a profit from the mortality and expense risks
     charge.

C.   Transaction Fee

   
     A  Transaction  Fee of $30 applies to each  unscheduled  partial  surrender
     after the first such  surrender  made during a Contract  Year.  The Company
     will  charge a $30  Transaction  Fee to each  unscheduled  transfer  from a
     Division   after  the  twelfth  such  transfer  in  a  Contract  Year.  The
     Transaction  Fee will be deducted  from the Fixed  Account Value and/or the
     Owner's  interest in a Separate  Account  Division from which the amount is
     surrendered or transferred, on a pro rata basis.
    

D.   Premium Taxes

     The Company has reserved  the right to deduct  amounts to cover any premium
     taxes that are imposed by states or other  jurisdictions,  when applicable.
     Any such  deduction  will be made  from  either  a  Purchase  Payment  when
     received by the Company,  or the  Accumulated  Value when  surrendered  (in
     whole or part) or applied under a Benefit Option.

E.   Surrender Charge

     No sales charge is collected or deducted at the time Purchase  Payments are
     applied  under a Contract.  A Surrender  Charge will be assessed on certain
     total or partial surrenders. The amounts obtained from the Surrender Charge
     will be used to  partially  defray  expenses  incurred  in the  sale of the
     Contract,  including  commissions  and other  promotional  or  distribution
     expenses  associated  with the marketing of the Contract.  If the Surrender
     Charge is insufficient to cover the actual cost of distribution, such costs
     will be paid from the Company's General Account assets,  which will include
     profit, if any, derived from the mortality and expense risks charge.

     The Surrender  Charge for any full or partial  surrender is a percentage of
     the Purchase  Payments  withdrawn or surrendered  which were received by us
     during the seven completed  Contract Year period prior to the withdrawal or
     surrender.  The  applicable  percentage  which is applied to the sum of the
     Purchase  Payments  paid  during  each  Contract  Year,  is  determined  in
     accordance with the following table.

                           TABLE OF SURRENDER CHARGES

 Number of Completed Contract Years    Surrender Charge Applied to all Purchase
   Since Purchase Payment was Paid      Payments Received in that Contract Year
                 0-2                                       6%
                  3                                        5%
                  4                                        4%
                  5                                        3%
                  6                                        2%
             7 and later                                   0%

     For this purpose, it is assumed that amounts are withdrawn in the following
     order: (1) From Purchase  Payments  received by the Company more than seven
     completed Contract Years prior to the withdrawal or surrender; (2) From the
     Free Surrender  Privilege described below (from contract earnings first, if
     any, and then from Purchase Payments on a first-in,  first-out basis);  and
     (3) From  Purchase  Payments  received  by the  Company  within  the  seven
     completed  Contract  Year period prior to the  withdrawal or surrender on a
     first-in  first-out  basis.  There  is no  Surrender  Charge,  under  these
     guidelines,  on  withdrawals  of  Purchase  Payments  made more than  seven
     completed  Contract  Years prior to the  withdrawal or  surrender,  nor are
     there  Surrender  Charges  imposed  on  withdrawals  of the Free  Surrender
     Privilege.

     No  surrender  charge  will be  imposed  where  prohibited  by  state  law,
     including:

   
     a)   State of New Jersey - no  surrender  charge will be imposed  upon full
          surrender on or after Annuitant's age 64 or 4 years after the Contract
          Date.
     b)   State of  Washington - no  surrender  charge will be imposed upon full
          surrender  on or after the  Annuitant's  age 70 or 10 years  after the
          Contract date.
    

     Waiver of the Surrender Charge. The Surrender Charge will not apply:

          1.   To any amount applied under a Benefit Option;

          2.   To the payment of a Death Benefit,  but the Surrender Charge will
               apply to Purchase  Payments made by the  participant's  surviving
               spouse  after the  participant's  date of death  occurring  on or
               after July 1, 1996;

          3.   To any amount  distributed  to satisfy the  minimum  distribution
               requirement of Sec. 401(a)9 of the Internal Revenue Code;

          4.   Where  permitted  by state law,  to a  withdrawal  made after the
               first  Anniversary  as a result  of the  Owner's  or  Annuitant's
               Critical Need provided that:

               (a)  the Owner or Annuitant to which the Critical Need applies is
                    the original Owner or Annuitant;

               (b)  the Critical Need did not exist prior to the Contract  Date;
                    and

               (c)  if  the  Critical  Need  is  Confinement  to a  Health  Care
                    Facility,  the  confinement  must  continue  for at least 60
                    consecutive days after Contract Date and the withdrawal must
                    occur within 90 days after  confinement  ends. No additional
                    Purchase Payments may be made to the Contract if the Company
                    waives the Surrender Charge due to a Critical Need.

         5.   To the Free  Surrender  Privilege  which is an amount  surrendered
              during a Contract Year in an amount not to exceed the greater of:

              (a) Earnings in the Contract  (Earnings =  Accumulated  Value less
                  unsurrendered Purchase Payments as of the surrender date); or

              (b) 10% of the Purchase  Payments  still  subject to the Surrender
                  Charge,  decreased  by any partial  surrenders  since the last
                  Anniversary.

         6.   To any amount  transferred  from the Contract to a Single  Premium
              Immediate Annuity issued by the Company after the seventh Contract
              Year.

         7.   To any amount  transferred  from a Contract used to fund an IRA to
              another  annuity  contract issued by the Company to fund an IRA of
              the participant's spouse when the distribution is made pursuant to
              a divorce decree.

F.   Administrative Expense Charge

     The  Company  reserves  the right to assess each  Division of the  Separate
     Account with a daily charge at a nominal annual rate of .15% of the average
     daily net assets of the  Division.  This charge would be imposed only prior
     to the Retirement  Date. The daily  Administrative  Expense Charge would be
     assessed  to help cover  administrative  expenses  such as those  described
     under  "Annual  Fee." The daily  Administrative  Expense  Charge,  like the
     Annual  Fee,  is designed to defray  expenses  actually  incurred,  without
     profit.  Even if the Administrative  Expense Charge was imposed,  the total
     anticipated  revenues  from both  charges  are not  expected  to exceed the
     actual administrative costs incurred by the Company.

   
G.   Special Provisions for Group or Sponsored Arrangements

     Where permitted by state  insurance laws,  Contracts may be purchased under
     group or  sponsored  arrangements,  as well as on an  individual  basis.  A
     "group arrangement"  includes a program under which a trustee,  employer or
     similar  entity  purchases  Contracts  covering a group of individuals on a
     group basis.  A "sponsored  arrangement"  includes a program under which an
     employer  permits group  solicitation  of its  employees or an  association
     permits group  solicitation of its members for the purchase of Contracts on
     an individual basis.

     The charges and  deductions  described  above may be reduced for  Contracts
     issued  in   connection   with  group  or  sponsored   arrangements.   Such
     arrangements  may include  sales  without or reduced  mortality and expense
     risk charges  and/or  without  annual fees and/or  Surrender  Charges.  The
     Company will reduce the above charges and deductions in accordance with its
     rules in effect as of the date an  application  for a Contract is approved.
     To qualify for such a  reduction,  a group or  sponsored  arrangement  must
     satisfy certain  criteria as to, for example,  size of the group,  expected
     number of participants  and anticipated  purchase  payments from the group.
     Generally,  the  sales  contacts  and  effort,   administrative  costs  and
     mortality  cost per Contract  vary based on such factors as the size of the
     group or  sponsored  arrangements,  the purposes  for which  Contracts  are
     purchased  and  certain  characteristics  of its  members.  The  amount  of
     reduction and the criteria for qualification will reflect the reduced sales
     effort and administrative costs resulting from, and the different mortality
     experience  expected  as a  result  of,  sales  to  qualifying  groups  and
     sponsored arrangements.

     The  Company  may modify from time to time,  on a uniform  basis,  both the
     amounts of  reductions  and the criteria for  qualification.  Reductions in
     these  charges  will not be  unfairly  discriminatory  against  any person,
     including the affected  contract  owners and all other contract owners with
     contracts funded by the Separate Account.
    

FIXED ACCOUNT

Owners may allocate  Purchase  Payments  and transfer  amounts from the Separate
Account to the Fixed Account, in which case such amounts are held in the General
Account  of the  Company.  Because of  exemptive  and  exclusionary  provisions,
interests in the Fixed Account have not been registered under the Securities Act
of 1933 and the General Account has not been registered as an investment company
under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Accordingly, neither the Fixed Account
nor any interests  therein are subject to the provisions of these acts and, as a
result, the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission has not reviewed the
disclosures  in this  Prospectus  relating  to the  Fixed  Account.  Disclosures
regarding  the Fixed  Account  may,  however,  be subject  to certain  generally
applicable  provisions of the federal  securities  laws relating to the accuracy
and  completeness  of  statements  made  in  prospectuses.  This  Prospectus  is
generally intended to serve as a disclosure document only for the aspects of the
Contract  involving the Separate Account and contains only selected  information
regarding the Fixed Account. More information regarding the Fixed Account may be
obtained from the Company's home office or from a sales representative.

General Description

The Company's obligations with respect to the Fixed Account are supported by the
Company's  General  Account.  Subject to  applicable  law,  the Company has sole
discretion over the investment of the assets in the General Account.

The Company  guarantees  that Purchase  Payments  allocated to the Fixed Account
will  accrue  interest  at a  guaranteed  interest  rate.  In no event  will the
guaranteed  interest  rate be less than 3%  compounded  annually.  Each Purchase
Payment  or  amount  transferred  to the Fixed  Account  earns  interest  at the
guaranteed rate in effect on the date it is received or  transferred.  This rate
applies  to each  Purchase  Payment or amount  transferred  until the end of the
Contract Year.

Each Anniversary the Company declares a renewal interest rate that is guaranteed
and applies to the Fixed  Account  Value in  existence  at that time.  This rate
applies  until  the end of the  Contract  Year.  Interest  is  earned  daily and
compounded  annually  at the end of each  Contract  Year.  Once  credited,  such
interest will be guaranteed and will become part of the Accumulated Value in the
Fixed Account from which deductions for fees and charges may be made.

   
Charges  under the Contract  are the same as when the Separate  Account is being
used,  except that the 1.25% per year charged for  mortality  and expense  risks
and, if applicable,  the .15% per year charged for  administrative  expenses are
not imposed on amounts of Accumulated Value in the Fixed Account.
    

Fixed Account Value

The  Contract's  Fixed  Account  Value on any  Valuation  Date is the sum of the
Purchase  Payments  allocated to the Fixed Account,  plus any transfers from the
Separate  Account,  plus  interest  credited  to the  Fixed  Account,  less  any
surrenders,  Surrender Charges, Annual Fees or Transaction Fees allocated to the
Fixed Account or transfers to the Separate Account.

Fixed Account Transfers, Total and Partial Surrenders

Amounts  in the Fixed  Account  are  generally  subject  to the same  rights and
limitations and will be subject to the same charges as are amounts  allocated to
the  Divisions  of the  Separate  Account  with  respect  to total  and  partial
surrenders. See "Total and Partial Surrenders."

Transfers out of the Fixed Account have special  limitations.  No transfers from
the Fixed Account may be made after the Retirement Date. Prior to the Retirement
Date,  Owners may transfer part or all of the  Accumulated  Value from the Fixed
Account  to the  Separate  Account  in one of two  ways,  a single  transfer  or
pursuant to scheduled transfers, both of which are described below. An Owner may
not make both a single transfer and scheduled transfers during the same Contract
Year.

         Single  Transfer.  A single  transfer in an amount not to exceed 25% of
         the Owner's Fixed Account Value as of the later of the Contract Date or
         the last Anniversary,  may be made each Contract Year during the 30-day
         period  following the Contract Date or Anniversary.  A transfer request
         must be made by the  owner  within  such  30-day  period.  An Owner may
         transfer up to the entire  Fixed  Account  Value if the  Owner's  Fixed
         Account Value is less than $1,000 or the renewal interest rate declared
         for the Owner's Fixed Account Value is more than one  percentage  point
         lower  than the  average  of the  Owner's  total  Fixed  Account  Value
         earnings for the preceding  Contract  Year. The Company will notify the
         Owner if the renewal interest rate falls to that threshold. The minimum
         transfer  amount is $100 (or, if less,  the entire  amount of the Fixed
         Account Value).

   
         Scheduled  Transfers.  The Owner may elect to have automatic  transfers
         completed on a monthly  basis from the Fixed Account to any Division of
         the Separate Account.  Scheduled transfers are available from the Fixed
         Account  only if the  Owner's  Fixed  Account  Value  equals or exceeds
         $5,000 at the time  scheduled  transfers  are  initiated.  (The Company
         reserves  the right to change  that  amount  but it will  never  exceed
         $10,000.)  An Owner may  establish  scheduled  transfers  by  sending a
         written  request  to the  Company at its home  office or by  telephone.
         Scheduled  transfers  will be completed on a monthly  basis on the date
         (other  than the 29th,  30th or 31st)  specified  by the Owner.  If the
         requested date is not a Valuation  Date, the transfer will be completed
         on the next valuation date  following  such specified  date.  Scheduled
         monthly transfers of an amount equal to 2% of the Owner's Fixed Account
         Value at the  beginning  of the  Contract  Year or  current  value will
         continue  until the Fixed Account Value is exhausted or until the Owner
         notifies  the  Company to  discontinue  the  scheduled  transfers.  The
         beginning of the Contract  Year value will be used to calculate  the 2%
         unless the Owner specifies current value. If the Owner discontinues the
         scheduled  transfers,   transfers  may  not  begin  again  without  the
         Company's prior approval.
    

GENERAL PROVISIONS

The Contract

The Contract,  copies of any applications,  amendments,  riders, or endorsements
attached to the  Contract,  the Contract  current  data page,  and copies of any
supplemental applications,  amendments,  endorsements, or revised Contract pages
or Contract  data pages  which are mailed to the Owner are the entire  Contract.
Only the  Company's  corporate  officers  can  agree  to  change  or  waive  any
provisions of a Contract.  Any change or waiver must be in writing and signed by
one of these representatives of the Company.

Postponement of Payments

Any total or partial  surrender to be made from the Contract will be made within
seven days after acceptable  Notice for such payment is received by the Company,
or such  earlier  date as required by law.  However,  payment of any amount upon
total surrender, partial surrender, death, or the transfer to or from a Division
of the  Separate  Account  may be  deferred  during any period when the right to
redeem  Mutual Fund shares is  suspended as permitted  under  provisions  of the
Investment  Company Act of 1940,  as amended.  The right to redeem shares may be
suspended  during any period when (a) trading on the New York Stock  Exchange is
restricted  as  determined  by the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission or such
Exchange  is closed for other  than  weekends  and  holidays;  (b) an  emergency
exists, as determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission,  as a result of
which  (i)  disposal  by  the  Mutual  Fund  of  securities  owned  by it is not
reasonably  practicable or (ii) it is not reasonably  practicable for the Mutual
Fund to fairly  determine the value of its net assets;  or (c) the Commission by
order so permits for the protection of security  holders.  If any deferment of a
surrender is in effect and has not been cancelled by written notification to the
Company  within the period of  deferment,  the amount to be  withdrawn  shall be
determined as of the first Valuation Date following  expiration of the permitted
deferment, and the surrender will be made within seven days thereafter.

The  Company  may  also  defer  for up to 15  days  the  payment  of any  amount
attributable to a Purchase  Payment made by check to allow the check  reasonable
time to clear. The Company may also defer payment of surrender  proceeds payable
out of the Fixed Account for a period of up to 6 months.

Misstatement of Age or Sex and Other Errors

If the age or , where  applicable,  gender of the Annuitant has been  misstated,
any amount  payable will be that which would have been  purchased at the correct
age and gender.  If the Company has made any  overpayments  because of incorrect
information about age or gender, or any error or miscalculation,  it will deduct
the overpayment from the next payment or payments due.  Underpayments  are added
to the next payment.

Assignment

Ownership of a  non-qualified  contract may be assigned.  The Company assumes no
responsibility for the validity of any assignment.  An assignment or pledge of a
Contract may have adverse tax consequences. See "Federal Tax Matters."

An  assignment  must be made in writing  and filed with the  Company at its home
office. Owner, Annuitant and Beneficiary rights are subject to any assignment of
record at the  Company's  home  office.  Any amount paid to an assignee  will be
treated as a partial surrender and will be paid in a single sum.

Change of Owner

The Owner may change  ownership of the Contract at any time. A request to change
ownership  must be in writing  and must be approved  by the  Company.  After the
Company  approves  of the  change,  the change is  effective  as of the date the
written  request  for the  change  was  signed by the  Owner.  The waiver of the
Contingent  Deferred Sales Charge for withdrawals made due to a Critical Need of
the Owner, is not available if Ownership is changed. See "Surrender Charge."

Beneficiary

Before the Retirement Date and while the Annuitant is living, the Owner may name
or change the Owner's or Annuitant's  Beneficiary or a successor  Beneficiary by
sending a written request of the change to the Company. Under certain retirement
programs,  however,  spousal  consent  may be  required  to  name  or  change  a
Beneficiary,  and the right to name a  Beneficiary  other than the spouse may be
subject to applicable tax laws and  regulations.  The Company is not responsible
for the  validity of any change.  A change will take effect as of the date it is
signed but will not affect any payments  made or action taken before the Company
receives and approves the written request. The Company also needs the consent of
any irrevocably named person before making a requested change.

If no  Beneficiary  designated as the  Annuitant's  Beneficiary is living at the
time of the Annuitant's death, any benefits otherwise payable under the Contract
to the  Beneficiary  will be paid to the  Owner,  if  living,  otherwise  to the
Annuitant's  estate.  If a Beneficiary  dies while receiving  payments under the
Contract,  and if no other  Beneficiary is then living,  any remaining  benefits
owed under the Contract will be paid to such Beneficiary's estate.

Reports

We will mail to the Owner at the last known address of record a statement of the
Owner's  current  Accumulated  Value  at  least  once  each  year  prior  to the
Retirement  Date and any reports  required by any  applicable law or regulation.
After the Retirement  Date,  any reports will be mailed to the person  receiving
Benefit Option payments, rather than to the Owner.

   
Quarterly  statements  reflecting  purchases and surrenders occurring during the
quarter as wall as balance of units owned and account values.
    

RIGHTS RESERVED BY THE COMPANY

The Company  reserves  the right to make certain  changes if, in its  judgement,
they  would  best  serve the  interests  of Owners  and  Annuitants  or would be
appropriate  in carrying  out the purpose of the  Contract.  Any changes will be
made only to the extent and in the manner  permitted by applicable  laws.  Also,
when  required  by law,  the Company  will  obtain the  Owner's  approval of the
changes and approval from any appropriate  regulatory  authority.  Such approval
may not be required in all cases,  however.  Examples of the changes the Company
may make include:

     o    To transfer any assets in any Division to another Division,  or to the
          Fixed  Account;  or to add,  combine  or  eliminate  Divisions  in the
          Separate Account.

   
     o    To substitute  the shares of an Account for the Account shares held in
          any Division:

          1)   if shares of an Account are no longer  available for  investment;
               or

          2)   if in the Company's  judgement,  investment in an Account becomes
               inappropriate considering the purposes of the Separate Account.
    

DISTRIBUTION OF THE CONTRACT

The Contract,  which is continuously  offered, will be sold primarily by persons
who are insurance agents of or brokers for the Company  authorized by applicable
law to sell life and other forms of personal  insurance and variable  annuities.
In addition, these persons will usually be registered representatives of Princor
Financial Services Corporation,  The Principal Financial Group, Des Moines, Iowa
50392-0200, a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
and a member of the National  Association of Securities  Dealers,  Inc.  Princor
Financial  Services  Corporation,  the  principal  underwriter,  is paid 6.5% of
Purchase   Payments  by  Principal   Mutual  Life  Insurance   Company  for  the
distribution  of the  Contract.  The  Contract  may also be sold  through  other
selected broker-dealers  registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or
firms  that are  exempt  from  such  registration.  Princor  Financial  Services
Corporation is also the principal  underwriter for various registered investment
companies organized by the Company.  Princor Financial Services Corporation is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of Principal Holding Company.  Principal Holding Company
is a holding company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.

PERFORMANCE CALCULATION

   
The  Separate  Account  may  publish   advertisements   containing   information
(including graphs,  charts, tables and examples) about the performance of one or
more of its  Divisions.  The  Contract  was not offered  prior to June 16, 1994.
However,  shares in which Divisions of the Separate  Account invest were offered
prior to that date.  Thus,  the  Separate  Account  may  publish  advertisements
containing information about the hypothetical  performance of one or more of its
Divisions  for this  Contract had the Contract  been issued on or after the date
the  Account in which such  Division  invests was first  offered.  The yield and
total return figures described below will vary depending upon market conditions,
the composition of the underlying  Account's  portfolios and operating expenses.
These factors and possible  differences in the methods used in calculating yield
and total return  should be  considered  when  comparing  the  Separate  Account
performance  figures  to  performance  figures  published  for other  investment
vehicles.  The Separate  Account may also quote  rankings,  yields or returns as
published by  independent  statistical  services or publishers  and  information
regarding performance of certain market indices. Any performance data quoted for
the Separate Account represents only historical  performance and is not intended
to indicate  future  performance.  For further  information  on how the Separate
Account  calculates  yield  and  total  return  figures,  see the  Statement  of
Additional Information.
    

From time to time the Separate  Account  advertises its Money Market  Division's
"yield" and "effective yield" for these Contracts.  Both yield figures are based
on historical earnings and are not intended to indicate future performance.  The
"yield" of the Division  refers to the income  generated by an investment in the
Division  over  a  seven-day   period  (which  period  will  be  stated  in  the
advertisement).  This income is then "annualized." That is, the amount of income
generated by the  investment  during that week is assumed to be  generated  each
week over a 52-week period and is shown as a percentage of the  investment.  The
"effective  yield" is  calculated  similarly  but, when  annualized,  the income
earned by an  investment  in the  Division  is  assumed  to be  reinvested.  The
"effective  yield"  will be  slightly  higher  than the  "yield"  because of the
compounding  effect  of  this  assumed  reinvestment.  Neither  yield  quotation
reflects a sales load deducted from Purchase Payments which, if included,  would
reduce the "yield" and "effective yield."

In addition,  from time to time, the Separate Account will advertise the "yield"
for  certain  other  Divisions  for the  Contract.  The "yield" of a Division is
determined by  annualizing  the net  investment  income per unit for a specific,
historical  30-day period and dividing the result by the ending maximum offering
price of the unit for the same period.  This yield  quotation does not reflect a
contingent deferred sales charge which, if included, would reduce the "yield."

Also, from time to time, the Separate Account will advertise the average annual
total return of its various  Divisions.  The average annual total return for any
of the Divisions is computed by calculating  the average annual  compounded rate
of return over the stated period that would equate an initial $1,000  investment
to the ending redeemable Contract value. In this calculation the ending value is
reduced by a Surrender  Charge that  decreases  from 6% to 0% over a period of 7
years.  The Separate  Account may also  advertise  total  return  figures of its
Divisions  for a specified  period that do not take into  account the  Surrender
Charge in order to illustrate the change in the Division's unit value over time.
See "Charges and Deductions" and "Surrender Charge."

