Columbia Variable Portfolio - Select Mid Cap Value Fund, Class 2 Shares

The Fund seeks to provide shareholders with long-term capital appreciation.

Columbia Variable Portfolio - Strategic Income Fund, Class 2 Shares

The Fund seeks total return, consisting of current income and capital appreciation.

VIP Asset Manager Portfolio, Service Class 2

The Fund seeks to obtain high total return with reduced risk over the long term by allocating its assets among stocks, bonds, and short-term instruments.

VIP Balanced Portfolio, Service Class 2

The Fund seeks income and capital growth consistent with reasonable risk.

VIP Contrafund^® Portfolio, Service Class 2

This Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

VIP Energy Portfolio, Service Class 2

The Fund seeks capital appreciation.

VIP FundsManager^® 20% Portfolio, Service Class 2

The Fund seeks high current income and, as a secondary objective, capital appreciation.

VIP FundsManager^® 85% Portfolio, Service Class 2

The Fund seeks high total return.

VIP Health Care Portfolio, Service Class 2

The Fund seeks capital appreciation.

VIP Index 500 Portfolio, Service Class 2

This Fund seeks investment results that correspond to the total return of common stocks publicly traded in the United States, as represented by the S&P 500^® Index.

VIP Investment Grade Bond Portfolio, Service Class 2

This Fund seeks as high a level of current income as is consistent with the preservation of capital.

VIP Mid Cap Portfolio, Service Class 2

This Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

VIP Target Volatility Portfolio, Service Class 2

The Fund seeks total return.

Franklin DynaTech VIP Fund, Class 2 (formerly Franklin Flex Cap Growth VIP Fund)

This Fund seeks capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests predominantly in equity securities of companies that the investment manager believes have the potential for capital appreciation.

Franklin Income VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks to maximize income while maintaining prospects for capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests in a diversified portfolio of debt and equity securities.

Franklin Mutual Global Discovery VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, this Fund invests primarily in U.S. and foreign equity securities that the investment manager believes are undervalued.

Franklin Mutual Shares VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks capital appreciation, with income as a secondary goal. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily in U.S. and foreign equity securities that the investment manager believes are undervalued.

Franklin Rising Dividends VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation, with preservation of capital as an important consideration. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of financially sound companies that have paid consistently rising dividends.

Franklin Small Cap Value VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks long-term total return. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in investments of small capitalization companies.

Franklin Small-Mid Cap Growth VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks long-term capital growth. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in investments of small capitalization and mid-capitalization companies.

Franklin Strategic Income VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks a high level of current income, with capital appreciation over the long-term as a secondary goal. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily to predominantly in U.S. and foreign debt securities, including those in emerging markets.

Franklin U.S. Government Securities VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks income. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in U.S. government securities.

Templeton Developing Markets VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in emerging markets investments.

Templeton Foreign VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks long-term capital growth. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in investments of issuers located outside the U.S., including those in emerging markets.

Templeton Global Bond VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks high current income, consistent with preservation of capital, with capital appreciation as a secondary consideration. Under normal market conditions, this Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in debt securities of any maturity.

Templeton Growth VIP Fund, Class 2

This Fund seeks long-term capital growth. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests predominantly in equity securities of companies located anywhere in the world, including developing markets.

Global Trends Allocation Fund, Service Class

This Fund seeks total return while seeking to provide volatility management.

Growth Opportunities Fund, Service Class

This Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

International Equity Insights Fund, Service Class

This Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

Mid Cap Value Fund, Service Class

This Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Small Cap Equity Insights Fund, Service Class

This Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

Strategic Growth Fund, Service Class

This Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

Guggenheim Floating Rate Strategies Series, (Series F)

This Fund seeks a high level of current income while maximizing total return.

Guggenheim Global Managed Futures Strategy Fund

This Fund seeks to generate positive total return over time.

Guggenheim Long Short Equity Fund

This Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

Guggenheim Multi-Hedge Strategies Fund

This Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation with less risk than traditional equity funds.