VOTING RIGHTS

   
The Company shall vote Account shares held in Separate  Account B at regular and
special  meetings  of  shareholders  of each  Account,  but will  follow  voting
instructions  received  from  Owners of the  Contract  whose  Accumulated  Value
includes amounts invested in the corresponding Division of the Separate Account.

The number of Account  shares as to which an Owner has the voting  interest will
be  determined  by the  Company as of a date which will not be more than  ninety
days  prior to the  meeting of the  Account,  and  voting  instructions  will be
solicited by written  communication at least ten days prior to the meeting.  The
number of Account shares held in Separate  Account B which are  attributable  to
the Owner's interest in each Division is determined by dividing the value of the
Owner's  interest  in that  Division  by the net asset value of one share of the
underlying Account.  Account shares for which Owners are entitled to give voting
instructions,  but for which none are received,  and shares of the Account owned
by the Company will be voted in the same proportion as the aggregate  shares for
which voting instructions have been received.
    

Proxy material will be provided to each Owner together with an appropriate  form
which may used to give voting instructions to the Company.

   
If the Company determines pursuant to applicable law that Account shares held in
Separate  Account B need not be voted  pursuant to  instructions  received  from
Owners,  then the Company may vote Account shares held in Separate  Account B in
its own right.
    

FEDERAL TAX MATTERS

The  following  description  is a general  summary of the tax  rules,  primarily
related  to federal  income  taxes,  which in the  opinion  of the  Company  are
currently  in  effect.   These  rules  are  based  on  laws,   regulations   and
interpretations  which are  subject to change at any time.  This  summary is not
comprehensive  and is not  intended as tax advice.  Federal  estate and gift tax
considerations,  as well as state and local taxes, may also be material.  Owners
should  consult a  qualified  tax adviser as to the tax  implications  of taking
action under a Contract or related retirement plan.

Non-Qualified Contracts

Section 72 of the  Internal  Revenue  Code  ("Code")  governs  the  taxation  of
annuities in general.  Purchase Payments made under non-qualified  contracts are
not  excludible  or  deductible  from the gross income of the Owner or any other
person.  However,  any  increase  in the  Accumulated  Value of a  non-qualified
contract  resulting from the investment  performance of the Separate  Account or
interest  credit to the Fixed  Account is generally  not taxable to the Owner or
other payee until received by him or her, as surrender  proceeds,  death benefit
proceeds, or otherwise.  The exception to this rule is that,  generally,  Owners
who are not  natural  persons  are  immediately  taxed  on any  increase  in the
Accumulated Value. However, this exception does not apply in all cases.

The  following  discussion  applies  generally  to  Contracts  owned by  natural
persons.

In  general,  surrenders  or partial  surrenders  under  Contracts  are taxed as
ordinary  income to the  extent  of the  accumulated  income  or gain  under the
Contract.  If an Owner  assigns or pledges  any part of the value of a Contract,
the value so pledged or assigned is taxed to the Owner as ordinary income to the
same extent as a partial withdrawal.

With respect to Benefit Options payments, although the tax consequences may vary
depending on the option elected under the Contract,  until the investment in the
Contract is recovered, generally only the portion of the payment that represents
the  amount  by which the  Accumulated  Value  exceeds  the  "investment  in the
contract" will be taxed. In general, an Annuitant's or other payee's "investment
in the  contract" is the  aggregate  amount of Purchase  Payments made by him or
her. After the "investment in the contract" is recovered, the full amount of any
additional  Benefit  Option  payments  is  taxable.  Prior  to  recovery  of the
"investment  in the  contract,"  there is no tax on the  amount of each  payment
which bears the same ratio to such payment that the "investment in the contract"
bears to the total  expected  return under the  Contract.  The remainder of each
Benefit Option  payment is taxable.  The taxable  portion of a  distribution  is
taxed as ordinary income.

For  purposes  of  determining  the  amount of  taxable  income  resulting  from
distributions,  all Contracts and other annuity  contracts issued by the Company
or its  affiliates  to the same  Owner  within  the same  calendar  year will be
treated as if they were a single contract.

   
With respect to IRAs or IRA rollovers,  there is a 10% penalty under the Code on
the taxable  portion of a "premature  distribution."  Generally,  an amount is a
"premature  distribution"  unless the  distribution  is (1) made on or after the
Owner  reaches age 59 1/2,  (2) made to a  Beneficiary  on or after death of the
Owner,  (3) made  upon the  disability  of the  Owner,  (4) part of a series  of
substantially  equal  periodic  payments for the life or life  expectancy of the
Owner or the Owner and  Beneficiary  (5) made to pay medical  expenses,  (6) for
certain unemployment  expenses,  (7) for first home purchases (up to $10,000) or
8) for higher  education  expenses.  Premature  distributions  may  result,  for
example,  from an early Retirement Date, any early surrender,  partial surrender
or  assignment  of a Contract or the death of an Annuitant  who is not the Owner
prior to the Owner attaining age 59 1/2.

With  respect to  SIMPLE-IRAs,  in place of the above 10%  penalty on  premature
distributions,  there is a 25% penalty on distributions made within two years of
the initial  contribution unless the distribution is made for one or more of the
reasons listed in the preceding paragraph.
    

A transfer of ownership of a Contract,  or  designation of an Annuitant or other
payee who is not also the  Owner,  may  result  in a certain  income or gift tax
consequences to the Owner that are beyond the scope of this discussion. An Owner
contemplating  any  transfer  or  assignment  of a  Contract  should  contact  a
competent  tax  advisor  with  respect  to the  potential  tax  effects  of such
transactions.

Required Distributions for Non-Qualified Contracts

In order for a non-qualified  contract to be treated as an annuity  contract for
federal  income tax  purposes,  Section  72(s) of the Code  requires  (a) if the
person receiving  payments dies on or after the Retirement Date but prior to the
time the entire  interest in the Contract has been  distributed,  the  remaining
portion of such  interest will be  distributed  at least as rapidly as under the
method of distribution being used as of the date of that person's death; and (b)
if any Owner dies prior to the  Retirement  Date,  the  entire  interest  in the
Contract  will be  distributed  (1)  within  five  years  after the date of that
Owner's  death or (2) as annuity  payments  which will begin  within one year of
that  Owner's  death  and  which  will  be made  over  the  life of the  Owner's
designated Beneficiary or over a period not extending beyond the life expectancy
of that  Beneficiary.  However,  if the Owner's  designated  Beneficiary  is the
surviving  spouse of the Owner, the Contract may be continued with the surviving
spouse deemed to be the new Owner for purposes of Section 72(s). Where the Owner
or other  person  receiving  payments  is not a  natural  person,  the  required
distributions  provided for in Section 72(s) apply upon the death of the primary
Annuitant.

Generally,  unless the Beneficiary elects otherwise, the above requirements will
be  satisfied  prior to the  Retirement  Date by paying  the death  benefit in a
single sum, subject to proof of the Owner's death. The Beneficiary, however, may
elect by  written  request  to  receive a Benefit  Option  instead of a lump sum
payment.  However,  if the  election  is not made within 60 days of the date the
single sum death benefit  otherwise  becomes payable,  the IRS may disregard the
election for tax purposes and tax the Beneficiary as if a single sum payment had
been made.

IRA, SEP, SAR/SEP and SIMPLE-IRA

The Contract may be used to fund IRAs, SEPs,  SAR/SEPs and SIMPLE-IRAs.  The tax
rules  applicable to Owners,  Annuitants  and other payees vary according to the
type of plan and the  terms  and  conditions  of the plan  itself.  In  general,
Purchase Payments made under a retirement  program  recognized under the Code by
or on behalf of an individual are excludible from the individual's  gross income
for tax purposes  prior to the  Retirement  Date.  The  portion,  if any, of any
Purchase  Payment made by or on behalf of an individual under a Contract that is
not excluded from the individuals' gross income for tax purposes constitutes the
individual's  "investment in the contract."  Aggregate deferrals under all plans
at the employee's option may be subject to limitations.  The tax implications of
these plans are further  discussed in the  Statement of  Additional  Information
under the heading "Taxation Under Certain Retirement Plans."

Withholding

Benefit  Option  payments  and other  amounts  received  under the  Contract are
subject to income tax withholding  unless the recipient elects not to have taxes
withheld.  The amounts withheld will vary among recipients  depending on the tax
status of the individual and the type of payments from which taxes are withheld.

Notwithstanding  the  recipient's  election,  withholding  may be required  with
respect to certain payments to be delivered outside the United States. Moreover,
special  "backup  withholding"  rules may require the Company to  disregard  the
recipient's  election if the recipient  fails to supply the Company with a "TIN"
or taxpayer  identification number (social security number for individuals),  or
if the Internal  Revenue  Service  notifies the Company that the TIN provided by
the recipient is incorrect.

Mutual Fund Diversification

   
The United States  Treasury  Department  has adopted  regulations  under Section
817(h)  of the Code  which  establishes  standards  of  diversification  for the
investment underlying the Contracts. Under this Code Section, Separate Account B
investments  must be  adequately  diversified  in order for the  increase in the
value of non-qualified  contracts to receive tax-deferred treatment. In order to
be adequately diversified,  the portfolio of each underlying Account must, as of
the end of each calendar quarter or within 30 days thereafter, have no more than
55% of its assets  invested in any one investment,  70% in any two  investments,
80% in any three investments and 90% in any four investments.  Failure of a Fund
to meet the  diversification  requirements  could  result  in tax  liability  to
non-qualified contractholders.
    

The  investment  opportunities  of the Funds  could  conceivably  be  limited by
adhering  to the above  diversification  requirements.  This  would  affect  all
Owners,  including those Owners of contracts for whom  diversification  is not a
requirement for tax-deferred treatment.

STATE REGULATION

The  Company  is subject  to the laws of the State of Iowa  governing  insurance
companies and to regulation by the Insurance Department of the State of Iowa. An
annual  statement  in a  prescribed  form  must be filed by March 1 in each year
covering the  operations of the Company for the preceding year and its financial
condition  on  December  31st of such year.  Its books and assets are subject to
review or examination by the  Commissioner  of Insurance of the State of Iowa or
his  representatives  at all times,  and a full examination of its operations is
conducted  periodically by the National Association of Insurance  Commissioners.
Iowa law and regulations also prescribe permissible  investments,  but this does
not involve supervision of the investment management or policy of the Company.

In addition,  the Company is subject to the insurance  laws and  regulations  of
other states and  jurisdictions  in which it is licensed to operate.  Generally,
the insurance  departments of these states and  jurisdictions  apply the laws of
the state of domicile in determining the field of permissible investments.

LEGAL OPINIONS

Legal matters  applicable to the issue and sale of the Contracts,  including the
right of the Company to issue  Contracts  under Iowa  Insurance  Law,  have been
passed upon by Gregg R. Narber, Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

There are no legal proceedings pending to which Separate Account B is a party or
which would materially affect Separate Account B.

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

This Prospectus omits some information  contained in the Statement of Additional
Information  (or  Part  B of  the  Registration  Statement)  and  Part  C of the
Registration  Statement  which the  Company  has filed with the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission.   The  Statement  of  Additional   Information  is  hereby
incorporated  by  reference  into this  Prospectus.  A copy of the  Statement of
Additional  Information can be obtained upon request, free of charge, by writing
or telephoning Princor Financial Services Corporation.  You may obtain a copy of
Part C of the  Registration  Statement  filed with the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission,  Washington, D.C. from the Commission upon payment of the prescribed
fees.

OTHER VARIABLE ANNUITY CONTRACTS

The Company  currently offers other Variable Annuity  Contracts that participate
in Separate Account B. In the future,  additional  group or individual  variable
annuity  contracts may be designated by the Company as participating in Separate
Account B.

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

The financial  statements of Principal  Mutual Life Insurance  Company  Separate
Account B and the consolidated  financial  statements of The Principal Financial
Group(R)   (comprised  of  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  and  its
subsidiaries) which are included in the Statement of Additional Information have
been  audited  by  Ernst & Young  LLP,  independent  auditors,  for the  periods
indicated in their  reports  thereon which appear in the Statement of Additional
Information.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The  consolidated  financial  statements  of The  Principal  Financial  Group(R)
(comprised  of the  Company  and its  subsidiaries)  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 Contract.  They should
not be considered as bearing on the investment performance of the assets held in
the Separate Account.

CONTRACTHOLDERS' INQUIRIES

Contractholders'   inquiries  should  be  directed  to:  Variable  Annuity,  The
Principal   Financial  Group,  P.O.  Box  9382,  Des  Moines,  Iowa  50306-9382,
1-800-247-9988.

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     The table of  contents  for the  Statement  of  Additional  Information  is
     provided below.

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                                           Page

Independent Auditors   ..................................................     3

Calculation of Yield and Total Return   .................................     3

Taxation Under Certain Retirement Plans..................................     4

Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company Separate Account B

     Report of Independent Auditors .....................................     6

     Financial Statements................................................     7

The Principal Financial Group(R)

     Report of Independent Auditors .....................................    24

     Financial Statements................................................    25


To obtain a copy of the  Statement of  Additional  Information,  free of charge,
write or telephone:

                                Variable Annuity
                          The Principal Financial Group
                                  P.O. Box 9382
                           Des Moines, Iowa 50306-9382
                            Telephone: 1-800-247-9988

                                   APPENDIX A

The Company hereby offers to exchange the Contract  described in this Prospectus
("PVA Contract") for certain  outstanding  Pension Builder Plus Variable Annuity
Contracts   ("Pension  Builder  Plus  Contracts")   issued  in  connection  with
Individual  Retirement  Annuity  ("IRA") plans or programs,  including  SEPs and
SAR-SEPs (but excluding employer-sponsored IRAs) adopted pursuant to Section 408
of the  Internal  Revenue Code or for such Pension  Builder Plus  Contracts  the
withdrawals  from which may be  transferred  to the  Contract  described in this
prospectus  to fund an IRA. The Company  reserves  the right to  terminate  this
exchange offer at any time. In considering  whether to accept the exchange offer
you should  consult the  Pension  Builder  Plus  Contract  Prospectus  since the
provisions and charges of the Pension Builder Plus Contract differ from those of
the PVA Contract.

The Pension  Builder  Plus  Contract may be exchanged at net asset value for the
PVA  Contract.  To effect an  exchange,  the Company must receive from you (1) a
completed  application  for the PVA Contract,  (2) a written request and release
for the exchange, and (3) the Pension Builder Plus Contract to be exchanged. The
exchange will become  effective as of the close of the Valuation Period in which
all of these three  items are  received  by the  Company at its home  office.  A
Participant's Investment Account Value of the Pension Builder Plus Contract will
be  determined  as of the  time  the  exchange  becomes  effective  and  will be
transferred to the PVA Contract. No surrender charge otherwise applicable to the
Pension  Builder  Plus  Contract  will  apply  to the  surrender  affecting  the
exchange.  The PVA Contract's  contingent deferred sales charge will be computed
as if prior  Purchase  Payments for the Pension  Builder Plus Contract have been
made for the PVA  Contract  on the date of issue  of the  Pension  Builder  Plus
Contract.  The contingent deferred sales charge for additional Purchase Payments
made under the PVA Contract after the transfer of the Accumulated Value from the
Pension Builder Plus Contract will be computed based on the number of years that
the additional  Purchase Payments to which the withdrawal is attributed has been
credited under the PVA Contract, as provided in this Prospectus.

Summary of Differences between Contracts

The Pension Builder Plus Contract and the PVA Contract differ substantially,  as
summarized below. There may be additional  differences  important to you and the
prospectuses of both contracts  should be reviewed  carefully  before making the
exchange.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge. The contingent deferred sales charge under the
PVA Contract applies to all Purchase Payments received during any Contract Year.
The contingent  deferred  sales charge for the Pension  Builder Plus Contract is
based upon the number of Contribution Years a Participant has been covered under
the Contract (rather than on the year in which the Contribution was made). Thus,
for certain  Participants of the Pension  Builder Plus  Contracts,  new Purchase
Payments  made  after  accepting  the  exchange  offer  would be  subject to the
contingent  deferred  sales  charge  under the PVA  Contract,  but new  Purchase
Payments  made  under the  Pension  Builder  Plus  Contract  would not have been
subject to such a charge,  or would have been subject to a lesser charge had the
offer been rejected.

The  contingent  deferred  sales charge of the PVA Contract will be waived under
all of the circumstances under which the contingent deferred sales charge to the
Pension  Builder  Plus  Contract  would  be  waived  and,  in  addition  the PVA
Contract's charge does not apply to:

     1.   any  amount   distributed   to  satisfy   the   minimum   distribution
          requirements of Section 401(a)9 of the Internal Revenue Code;

     2.   where  permitted  by state law, to a  withdrawal  made after the first
          Anniversary as a result of the Owner's or  Annuitant's  Critical Need,
          as described in this Prospectus; and

     3.   to the Free Surrender Privilege as defined in this Prospectus.

Annual Fee  versus  Administration  Charge.  The PVA  Contract  is subject to an
Annual Fee equal to the lesser of $30 or 2% of the  Owner's  Accumulated  Value.
The Annual Fee currently  does not apply to Contracts  that have an  Accumulated
Value of at least  $30,000.  In addition,  the Company has reserved the right to
assess each Division of the Separate Account with a daily administrative expense
charge  at an  annual  rate of .15%  of the  average  daily  net  assets  of the
Division.  This  charge is not  currently  imposed.  The  Pension  Builder  Plus
Contract is subject to annual  Administration Charge equal to $25 plus an amount
equal to .5% of the first $50,000 of the value of all Investment Accounts of the
Participant under the Contract.  Thus, the maximum annual  Administration Charge
under the Pension Builder Plus Variable Annuity Contract is $275.

Mortality  and Expense  Risks  Charge.  The annual  mortality  and expense risks
charge of the PVA Contract is equal to 1.25% of the average  daily net assets of
the Separate Account.  The mortality and expense risks charges applicable to the
Pension  Builder  Plus  Contract are 1.4965%  (1.0001%  for Rollover  Individual
Retirement Annuities) of the average daily net assets.

Death Benefit. The benefit payable on death of the annuitant or owner of the PVA
Contract is the greater of :

     1.   the  Accumulated  Value on the date the  Company  receives  Notice  of
          death; or

     2.   Total  Purchase  Payments  less any partial  surrenders  and Surrender
          Charges as of the date the Company receives Notice of death; or

     3.   the death benefit that was in effect on any prior  anniversary that is
          divisible  equally  by 7,  plus  any  Purchase  Payments  and less any
          partial surrenders made after that Anniversary.

The death benefit  payable  under the Pension  Builder Plus Contract is equal to
the market value of a Participant's Investment Account Values as of the date the
Company  receives proof of death.  The PVA Contract's death benefit thus will be
at least equal to, and perhaps  greater than,  that of the Pension  Builder Plus
Contract.

Right to Examine after Exchange

Persons who,  under the terms of this  exchange  offer,  exchange  their Pension
Builder  Plus  Contract for the PVA  Contract  and  subsequently  revoke the PVA
Contract  within  the  time  permitted,  as  described  in the  section  of this
Prospectus  captioned  "Right to Examine the Contract,"  will have their Pension
Builder Plus Contract automatically reinstated as of the date of revocation. The
refunded amount will be applied as the new current  Accumulated  Value under the
reinstated  Contract,  which may be more or less than it would  have been had no
exchange  and  reinstatement  occurred.  The  refunded  amount will be allocated
initially among the Divisions of the reinstated Pension Builder Plus Contract in
the same  proportion  that the value in each  Division  bore to the  transferred
Accumulated Value on the date of the exchange of the PVA Contract.  For purposes
of calculating any contingent deferred sales charge under the reinstated Pension
Builder  Plus  Contract,  the  reinstated  Contract  will be deemed to have been
issued  and to have  received  past  Purchase  Payments  as if there had been no
exchange.


RF581A-5
<PAGE>

                                     PART B

           PRINCIPAL MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY SEPARATE ACCOUNT B

                   FLEXIBLE VARIABLE ANNUITY ("FVA") CONTRACT





                       Statement of Additional Information

   
                           dated _____________________


 This Statement of Additional Information provides information about Principal
Mutual Life Insurance Company Separate Account B Flexible Variable Annuity (the
 "Contract") in addition to the information that is contained in the Contract's
                     Prospectus, dated ___________________.
    

                    This Statement of Additional Information
  is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus, a
    copy of which can be obtained free of charge by writing or telephoning:


                                Variable Annuity
                          The Principal Financial Group
                                  P.O. Box 9382
                           Des Moines Iowa 50306-9382
                            Telephone: 1-800-247-9988




                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


Independent Auditors ...........................................       3

Calculation of Yield and Total Return...........................       3

Taxation Under Certain Retirement Plans.........................       4

Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company Separate Account B

        Report of Independent Auditors..........................       6

        Financial Statements....................................       7

The Principal Financial Group(R)

        Report of Independent Auditors..........................      24

        Financial Statements....................................      25


INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

Ernst & Young LLP, Des Moines, Iowa, serve as independent auditors for Principal
Mutual Life  Insurance  Company  Separate  Account B and  Principal  Mutual Life
Insurance Company and perform audit and accounting services for Separate Account
B and the Company.

CALCULATION OF YIELD AND TOTAL RETURN

   
The  Separate  Account  may  publish   advertisements   containing   information
(including graphs,  charts, tables and examples) about the performance of one or
more of its Divisions.

The Contract  was not offered  prior to June 16, 1994.  However,  the  Divisions
invest in Accounts of the Principal Variable Contracts Fund, Inc. These Accounts
correspond to open-end  investment  companies ("mutual funds") which,  effective
January 1, 1998, were  reorganized  into the Accounts of the Principal  Variable
Contracts Fund, Inc. as follows:

       Old Mutual Fund Name                       New Corresponding Account Name
       --------------------                       ------------------------------
 Principal Aggressive Growth Fund, Inc.          Aggressive Growth Acocunt
 Principal Asset Allocation Fund, Inc.           Asset Allocation Account
 Principal Balanced Fund, Inc.                   Balanced Account
 Principal Bond Fund, Inc.                       Bond Account
 Principal Capital Accumulation Fund, Inc.       Capital Value Account
 Principal Emerging Growth Fund, Inc.            MidCap Account
 Principal Government Securities Fund, Inc.      Government Securities Account
 Principal Growth Fund, Inc.                     Growth Account
 Principal Money Market Fund, Inc.               Money Market Account
 Principal World Fund, Inc.                      International Account

The  Accounts  (under their  former  names) were  offered  prior to the date the
Contract was available.  Thus, the Separate  Account may publish  advertisements
containing information about the hypothetical  performance of one or more of its
Divisions  for this  Contract had the contract  been issued on or after the date
the  Account in which such  Division  invests was first  offered.  The yield and
total return figures described below will vary depending upon market conditions,
the composition of the underlying  Account's  portfolios and operating expenses.
These factors and possible  differences in the methods used in calculating yield
and total return  should be  considered  when  comparing  the  Separate  Account
performance  figures  to  performance  figures  published  for other  investment
vehicles.  The Separate  Account may also quote  rankings,  yields or returns as
published by  independent  statistical  services or publishers  and  information
regarding performance of certain market indices. Any performance data quoted for
the Separate Account represents only historical  performance and is not intended
to indicate future performance.
    

From time to time the Account advertises its Money Market Division's "yield" and
"effective  yield"  for  these  Contracts.  Both  yield  figures  are  based  on
historical  earnings and are not intended to indicate  future  performance.  The
"yield" of the Division  refers to the income  generated by an investment  under
the  contract in the  Division  over a seven-day  period  (which  period will be
stated in the  advertisement).  This income is then  "annualized."  That is, the
amount of income  generated by the investment  during that week is assumed to be
generated  each week over a 52-week  period and is shown as a percentage  of the
investment.  The "effective yield" is calculated similarly but, when annualized,
the income earned by an investment in the division is assumed to be  reinvested.
The "effective  yield" will be slightly  higher than the "yield"  because of the
compounding  effect  of  this  assumed  reinvestment.  Neither  yield  quotation
reflects a sales load deducted from purchase payments which, if included,  would
reduce the "yield" and "effective yield."

In addition,  from time to time, the Separate Account will advertise the "yield"
for  certain  other  Divisions  for the  Contract.  The "yield" of a Division is
determined by  annualizing  the net  investment  income per unit for a specific,
historical  30-day period and dividing the result by the ending maximum offering
price of the unit for the same period.  This yield  quotation does not reflect a
contingent deferred sales charge which, if included, would reduce the "yield."

Also, from time to time, the Separate  Account will advertise the average annual
total return of its various  Divisions.  The average annual total return for any
of the Divisions is computed by calculating  the average annual  compounded rate
of return over the stated period that would equate an initial $1,000  investment
to the ending redeemable contract value. In this calculation the ending value is
reduced by a contingent  deferred sales charge that decreases from 6% to 0% over
a period of 7 years.  The  Separate  Account  may also  advertise  total  return
figures for its Divisions for a specified period that does not take into account
the sales charge in order to illustrate the change in the Division's  unit value
over time.  See "Charges and  Deductions"  in the Prospectus for a discussion of
contingent deferred sales charges.

Following  are the  hypothetical  average  annual  total  returns for the period
ending  December  31, 1996  assuming  the  contract  had been  offered as of the
effective dates of the underlying Accounts in which the Divisions invest:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        With Contingent Deferred                        Without Contingent
                                           Sales Charge                               Deferred Sales Charge
           Division             One Year  Five Year       Ten Year   One Year       Five Year       Ten Year
- ------------------------------  --------  ---------       --------   --------       ---------       --------
<S>                               <C>        <C>           <C>         <C>             <C>          <C>     
   
Aggressive Growth Division        20.46      24.84(1)      24.84(1)    26.46           26.46(1)     26.46(1)
Asset Allocation Division          5.52       9.54(1)       9.54(1)    11.52           11.52(1)     11.52(1)
Balanced Division                  5.73       9.64         10.78(2)    11.73           10.16        10.78(2)
Bond Division                     -4.37       6.24          8.19(2)     1.09            6.86         8.19(2)
Capital Value Division            15.96      12.17         11.68       21.96           12.67        11.68
Government Securities Division    -3.46       4.70          7.29(2)     2.06            5.35         7.29(3)
Growth Division                    5.11      12.88(4)      12.88(4)    11.11           14.69(4)     14.69(4)
International Division            17.54       9.50(4)       9.50(4)    23.54           11.41(4)     11.41(4)
MidCap Division                   13.61      14.73         16.27(2)    19.61           15.19        16.27(2)
Money Market Division             -1.86       2.13          4.39        3.76            2.86         4.39
    

<FN>
(1)  Period from June 1, 1994 through December 31, 1996.
(2)  Period from December 18, 1987 through December 31, 1996.
(3)  Period from April 9, 1987 through December 31, 1996.
(4)  Period from May 2, 1994 through December 31, 1996.
</FN>
</TABLE>

TAXATION UNDER CERTAIN RETIREMENT PLANS

INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ANNUITIES

   
Purchase Payments.  Individuals may make contributions for individual retirement
annuity ("IRA") Contracts.  Deductible contributions for any year may be made up
to the lesser of $2,000 or 100% of compensation  for individuals who (1) are not
(and whose spouses are not) active  participants in another retirement plan, (2)
are  unmarried  and have  adjusted  gross income of $30,000 or less,  or (3) are
married and have adjusted gross income of $50,000 or less. Such  individuals may
establish  an IRA for a spouse who makes no  contribution  to an IRA for the tax
year. The annual purchase payments for both spouses' Contracts cannot exceed the
lesser of $4,000 or 100% of the working spouse's earned income, and no more than
$2,000 may be contributed to either  spouse's IRA for any year.  Individuals who
are active  participants  in other  retirement  plans and whose  adjusted  gross
income (with certain special adjustments) exceeds the cut-off point ($30,000 for
unmarried,  $50,000  for  married  persons  filing  jointly,  and $0 for married
persons  filing a separate  return) by less than  $10,000  are  entitled to make
deductible IRA contributions in proportionately  reduced amounts. For example, a
married  individual who is an active  participant in another retirement plan and
files a separate  tax  return is  entitled  to a partial  IRA  deduction  if the
individual's adjusted gross income is less than $10,000, and no IRA deduction if
his or her adjusted gross income is equal to or greater than $10,000.
    

An individual may make  non-deductible  IRA  contributions  to the extent of the
excess of (1) the lesser of $2,000 ($4,000 in the case of a spousal IRA) or 100%
of compensation over (2) the IRA deductible  contributions  made with respect to
the individual.

An individual may not make any  contribution  to his/her own IRA for the year in
which he/she reaches age 70 1/2 or for any year thereafter.

   
Taxation  of  Distributions.  Distributions  from  IRA  Contracts  are  taxed as
ordinary income to the recipient,  although special rules exist for the tax-free
return of  non-deductible  contributions.  In  addition,  taxable  distributions
received  under an IRA Contract prior to age 59 1/2 are subject to a 10% penalty
tax in addition to regular income tax. Certain  distributions  are exempted from
this  penalty  tax,  including  distributions  following  the  owner's  death or
disability  if the  distribution  is paid as part of a series  of  substantially
equal periodic  payments made for the life (or life  expectancy) of the Owner or
the joint lives (or joint life expectancies) of Owner and the Owner's designated
Beneficiary;  distributions to pay medical  expenses;  distributions for certain
unemployment  expenses;  distributions  for first home purchases (up to $10,000)
and distributions for higher education expenses.
    

Required  Distributions.   Generally,  distributions  from  IRA  Contracts  must
commence not later than April 1 of the calendar year following the calendar year
in which the employee  attains age 70 1/2, and such  distributions  must be made
over a period that does not exceed the life  expectancy  of the employee (or the
employee and  Beneficiary).  A penalty tax of 50% would be imposed on any amount
by which the  minimum  required  distribution  in any year  exceeded  the amount
actually  distributed in that year. In addition,  in the event that the employee
dies before his or her entire interest in the Contract has been distributed, the
employee's  entire interest must be distributed in accordance with rules similar
to those  applicable  upon  the  death  of the  Contract  Owner in the case of a
non-qualified contract, as described in the Prospectus.

Tax-Free  Rollovers.  The  Code  permits  the  taxable  portion  of  funds to be
transferred  in  a  tax-free   rollover  from  a  qualified   employer  pension,
profit-sharing,  annuity,  bond purchase or tax-deferred  annuity plan to an IRA
Contract  if  certain  conditions  are met,  and if the  rollover  of  assets is
completed  within 60 days  after the  distribution  from the  qualified  plan is
received.  A direct  rollover of funds may avoid a 20%  federal tax  withholding
generally   applicable  to  qualified   plans  or   tax-deferred   annuity  plan
distributions.  In addition,  not more frequently than once every twelve months,
amounts may be rolled  over  tax-free  from one IRA to  another,  subject to the
60-day  limitation  and other  requirements.  The  once-per-year  limitation  on
rollovers does not apply to direct  transfers of funds between IRA custodians or
trustees.

SIMPLIFIED  EMPLOYEE  PENSION  PLANS AND SALARY  REDUCTION  SIMPLIFIED  EMPLOYEE
PENSION PLANS

   
Purchase Payments.  Under Section 408(k) of the Code,  employers may establish a
type of IRA plan  referred  to as a  simplified  employee  pension  plan  (SEP).
Employer  contributions  to a SEP cannot  exceed the lesser of $24,000 or 15% or
the  employee's  earned  income.  Employees of certain small  employers may have
contributions  made to the salary  reduction  simplified  employee  pension plan
("SAR/SEP") on their behalf on a salary reduction basis.  These salary reduction
contributions  may not exceed  $9,500 in 1998,  which is indexed for  inflation.
Employees of tax-exempt  organizations  and state and local government  agencies
are not eligible for SAR/SEPs.  SAR/SEPs may not be  established  after December
31, 1996.
    

Taxation  of  Distributions.  Generally,  distribution  payments  from  SEPs and
SAR/SEPs are subject to the same distribution rules described above for IRAs.

Required  Distributions.  SEPs and  SAR/SEPs  are  subject  to the same  minimum
required distribution rules described above for IRAs.

Tax-Free Rollovers. Generally, rollovers and direct transfers may be made to and
from SEPs and SAR/SEPs in the same manner as described  above for IRAs,  subject
to the same conditions and limitations.

SAVINGS INCENTIVE MATCH PLANS FOR EMPLOYEES (SIMPLE IRA)

   
Purchase Payments.  Under Section 408(p) of the Code,  employers may establish a
type of IRA plan known as a Simple IRA. Employees may have contributions made to
the SIMPLE IRA on a salary reduction basis. These salary reduction contributions
may not exceed  $6,000 in 1998,  which is indexed for  inflation.  Total  salary
reduction  contributions  are  limited to $9,500 per year for any  employee  who
makes  salary  reduction  contributions  to more  than one plan.  Employers  are
required to contribute to the SIMPLE IRA, which contributions may not exceed the
lesser of : (1) The amount of salary  deferred  by the  employee,  (2) 3% of the
employee's  compensation,  or (3)  $6,000,  if  the  employer  contributes  on a
matching basis; or the lesser of: (1) 2% of the employee's compensation,  or (2)
$3,200, if the employer makes  non-elective  contributions.  An employer may not
make contributions to both a SIMPLE IRA and another retirement plan for the same
calendar year.
    

Taxation of Distributions. Generally, distribution payments from SIMPLE IRAs are
subject to the same  distribution  rules described  above for IRAs,  except that
distributions  made  within  two  years  of  the  date  of an  employee's  first
participation  in a SIMPLE IRA of an  employer  are subject to a 25% penalty tax
instead of the 10% penalty tax discussed previously.

Required  Distributions.  SIMPLE IRAs are subject to the same  minimum  required
distribution rules described above for IRAs.

Tax-Free  Rollovers.  Direct transfers may be made among SIMPLE IRAs in the same
manner  as  described  above  for  IRAs,  subject  to the  same  conditions  and
limitations.  Rollovers  from  SIMPLE  IRAs are  permitted  after two years have
elapsed from the date of an employee's  first  participation  in a SIMPLE IRA of
the employer. Rollovers to SIMPLE IRAs from other plans are not permitted.



RF 581 B-6
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                             Statement of Net Assets

                                December 31, 1996




Assets
Investments:
   Aggressive Growth Division:
      Principal Aggressive Growth Fund, Inc. - 5,015,647 shares at net asset 
<S>                                                                                       <C>          
        value of $14.52 per share (cost - $68,556,580)                                    $  72,827,189
   Asset Allocation Division:
      Principal Asset Allocation Fund, Inc. - 2,615,216 shares at net asset 
        value of $11.48 per share(cost - $29,412,890)                                        30,022,679
   Balanced Division:
      Principal Balanced Fund, Inc. - 5,227,046 shares at net asset value
        of $14.44 per share (cost - $72,961,005)                                             75,478,532
   Bond Division:
      Principal Bond Fund, Inc. - 4,515,157 shares at net asset value
        of $11.33 per share (cost - $51,557,619)                                             51,156,727
   Capital Accumulation Division:
      Principal Capital Accumulation Fund, Inc. - 5,502,884 shares at net 
        asset value of $29.84 per share (cost - $152,349,374)                               164,206,061
   Emerging Growth Division:
      Principal Emerging Growth Fund, Inc. - 4,111,887 shares at net
        asset value of $29.74 per share (cost - $104,926,679)                               122,287,543
   Government Securities Division:
      Principal Government Securities Fund, Inc. - 7,800,306 shares at
        net asset value of $10.31 per share (cost - $80,859,708)                             80,421,152
   Growth Division:
      Principal Growth Fund, Inc. - 7,137,809 shares at net asset 
        value of $13.79 per share (cost - $87,379,604)                                       98,430,386
   Money Market Division:
      Principal Money Market Fund, Inc. - 40,738,362 shares at net 
        asset value (cost) of $1.00 per share                                                40,738,362
   World Division:
      Principal World Fund, Inc. - 5,416,972 shares at net asset value 
        of $13.02 per share (cost - $60,038,392)                                             70,528,972
                                                                                      =====================
Net assets                                                                                 $806,097,603
                                                                                      =====================
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                       Statement of Net Assets (continued)




                                                                        Unit
                                                       Units            Value
                                                 ------------------- ------------
                                                 ------------------- ------------
Net assets are represented by:
   Aggressive Growth Division:
      Contracts in accumulation period:
<S>                                                    <C>              <C>              <C>          
        The Principal Variable Annuity                  3,970,831       $18.34           $  72,827,189

   Asset Allocation Division:
      Contracts in accumulation period:
        The Principal Variable Annuity                  2,263,999        13.26              30,022,679

   Balanced Division:
      Contracts in accumulation period:
        Personal Variable                               1,015,409         1.36               1,379,720
        Premier Variable                                7,466,712         1.37              10,195,711
        The Principal Variable Annuity                  4,661,481        13.71              63,903,101
                                                                                  ---------------------
                                                                                  ---------------------
                                                                                            75,478,532
   Bond Division:
      Contracts in accumulation period:
        Personal Variable                                 274,142         1.25                 342,860
        Premier Variable                                2,612,249         1.26               3,283,167
        The Principal Variable Annuity                  3,872,056        12.28              47,530,700
                                                                                  ---------------------
                                                                                  ---------------------
                                                                                            51,156,727
   Capital Accumulation Division:
      Currently payable annuity contracts:
        Bankers Flexible Annuity                            8,376        21.75                 182,179
        Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA                62,760         4.54                 285,099
      Contracts in accumulation period:
        Bankers Flexible Annuity                          279,871        21.75               6,087,431
        Pension Builder Plus                            3,538,347         4.15              14,676,410
        Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA               513,388         4.54               2,332,142
        Personal Variable                               2,914,582         1.84               5,361,512
        Premier Variable                               17,961,848         1.86              33,366,293
        The Principal Variable Annuity                  6,267,307        16.26             101,914,995
                                                                                  ---------------------
                                                                                  ---------------------
                                                                                           164,206,061
   Emerging Growth Division:
      Contracts in accumulation period:
        Personal Variable                                 829,824         1.53               1,269,228
        Premier Variable                                5,722,211         1.54               8,795,394
        The Principal Variable Annuity                  7,284,770        15.41             112,222,921
                                                                                  ---------------------
                                                                                  ---------------------
                                                                                           122,287,543
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                       Statement of Net Assets (continued)




                                                                                              Unit
                                                                             Units            Value
                                                                       ------------------- ------------
Net assets are represented by (continued):
   Government Securities Division:
      Contracts in accumulation period:
<S>                                                                           <C>            <C>              <C>           
        Pension Builder Plus                                                  1,177,927      $  1.87          $    2,208,125
        Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA                                     399,361         1.97                 785,763
        Personal Variable                                                     1,936,349         1.29               2,496,826
        Premier Variable                                                      7,513,193         1.30               9,783,076
        The Principal Variable Annuity                                        5,442,706        11.97              65,147,362
                                                                                                        ---------------------
                                                                                                        ---------------------
                                                                                                                  80,421,152
   Growth Division:
      Contracts in accumulation period:
        Personal Variable                                                       813,860         1.40               1,137,156
        Premier Variable                                                      6,802,207         1.40               9,551,201
        The Principal Variable Annuity                                        6,088,570        14.41              87,742,029
                                                                                                        ---------------------
                                                                                                        ---------------------
                                                                                                                  98,430,386
   Money Market Division:
      Contracts in accumulation period:
        Pension Builder Plus                                                    590,285         1.83               1,077,889
        Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA                                      26,921         1.89                  50,788
        Personal Variable                                                       841,211         1.17                 981,411
        Premier Variable                                                      5,379,334         1.18               6,337,610
        The Principal Variable Annuity                                        2,928,858        11.03              32,290,664
                                                                                                        ---------------------
                                                                                                        ---------------------
                                                                                                                  40,738,362
   World Division:
      Contracts in accumulation period:
        Personal Variable                                                       487,316         1.35                 658,659
        Premier Variable                                                      4,298,126         1.36               5,838,045
        The Principal Variable Annuity                                        4,797,313        13.35              64,032,268
                                                                                                        ---------------------
                                                                                                        ---------------------
                                                                                                                  70,528,972
                                                                                                        =====================
Net assets                                                                                                      $806,097,603
                                                                                                        =====================

See accompanying notes.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                             Statement of Operations

                          Year ended December 31, 1996




                                                                             Aggressive     Asset Allocation
                                                                          Growth Division       Division       Balanced Division
                                                            Combined
                                                         ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
                                                         ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
Investment income
Income:
<S>                                                           <C>          <C>                   <C>                 <C>       
   Dividends                                                  $18,172,373  $     509,777         $   856,100         $1,925,027
   Capital gains distributions                                 32,450,453      6,549,914           1,528,766          3,811,144
                                                         ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
                                                         ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
                                                               50,622,826      7,059,691           2,384,866          5,736,171

Expenses:
   Mortality and expense risks                                  6,754,861        566,830             267,227            552,989
   Administration charges                                         522,693         28,925               3,394              9,695
   Contingent sales charges                                       379,429         25,052              18,520             20,237
                                                         ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
                                                         ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
                                                                7,656,983        620,807             289,141            582,921
                                                         ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
                                                         ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
Net investment income                                          42,965,843      6,438,884           2,095,725          5,153,250

Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments
Net realized gains on investments                              11,061,913      1,143,445             188,720             98,838
Change in net unrealized appreciation/
   depreciation of investments                                 32,048,646      3,397,775             206,378          1,366,906
                                                         ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
                                                         ================ ================= ================== ==================
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations
                                                              $86,076,402    $10,980,104          $2,490,823         $6,618,994
                                                         ================ ================= ================== ==================

See accompanying notes.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                       Capital        Emerging Growth      Government                       Money Market
 Bond Division       Accumulation         Division         Securities     Growth Division     Division       World Division
                       Division                             Division
- ----------------- ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- -----------------
- ----------------- ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- -----------------


<S>                  <C>                <C>                 <C>               <C>             <C>              <C>         
   $2,883,564        $  2,824,460       $     889,099       $4,377,421        $1,130,290      $1,648,495       $  1,128,140
            -          17,683,076           1,921,631                -           236,417               -            719,505
- ----------------- ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- -----------------
- ----------------- ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- -----------------
    2,883,564          20,507,536           2,810,730        4,377,421         1,366,707       1,648,495          1,847,645


      454,051           1,416,717             980,616          758,402           808,416         396,012            553,601
        3,582             318,880              36,468           66,615            17,437          29,567              8,130
       22,229              97,937              41,369           47,306            41,516          39,803             25,460
- ----------------- ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- -----------------
- ----------------- ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- -----------------
      479,862           1,833,534           1,058,453          872,323           867,369         465,382            587,191
- ----------------- ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- -----------------
- ----------------- ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- -----------------
    2,403,702          18,674,002           1,752,277        3,505,098           499,338       1,183,113          1,260,454



       84,385           7,614,291           1,000,612          266,471           216,275               -            448,876

     (906,639)          1,107,485          12,364,939       (1,358,430)        7,137,078               -          8,733,154
- ----------------- ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- -----------------
- ----------------- ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- -----------------

   $1,581,448         $27,395,778         $15,117,828       $2,413,139        $7,852,691      $1,183,113        $10,442,484
================= =================== ================= ================= ================ ================ =================
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                       Statements of Changes in Net Assets

                                                                            Aggressive     Asset Allocation
                                                            Combined      Growth Division       Division       Balanced Division
                                                        ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------

<S>                                                        <C>               <C>              <C>                 <C>         
Net assets at January 1, 1995                              $177,884,053      $  3,684,502     $  3,025,421        $  3,819,712

Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
   Net investment income                                     16,691,109         1,912,227          549,562             899,632
   Net realized gains (losses) on investments                 2,865,382           448,426           74,402             103,410
   Change in net unrealized appreciation/ depreciation
      of investments                                         31,314,846           912,921          490,584           1,347,509
                                                        ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
                                                        ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations
                                                             50,871,337         3,273,574        1,114,548           2,350,551
Changes from principal transactions:
   Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment
      fees and applicable premium taxes                     283,284,033        14,908,019        7,493,760          17,579,517
   Contract terminations                                    (51,871,322)         (147,494)         (76,769)           (243,855)
   Death benefit payments                                      (616,609)         (111,616)         (30,363)            (22,485)
   Flexible withdrawal option payments                         (591,573)          (23,563)         (12,654)            (56,396)
   Transfer payments to other contracts                    (112,300,367)       (2,385,375)        (672,843)         (2,164,022)
   Annuity payments                                             (48,233)                -                -                   -
                                                        ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
                                                        ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
Increase (decrease) in net assets from principal
   transactions                                             117,855,929        12,239,971        6,701,131          15,092,759
                                                        ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
                                                        ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
Total increase                                              168,727,266        15,513,545        7,815,679          17,443,310
                                                        ---------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
                                                        ================ ================= ================== ==================
Net assets at December 31, 1995                            $346,611,319       $19,198,047      $10,841,100         $21,263,022
                                                        ================ ================= ================== ==================

See accompanying notes.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         Capital           Emerging         Government                       Money Market
  Bond Division       Accumulation      Growth Division     Securities     Growth Division     Division      World Division
                        Division                             Division
- ------------------ -------------------- ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- ----------------

<S>                     <C>                  <C>               <C>              <C>               <C>          <C>         
    $  3,056,349        $  89,730,411        $  9,965,696      $30,273,698      $  8,101,324      $17,109,486  $  9,117,454



         806,529            8,803,011             354,473        2,021,914           479,398          656,604         207,759
          50,961            1,908,275             241,047         (303,527)          254,149                -          88,239

         679,932           12,768,964           5,294,039        3,801,338         3,955,502                -       2,064,057
- ------------------ --------------------- ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------------
- ------------------ --------------------- ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------------

       1,537,422           23,480,250           5,889,559        5,519,725         4,689,049          656,604       2,360,055


      15,702,412           37,285,598          28,874,128       24,062,104        29,628,926       92,190,303      15,559,266
        (274,508)         (34,074,636)           (420,250)      (9,547,633)         (428,438)      (6,320,639)       (337,100)
         (44,089)             (80,185)            (14,885)        (129,425)          (44,665)         (97,824)        (41,072)
         (73,005)             (87,530)            (52,968)         (96,784)          (50,522)         (85,680)        (52,471)
      (1,275,948)         (12,547,912)         (2,056,332)      (4,638,749)       (3,992,441)     (81,142,762)     (1,423,983)
               -              (48,233)                  -                -                 -                -               -
- ------------------ --------------------- ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------------
- ------------------ --------------------- ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------------

      14,034,862           (9,552,898)         26,329,693        9,649,513        25,112,860        4,543,398      13,704,640
- ------------------ --------------------- ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------------
- ------------------ --------------------- ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------------
      15,572,284           13,927,352          32,219,252       15,169,238        29,801,909        5,200,002      16,064,695
- ------------------ --------------------- ---------------- ----------------- ---------------- ---------------- ------------------
================== ===================== ================ ================= ================ ================ ==================
     $18,628,633         $103,657,763         $42,184,948      $45,442,936       $37,903,233      $22,309,488     $25,182,149
================== ===================== ================ ================= ================ ================ ==================
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                 Statements of Changes in Net Assets (continued)

                                                                                 Aggressive     Asset Allocation
                                                               Combined        Growth Division       Division      Balanced Division
                                                           ------------------ ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                                                                                                   
<S>                                                             <C>                <C>              <C>                 <C>        
Net assets at January 1, 1996                                   $346,611,319       $19,198,047      $10,841,100         $21,263,022

Increase (decrease) in net assets
Operations:
   Net investment income                                          42,965,843         6,438,884        2,095,725           5,153,250
   Net realized gains on investments                              11,061,913         1,143,445          188,720              98,838
   Change in net unrealized appreciation/ depreciation
      of investments                                              32,048,646         3,397,775          206,378           1,366,906
                                                           ------------------ ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                                           ------------------ ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
Net increase in net assets resulting from operations
                                                                  86,076,402        10,980,104        2,490,823           6,618,994
Changes from principal transactions:
   Purchase payments, less sales charges, per payment
      fees and applicable premium taxes                          694,702,137        55,392,385       19,059,581          52,586,838
   Contract terminations                                         (66,787,528)       (1,366,444)      (1,010,182)         (1,643,846)
   Death benefit payments                                           (668,045)           (2,653)               -            (126,235)
   Flexible withdrawal option payments                            (3,510,262)         (159,580)        (189,515)           (377,428)
   Transfer payments to other contracts                         (250,275,882)      (11,214,670)      (1,169,128)         (2,842,813)
   Annuity payments                                                  (50,538)                -                -                   -
                                                           ------------------ ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                                           ------------------ ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
Increase in net assets from principal transactions
                                                                 373,409,882        42,649,038       16,690,756          47,596,516
                                                           ------------------ ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                                           ------------------ ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
Total increase                                                   459,486,284        53,629,142       19,181,579          54,215,510
                                                           ------------------ ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                                           ================== ================= ================== =================
Net assets at December 31, 1996                                 $806,097,603       $72,827,189      $30,022,679         $75,478,532
                                                           ================== ================= ================== =================

See accompanying notes.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                        Capital        Emerging Growth       Government                         Money Market
  Bond Division      Accumulation          Division          Securities     Growth Division       Division        World Division
                       Division                               Division
- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------

<S>                      <C>              <C>                  <C>               <C>              <C>                <C>        
     $18,628,633         $103,657,763     $  42,184,948        $45,442,936       $37,903,233      $  22,309,488      $25,182,149



       2,403,702           18,674,002         1,752,277          3,505,098           499,338          1,183,113        1,260,454
          84,385            7,614,291         1,000,612            266,471           216,275                  -          448,876

        (906,639)           1,107,485        12,364,939         (1,358,430)        7,137,078                  -        8,733,154
- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------

       1,581,448           27,395,778        15,117,828          2,413,139         7,852,691          1,183,113       10,442,484


      38,496,000           82,813,992        73,546,898         53,225,139        59,193,247        219,306,074       41,081,983
      (1,339,557)         (38,943,389)       (2,654,193)       (10,402,344)       (3,020,145)        (4,638,362)      (1,769,066)
        (137,325)             (44,752)          (23,654)           (97,177)          (49,795)          (155,982)         (30,472)
        (515,754)            (358,969)         (309,539)          (698,302)         (305,373)          (433,930)        (161,872)
      (5,556,718)         (10,263,824)       (5,574,745)        (9,462,239)       (3,143,472)      (196,832,039)      (4,216,234)
               -              (50,538)                -                  -                 -                  -                -
- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------

      30,946,646           33,152,520        64,984,767         32,565,077        52,674,462         17,245,761       34,904,339
- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
      32,528,094           60,548,298        80,102,595         34,978,216        60,527,153         18,428,874       45,346,823
- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ------------------ ------------------
================== ================== =================== ================= ================= ================== ==================
     $51,156,727         $164,206,061      $122,287,543        $80,421,152       $98,430,386      $  40,738,362      $70,528,972
================== ================== =================== ================= ================= ================== ==================
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                          Notes to Financial Statements

                                December 31, 1996


1.  Investment and Accounting Policies

Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance  Company  Separate  Account B is a  segregated
investment account of Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company (Principal Mutual)
and is registered under the Investment  Company Act of 1940 as a unit investment
trust, with no stated limitations on the number of authorized units. As directed
by  eligible  contractholders,  Separate  Account B invests  solely in shares of
Principal  Aggressive Growth Fund, Inc.,  Principal Asset Allocation Fund, Inc.,
Principal  Balanced Fund,  Inc.,  Principal Bond Fund, Inc.,  Principal  Capital
Accumulation  Fund,  Inc.,  Principal  Emerging  Growth  Fund,  Inc.,  Principal
Government  Securities Fund, Inc.,  Principal Growth Fund, Inc., Principal Money
Market  Fund,  Inc.,  and  Principal  World  Fund,  Inc.,  diversified  open-end
management  investment companies organized by Principal Mutual.  Investments are
stated at the closing net asset values per share on December 31, 1996.

The  average  cost  method is used to  determine  realized  gains and  losses on
investments.  Dividends  are taken  into  income on an  accrual  basis as of the
ex-dividend date.

After December 31, 1996,  Principal Mutual no longer accepted  contributions for
Pension  Builder Plus contracts.  Contractholders  are being given the option of
withdrawing  their  funds or  transferring  to another  contract.  In  addition,
Principal  Mutual no longer accepts  contributions  for Bankers Flexible Annuity
contracts.

2.  Expenses

Principal Mutual is compensated for the following expenses:

Bankers  Flexible  Annuity  Contracts - Mortality  and expense  risks assumed by
Principal Mutual are compensated for by a charge equivalent to an annual rate of
0.48% of the asset value of each contract. An annual administration charge of $7
for each  participant's  account is deducted as compensation for  administrative
expenses.  The  mortality  and expense  risk and annual  administration  charges
amounted to $29,412 and $1,281, respectively, during the year ended December 31,
1996.  A sales charge of up to 7% was deducted  from each  contribution  made on
behalf of each participant. The sales charge was deducted from the contributions
by Principal Mutual prior to their transfer to Separate Account B.

Pension  Builder  Plus  Contracts  -  Mortality  and  expense  risks  assumed by
Principal Mutual are compensated for by a charge equivalent to an annual rate of
1.4965%  (1.0001%  for a Rollover  Individual  Retirement  Annuity) of the asset
value of each  contract.  A contingent  sales charge of up to 7% may be deducted
from withdrawals made during the first 10 years of a contract,  except for death
or  permanent  disability.  An annual  administration  charge  will be  deducted
ranging  from  a  minimum  of  $25  to  a  maximum  of  $275  depending  upon  a

<PAGE>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

2.  Expenses (continued)

participant's investment account values and the number of participants under the
retirement plan and their participant  investment account value. The charges for
mortality  and  expense  risks,  contingent  sales,  and  annual  administration
amounted to $553,979, $70,529, and $345,900, respectively, during the year ended
December 31, 1996.

Personal  Variable  Contracts - Mortality and expense risks assumed by Principal
Mutual are  compensated  for by a charge  equivalent  to an annual rate of 0.64%
(0.55% through June 30, 1996) of the asset value of each contract.  A contingent
sales charge of up to 5% may be deducted  from  withdrawals  from an  investment
account which correlates to a plan participant made during the first seven years
from the date the  first  contribution  which  relates  to such  participant  is
accepted by Principal  Mutual.  This charge does not apply to  withdrawals  made
from investment  accounts which  correlate to a plan  participant as a result of
the plan participant's death or permanent  disability.  An annual administration
charge  of $31 (1995 - $31) for each  participant's  account  plus  0.35% of the
annual average  balance of investment  account values which  correlate to a plan
participant will be deducted on a quarterly basis. The charges for mortality and
expense risks,  contingent sales and annual administration  amounted to $68,986,
$42,892, and $27,281, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 1996.

Premier  Variable  Contracts - Mortality  and expense risks assumed by Principal
Mutual are  compensated  for by a charge  equivalent  to an annual rate of 0.42%
(0.33%  through  June 30, 1996) of the asset value of each  contract.  An annual
administration  charge of $300 for each contract account plus .35% of the annual
average  balance of investment  account values under the contract will be billed
or deducted on a quarterly  basis.  The charges for mortality  expense risks and
annual administration amounted to $261,025 and $9,158, respectively,  during the
year ended December 31, 1996.  There were no contingent  sales charges  provided
for in these contracts.

The  Principal  Variable  Annuity -  Mortality  and  expense  risks  assumed  by
Principal Mutual are compensated for by a charge equivalent to an annual rate of
1.25% of the asset value of each contract. A contingent sales charge of up to 6%
may be  deducted  from the  withdrawals  made  during  the  first six years of a
contract, except for death, annuitization,  permanent disability, confinement in
a health care facility,  or terminal illness. An annual administration charge of
the lessor of two percent of the accumulated value or $30 is deducted at the end
of the  contract  year.  Principal  Mutual  reserves  the  right  to  charge  an
additional  administrative  fee  of up to  0.15%  of the  asset  value  of  each
Division.  This fee is currently  being  waived.  The mortality  expense  risks,
contingent sales, and annual  administration  amounted to $5,841,459,  $266,007,
and $139,074, respectively, during the year ended December 31, 1996.
<PAGE>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

3.  Federal Income Taxes

Operations  of  Separate  Account B are a part of the  operations  of  Principal
Mutual.  Under  current  practice,  no federal  income  taxes are  allocated  by
Principal  Mutual to the operations of Principal  Mutual Life Insurance  Company
Separate Account B.

4.  Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities

The aggregate units and cost of purchases and proceeds from sales of investments
were as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                               Year ended December 31, 1996
                                          ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            Units           Amount               Units           Amount
                                          Purchased        Purchased           Redeemed         Redeemed
                                          -------------- ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                          -------------- ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
   Aggressive Growth Division:
<S>                                         <C>              <C>                  <C>            <C>          
      The Principal Variable Annuity         3,416,591       $  62,452,075          769,423      $  13,364,153

   Asset Allocation Division:
      The Principal Variable Annuity         1,544,152          21,444,448          191,810          2,657,967

   Balanced Division:
      Personal Variable                        900,014           1,242,103          211,977            272,089
      Premier Variable                       5,270,554           7,416,331        1,120,817          1,444,677
      The Principal Variable Annuity         3,548,083          49,664,576          259,759          3,856,478
                                          -------------- ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                          -------------- ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                             9,718,651          58,323,010        1,592,553          5,573,244
   Bond Division:
      Personal Variable                        285,136             369,062          112,030            138,062
      Premier Variable                       1,952,308           2,549,386          547,808            675,630
      The Principal Variable Annuity         3,045,208          38,461,117          574,453          7,215,525
                                          -------------- ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                          -------------- ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                             5,282,652          41,379,565        1,234,291          8,029,217
   Capital Accumulation Division:
      Bankers Flexible Annuity                  11,898             852,606           58,526            965,050
      Pension Builder Plus                     613,448           4,544,826        7,042,406         27,014,157
      Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA
                                                34,576             622,428        1,641,455          6,423,138
      Personal Variable                      1,293,441           2,795,547          715,206          1,184,726
      Premier Variable                       6,804,423          15,405,949        3,666,783          6,140,022
      The Principal Variable Annuity         4,618,190          79,100,172          582,660          9,767,913
                                          -------------- ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                          -------------- ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                            13,375,976         103,321,528       13,707,036         51,495,006
   Emerging Growth Division:
      Personal Variable                        716,271           1,017,826          174,386            241,556
      Premier Variable                       4,583,657           6,499,991          757,309          1,081,357
      The Principal Variable Annuity         4,746,934          68,839,812          521,488          8,297,672
                                          -------------- ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                          -------------- ----------------- ------------------ -----------------
                                            10,046,862          76,357,629        1,453,183          9,620,585
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)




4.  Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities (continued)

                                                                     Year ended December 31, 1996
                                            --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 Units                Amount               Units              Amount
                                               Purchased            Purchased            Redeemed            Redeemed
                                            ------------------ --------------------- ------------------ --------------------
   Government Securities Division:
<S>                                              <C>                <C>                    <C>                <C>           
      Pension Builder Plus                           224,490        $       525,632         2,784,796         $    5,186,539
      Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA
                                                       1,918                 49,120         1,374,538              2,618,548
      Personal Variable                              723,523              1,041,512           676,962                867,506
      Premier Variable                             3,069,889              4,387,401         2,715,719              3,448,465
      The Principal Variable Annuity               4,181,060             51,598,893           761,477              9,411,325
                                            ------------------ --------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                            ------------------ --------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                   8,200,880             57,602,558         8,313,492             21,532,383
   Growth Division:
      Personal Variable                              713,466                950,832           177,314                234,080
      Premier Variable                             5,218,991              6,959,663         1,276,677              1,711,826
      The Principal Variable Annuity               3,810,008             52,649,457           340,777              5,440,246
                                            ------------------ --------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                            ------------------ --------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                   9,742,465             60,559,952         1,794,768              7,386,152
   Money Market Division:
      Pension Builder Plus                           172,768                392,894           909,680              1,654,451
      Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA                 35                 13,779           412,615                760,905
      Personal Variable                            3,693,865              4,468,236         3,995,717              4,765,060
      Premier Variable                            31,816,273             36,988,147        29,395,716             33,985,887
      The Principal Variable Annuity              16,446,056            179,091,511        14,887,402            161,359,390
                                            ------------------ --------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                            ------------------ --------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                  52,128,997            220,954,567        49,601,130            202,525,693
   World Division:
      Personal Variable                              423,219                522,642            95,601                114,884
      Premier Variable                             3,372,385              4,182,033           746,605                929,782
      The Principal Variable Annuity               3,081,130             38,224,953           429,786              5,720,169
                                            ------------------ --------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                            ------------------ --------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                   6,876,734             42,929,628         1,271,992              6,764,835
                                            ------------------ --------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                            ================== ===================== ================== ====================
                                                 120,333,960           $745,324,960        79,929,678           $328,949,235
                                            ================== ===================== ================== ====================
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)

4.  Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities (continued)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              Year ended December 31, 1995
                                                     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Units              Amount               Units               Amount
                                                         Purchased           Purchased           Redeemed             Redeemed
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
   Aggressive Growth Division:
<S>                                                        <C>                   <C>               <C>                  <C>         
      The Principal Variable Annuity                        1,162,971            $16,957,154          201,095           $  2,804,956

   Asset Allocation Division:
      The Principal Variable Annuity                          678,626              8,127,343           70,172                876,650

   Balanced Division:
      Personal Variable                                       334,553                385,447           11,639                 14,109
      Premier Variable                                      4,677,390              5,246,438        1,485,326              1,592,984
      The Principal Variable Annuity                        1,080,849             12,976,336           78,060              1,008,737
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                            6,092,792             18,608,221        1,575,025              2,615,830
   Bond Division:
      Personal Variable                                       123,065                148,020           22,243                 25,730
      Premier Variable                                      1,840,967              2,123,674          663,884                722,145
      The Principal Variable Annuity                        1,184,200             14,349,589           83,479              1,032,017
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                            3,148,232             16,621,283          769,606              1,779,892
   Capital Accumulation Division:
      Bankers Flexible Annuity                                 (2,074)               586,673           26,790                484,160
      Pension Builder Plus                                  1,177,659              6,843,608        7,859,266             22,762,416
      Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA                   1,886,220              1,378,668        5,357,391             11,244,730
      Personal Variable                                     1,106,595              1,748,682          408,298                529,070
      Premier Variable                                      9,404,706             13,956,170        8,547,118             10,455,522
      The Principal Variable Annuity                        1,739,038             22,863,899          206,288              2,651,689
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                           15,312,144             47,377,700       22,405,151             48,127,587
   Emerging Growth Division:
      Personal Variable                                       292,833                348,128           18,735                 22,981
      Premier Variable                                      2,320,114              2,651,113          543,652                613,426
      The Principal Variable Annuity                        2,252,301             26,559,212          165,780              2,237,880
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                            4,865,248             29,558,453          728,167              2,874,287

</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)




4.  Purchases and Sales of Investment Securities (continued)

                                                                              Year ended December 31, 1995
                                                     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Units              Amount               Units               Amount
                                                         Purchased           Purchased           Redeemed             Redeemed
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
   Government Securities Division:
<S>                                                        <C>                <C>                  <C>                <C>           
      Pension Builder Plus                                    586,364         $    1,344,275        2,795,319         $    4,747,357
      Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA                     117,394                407,431        2,462,194              4,357,297
      Personal Variable                                       724,111                966,857          408,940                483,072
      Premier Variable                                      4,015,136              5,118,317        3,286,750              3,736,310
      The Principal Variable Annuity                        1,576,129             18,708,169          125,206              1,549,586
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                            7,019,134             26,545,049        9,078,409             14,873,622
   Growth Division:
      Personal Variable                                       288,529                338,347           15,831                 18,761
      Premier Variable                                      3,384,751              3,805,395          634,749                707,988
      The Principal Variable Annuity                        2,193,600             26,238,189          338,161              4,062,924
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                            5,866,880             30,381,931          988,741              4,789,673
   Money Market Division:
      Pension Builder Plus                                    259,307                585,027          928,805              1,623,965
      Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA                      73,307                206,073        1,861,305              3,275,611
      Personal Variable                                     4,808,023              5,271,738        4,407,096              4,786,833
      Premier Variable                                     19,308,743             21,221,953       18,140,572             19,805,796
      The Principal Variable Annuity                        6,262,716             65,784,577        5,594,373             58,377,161
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                           30,712,096             93,069,368       30,932,151             87,869,366
   World Division:
      Personal Variable                                       147,751                154,436            9,257                 10,003
      Premier Variable                                      2,079,728              2,137,579          544,500                566,419
      The Principal Variable Annuity                        1,337,260             13,699,818          126,959              1,503,012
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                            3,564,739             15,991,833          680,716              2,079,434
                                                     ------------------ -------------------- ------------------ --------------------
                                                     ================== ==================== ================== ====================
                                                           78,422,862           $303,238,335       67,429,233           $168,691,297
                                                     ================== ==================== ================== ====================
</TABLE>

Purchases include reinvested dividends and capital gains.

Money Market purchases include transactions where investment allocations are not
known at the time of the deposit.  Redemptions reflect subsequent allocations to
directed investment divisions.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)



5.  Net Assets

Net assets at December 31, 1996 consisted of the following:

                                                                                                               Net Unrealized
                                                                                                                Appreciation
                                                                                          Accumulated Net      (Depreciation)
                                                       Combined       Unit Transactions  Investment Income     of Investments
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
   Aggressive Growth Division:
<S>                                                    <C>                <C>                <C>                 <C>         
      The Principal Variable Annuity                   $  72,827,189      $  61,520,104      $  7,036,476        $  4,270,609

   Asset Accumulation Division:
      The Principal Variable Annuity                      30,022,679         26,903,818         2,509,072             609,789

   Balanced Division:
      Personal Variable                                    1,379,720          1,256,243             98,597             24,880
      Premier Variable                                    10,195,711          9,039,835            790,665            365,211
      The Principal Variable Annuity                      63,903,101         56,916,021          4,859,644          2,127,436
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                          75,478,532         67,212,099          5,748,906          2,517,527
   Bond Division:
      Personal Variable                                      342,860            337,692             16,621            (11,453)
      Premier Variable                                     3,283,167          3,137,358            188,841            (43,032)
      The Principal Variable Annuity                      47,530,700         45,146,759          2,730,348           (346,407)
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                          51,156,727         48,621,809          2,935,810           (400,892)
   Capital Accumulation Division:
      Bankers Flexible Annuity                             6,269,610          1,223,652          3,467,049          1,578,909
      Pension Builder Plus                                14,676,410          9,061,050          3,383,150          2,232,210
      Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA                  2,617,241          1,601,037            608,334            407,870
      Personal Variable                                    5,361,512          4,111,369            797,887            452,256
      Premier Variable                                    33,366,293         24,904,371          5,188,107          3,273,815
      The Principal Variable Annuity                     101,914,995         85,550,057         12,453,311          3,911,627
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                         164,206,061        126,451,536         25,897,838         11,856,687
   Emerging Growth Division:
      Personal Variable                                    1,269,228          1,106,793             19,852            142,583
      Premier Variable                                     8,795,394          7,458,640            186,583          1,150,171
      The Principal Variable Annuity                     112,222,921         94,053,742          2,101,069         16,068,110
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                         122,287,543        102,619,175          2,307,504         17,360,864
   Government Securities Division:
      Pension Builder Plus                                 2,208,125          1,895,024            305,297              7,804
      Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA                    785,763            663,396            128,582             (6,215)
      Personal Variable                                    2,496,826          2,321,860            205,773            (30,807)
      Premier Variable                                     9,783,076          8,955,630            855,616            (28,170)
      The Principal Variable Annuity                      65,147,362         61,690,559          3,837,971           (381,168)
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                          80,421,152         75,526,469          5,333,239           (438,556)
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
                         Principal Mutual Life Insurance
                           Company Separate Account B

                    Notes to Financial Statements (continued)




5.  Net Assets (continued)

                                                                                                               Net Unrealized
                                                                                                                Appreciation
                                                                                          Accumulated Net      (Depreciation)
                                                       Combined       Unit Transactions  Investment Income     of Investments
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
   Growth Division:
<S>                                                   <C>                <C>                <C>                <C>           
      Personal Variable                               $    1,137,156     $    1,039,273     $       10,425     $       87,458
      Premier Variable                                     9,551,201          8,421,782            136,389            993,030
      The Principal Variable Annuity                      87,742,029         76,959,897            811,838          9,970,294
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                          98,430,386         86,420,952            958,652         11,050,782
   Money Market Division:
      Pension Builder Plus                                 1,077,889            985,117             92,772                  -
      Pension Builder Plus - Rollover IRA                     50,788             46,119              4,669                  -
      Personal Variable                                      981,411            975,322              6,089                  -
      Premier Variable                                     6,337,610          6,303,955             33,655                  -
      The Principal Variable Annuity                      32,290,664         32,119,647            171,017                  -
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                          40,738,362         40,430,160            308,202                  -
   World Division:
      Personal Variable                                      658,659            565,011             12,253             81,395
      Premier Variable                                     5,838,045          4,891,233            136,780            810,032
      The Principal Variable Annuity                      64,032,268         53,176,031          1,257,084          9,599,153
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                          70,528,972         58,632,275          1,406,117         10,490,580
                                                   ------------------ ------------------ ------------------- --------------------
                                                   ================== ================== =================== ====================
                                                        $806,097,603       $694,338,397        $54,441,816        $57,317,390
                                                   ================== ================== =================== ====================
</TABLE>
                         Report of Independent Auditors


Board of Directors and Participants
Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company


We have audited the  accompanying  statement  of net assets of Principal  Mutual
Life  Insurance  Company  Separate  Account  B  (comprising,  respectively,  the
Aggressive  Growth,  Asset Allocation,  Balanced,  Bond,  Capital  Accumulation,
Emerging  Growth,   Government  Securities,   Growth,  Money  Market  and  World
Divisions) as of December 31, 1996, and the related statements of operations for
the year then ended,  and changes in net assets 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. Our procedures included
confirmation of securities owned as of December 31, 1996, by correspondence with
the transfer agent. 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 Principal Mutual Life Insurance
Company  Separate  Account  B at  December  31,  1996,  and the  results  of its
operations  for the year then ended,  and the changes in its net assets for each
of the two years in the period then ended, in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles.

/s/ Ernst & Young

Des Moines, Iowa
February 7, 1997
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
                      Consolidated Statements of Operations

                                                   Year ended December 31
                                                     1996          1995*
                                                 ----------------------------
                                                 ----------------------------
                                                        (In Millions)
Revenue
Premiums and annuity and other considerations        $5,121        $5,243
Policy and contract charges                             655           580
Net investment income                                 2,780         2,693
Net realized capital gains                              436           122
Commissions and other income                            150           143
                                                 ----------------------------
Total revenue                                         9,142         8,781

Expenses
Benefits, claims and settlement expenses              6,087         6,142
Dividends to policyowners                               299           307
Operating expenses                                    1,926         1,781
                                                 ----------------------------
                                                 ----------------------------
Total expenses                                        8,312         8,230
                                                 ----------------------------

Income before income taxes                              830           551

Income taxes                                            304           207
                                                 ----------------------------
                                                 ============================
Net income                                          $   526       $   344
                                                 ============================

* As restated.  See Note 1.

See accompanying notes.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
                  Consolidated Statements of Financial Position

                                                               December 31
                                                            1996         1995*
                                                        ------------------------
                                                        ------------------------
                                                              (In Millions)

Assets
Debt securities, available-for-sale                        $21,974      $21,837
Equity securities, available-for-sale                        1,023        1,446
Mortgage loans                                              12,409       11,380
Real estate                                                  2,474        2,263
Policy loans                                                   736          711
Other investments                                               68           79
Cash and cash equivalents                                      271          295
Accrued investment income                                      464          479
Deferred acquisition costs                                   1,058          938
Property held for Company use                                  222          210
Separate account assets                                     17,218       12,957
Other assets                                                 1,225        1,369
                                                        ------------------------
                                                        ========================
Total assets                                               $59,142      $53,964
                                                        ========================
                                                        ========================

Liabilities
Contractholder funds                                       $23,194      $22,465
Future policy benefits and claims                           10,575       10,058
Other policyowner funds                                        454          476
Policyowner dividends payable                                  447          455
Debt                                                           399          361
Income taxes currently payable                                 283          214
Deferred income taxes                                          623          930
Separate account liabilities                                17,166       12,891
Other liabilities                                            1,347        1,508
                                                        ------------------------
                                                        ------------------------
Total liabilities                                           54,488       49,358

Equity
Surplus                                                      3,803        3,277
Net unrealized gains on available- securities          860        1,336
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net                    (9)          (7)
                                                        ------------------------
                                                        ------------------------
Total equity                                                 4,654        4,606
                                                        ------------------------
                                                        ========================
Total liabilities and equity                               $59,142      $53,964
                                                        ========================

* As restated.  See Note 1.

See accompanying notes.
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                          The Principal Financial Group
                        Consolidated Statements of Equity

                                                                Net Unrealized
                                                                   Gains on       Foreign Currency
                                                              Available-for-Sale    Translation
                                                    Surplus       Securities      Adjustment, net   Total Equity
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                          (In Millions)

<S>                                                 <C>           <C>                    <C>           <C>   
   Balances at January 1, 1995*                     $2,933        $     48               $(6)          $2,975

   Net income                                          344               -                 -              344
   Increase in unrealized appreciation on debt
     securities available-for-sale                       -           1,834                 -            1,834
   Increase in unrealized appreciation on equity
     securities available-for-sale                       -             411                 -              411
   Adjustments for assumed changes in
     amortization pattern:
     Deferred acquisition costs                          -            (315)                -             (315)
     Unearned revenue reserves                           -              52                 -               52
   Provision for deferred income taxes                   -            (694)                -             (694)
   Change in foreign currency translation
     adjustment, net                                     -               -                (1)              (1)
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------------
   Balances at December 31, 1995                     3,277           1,336                (7)           4,606

   Net income                                          526               -                 -              526
   Decrease in unrealized appreciation on debt
     securities available-for-sale                       -            (543)                -             (543)
   Decrease in unrealized appreciation on equity
     securities available-for-sale                       -            (262)                -             (262)
   Adjustments for assumed changes in
     amortization pattern:
     Deferred acquisition costs                          -              83                 -               83
     Unearned revenue reserves                           -             (11)                -              (11)
   Provision for deferred income tax benefit             -             257                 -              257
   Change in foreign currency translation
     adjustment, net                                     -               -                (2)              (2)
                                                  ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  ===============================================================
   Balances at December 31, 1996                    $3,803         $   860               $(9)          $4,654
                                                  ===============================================================

* As restated.  See Note 1.

See accompanying notes.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                          The Principal Financial Group
                      Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows


                                                                                 Year ended December 31
                                                                                  1996          1995*
                                                                              -----------------------------
                                                                              -----------------------------
                                                                                     (In Millions)
Operating activities
<S>                                                                              <C>           <C> 
Net income                                                                           $526          $344
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating
   activities:
   Amortization of deferred acquisition costs                                         178           145
   Additions to deferred acquisition costs                                           (215)         (206)
   Accrued investment income                                                           15             6
   Contractholder and policyowner liabilities and dividends                           240           523
   Current and deferred income taxes                                                   20            93
   Net realized capital gains                                                        (436)         (122)
   Depreciation and amortization expense                                              112            97
   Other                                                                             (230)          437
                                                                              -----------------------------
                                                                              -----------------------------
Net adjustments                                                                      (316)          973
                                                                              -----------------------------
Net cash provided by operating activities                                             210         1,317

Investing activities 
Available-for-sale securities:
   Purchases                                                                      (11,762)      (13,195)
   Sales                                                                            8,949         9,333
   Maturities                                                                       2,796         2,485
Mortgage loans acquired or originated                                              (2,955)       (2,837)
Mortgage loans sold or repaid                                                       1,619         1,702
Real estate acquired                                                                 (166)         (143)
Real estate sold                                                                      253            38
Net change in policy loans                                                            (25)          (28)
Net change in property held for company use                                           (18)          (44)
Net change in other investments                                                       (74)          (11)
                                                                              -----------------------------
Net cash used in  investment activities                                            (1,383)       (2,700)

Financing activities
Issuance of debt                                                                       43            21
Principal repayments of debt                                                          (29)          (71)
Proceeds of short-term borrowings                                                   1,451           990
Repayment of short-term-borrowings                                                 (1,282)         (990)
Investment contract deposits                                                        7,496         6,756
Investment contract withdrawals                                                    (6,530)       (5,310)
                                                                              -----------------------------
Net cash provided by financing activities                                           1,149         1,396
                                                                              -----------------------------

Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents                                  (24)           13

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year                                        295           282
                                                                              -----------------------------
                                                                              =============================
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year                                        $     271     $     295
                                                                              =============================

* As restated.  See Note 1.

See accompanying notes.
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
                   Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

                                December 31, 1996

1.  Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies

Description of Business

The Principal  Financial  Group (the Company),  comprised of Principal  Mutual
Life Insurance Company (Principal Mutual) and its subsidiaries, is a diversified
financial services  organization engaged in the marketing and management of life
insurance,  annuity,  health, pension and other financial products and services,
primarily in the United States.

Basis of Presentation

The  accompanying  consolidated  financial  statements  of the  Company  and its
majority-owned  subsidiaries  have been  prepared in conformity  with  generally
accepted  accounting  principles (GAAP).  Less than  majority-owned  entities in
which the Company has at least a 20%  interest  are reported on the equity basis
in the consolidated  statements of financial position as other investments.  All
significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Total assets of the unconsolidated entities amounted to $1.5 billion at December
31, 1996 and $1.7  billion at December 31, 1995,  and total  revenues  were $349
million in 1996 and $320  million in 1995.  During  1996 and 1995,  the  Company
included $(3) million and $(9) million,  respectively,  in net investment income
representing   the   Company's   share  of  current   year  net  losses  of  the
unconsolidated entities.

Accounting Changes

Prior to 1996, the Company prepared its financial  statements in conformity with
reporting  practices  prescribed or permitted by the  Insurance  Division of the
Department of Commerce of the State of Iowa. Such practices were considered GAAP
for mutual life insurance companies through 1995. Financial Accounting Standards
Board (FASB)  Interpretation  (FIN) No. 40,  Applicability of Generally Accepted
Accounting  Principles  to  Mutual  Life  Insurance  and Other  Enterprises,  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  GAAP,  including  various  accounting
pronouncements but primarily Statement of Financial  Accounting Standards (SFAS)
No. 120,  Accounting and Reporting by Mutual Life Insurance  Enterprises  and by
Insurance  Enterprises  for Certain  Long-Duration  Participating  Contracts and
Statement of Position (SOP) 95-1, Accounting for Certain Insurance Activities of
Mutual  Life   Insurance   Enterprises,   which  address  the   accounting   for
long-duration and short-duration insurance and reinsurance contracts,  including
all participating business.

<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

1.  Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of FIN No. 40,  SFAS No.  120 and SOP 95-1,  the
effect of the changes  from the  statutory  basis to GAAP  accounting  have been
applied  retroactively and the previously issued 1995 financial  statements have
been  restated  for the change.  The effect of the changes  applicable  to years
prior to January 1,  1995,  has been  presented  as a  restatement  of equity as
follows (in millions):

   Equity at January 1, 1995, as previously reported             $1,927
   Adjustment for the cumulative effect on prior years of
     retroactively adopting GAAP                                  1,048
                                                             ---------------
                                                             ===============
   Equity at January 1, 1995, as restated                        $2,975
                                                             ===============

The adoption of GAAP had the effect of  increasing  net income for 1996 and 1995
by approximately $111 million and $81 million, respectively.

Future Application of Accounting Standards

In June 1996,  the FASB  issued  SFAS No.  125,  Accounting  for  Transfers  and
Servicing of Financial Assets and  Extinguishments of Liabilities.  SFAS No. 125
provides consistent accounting standards for securitizations and other transfers
of financial assets,  determines when financial assets  (liabilities)  should be
considered sold (settled) and removed from the statement of financial  position,
and determines when related revenues and expenses should be recognized. SFAS No.
125 is generally  effective for transfers and servicing of financial  assets and
extinguishments of liabilities occurring after December 31, 1996.

SFAS No. 125 was subsequently amended in December 1996 by SFAS No. 127, Deferral
of the Effective Date of Certain  Provisions of FASB Statement No. 125. SFAS No.
127 deferred for one year the  effective  date for  transfers  and  servicing of
repurchase agreements,  dollar rolls, securities lending, secured borrowings and
collateral and similar transactions.  These Statements will be applicable to the
Company. Management believes that they will not have a significant impact on the
Company's consolidated financial statements.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of Financial Statements

The  preparation  of  the  Company's   consolidated   financial  statements  and
accompanying  notes requires  management to make estimates and assumptions  that
affect the amounts reported and disclosed. These estimates and assumptions could
change in the future as more information  becomes known,  which could impact the
amounts  reported and disclosed in the  consolidated  financial  statements  and
accompanying notes.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)




1.  Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Significant Risks

The following is a description of the most significant risks facing  diversified
financial service organizations and how the Company mitigates those risks:

Legal or  regulatory  risk is the risk that  changes in the legal or  regulatory
environment  in which an insurer  operates will create  additional  expenses not
anticipated by the insurer in pricing its products.  The Company  mitigates this
risk by offering a wide range of products and  operating  throughout  the United
States  and the world,  thus  reducing  its  exposure  to any single  product or
jurisdiction,  and also by employing  underwriting  practices which identify and
minimize the adverse impact of this risk.

Credit  risk is the risk that  issuers  of  securities  owned by the  Company or
borrowers on mortgage  loans on real estate will  default or that other  parties
that owe the Company  money,  will not pay. The Company  minimizes  this risk by
adhering to a conservative  investment strategy, by maintaining sound credit and
collection policies and by providing for any amounts deemed uncollectible.

Interest  rate risk is the risk that  interest  rates  will  change  and cause a
decrease  in the value of the  Company's  investments.  This change in rates may
cause certain  interest-sensitive  products to become uncompetitive or may cause
disintermediation.  The  Company  mitigates  this  risk  by  charging  fees  for
policyowners'  contract  terminations,  by offering  products that transfer this
risk to the purchaser   and by attempting to match the maturity  schedule of its
assets  with  the  expected  payout  of  its  liabilities.  To the  extent  that
liabilities  come due more quickly than assets mature,  an insurer would have to
borrow funds or sell assets prior to maturity and  potentially  recognize a gain
or loss.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash  equivalents  include cash on hand,  money market  instruments and
other debt issues with a maturity date of three months or less when purchased.

Investments

Investments in debt and equity  securities are classified as  available-for-sale
and,  accordingly,  are carried at fair value. (See Note 10 for policies related
to the determination of fair value.) The cost of debt securities is adjusted for
amortization  of premiums  and accrual of  discounts,  both  computed  using the
interest method. The cost of debt and equity securities is adjusted for declines
in value that are other  than  temporary.  For the  loan-backed  and  structured
securities included in the bond portfolio, the Company recognizes income using a
constant  effective  yield  based  on  currently   anticipated   prepayments  as
determined  by  broker-dealer  surveys or internal  estimates  and the estimated
lives of the securities.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

1.  Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Investment real estate is reported at cost less accumulated  depreciation.  Such
real estate is carried net of valuation allowances when indicators of impairment
are present and the  undiscounted  cash flows to be generated by the real estate
exceed carrying  amounts.  Properties  acquired  through loan  foreclosures  are
recorded at fair market value at the time of  foreclosure  or receipt of deed in
lieu of  foreclosure.  This becomes the new cost basis of the real estate and is
subject  to  further  potential  carrying  amount  reductions  as  a  result  of
depreciation and quarterly  valuation  determinations.  Changes in the valuation
allowance  are charged or credited to income.  Depreciation  expense is computed
primarily  on the  basis  of  accelerated  and  straight-line  methods  over the
estimated  useful  lives of the assets.  Real estate  expected to be disposed is
carried at the lower of cost or fair value, less cost to sell.

Commercial  and  residential  mortgage  loans are reported at cost  adjusted for
amortization  of premiums and accrual of discounts,  computed using the interest
method, and net of valuation allowances. Any changes in the valuation allowances
are reported as realized gains  (losses) on  investments.  The Company  measures
impairment based upon the present value of expected cash flows discounted at the
loan's effective  interest rate. If foreclosure is probable,  the measurement of
impairment is based upon the fair value of the collateral.

Net realized  capital gains and losses on investments  are determined  using the
specific identification basis.

Policy loans and other investments are primarily reported at cost.

Futures and Forward Contracts and Interest Rate and Equity Swaps (Derivatives)

The Company uses financial futures contracts,  forward purchase  commitments and
interest rate swaps to hedge risks  associated  with interest rate  fluctuations
and uses equity  swaps to hedge risks  associated  with market  fluctuations  of
certain  unaffiliated  common stocks.  Realized capital gains and losses on both
those contracts that hedge risks associated with interest rate  fluctuations and
equity swaps are recognized in the period incurred.

Contractholder and Policyowner Liabilities

Contractholder and policyowner liabilities  (contractholder funds, future policy
benefits and claims and other policyowner funds) include reserves for investment
contracts and reserves for universal life,  limited payment,  participating  and
traditional life insurance policies.  Investment  contracts are contractholders'
funds left with the  Company  and  generally  include  reserves  for pension and
annuity contracts.  Reserves on investment contracts are equal to the cumulative
deposits less any applicable charges plus credited interest.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

1.  Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Reserves for universal life insurance contracts are equal to cumulative premiums
less charges plus credited  interest which  represents the account balances that
accrue to the benefit of the policyowners, excluding surrender charges. Reserves
for  non-participating  term life insurance contracts are computed on a basis of
assumed  investment  yield,  mortality,  morbidity  and  expenses,  including  a
provision for adverse deviation, which generally vary by plan, year of issue and
policy  duration.  Investment  yield  is  based  on  the  Company's  experience.
Mortality,  morbidity and withdrawal rate assumptions are based on experience of
the Company and are periodically  reviewed  against both industry  standards and
experience.

Reserves for participating  life insurance  contracts are based on the net level
premium reserve for death and endowment policy benefits.  This net level premium
reserve is calculated  based on dividend fund interest rate and mortality  rates
guaranteed in calculating the cash surrender values described in the contract.

Some of the Company's  policies and contracts require payment of fees in advance
for services that will be rendered over the estimated  lives of the policies and
contracts.  These  payments are  established as unearned  revenue  reserves upon
receipt and included in other policyowner  funds in the consolidated  statements
of  financial  position.  These  unearned  revenue  reserves  are  amortized  to
operations over the estimated lives of these policies and contracts.

The  liability  for unpaid  accident  and health  claims is an  estimate  of the
ultimate  net cost of  reported  and  unreported  losses not yet  settled.  This
liability  is estimated  using  actuarial  analyses and case basis  evaluations.
Although  considerable  variability is inherent in such  estimates,  the Company
believes that the liability for unpaid claims is adequate.  These  estimates are
continually  reviewed and, as adjustments to this  liability  become  necessary,
such adjustments are reflected in current operations.

Recognition of Premiums, Fees and Benefits

Traditional individual life and health insurance products include those products
with fixed and  guaranteed  premiums and benefits,  and consist  principally  of
whole life and term life insurance policies and certain immediate annuities with
life  contingencies.  Life insurance premiums and immediate annuity premiums are
recognized as premium revenue when due.

Group life and health  insurance  premiums  are  generally  recorded  as premium
revenue over the term of the coverage.  Some group  contracts allow for premiums
to be  adjusted to reflect  emerging  experience.  Such  adjusted  premiums  are
recognized in the period that the related experience emerges. Fees for contracts
providing claim  processing or other  administrative  services are recorded over
the period the service is provided.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

1.  Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Related  policy  benefits and expenses for  individual and group life and health
insurance  products  are  associated  with  earned  premiums  and  result in the
recognition of profits over the expected lives of the policies and contracts.

Universal  life-type  policies are insurance  contracts  with terms that are not
fixed and  guaranteed.  Amounts  received as payments for such contracts are not
reported  as  premium  revenues.  Revenues  for  universal  life-type  insurance
contracts consist of policy charges for the cost of insurance, policy initiation
and  administration,  surrender  charges and other fees that have been  assessed
against policy account  values.  Policy  benefits and claims that are charged to
expense  include  interest  credited to contracts and benefit claims incurred in
the period in excess of related policy account balances.

Investment   contracts  do  not  subject  the  Company  to  risks  arising  from
policyowner  mortality  or  morbidity,   and  consist  primarily  of  Guaranteed
Investment Contracts (GICs) and certain deferred annuities.  Amounts received as
payments  for  investment  contracts  are  established  as  investment  contract
liability  balances  and are not  reported  as premium  revenues.  Revenues  for
investment  contracts  consist of  investment  income and policy  administration
charges.  Investment  contract  benefits  that are  charged to  expense  include
benefit claims incurred in the period in excess of related  investment  contract
liability  balances  and  interest  credited to  investment  contract  liability
balances.

Deferred Acquisition Costs

Commissions and other costs  (underwriting,  issuance and agency  expenses) that
vary  with and are  primarily  related  to the  acquisition  of new and  renewal
insurance  policies and  investment  contract  business are  capitalized  to the
extent  recoverable.  Acquisition  costs that are not deferrable and maintenance
costs are charged to operations as incurred.

Deferred  acquisition  costs for  universal  life-type  insurance  contracts and
participating  life  insurance  policies  and  investment  contracts  are  being
amortized  over the lives of the  policies  and  contracts  in  relation  to the
emergence  of estimated  gross profit  margins.  This  amortization  is adjusted
retrospectively when estimates of current or future gross profits and margins to
be realized  from a group of products and  contracts  are revised.  The deferred
acquisition costs of  non-participating  term life insurance  policies are being
amortized  over  the  premium-paying   period  of  the  related  policies  using
assumptions consistent with those used in computing policyowner liabilities.

Deferred acquisition costs are subject to recoverability  testing at the time of
policy issue and loss recognition  testing at the end of each accounting period.
Deferred  acquisition  costs  would  be  written  off to the  extent  that it is
determined  that future policy  premiums and  investment  income or gross profit
margins would not be adequate to cover related losses and expenses.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

1.  Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Reinsurance

The Company  enters into  reinsurance  agreements  with other  companies  in the
normal  course of  business.  The  Company may assume  reinsurance  from or cede
reinsurance to other companies.  Reinsurance premiums, expenses,  recoveries and
reserves  related to reinsured  business are accounted  for on bases  consistent
with those used in accounting for the original  policies issued and the terms of
the  reinsurance   contracts,   reported  on  a  gross  basis.  The  Company  is
contingently  liable with respect to reinsurance ceded to other companies in the
event the reinsurer is unable to meet the obligations it has assumed.

Separate Accounts

The  separate  account  assets and  liabilities  presented  in the  consolidated
financial  statements  represent  the  fair  market  value  of  funds  that  are
separately  administered  by the Company for contracts with equity,  real estate
and fixed-income  investments.  The separate account contract owner, rather than
the Company,  bears the  investment  risk of these funds.  The separate  account
assets are  legally  segregated  and are not subject to claims that arise out of
any  other   business  of  the   Company.   The  Company   receives  a  fee  for
administrative, maintenance and investment advisory services that is included in
the consolidated  statements of operations.  Deposits, net investment income and
realized and  unrealized  capital gains and losses on the separate  accounts are
not reflected in the consolidated statements of operations.

Income Taxes

The Company  files a  consolidated  income tax return that  includes  all of its
qualifying  subsidiaries and has a policy of allocating  income tax expenses and
benefits to companies in the group based upon pro rata  contribution  of taxable
income or operating  losses.  The Company is taxed at corporate rates on taxable
income based on existing tax laws.  Current income taxes are charged or credited
to operations  based upon amounts  estimated to be payable or  recoverable  as a
result of taxable  operations  for the current year.  Deferred  income taxes are
provided for the tax effect of differences in the financial reporting and income
tax bases of assets and  liabilities  and net  operating  losses  using  enacted
income tax rates and laws.  The effect on deferred  tax assets and  deferred tax
liabilities  of a change in tax rates is  recognized in operations in the period
in which the change is enacted.

Foreign Exchange

The  Company's  foreign  subsidiaries'  statements  of  financial  position  and
operations  are translated at the current  exchange  rates and average  exchange
rates for the year, respectively. Resulting translation adjustments are reported
as a component of equity.  Other  translation  adjustments for foreign  currency
transactions that affect cash flows are reported in current operations.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

1.  Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Pension and Postretirement Benefits

The Company accounts for its pension benefits and postretirement  benefits other
than pension (medical, life insurance and long-term care) using the full accrual
method.

Property Held for Company Use

Property  held for  Company use  includes  home  office  properties  and related
leasehold  improvements.   Property  held  for  Company  use  is  shown  in  the
consolidated  statements  of  financial  position  at cost less  allowances  for
accumulated  depreciation.  Provisions  for  depreciation  of property  held for
Company  use are  computed  principally  on the  straight-line  method  over the
estimated useful lives of the assets.  Property held for Company use and related
accumulated depreciation are as follows (in millions):

                                                December 31
                                            1996           1995
                                        -----------------------------

   Property held for Company use              $285          $266
   Accumulated depreciation                    (63)          (56)
                                        =============================
   Property held for Company use, net         $222          $210
                                        =============================

Other Assets

Intangible assets are included in other assets in the consolidated statements of
financial  position.  The cost of  acquired  subsidiaries  in excess of the fair
value of the net assets (i.e.,  goodwill) and other intangible assets (primarily
customer lists and institutional  customer  relationships) have been recorded in
connection  with  acquisitions.  These assets are  amortized on a  straight-line
basis  primarily over 40 years with the exception of assets  acquired after 1995
which are amortized  over ten years.  The carrying  amount of goodwill and other
intangible  assets is reviewed  periodically  for  indicators  of  impairment in
value. Intangible assets and related accumulated amortization are as follows (in
millions):

                                            December 31
                                        1996           1995
                                    -----------------------------

   Goodwill                               $135          $113
   Accumulated amortization                (22)          (31)
                                    -----------------------------
   Goodwill, net                           113            82

   Other intangible assets, net             34            56
                                    -----------------------------

   Total intangible assets                $147          $138
                                    =============================
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

1.  Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (continued)

Mortgage  servicing rights of $272 million and $176 million at December 31, 1996
and  1995,  respectively,  are  included  in other  assets  in the  consolidated
statements  of  financial  position  and  represent  the cost of  purchasing  or
originating the right to service mortgage loans. These costs are capitalized and
amortized to operations  over the estimated  remaining  lives of the  underlying
loans using the interest method and taking into account  appropriate  prepayment
assumptions. Capitalized mortgage servicing rights are periodically assessed for
impairment,  which is  recognized in the  consolidated  statements of operations
during the period in which  impairment  occurs by  establishing a  corresponding
valuation allowance.

Other assets are reported primarily at cost.

Reclassifications

Certain  reclassifications  have been made to the 1995  financial  statements to
conform to the 1996 consolidated presentation.

2.  Investments

Under  SFAS No.  115,  Accounting  for  Certain  Investments  in Debt and Equity
Securities,   securities   are  generally   classified  as   available-for-sale,
held-to-maturity,  or  trading.  The  Company  has  classified  its entire  debt
securities  portfolio  as  available-for-sale,  although  it  is  generally  the
Company's  intent to hold these  securities  to  maturity.  The Company has also
classified all equity securities as available-for-sale. Securities classified as
available-for-sale are reported at fair value in the consolidated  statements of
financial  position with the related unrealized holding gains and losses on such
available-for-sale  securities  reported as a separate component of equity after
adjustments for related changes in deferred acquisition costs,  unearned revenue
reserves and deferred income taxes.

<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

2.  Investments (continued)

The cost,  gross  unrealized  gains and losses and fair value of debt and equity
securities  available-for-sale  as of December 31, 1996 and 1995, are as follows
(in millions):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                   Gross           Gross
                                                                Unrealized      Unrealized         Fair
                                                   Cost            Gains          Losses          Value
                                              ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                              ---------------------------------------------------------------
   December 31, 1996
   Bonds:
<S>                                              <C>           <C>                  <C>          <C>      
     United States Government and agencies       $     246     $       1            $  1         $     246
     States and political subdivisions                 303            13               -               316
     Corporate - public                              4,487           200              15             4,672
     Corporate - private                            12,876           737              25            13,588
     Mortgage-backed securities                      3,112            60              27             3,145
                                              ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                              ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    21,024         1,011              68            21,967
   Redeemable preferred stocks                           5             2               -                 7
                                              ===============================================================
     Total debt securities                         $21,029        $1,013             $68           $21,974
                                              ===============================================================
     Total equity securities                     $     502       $   536             $15          $  1,023
                                              ===============================================================

   December 31, 1995
   Bonds:
     United States Government and agencies        $    294     $       4           $   -          $    298
     States and political subdivisions                 281            19               -               300
     Corporate - public                              4,467           328              16             4,779
     Corporate - private                            12,211         1,081              57            13,235
     Mortgage-backed securities                      3,085           134               4             3,215
                                              ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                              ---------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    20,338         1,566              77            21,827
   Redeemable preferred stocks                          11             1               2                10
                                              ===============================================================
     Total debt securities                         $20,349        $1,567             $79           $21,837
                                              ===============================================================
     Total equity securities                     $     663       $   794             $11          $  1,446
                                              ===============================================================
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

2.  Investments (continued)

The cost and fair value of debt  securities  available-for-sale  at December 31,
1996, by expected maturity, are as follows (in millions):

                                                Cost      Fair Value
                                               ----------------------
                                               ----------------------

   Due in one year or less                      $  1,290   $  1,314
   Due after one year through five years           6,486      6,720
   Due after five years through ten years          6,271      6,590
   Due after ten years                             3,865      4,198
                                               ----------------------
                                               ----------------------
                                                  17,912     18,822
   Mortgage-backed and other securities without
     a single maturity date                        3,117      3,152
                                               ----------------------
                                               ======================
   Total                                         $21,029    $21,974
                                               ======================

The above summarized activity is based on expected maturities. Actual maturities
may differ because borrowers may have the right to call or pre-pay obligations.

Major  categories  of net  investment  income  are  summarized  as  follows  (in
millions):

                                                  Year ended December 31
                                                   1996           1995
                                               -----------------------------

   Debt securities available-for-sale              $1,608        $1,603
   Equity securities available-for-sale                33            41
   Mortgage loans                                     922         1,008
   Real estate                                        338           162
   Policy loans                                        49            48
   Cash and cash equivalents                           15             8
   Other                                               60            24
                                               -----------------------------
                                               -----------------------------
                                                    3,025         2,894

   Less investment expenses                          (245)         (201)
                                               -----------------------------
                                               =============================
   Net investment income                           $2,780        $2,693
                                               =============================
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

2.  Investments (continued)

The major  components of realized  capital  gains  (losses) on  investments  are
summarized as follows (in millions):

                                                  Year ended December 31
                                                   1996           1995
                                               -----------------------------

   Debt securities, available-for-sale:
     Gross gains                                    $121           $144
     Gross losses                                    (73)           (40)
   Equity securities, available-for-sale:
     Gross gains                                     451             40
     Gross losses                                     (5)            (9)
   Mortgage loans                                     (4)             3
   Real estate                                        14              6
   Other                                             (68)           (22)
                                               =============================
   Net realized capital gains                       $436           $122
                                               =============================

Proceeds  from  sales  of  investments  (excluding  maturity  proceeds)  in debt
securities  were $7.8 billion and $6.5  billion in 1996 and 1995,  respectively.
Gross gains of $76  million and $93 million and gross  losses of $69 million and
$54 million in 1996 and 1995, respectively, were realized on those sales. Of the
1996 and 1995 proceeds, $7.2 billion and $6.1 billion, respectively,  relates to
sales of mortgage-backed securities.

The Company actively manages its mortgage-backed securities portfolio to control
prepayment  risk. Gross gains of $64 million and $66 million and gross losses of
$53  million and $17 million in 1996 and 1995,  respectively,  were  realized on
sales of  mortgage-backed  securities.  At December  31,  1996,  the Company had
security  purchases  payable  totaling $331 million relating to the purchases of
mortgage-backed securities at forward dates.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

2.  Investments (continued)

The  unrealized  appreciation  on  investments  in debt  and  equity  securities
available-for-sale  is reported as a separate  component  of equity,  reduced by
adjustments to deferred  acquisition  costs and unearned  revenue  reserves that
would have been  required as a charge or credit to  operations  had such amounts
been  realized and a provision  for  deferred  income  taxes.  The amount of net
unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities is as follows (in millions):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      December 31
                                                                                  1996           1995
                                                                              -----------------------------

<S>                                                                                <C>          <C>   
   Unrealized appreciation on debt  securities, available-for-sale                 $945         $1,488
   Unrealized appreciation  on equity  securities, available-for-sale               521            783
   Adjustments for assumed changes in amortization pattern:
     Deferred acquisition costs                                                    (160)          (243)
     Unearned revenue reserves                                                       17             28
   Provision for deferred income taxes                                             (463)          (720)
                                                                              =============================
   Net unrealized gains on available-for-sale securities                           $860         $1,336
                                                                              =============================
</TABLE>

Commercial  mortgage loans and corporate  private  placement bonds originated or
acquired by the Company represent its primary areas of credit risk exposure.  At
December 31, 1996 and 1995, the commercial  mortgage portfolio is diversified by
geographic region and specific collateral property type as follows:

                Geographic Distribution              Property Type Distribution
                      December 31                           December 31
                -----------------------               -----------------------
                    1996        1995                      1996       1995
                -----------------------               -----------------------
                -----------------------               -----------------------

Pacific              30%         33%       Industrial      35%        38%
South Atlantic       22          21        Retail          34         30
North Central        17          16        Office          28         29
Mid Atlantic         15          16        Other            3          3
South Central         7           6
New England           5           5
Mountain              4           3
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

2.  Investments (continued)

Mortgage  loans on real estate are considered  impaired  when,  based on current
information  and  events,  it is  probable  that the  Company  will be unable to
collect all amounts due according to  contractual  terms of the loan  agreement.
When the Company  determines  that a loan is impaired,  a provision  for loss is
established for the difference  between the carrying amount of the mortgage loan
and the estimated value. Estimated value is based on either the present value of
the expected future cash flows discounted at the loan's effective interest rate,
the  loan's  observable  market  price  or fair  value  of the  collateral.  The
provision for losses is reported as realized gains (losses) on investments.

Mortgage loans deemed to be uncollectible  are charged against the allowance for
losses and subsequent  recoveries are credited to the allowance for losses.  The
allowance for losses is maintained at a level believed adequate by management to
absorb estimated probable credit losses. Management's periodic evaluation of the
adequacy of the allowance  for losses is based on the  Company's  past loan loss
experience,  known and inherent risks in the portfolio,  adverse situations that
may  affect  the  borrower's  ability  to  repay,  the  estimated  value  of the
underlying  collateral,  composition  of the loan  portfolio,  current  economic
conditions and other relevant factors.  The evaluation is inherently  subjective
as it requires  estimating  the amounts and timing of future cash flows expected
to be received on impaired loans that may change.

A summary of the changes in the mortgage loan allowance for losses is as follows
(in millions):

                                                              December 31
                                                          1996           1995
                                                      --------------------------

Balance at beginning of year                               $115           $127
Provision for losses                                         16             16
Releases due to write-downs, sales and foreclosures         (10)           (28)
                                                      ==========================
Balance at end of year                                     $121           $115
                                                         =======================

The corporate  private  placement  bond  portfolio is  diversified by issuer and
industry.  Restrictive  bond  covenants are monitored by the Company to regulate
the activities of issuers and control their leveraging capabilities.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

2.  Investments (continued)

The Company was servicing approximately 328,000 and 286,000 loans with aggregate
principal balances of approximately $24.4 and $19.9 billion at December 31, 1996
and 1995, respectively.  In connection with these mortgage servicing activities,
the Company held funds in trust for others totaling  approximately  $175 million
and $145 million at December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively. In connection with
its loan  administration  activities,  the Company advances payments of property
taxes and insurance  premiums and also advances  principal and interest payments
to  investors  in  advance of  collecting  funds from  specific  mortgagors.  In
addition,  the Company makes  certain  payments of attorney fees and other costs
related to loans in foreclosure. These amounts receivable are recorded, at cost,
as advances on serviced loans.  Amounts  advanced are considered in management's
evaluation of the adequacy of the allowance for loan loss.

Real estate includes properties directly owned by the Company that are generally
held for  investment  purposes.  Real estate  holdings  and related  accumulated
depreciation are as follows (in millions):

                                              December 31
                                          1996           1995
                                      -----------------------------

   Real estate                            $2,743        $2,481
   Accumulated depreciation                 (269)         (218)
                                      =============================
   Real estate, net                       $2,474        $2,263
                                      =============================

Other  investments  include  properties  owned jointly with venture partners and
operated by the  partners.  Joint  ventures in which the Company has an interest
have  mortgage  loans  with the  Company  of $1.4  billion  and $1.5  billion at
December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively.  The Company is committed to providing
additional  mortgage financing for such joint ventures  aggregating $146 million
at December 31, 1996.

Effective  December 29, 1995, the Company  entered into  short-term  equity swap
agreements  to mitigate its exposure to declines in the value of about  one-half
of its marketable  common stock portfolio.  Under the agreements,  the return on
that portion of the Company's  marketable common stock portfolio was swapped for
a fixed short-term  interest rate. The equity swaps were terminated  during 1996
and a realized  loss of $81  million  recorded.  Common  stocks of $633  million
associated  with these  equity  swaps were sold  during  1996 and a gain of $402
million recorded, resulting in a net realized gain of $321 million.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

3.  Derivatives Held or Issued for Purposes Other Than Trading

The Company uses exchange-traded  interest rate futures and forward contracts to
hedge against  interest rate risks.  The Company attempts to match the timing of
when interest rates are committed on insurance  products and on new investments.
However,  timing  differences do occur and can expose the Company to fluctuating
interest rates. Interest rate futures and forward contracts are used to minimize
these  risks.  In these  contracts,  the Company is subject to the risk that the
counterparties  will fail to perform and to the risks associated with changes in
the value of the underlying securities; however, such changes in value generally
are  offset by  opposite  changes  in the  value of the  hedged  items.  Futures
contracts  are  marked  to  market  and  settled  daily,   which  minimizes  the
counterparty  risk. The notional amounts of futures and forward  contracts ($148
million at December 31, 1996,  and $303 million at December 31, 1995)  represent
the extent of the Company's involvement but not the risk of loss.

The  Company  enters  into  interest  rate swaps to  minimize  its  exposure  to
fluctuations in interest rates. The most common use is to modify the duration of
an asset or  portfolio,  a less  common use is to convert a floating  rate asset
into a fixed rate asset. The notional principal amounts of the swaps outstanding
at December 31, 1996 and 1995, were $970 million and $599 million, respectively,
and the credit  exposure  at  December  31, 1996 and 1995 was $15 million and $8
million,  respectively.  The  Company is exposed to credit  loss in the event of
nonperformance  of  the  counterparties.   This  credit  risk  is  minimized  by
purchasing such agreements from financial institutions with superior performance
records.  The Company's current credit exposure on swaps is limited to the value
of interest  rate swaps that have become  favorable to the Company.  The average
unexpired terms of the swaps were approximately three years at both December 31,
1996 and 1995, respectively.  The net amount payable or receivable from interest
rate  swaps is  accrued as an  adjustment  to  interest  income.  The  Company's
interest rate swap agreements include cross-default  provisions when two or more
swaps are transacted with a given counterparty.

The Company  enters into currency  exchange swap  agreements to convert  certain
foreign  denominated  fixed rate assets into U.S. dollar  denominated fixed rate
assets  and  eliminate  the  exposure  to future  currency  volatility  on those
securities.  At December  31,  1996,  the Company had various  foreign  currency
exchange agreements with maturities ranging from 1997 to 2018, with an aggregate
notional amount involved of  approximately  $373 million and the credit exposure
was $9 million.  The average unexpired term of the swaps was approximately seven
years at December 31, 1996.

The Company uses  interest  rate floors in hedging a portion of its portfolio of
mortgage  servicing  rights from  prepayment  risk  associated  with  changes in
interest rates. At December 31, 1996, the Company had entered into interest rate
floors with a notional value of $1.3 billion. The floors provide for the receipt
of payments when interest  rates are below  predetermined  interest rate levels.
The  premiums  paid for floors are  included  in other  assets on the  Company's
consolidated statements of financial position.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

4.  Accident and Health Reserves

Activity  in the  liability  for unpaid  accident  and health  claims,  which is
included with future policy benefits and claims in the  consolidated  statements
of financial position, is summarized as follows (in millions):

                                              Year ended December 31
                                               1996           1995
                                           -----------------------------

   Balance at beginning of year               $   810       $   824

   Incurred:
     Current year                               3,051         3,179
     Prior years                                  (29)           (5)
                                           -----------------------------
                                           -----------------------------
   Total incurred                               3,022         3,174

   Payments:
     Current year                               2,535         2,654
     Prior years                                  497           534
                                           -----------------------------
   Total payments                               3,032         3,188
                                           -----------------------------

   Balance at end of year:
     Current year                                 516           525
     Prior years                                  284           285
                                           -----------------------------
                                           =============================
   Total balance at end of year               $   800       $   810
                                           =============================

The activity  summary in the  liability  for unpaid  accident and health  claims
shows a decrease of $29 million and $5 million to the December 31, 1995 and 1994
liability for unpaid accident and health claims, respectively,  arising in prior
years. Such liability adjustments, which affected current operations during 1996
and 1995,  respectively,  resulted from  developed  claims for prior years being
different than were  anticipated  when the  liabilities  for unpaid accident and
health claims were originally estimated. These favorable development trends have
been considered in  establishing  the current year liability for unpaid accident
and health claims.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

5.  Debt

The  components  of debt as of December  31, 1996 and  December  31, 1995 are as
follows (in millions):

                                                      December 31
                                                 1996           1995
                                             ------------------------------

      7.875% notes payable, due 2024              $199          $199
      8% notes payable, due 2044                    99            99
      Mortgages and other notes payable            101            63
                                             ==============================
      Total debt                                  $399          $361
                                             ==============================

On March 10,  1994,  Principal  Mutual  issued  $300  million of surplus  notes,
including  $200 million due March 1, 2024 at a 7.875%  annual  interest rate and
the remaining  $100 million due March 1, 2044 at an 8% annual  interest rate. No
affiliates of the Company hold any portion of the notes. The discount and direct
costs  associated  with issuing these notes are being  amortized to expense over
their respective  terms using the interest method.  Each payment of interest and
principal on the notes, however, may be made only with the prior approval of the
Commissioner  of Insurance of the State of Iowa (the  Commissioner)  and only to
the extent that Principal  Mutual has sufficient  surplus  earnings to make such
payments.  For both of the years ended  December 31, 1996 and 1995,  interest of
$24 million was approved by the Commissioner, paid and charged to expense.

Subject to  Commissioner  approval,  the surplus  notes due March 1, 2024 may be
redeemed at Principal Mutual's election on or after March 1, 2004 in whole or in
part at a redemption price of approximately  103.6% of par. The approximate 3.6%
premium is scheduled to gradually  diminish over the following ten years.  These
surplus  notes may then be redeemed on or after March 1, 2014,  at a  redemption
price of 100% of the  principal  amount  plus  interest  accrued  to the date of
redemption.

In addition,  subject to Commissioner  approval, the notes due March 1, 2044 may
be redeemed at Principal  Mutual's  election on or after March 1, 2014, in whole
or in part at a redemption price of approximately 102.3% of par. The approximate
2.3% premium is scheduled to gradually  diminish  over the  following ten years.
These notes may be redeemed on or after March 1, 2024, at a redemption  price of
100% of the principal amount plus interest accrued to the date of redemption.

The  other   mortgages  and  notes  payable  are   financings  for  real  estate
developments.  The Company has obtained  loans with  various  lenders to finance
these developments. Outstanding principal balances as of December 31, 1996 range
from $1 million to $9 million with interest rates generally ranging from 5.9% to
7.7%.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

5.  Debt (continued)

At  December  31,  1996,  future  annual  maturities  of debt are as follows (in
millions):

   1997                                    $  29
   1998                                       17
   1999                                        2
   2000                                        2
   2001                                        2
   Thereafter                                347
                                         ----------
                                         ==========
   Total future maturities of debt          $399
                                         ==========

Cash  paid for  interest  for 1996 and  1995 was $52  million  and $50  million,
respectively.

The  Company  issues  commercial  paper  periodically  to  meet  its  short-term
financing needs and also has credit  facilities with various banks.  The Company
had outstanding  credit borrowings of $15 million at December 31, 1996 and other
outstanding  borrowings of $154 million at December 31, 1996. These  outstanding
borrowings are included in other  liabilities in the consolidated  statements of
financial position. There were no outstanding borrowings at December 31, 1995.


6.  Income Taxes

The Company's income tax expense (benefit) is as follows (in millions):

                                     Year ended December 31
                                      1996           1995
                                  -----------------------------

   Current income taxes:
     Federal                           $145           $104
     State and foreign                   (1)             5
     Realized capital gains             210             41
                                  -----------------------------
   Total current income taxes           354            150
   Deferred income taxes                (50)            57
                                  =============================
   Total income taxes                  $304           $207
                                  =============================

Due to the inherent  differences between income for financial reporting purposes
and income for tax purposes,  the Company's  provision for income taxes does not
have the customary  relationship of taxes to income. This difference between the
prevailing  corporate  income tax rate of 35% times the  pre-tax  income and the
Company's  effective tax rate on pre-tax  income is generally due to the Company
making  adequate  provisions  for  any  challenges  of the tax  filings  and tax
payments to the various taxing jurisdictions.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

6.  Income Taxes (continued)

The Internal  Revenue  Service (the  Service) has completed  examination  of the
consolidated  federal  income tax  returns of  Principal  Mutual and  affiliated
companies  through 1992. The Service has commenced its examination for the years
1993 and 1994. The Company believes that there are adequate  defenses against or
sufficient provisions for any challenges.

The  Company's  deferred  income tax  liabilities  and assets are as follows (in
millions):

                                                  December 31
                                              1996           1995
                                          -----------------------------

   Deferred income tax liabilities            $1,110        $1,319
   Deferred income tax assets                    487           389
                                          =============================
   Deferred income taxes, net                $   623       $   930
                                          =============================

The Company's  significant  deferred income tax liabilities and assets relate to
unrealized  gains on  available-for-sale  debt and equity  securities,  deferred
acquisition  costs,  unrealized  joint venture  losses,  policy  liabilities and
accruals and contractholder  funds and claims,  policyowner  dividend liability,
prepaid  postretirement  benefits other than pension,  other investment  related
items and  premiums  and fees  receivable.  No  valuation  allowances  have been
recognized against deferred tax assets.

The Company  has not  recognized  deferred  taxes  related to the  undistributed
earnings of certain foreign  subsidiaries that are considered to be indefinitely
reinvested  because the Company does not expect to repatriate these earnings.  A
tax liability will be recognized when the Company expects  distribution of those
earnings in the form of dividends, sale of the investment or otherwise.

Cash paid for income  taxes in 1996 and 1995 was $285  million and $99  million,
respectively.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

7.  Employee and Agent Benefits

The Company has defined benefit pension plans covering  substantially all of its
employees and certain  agents.  The  employees  and agents are  generally  first
eligible for the pension plans when they reach age 21. The pension  benefits are
based on the years of service and  generally the  employee's or agent's  average
annual  compensation  during the last five years of employment.  Partial benefit
accrual  of  pension  benefits  is  recognized  from  first   eligibility  until
retirement based on attained service divided by potential service to age 65 with
a minimum of 35 years of potential service.  The Company's policy is to fund the
cost of providing  pension  benefits in the years that the  employees and agents
are providing service to the Company. The Company's funding policy is to deposit
the actuarial  normal cost and any change in unfunded  accrued  liability over a
30-year period as a percentage of compensation.

The pension plans' combined funded status,  reconciled to amounts  recognized in
the consolidated statements of financial position and consolidated statements of
operations  as of and for the years  ended  December  31,  1996 and 1995,  is as
follows (in millions):

                                                                  December 31
                                                                 1996    1995
                                                                 ------------
                                                                 ------------
Actuarial present value of benefit obligations:
   Vested benefit obligation                                      $482   $439
                                                                 ============
                                                                 ============
   Accumulated benefit obligation                                 $495   $464
                                                                 ============
                                                                 ============

Plan assets at fair value, primarily affiliated mutual funds
   and investment contracts of the Company                        $841   $723
Projected benefit obligation                                       732    670
                                                                 ------------
Plan assets in excess of projected benefit obligation              109     53

Unrecognized net (gains) losses and funding different from 
   that assumed and from changes in assumptions                    (29)    41
Unrecognized prior service cost                                     17      1
Unrecognized net transition asset                                  (60)   (70)
                                                                 ------------
                                                                 ============
Prepaid pension asset                                            $  37  $  25
                                                                 ============
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

7.  Employee and Agent Benefits (continued)

Net periodic  pension  expense  (income)  included the following  components (in
millions):

                                                            Year ended
                                                            December 31
                                                       1996           1995
                                                    -------------------------

      Service cost                                     $  38         $  25
      Interest cost on projected benefit obligation       46            39
      Actual return on plan assets                      (118)         (144)
      Net amortization and deferral                       42            79
                                                    -------------------------
                                                    =========================
      Total net periodic pension expense (income)     $    8        $   (1)
                                                    =========================

The  weighted-average  assumed  discount rate used in determining  the projected
benefit obligation was 7.25% and 7% at December 31, 1996 and 1995, respectively.
Some of the trusts  holding the plan assets are subject to income taxes at a 35%
tax rate while others are not subject to income  taxes.  For both 1996 and 1995,
the  expected  long-term  rates of return on plan assets were  approximately  6%
(after  estimated  income  taxes) for those  trusts  subject to income taxes and
approximately 10% for those trusts not subject to income taxes. The assumed rate
of increase in future  compensation  levels varies by age for both the qualified
and non-qualified pension plans.

In  addition,  the  Company has defined  contribution  plans that are  generally
available to all employees and agents who are age 21 or older and have completed
one year of service.  Eligible  participants  may  contribute up to 15% of their
compensation  or up to $ 9,500 in 1996 and $9,240 in 1995 annually to the plans.
The Company matches the participant's contribution with a 50% contribution up to
a maximum  contribution  of 2% of the  participant's  compensation.  The Company
contributed  $13  million  in 1996  and $11  million  in 1995 to  these  defined
contribution plans.

The Company also provides certain health care, life insurance and long-term care
benefits for retired  employees.  Substantially all employees are first eligible
for these postretirement  benefits when they reach age 57 and have completed ten
years of service with the Company. Partial benefit accrual of these health, life
and  long-term  care  benefits  is  recognized  from  first   eligibility  until
retirement based on attained service divided by potential service to age 65 with
a minimum of 35 years of potential service.  The Company's policy is to fund the
cost of providing retiree benefits in the years that the employees are providing
service to the Company. The Company's funding policy is to deposit the actuarial
normal cost and an accrued  liability  over a 30-year  period as a percentage of
compensation.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

7.  Employee and Agent Benefits (continued)

The  postretirement  plans'  combined  funded  status,   reconciled  to  amounts
recognized in the consolidated statements of financial position and consolidated
statements  of  operations  as of and for the years ended  December 31, 1996 and
1995, is as follows (in millions):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     December 31
                                                                                 1996            1995
                                                                            -------------------------------
   Plan assets at fair value, primarily affiliated mutual funds and
<S>                                                                              <C>             <C> 
     investment contracts of the Company                                         $247            $208
   Accumulated postretirement benefit obligation:
     Retirees                                                                     (87)            (84)
     Eligible employees                                                           (38)            (39)
     Active employees not eligible to retire                                      (93)            (89)
                                                                            -------------------------------
                                                                            -------------------------------
   Total accumulated postretirement benefit obligation                           (218)           (212)
                                                                            -------------------------------
                                                                            -------------------------------
   Excess (deficiency) of plan assets over (under) accumulated
     postretirement benefit obligation                                             29              (4)

   Unrecognized net losses and funding different from that assumed and
     from changes in assumptions                                                  (10)             20
   Unrecognized net transition obligation                                          17              21
                                                                            -------------------------------
                                                                            ===============================
   Postretirement benefit asset                                                 $  36           $  37
                                                                            ===============================
</TABLE>

The net periodic  postretirement  benefit cost included the following components
(in millions):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                      Year ended
                                                                                     December 31
                                                                                 1996            1995
                                                                            -------------------------------
                                                                            -------------------------------

<S>                                                                               <C>            <C> 
   Service cost                                                                   $12            $  7
   Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit cost                        15              14
   Actual return on plan assets                                                   (32)            (43)
   Amortization of transition obligation                                            4               4
   Net amortization of gains and losses                                            19              34
                                                                            ===============================
   Total net periodic postretirement benefit cost                                 $18             $16
                                                                            ===============================
</TABLE>
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

7.  Employee and Agent Benefits (continued)

The  weighted-average  assumed discount rate used in determining the accumulated
postretirement  benefit  obligation  was 7.25% and 7% at  December  31, 1996 and
1995,  respectively.  Some of the trusts  holding the plan assets are subject to
income taxes at a 35% tax rate while others are not subject to income taxes. For
both 1996 and 1995, the expected  long-term  rates of return on plan assets were
approximately  6% (after  estimated  income  taxes) for those trusts  subject to
income taxes and  approximately 9% for those trusts not subject to income taxes.
These rates of return on plan assets vary by benefit type and employee group.

The  assumed  health  care cost trend  rate used in  measuring  the  accumulated
postretirement  benefit obligations starts at 11.5% in 1996, declines to 9.5% in
2001 and then  declines to an ultimate  rate of 6.5% in 2032. If the health care
cost trend rate  assumptions  were increased by 1% in each year, the accumulated
postretirement  benefits  obligation  for health  plans as of December  31, 1996
would increase by 19.5% ($33 million). The effect of this 1% increase would also
increase the aggregate of the service cost and interest  cost  components of the
net  periodic  postretirement  benefit  cost of health  plans for the year ended
December 31, 1996 by 24.5% ($6 million).

8.  Reinsurance

Reinsurance  contracts  do not  relieve  the  Company  from its  obligations  to
policyowners.  Failure of reinsurers to honor their  obligations could result in
losses to the Company. The Company evaluates the financial strength of potential
reinsurers  and  continually   monitors  the  financial   condition  of  present
reinsurers. The Company also monitors concentrations of credit risk arising from
similar  geographic  regions,  activities  or  economic  characteristics  of the
reinsurers  to minimize  its  exposure  to  significant  losses  from  reinsurer
insolvencies.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

8.  Reinsurance (continued)

The effect of reinsurance on premiums and annuity and other  considerations  and
benefits, claims and settlement expenses is as follows (in millions):

                                                        Year ended
                                                       December 31
                                                   1996            1995
                                                 -------------------------
                                                 -------------------------

Premiums and annuity and other considerations:
  Direct                                          $5,034          $5,171
  Assumed                                            116              99
  Ceded                                              (29)            (27)
                                                 =========================
Net premiums and annuity and other considerations $5,121          $5,243
                                                 =========================
                                                 =========================

Benefits, claims and settlement expenses:
  Direct                                          $6,003          $6,070
  Assumed                                            109              99
  Ceded                                              (25)            (27)
                                                 =========================
Net benefits, claims and settlement expenses      $6,087          $6,142
                                                 =========================

9.  Other Commitments and Contingencies

The Company,  as a lessor,  leases industrial,  office,  retail and other wholly
owned investment real estate properties under various  operating leases.  Rental
income for all operating leases totaled $310 million in 1996 and $260 million in
1995. At December 31, 1996, future minimum annual rental commitments under these
noncancelable operating leases are as follows (in millions):

   1997                                     $   273
   1998                                         240
   1999                                         200
   2000                                         161
   2001                                         116
   Thereafter                                   444
                                          -------------
                                          =============
   Total future minimum lease receipts       $1,434
                                          =============
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

9.  Other Commitments and Contingencies (continued)

The Company,  as a lessee,  leases office space,  data processing  equipment and
office furniture and equipment under various  operating  leases.  Rental expense
for all operating leases totaled $73 million in 1996 and $69 million in 1995. At
December  31,  1996,  future  minimum  annual  rental  commitments  under  these
noncancelable operating leases are as follows (in millions):

   1997                                         $  58
   1998                                            42
   1999                                            32
   2000                                            21
   2001                                            14
   Thereafter                                      28
                                             -----------
                                                  195
   Less future sublease rental income               4
                                             -----------
   Total future minimum lease payments           $191
                                             ===========

The Company is a defendant in various legal actions arising in the normal course
of its investment and insurance  operations.  In the opinion of management,  any
losses  resulting  from the resolution of such actions would not have a material
effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

The Company is also subject to insurance  guarantee  laws in the states in which
it writes  business.  These  laws  provide  for  assessments  against  insurance
companies  for the  benefit  of  policyowners  and  claimants  in the  event  of
insolvency  of other  insurance  companies.  The  assessments  may be  partially
recovered  through a reduction in future  premium taxes in some states.  At both
December  31,  1996 and 1995,  approximately  $15  million is  reserved in other
liabilities in the  consolidated  statements of financial  position for possible
guarantee  fund  assessments  for which  notices have not been  received and the
Company does not anticipate receiving a premium tax credit.

10.  Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The following  discussion  describes the methods and assumptions utilized by the
Company in estimating  its fair value  disclosures  for  financial  instruments.
Certain financial instruments,  particularly  policyowner liabilities other than
investment   contracts,   are   excluded   from  these  fair  value   disclosure
requirements. The techniques utilized in estimating the fair values of financial
instruments are affected by the assumptions used,  including  discount rates and
estimates  of the  amount  and  timing  of future  cash  flows.  Care  should be
exercised in deriving  conclusions  about the Company's  business,  its value or
financial position based on the fair value information of financial  instruments
presented  below.  The  estimates  shown are not  necessarily  indicative of the
amounts that would be realized in a one-time,  current market exchange of all of
the Company's financial instruments.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

10.  Fair Value of Financial Instruments (continued)

The Company defines fair value as the quoted market prices for those instruments
that are actively  traded in  financial  markets.  In cases where quoted  market
prices are not available, fair values are estimated using present value or other
valuation  techniques.  The fair value estimates are made at a specific point in
time,  based on available  market  information and judgments about the financial
instrument,  including estimates of timing, amount of expected future cash flows
and the credit standing of counterparts.  Such estimates do not consider the tax
impact of the realization of unrealized gains or losses. In many cases, the fair
value estimates cannot be substantiated by comparison to independent markets. In
addition,  the  disclosed  fair  value  may  not be  realized  in the  immediate
settlement of the financial instrument.

Fair values of public debt and equity  securities  have been  determined  by the
Company from public quotations, when available. Private placement securities and
other debt and equity  securities are valued by  discounting  the expected total
cash flows.  Market rates used are  applicable to the yield,  credit quality and
average maturity of each security.

Fair values of  commercial  mortgage  loans are  determined by  discounting  the
expected  total cash flows using market rates that are  applicable to the yield,
credit quality and maturity of each loan.  Fair values of  residential  mortgage
loans are  determined by a pricing and  servicing  model using market rates that
are applicable to the yield, rate structure,  credit quality,  size and maturity
of each loan.

The fair values for assets  classified as policy loans,  other  investments  and
cash  and  cash  equivalents  in the  accompanying  consolidated  statements  of
financial position approximates their carrying amounts.

The fair values of the Company's  reserves and liabilities  for  investment-type
insurance contracts  (insurance,  annuity and other policy contracts that do not
involve  significant  mortality or morbidity risk and that are only a portion of
the  policyowner   liabilities  appearing  in  the  consolidated  statements  of
financial  position) are estimated using discounted cash flow analyses (based on
current  interest  rates being  offered for similar  contracts  with  maturities
consistent with those remaining for the investment-type contracts being valued).
The fair values for the Company's  insurance contracts  (insurance,  annuity and
other policy contracts that do involve significant mortality or morbidity risk),
other than  investment-type  contracts,  are not required to be  disclosed.  The
Company does consider,  however,  the various  insurance and investment risks in
choosing investments for both insurance and investment-type contracts.

Fair values for debt issues are estimated  using  discounted  cash flow analysis
based  on  the  Company's  incremental  borrowing  rate  for  similar  borrowing
arrangements.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

10.  Fair Value of Financial Instruments (continued)

The  carrying  amounts  and  estimated  fair values of the  Company's  financial
instruments at December 31, 1996 and 1995, are as follows (in millions):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             1996                         1995
                                                  ---------------------------  ----------------------------
                                                     Carrying       Fair         Carrying        Fair
                                                      Amount        Value         Amount         Value
                                                  ---------------------------  ----------------------------
                                                  ---------------------------  ----------------------------

 Assets (liabilities)

<S>                                                   <C>           <C>            <C>           <C>    
   Debt securities (see Note 2)                       $21,974       $21,974        $21,837       $21,837
   Equity securities (see Note 2)                       1,023         1,023          1,446         1,446
   Mortgage loans                                      12,409        12,823         11,380        11,965
   Policy loans                                           736           736            711           711
   Other investments                                       68            68             79            79
   Cash and cash equivalents                              271           271            295           295
   Investment-type insurance contracts                (22,196)      (22,158)       (21,538)      (21,960)
   Debt                                                  (399)         (427)          (361)         (401)
</TABLE>

11.  Statutory Insurance Financial Information

Principal  Mutual,  the  largest  member  of The  Principal  Financial  Group,
prepares  statutory  financial  statements  in  accordance  with the  accounting
practices prescribed or permitted by the Insurance Division of the Department of
Commerce of the State of Iowa. Prescribed statutory accounting practices include
a variety of publications of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners
as well as state laws,  regulations and general  administrative rules. Permitted
statutory  accounting  practices  encompass  all  accounting  practices  not  so
prescribed.  The  impact of any  permitted  accounting  practices  on  statutory
surplus is not material.  The  accounting  practices  used to prepare  statutory
financial  statements  for regulatory  filings differ in certain  instances from
GAAP.  Prescribed or permitted statutory  accounting practices are used by state
insurance departments to regulate the Company.
<PAGE>
                          The Principal Financial Group
             Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements (continued)

11.  Statutory Insurance Financial Information (continued)

The following summary  reconciles the assets and equity at December 31, 1996 and
1995,  and net  income  for the years  ended  December  31,  1996 and  1995,  in
accordance  with statutory  reporting  practices  prescribed or permitted by the
Insurance Division of the Department of Commerce of the State of Iowa (Principal
Mutual only) with that reported in these consolidated GAAP financial  statements
(in millions):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     Assets       Equity     Net Income
                                                                  -----------------------------------------
                                                                  -----------------------------------------
   December 31, 1996
   As reported in accordance with statutory accounting practices
<S>                                                                 <C>           <C>           <C> 
     - unconsolidated                                               $56,837       $2,504        $415
   Additions (deductions):
     Unrealized gain on debt securities available-for-sale              964          964           -
     Consolidation and basis changes of certain subsidiaries           (259)         (10)          -
     Adjustment for cash and cash equivalents                          (152)           -           -
     Adjustment to record statutory non-admitted assets                  52           52           -
     Investment adjustments other than debt securities                  766          911          53
     Adjustments to insurance reserves                                 (156)        (238)        (40)
     Deferral of policy acquisition costs                             1,058        1,058          38
     Adjustments for pension and postretirement accounting               78           78         (17)
     Surplus note reclassification as debt                                -         (298)          -
     Adjustments to dividend liabilities                                  -          123          (1)
     Provision for deferred federal income taxes                         (6)        (493)         60
     Other - net                                                        (40)           3          18
                                                                  -----------------------------------------
                                                                  =========================================
   As reported in these consolidated GAAP financial statements      $59,142       $4,654        $526
                                                                  =========================================
   December 31, 1995
   As reported in accordance with statutory accounting practices
     - unconsolidated                                               $51,268       $2,208        $263
   Additions (deductions):
     Unrealized gain on debt securities available-for-sale            1,553        1,553           -
     Consolidation and basis changes of certain subsidiaries            (95)         (10)         64
     Adjustment for cash and cash equivalents                          (245)           4           -
     Adjustment to record statutory non-admitted assets                  73           73           -
     Investment adjustments other than debt securities                  568          917          (4)
     Adjustments to insurance reserves                                 (128)        (152)         (8)
     Deferral of policy acquisition costs                               937          937          61
     Adjustments for pension and postretirement accounting               66           66         (11)
     Surplus note reclassification as debt                                -         (298)          -
     Adjustments to dividend liabilities                                  -          124           1
     Provision for deferred federal income taxes                         (9)        (770)        (20)
     Other - net                                                        (24)         (46)         (2)
                                                                  -----------------------------------------
                                                                  =========================================
   As reported in these consolidated GAAP financial statements      $53,964       $4,606        $344
                                                                  =========================================
</TABLE>
                         Report of Independent Auditors

The Board of Directors
Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company

We have audited the accompanying  consolidated  statements of financial position
of The  Principal  Financial  Group (the  Company) as of December 31, 1996 and
1995, and the related  consolidated  statements of  operations,  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 financial  statements  referred to above present fairly, in
all material  respects,  the  consolidated  financial  position of The Principal
Financial Group at December 31, 1996 and 1995, and the consolidated results of
its  operations  and its cash flows for the years then ended in conformity  with
generally accepted accounting principles.

As discussed in Note 1 to the  consolidated  financial  statements,  in 1996 the
Company adopted certain  accounting  changes to conform with generally  accepted
accounting principles for mutual life insurance  enterprises,  and retroactively
restated the 1995 financial statements for the change.

/s/ Ernst & Young

Des Moines, Iowa
February 7, 1997


RF581B-5


                                     PART C
                                OTHER INFORMATION

Item 24.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

          (a)    Financial Statements included in the Registration Statement
                 (1)   Part A:
                       Condensed Financial Information for the years ended
                       December 31, 1996 and 1995 and for the period beginning
                       June 16, 1994 and ended December 31, 1994.

                 (2)   Part B:
                       Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company Separate 
                          Account B:
                          Report of Independent Auditors.
                          Statement of Net Assets, December 31, 1996.
                          Statement of Operations for the year ended 
                             December 31, 1996.
                          Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the years
                             ended December 31, 1996 and 1995.
                          Notes to  Financial Statements.
                          The Principal Financial Group(R):
                          Report of Independent Auditors.
                          Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years
                             ended December 31, 1996 and 1995.
                          Consolidated Statements of Financial Position,
                              December 31, 1996 and 1995.
                          Consolidated Statements of Equity for the years
                             ended  December 31, 1996 and 1995.
                          Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the
                             years ended December 31, 1996 and 1995.
                          Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

         (b)    Exhibits
                (1)    Board Resolution of Registrant (Filed 3/1/96)
                (3a)   Distribution Agreement (Filed 3/1/96)
                (3b)   Selling Agreement (File 3/1/96)
                (4a)   Form of Variable Annuity Contract (Filed 3/1/96)
                (4b)   Form of Variable Annuity Contract (Filed 3/1/96)
                (5)    Form of Variable Annuity Application (Filed 3/1/96)
                (6a)   Articles of Incorporation of the Depositor (Filed 3/1/96)
                (6b)   Bylaws of Depositor (Filed 3/1/96)
                (9)    Opinion of Counsel (Filed 3/1/96)
                (10a)  Consent of Ernst & Young LLP 
                (10b)  Powers of Attorney (Filed 2/28/97)
                (13a)  Total Return Calculation (Filed 3/1/96)
                (13b)  Annualized Yield for Separate Account B (Filed 3/1/96)
                (27)   Financial Data Schedule for Separate Account B

Item 25.  Officers and Directors of the Depositor

          Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  is  managed by a Board of
          Directors  which is elected by its  policyowners.  The  directors  and
          executive  officers of the Company,  their positions with the Company,
          including Board Committee  memberships,  and their principal  business
          address, are as follows:

            DIRECTORS:                       Principal
            Name, Positions and Offices      Business Address

            MARY VERMEER ANDRINGA            Vermeer Manufacturing Company
            Director                         Box 200
            Member, Nominating Committee     Pella, IA  50219-0200

            RUTH M. DAVIS                    The Pymatuning Group, Inc.
            Director                         Suite 570, 4900 Seminary Road
            Member, Nominating Committee     Alexandria, VA  22311

            DAVID J. DRURY                   The Principal Financial Group
            Director                         Des Moines, IA  50392
            Chairman of the Board
            Chief Executive Officer
            Chair,Executive Committee

            C. DANIEL GELATT, JR.            NMT Corporation
            Director                         2004 Kramer Street
            Member, Executive Committee      La Crosse, WI  54603
              Chair, Human Resources 
              Committee

            G. DAVID HURD                    The Principal Financial Group
            Director                         Des Moines, IA  50392
            Member, Executive and                                          
              Nominating Committees

            THEODORE M. HUTCHISON            4019 Oak Forest Drive    
            Director                         Des Moines, IA  50312
            Member, Audit Comittee

            CHARLES S. JOHNSON               Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
            Director                         400 Locust, Ste. 700 Capital Square
            Member, Audit Committee          Des Moines, IA 50309

            WILLIAM T. KERR                  Meredith Corporation
            Director                         1716 Locust St.
            Member, Executive Committee      Des Moines, IA  50309-3023
              and Chair, Nominating 
              Committee

            LEE LIU                          IES Industries Inc.
            Director                         Post Office Box 351
            Member, Executive and            Cedar Rapids, IA  52406
              Human Resources Committees

            VICTOR. H. LOEWENSTEIN           Egon Zehnder International
            Director                         55 East 59th Street
            Member, Audit                    New York, NY  10022
              Committee

            RONALD D. PEARSON                Hy-Vee, Inc.
            Director                         5820 Westown Parkway
            Member, Human Resources          West Des Moines, IA  50266
              Committee

            JOHN R. PRICE                    The Chase Manhattan Corporation
            Director                         270 Park Avenue - 44th Floor
            Member, Nominating Committee     New York, NY  10017

            JEAN-PIERRE C. ROSSO             Case Corporation
            Director                         700 State Street
            Member, Audit Committee          Racine, WI 53404

            DONALD M. STEWART                The College Board
            Director                         45 Columbus Avenue
            Member, Human Resources          New York, NY  10023-6992
              Committee

            ELIZABETH E. TALLETT             Dioscor, Inc.
            Director                         48 Federal Twist Road
            Chair, Audit Committee           Stockton, NJ  08559

            DEAN D. THORNTON                 1602- 34 Court West
            Director                         Seattle, WA  98199
            Member, Audit Committee 

            FRED W. WEITZ                    Essex Meadows, Inc.
            Director                         800 Second Avenue, Suite 150
            Member, Human Resources          Des Moines, IA  50309
              Committee


            Executive Officers (Other than Directors):

            JOHN E. ASCHENBRENNER            Senior Vice President

            RAY S. CRABTREE                  Executive Vice President

            THOMAS J. GAARD                  Senior Vice President

            MICHAEL H.GERSIE                 Senior Vice President

            THOMAS J. GRAF                   Senior Vice President

            J. BARRY GRISWELL                Executive Vice President

            RONALD E. KELLER                 Executive Vice President

            GREGG R. NARBER                  Senior Vice President and
                                             General Counsel

            RICHARD L. PREY                  Senior Vice President

            CHARLES E. ROHM                  Executive Vice President

            CARL C. WILLIAMS                 Senior Vice President and Chief
                                             Information Officer

Item 26.  Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Depositor

             Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Depositor

             Principal Mutual Life Insurance  Company  (incorporated as a mutual
             life  insurance  company  under  the laws of Iowa);  sponsored  the
             organization  of the  following  mutual  funds,  some of  which  it
             controls by virtue of owning voting securities:

               Principal    Asset    Allocation    Fund,    Inc.   (a   Maryland
               Corporation) 100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned  by  Principal
               Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  and its  separate  accounts  on
               August 11, 1997.

               Principal  Aggressive Growth Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)
               100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life
               Insurance Company and its separate accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Princor  Balanced  Fund, Inc. (a  Maryland  Corporation) 1.86% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal Balanced Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation) 100.0% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company and its separate accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Princor Blue Chip Fund, Inc.  (a Maryland  Corporation)  1.42% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Princor Bond Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation) 1.49% of shares
               outstanding  owned by Principal Mutual Life Insurance  Company on
               August 11, 1997.

               Principal  Bond Fund,  Inc.  (a Maryland  Corporation)  100.0% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company and its separate accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Princor   Capital    Accumulation    Fund,   Inc.   (a   Maryland
               Corporation) 31.35% of  outstanding  shares  owned  by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal   Capital   Accumulation   Fund,   Inc.   (a   Maryland
               Corporation)  100.0% of  outstanding  shares  owned by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company and its Separate Accounts on
               August 11, 1997.

               Princor Cash Management Fund, Inc. (a Maryland Corporation) 1.35%
               of  outstanding  shares owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company  (including  subsidiaries  and  affiliates) on August 11,
               1997.

               Princor Emerging Growth Fund, Inc. (a Maryland Corporation) 0.62%
               of shares  outstanding  owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal  Emerging  Growth Fund,  Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)
               100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life
               Insurance Company and its Separate Accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Princor  Government  Securities  Income  Fund,  Inc.  (a Maryland
               Corporation)  0.40% of  shares  outstanding  owned  by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal   Government   Securities   Fund,   Inc.   (a  Maryland
               Corporation)  100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company and its Separate Accounts on
               August 11, 1997.

               Princor  Growth  Fund,  Inc.  (a Maryland  Corporation)  0.52% of
               outstanding  shares  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal  Growth Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)  100.0% of
               outstanding  shares are owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company and its Separate Accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Princor High Yield Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation) 22.70% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal High Yield Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)  100.0%
               of shares  outstanding  owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company and its Separate Accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Principal  International  Emerging Markets Fund, Inc. (a Maryland
               Corporation)  100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 15, 1997.

               Principal   International   SmallCap   Fund,   Inc.  (a  Maryland
               Corporation)  100.0% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 15, 1997.

               Princor  Limited  Term Bond Fund,  Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)
               53.17% of  shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life
               Insurance Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal Money Market Fund, Inc. (a Maryland Corporation) 100.0%
               of shares  outstanding  owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company and its Separate Accounts on August 11, 1997.

               Principal  Special  Markets Fund,  Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)
               51.39% of the shares outstanding of the International  Securities
               Portfolio   and   84.13%  of  the  shares   outstanding   of  the
               Mortgage-Backed  Securities  Portfolio  were  owned by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 11, 1997.

               Princor Tax-Exempt Bond Fund, Inc. (a Maryland Corporation) 0.56%
               of shares  outstanding  owned by Principal  Mutual Life Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Princor   Tax-Exempt  Cash  Management  Fund,  Inc.  (a  Maryland
               Corporation)  1.00% of  shares  outstanding  owned  by  Principal
               Mutual Life Insurance Company on August 11, 1997.

               Princor Utilities Fund, Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)   1.54% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Princor  World  Fund,  Inc. (a  Maryland  Corporation)  22.96% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997.

               Principal  World Fund,  Inc. (a Maryland  Corporation)  100.0% of
               shares  outstanding  owned by  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance
               Company on August 11, 1997

          Subsidiaries  organized  and  wholly-owned  by  Principal  Mutual Life
          Insurance Company:

               a.   Principal  Holding  Company (an Iowa  Corporation) A holding
                    company  wholly-owned  by  Principal  Mutual Life  Insurance
                    Company.

               b.   PT Asuransi Jiwa Principal  Egalita  Indonesia (an Indonesia
                    Corporation)

          Subsidiaries wholly-owned by Principal Holding Company:

               a.  Petula  Associates,  Ltd. (an Iowa  Corporation)  a real
                   estate development company.

               b.  Patrician Associates,  Inc. (a California Corporation) a real
                   estate development company.

               c.  Principal   Development   Associates,   Inc.  (a   California
                   Corporation) a real estate development company.

               d.  Princor Financial Services Corporation (an Iowa Corporation)
                   a registered broker-dealer.

               e.  Invista  Capital  Management,  Inc. (an Iowa  Corporation)  a
                   registered investment adviser.

               f.  Principal Marketing Services, Inc. (a Delaware Corporation) a
                   corporation formed to serve as an interface between marketers
                   and manufacturers of financial services products.

               g.  The Principal Financial Group, Inc. (a Delaware  corporation)
                   a general business corporation established in connection with
                   the new corporate identity. It is not currently active.

               h.  Delaware  Charter  Guarantee  &  Trust  Company  (a  Delaware
                   Corporation) a nondepository trust company.

               i.  Principal   Securities   Holding   Corporation   (a  Delaware
                   Corporation) a holding company.

               j.  Principal Health Care, Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a developer
                   and administrator of managed care systems.

               k.  Principal  Financial  Advisors,  Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a
                   registered investment advisor.

               l.  Principal  Asset  Markets,   Inc.  (an  Iowa  Corporation)  a
                   residential mortgage loan broker.

               m.  Principal  Portfolio  Services,  Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a
                   mortgage due diligence company.

               n.  Principal International, Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a company
                   formed for the purpose of international business development.

               o.  Principal   Spectrum    Associates,    Inc.   (a   California
                   Corporation) a real estate development company.

               p.   Principal Commercial Advisors,  Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a
                    company that  purchases,  manages and sells  commercial real
                    estate assets.

               q.   Principal FC, Ltd. (an Iowa  Corporation) a limited  purpose
                    investment corporation.

               r.   Principal Residential Mortgage, Inc. (an Iowa Corporation) a
                    residential mortgage loan broker.

               s.   Equity FC, Ltd. (an Iowa Corporation)  engaged in investment
                    transactions   including  limited  partnership  and  limited
                    liability companies.

          Subsidiaries  organized and wholly-owned by Princor Financial Services
          Corporation:

               a.   Princor  Management  Corporation  (an  Iowa  Corporation)  a
                    registered investment advisor.

               b.   Principal Investors Corporation (a New Jersey Corporation) a
                    registered   broker-dealer  with  the  Securities   Exchange
                    Commission. It is not currently active.

          Subsidiary wholly owned by Principal Securities Holding Corporation:

               a.   Principal   Financial    Securities,    Inc.   (a   Delaware
                    Corporation) an investment banking and securities  brokerage
                    firm.

          Subsidiary wholly owned by Delaware Charter Guarantee & Trust Company:

               a.   Trust  Consultants,   Inc.  (a  California   Corporation)  a
                    Consulting and Administration of Employee Benefit Plans.

          Subsidiaries  organized  and  wholly-owned  by Principal  Health Care,
          Inc.:

               a.   The Admar  Group,  Inc. (a Florida  Corporation)  a national
                    managed care service  organization that develops and manages
                    preferred provider organizations.

               b.   America's Health  Plan,  Inc.  (a  Maryland  Corporation)  a
                    developer of discount provider networks.

               c.   Principal Health Care Management Corporation (an Iowa
                    Corporation) provide management services to health
                    maintenance organizations.

               d.   Principal  Health  Care  of the  Carolinas,  Inc.  (a  North
                    Carolina Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               e.   Principal   Health  Care  of  Delaware,   Inc.  (a  Delaware
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               f.   Principal   Health   Care  of   Florida,   Inc.  (a  Florida
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               g.   Principal   Health   Care  of   Georgia,   Inc.  (a  Georgia
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               h.   Principal  Health  Care  of  Illinois,   Inc.  (an  Illinois
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               i.   Principal   Health  Care  of   Indiana,   Inc.  (a  Delaware
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               j.   Principal Health Care of Iowa, Inc. (an Iowa  Corporation) a
                    health maintenance organization.

               k.   Principal  Health  Care of Kansas  City,  Inc.  (a  Missouri
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               l.   Principal  Health  Care  of  Louisiana,  Inc.  (a  Louisiana
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               m.   Principal Health Care of the Mid-Atlantic,  Inc. (a Virginia
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               n.   Principal   Health  Care  of  Nebraska,   Inc.  (a  Nebraska
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               o.   Principal Health Care of Pennsylvania,  Inc. (a Pennsylvania
                    Corporation) a health  maintenance  organization.  

               p.   Principal  Health  Care  of  St.  Louis,  Inc.  (a  Delaware
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               q.   Principal  Health  Care of  South  Carolina,  Inc.  (A South
                    Carolina Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               r.   Principal  Health  Care  of  Tennessee,  Inc.  (a  Tennessee
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

               s.   Principal Health Care of Texas, Inc. ( a Texas  Corporation)
                    a health maintenance organization.

               t.   United  Health  Care   Services  of  Iowa,   Inc.  (an  Iowa
                    Corporation) a health maintenance organization.

          Subsidiary owned by The Admar Group, Inc.:

               a.   Admar Corporation (a California  Corporation) a managed care
                    services organization.

               b.   Admar Insurance Marketing, Inc. (a California Corporation) a
                    managed care services organization.

               c.   SelectCare Management Co., Inc. (a California Corporation) a
                    managed care services organization.

               d.   Image  Financial & Insurance  Services,  Inc. (a  California
                    Corporation) a managed care services organization.

               e.   WM. G.  Hofgard & Co.,  Inc. (a  California  Corporation)  a
                    managed care services organization.

               f.   Benefit Plan Administrators, Inc. (a Colorado Corporation) a
                    managed care services organization.

          Subsidiaries owned by Principal International, Inc.:

               a.   Principal  International  Espana, S.A. de Seguros de Vida (a
                    Spain Corporation).

               b.   Zao Principal International (a Russia Corporation) inactive.

               c.   Principal  International   Argentina,   S.A.  (an  Argentina
                    services corporation).

               d.   Principal   International   Asia   Limited   (a  Hong   Kong
                    Corporation).

               e.   Principal Insurance Company (Hong Kong) Limited (a Hong Kong
                    Corporation).

               f.   Principal    International   de   Chile,   S.A.   (a   Chile
                    Corporation) a holding company.

               g.   Principal Mexico Compania de Seguros, S.A. de C.V. (a Mexico
                    Corporation) a life insurance company.

               h.   Afore Confia-Principal, S.A. de C.V. (a Mexico Corporation).

               i.   Qualitas Medica, S.A. (an Argentina Corporation).

          Subsidiary owned by Principal International Espana, S.A. de Seguros de
          Vida:

               a.   Princor  International Espana S.A. de Agencia de Seguros
                    (a Spain Corporation).

          Subsidiaries  owned by Principal International Argentina, S.A.:

               a.   Ethika-S.A.  Administradora  de  Fondos  de  Jubilaciones  y
                    Pensiones (an Argentina company)

               b.   Princor  Compania de Seguros de Retiro,  S.A. (an  Argentina
                    Corporation).

               c.   Prinlife  Compania de Seguros de Vida,  S.A.  (an  Argentina
                    Corporation).

          Subsidiary owned by Principal International de Chile, S.A.:

               a.   BanRenta   Compania  de  Seguros  de  Vida,  S.A.  (a  Chile
                    Corporation) a life insurance company.

          Subsidiary owned by Afore Confia-Principal, S.A. de C.V.:

               a.   Siefore Confia-Principal, S.A. de C.V.
                    (a Mexico Corporation)
 
Item 27.  Number of Contractowners - As of: October 10, 1997              

                     (1)                          (2)               (3)
                                             Number of Plan      Number of
          Title of Class                      Participants     Contractowners
          --------------                     --------------    --------------
          BFA Variable Annuity Contracts               101           10
          Pension Builder Contracts                  1,298        1,669
          Personal Variable Contracts                4,008          134
          Premier Variable Contracts                16,349          257    
          Flexible Variable Annuity Contract        23,019       23,019

Item 28.  Indemnification

               None

Item 29.       Principal Underwriters

     (a) Princor  Financial  Services  Corporation,  principal  underwriter  for
Registrant, acts as principal underwriter for, Principal Aggressive Growth Fund,
Inc.,  Principal Asset  Allocation Fund,  Inc.,  Principal  Balanced Fund, Inc.,
Principal Bond Fund, Inc.,  Principal Capital Accumulation Fund, Inc., Principal
Emerging  Growth  Fund,  Inc.,  Principal  Government   Securities  Fund,  Inc.,
Principal  Growth Fund, Inc.,  Principal High Yield Fund, Inc.,  Principal Money
Market Fund, Inc.,  Principal Special Markets Fund, Inc.,  Principal World Fund,
Inc.,  Princor Balanced Fund, Inc.,  Princor Blue Chip Fund, Inc.,  Princor Bond
Fund, Inc.,  Princor Capital  Accumulation  Fund, Inc.,  Princor Cash Management
Fund, Inc., Princor Emerging Growth Fund, Inc.,  Princor  Government  Securities
Income Fund,  Inc.,  Princor Growth Fund,  Inc.,  Princor High Yield Fund, Inc.,
Princor Limited Term Bond Fund, Inc., Principal  International  Emerging Markets
Fund, Inc., Principal International SmallCap Fund, Inc., Princor Tax-Exempt Bond
Fund, Inc.,  Princor  Tax-Exempt Cash Management Fund, Inc.,  Princor  Utilities
Fund,  Inc.,  Princor  World  Fund,  Inc.  and for  variable  annuity  contracts
participating in Principal  Mutual Life Insurance  Company Separate Account B, a
registered unit investment  trust for retirement  plans adopted by public school
systems or certain  tax-exempt  organizations  pursuant to Section 403(b) of the
Internal Revenue Code,  Section 457 retirement plans,  Section 401(a) retirement
plans,  certain  non-  qualified  deferred  compensation  plans  and  Individual
Retirement  Annuity Plans adopted pursuant to Section408 of the Internal Revenue
Code, and for variable life insurance  contracts issued by Principal Mutual Life
Insurance Company Variable Life Separate  Account,  a registered unit investment
trust.

     (b)      (1)                 (2)        
                   
                               Positions
                               and offices                   
  Name and principal           with principal                
  business address             underwriter                   

  Robert W. Baehr              Marketing Services            
  The Principal                Officer
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Craig L. Bassett             Treasurer                     
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Michael J. Beer              Senior Vice President and     
  The Principal                Chief Operating Officer
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Mary L. Bricker              Assistant Corporate           
  The Principal                Secretary
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Ray S. Crabtree              Director                      
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  David J. Drury               Director                      
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Arthur S. Filean             Vice President                
  The Principal                                              
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Paul N. Germain              Assistant Vice President-     
  The Principal                Operations
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Michael H. Gersie            Director                      
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Ernest H. Gillum             Assistant Vice President-     
  The Principal                Registered Products           
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  William C. Gordon            Insurance License Officer     
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Thomas J. Graf               Director                      
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  J. Barry Griswell            Director and                  
  The Principal                Chairman of the               
  Financial Group              Board                         
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Joyce N. Hoffman             Vice President and            
  The Principal                Corporate Secretary
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Stephan L. Jones             Director and                  
  The Principal                President                     
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Ronald E. Keller             Director                      
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  John R. Lepley               Senior Vice                   
  The Principal                President - Marketing
  Financial Group              and Distribution
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Gregg R. Narber              Director                      
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Mark M. Oswald               Compliance Officer            
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Layne A. Rasmussen           Controller-Mutual Funds       
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Elizabeth R. Ring            Controller                    
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Charles E. Rohm              Director                      
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Michael D. Roughton          Counsel                       
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Jean B. Schustek             Product Compliance Officer-   
  The Principal                Registered Products
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Kyle R. Selberg              Vice President-               
  The Principal                Marketing
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Susan R. Sorensen            Marketing Officer             
  The Principal
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

  Roger C. Stroud              Assistant Director-           
  The Principal                Marketing
  Financial Group
  Des Moines, IA 50392

        (c)        (1)                       (2)

                                      Net Underwriting
            Name of Principal           Discounts and
               Underwriter               Commissions

            Princor Financial           $11,090,837.12
            Services Corporation

                   (3)                       (4)                 (5)


             Compensation on             Brokerage
                Redemption              Commissions         Compensation

                     0                       0                    0

Item 30.  Location of Accounts and Records

          All accounts,  books or other  documents of the Registrant are located
          at the offices of the Depositor,  The Principal  Financial  Group, Des
          Moines, Iowa 50392.

Item 31.  Management Services

          Inapplicable

Item 32.  Undertakings

          The Registrant  undertakes 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.

          The  Registrant  undertakes  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  communication
          affixed to or included in the prospectus that the applicant can remove
          to send for a Statement of Additional Information.

          The  Registrant  undertakes  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.

  REPRESENTATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 26 OF THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company represents the fees and charges deducted
under the Policy,  in the aggregate,  are reasonable in relation to the services
rendered,  the expenses  expected to be incurred,  and the risks  assumed by the
Company.
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of 1933 and the
Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant,  Principal Mutual Life Insurance
Company  Separate  Account  B,  certifies  that it  meets  the  requirements  of
Securities Act Rule 485(a) for  effectiveness of the Registration  Statement and
has duly caused this Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned  thereto duly authorized in the City of Des Moines and
State of Iowa, on the 17th day of October, 1997.


                         PRINCIPAL MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                         SEPARATE ACCOUNT B

                                 (Registrant)


                         By:  PRINCIPAL MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                                 (Depositor)

                                   /s/ David J. Drury
                         By ______________________________________________
                              David J. Drury
                              Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Attest:

/s/ Joyce N. Hoffman
- -----------------------------------
Joyce N. Hoffman
Vice President and
  Corporate Secretary


As required by the  Securities Act of 1933,  this Amendment to the  Registration
Statement has been signed by the following  persons in the capacities and on the
date indicated.

Signature                          Title                           Date


/s/ D. J. Drury                Chairman and                    October 17, 1997
- --------------------           Chief Executive Officer
D. J. Drury



/s/ D. C. Cunningham           Vice President and              October 17, 1997
- --------------------           Controller (Principal
D. C. Cunningham               Accounting Officer)



/s/ M. H. Gersie               Senior Vice President           October 17, 1997
- --------------------           (Principal Financial
M. H. Gersie                   Officer)


  (M. V. Andringa)*            Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
M. V. Andringa


  (R. M. Davis)*               Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
R. M. Davis


  (C. D. Gelatt, Jr.)*         Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
C. D. Gelatt, Jr.


  (G. D. Hurd)*                Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
G. D. Hurd


  (T. M. Hutchison)*           Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
T. M. Hutchison


  (C. S. Johnson)*             Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
C. S. Johnson


  (W. T. Kerr)*                Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
W. T. Kerr


  (L. Liu)*                    Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
L. Liu


  (V. H. Loewenstein)*         Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
V. H. Loewenstein

  (R. D. Pearson)*             Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
R. D. Pearson


  (J. R. Price)*               Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
J. R. Price, Jr.


  (J-P. C. Rosso)*             Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
J-P. C. Rosso


  (D. M. Stewart)*             Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
D. M. Stewart


  (E. E. Tallett)*             Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
E. E. Tallett


  (D. D. Thornton)*            Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
D. D. Thornton


  (F. W. Weitz)*               Director                        October 17, 1997
- --------------------
F. W. Weitz


                           *By    /s/ David J. Drury
                                  ------------------------------------
                                  David J. Drury
                                  Chairman and Chief Executive Officer



                                  Pursuant to Powers of Attorney
                                  Previously Filed or Included Herein

                         Consent of Independent Auditors








We  consent  to the  reference  to our  firm  under  the  captions  "Independent
Auditors" and to the use of our reports dated  February 7, 1997 (with respect to
Principal Mutual Life Insurance Company Separate Account B) and February 7, 1997
(with respect to The Principal Financial Group(R)), in Post-Effective  Amendment
No.  5 to the  Registration  Statement  (Form  N-4  No.  33-74232)  and  related
Prospectus  of  Principal  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Company  Separate  Account B
Flexible Variable Annuity Contract.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Des Moines, Iowa
October 15, 1997
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         68556580
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        72827189
<RECEIVABLES>                                        0
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                72827189
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                            0
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                                  0
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                             0
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          3970831
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          1323663
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                             0
<NET-ASSETS>                                  72827189
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              7059691
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                    0
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                (620807)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        6438884
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       1143445
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                      3397775
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                         10980104
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        3416591
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (769423)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                        53629142
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                                0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 620807
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                0
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                      0
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                              0
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                  0
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                      0
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         29412890
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        30022679
<RECEIVABLES>                                        0
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                30022679
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WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

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WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

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WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

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WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

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WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

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WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

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WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

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