ClearBridge Variable Dividend Strategy Portfolio, Class II

The Fund seeks dividend income, growth of dividend income and long-term capital appreciation.

ClearBridge Variable Large Cap Growth Portfolio, Class II

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

ClearBridge Variable Mid Cap Portfolio, Class II

This Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

ClearBridge Variable Small Cap Growth Portfolio, Class II

This Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

QS Dynamic Multi-Strategy VIT Portfolio, Class II

The Fund seeks the highest total return (that is, a combination of income and long-term capital appreciation) over time consistent with its asset mix. The Fund will seek to reduce volatility as a secondary objective.

Western Asset Core Plus VIT Portfolio, Class II

The Fund seeks to maximize total return, consistent with prudent investment management and liquidity needs, by investing to obtain an average duration within 30% of the average duration of the domestic bond market as a whole.

Bond-Debenture Portfolio, Value Class

The Fund seeks high current income and the opportunity for capital appreciation to produce a high total return.

Dividend Growth Portfolio, Value Class

The Fund seeks current income and capital appreciation.

Fundamental Equity Portfolio, Value Class

The Fund seeks long-term growth of capital and income without excessive fluctuations in market value.

Growth Opportunities Portfolio, Value Class

The Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Mid-Cap Stock Portfolio, Value Class

The Fund seeks capital appreciation through investments, primarily in equity securities, which are believed to be undervalued in the marketplace.

Short Duration Income Portfolio, Value Class

The Fund seeks a high level of income consistent with preservation of capital.

MFS^® Growth Series, Service Class Shares

This Fund seeks capital appreciation.

MFS^® Investors Trust Series, Service Class Shares

This Fund seeks capital appreciation.

MFS^® New Discovery Series, Service Class Shares

This Fund seeks capital appreciation.

MFS^® Research Series, Service Class Shares

This Fund seeks capital appreciation.

MFS^® Total Return Series, Service Class Shares

This Fund seeks total return.

MFS^® Total Return Bond Series, Service Class Shares

This Fund seeks total return with an emphasis on current income, but also considering capital appreciation.

MFS^® Utilities Series, Service Class Shares

This Fund seeks total return.

MFS^® Value Series, Service Class Shares

This Fund seeks capital appreciation.

MFS^® Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio, Service Class Shares

This Fund's investment objective is to seek capital appreciation.

MFS^® International Intrinsic Value Portfolio, Service Class Shares

This Fund's investment objective is to seek capital appreciation.

MFS^® Massachusetts Investors Growth Stock Portfolio, Service Class Shares

This Fund seeks capital appreciation.

All Asset Portfolio, Advisor Class

This Portfolio seeks maximum real return, consistent with preservation of real capital and prudent investment management.

Global Diversified Allocation Portfolio, Advisor Class

The Portfolio seeks to maximize risk-adjusted total return relative to a blend of 60% MSCI World Index/40% Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Index.

High Yield Portfolio, Advisor Class

The Portfolio seeks maximum total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.

Income Portfolio, Advisor Class

This Portfolio seeks to maximize current income. Long-term capital appreciation is a secondary objective.

Long-Term US Government Portfolio, Advisor Class

This Portfolio seeks maximum total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.

Low Duration Portfolio, Advisor Class

This Portfolio seeks maximum total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.

Real Return Portfolio, Advisor Class

This Portfolio seeks maximum real return, consistent with preservation of real capital and prudent investment management.

Short-Term Portfolio, Advisor Class

This Portfolio seeks maximum current income, consistent with preservation of capital and daily liquidity.

Total Return Portfolio, Advisor Class

This Portfolio seeks maximum total return, consistent with preservation of capital and prudent investment management.

Rydex Commodities Strategy Fund⁽¹⁾

This Fund seeks to provide investment results that correlate, before fees and expenses, to the performance of a benchmark for commodities, which is the S&P GSCI^® Commodity Index.

Rydex Inverse Government Long Bond Strategy Fund⁽¹⁾

This Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond, to the daily performance, before fees and expenses, to the Fund's current benchmark, which is the inverse (opposite) performance of the Long Treasury Bond.

Rydex Inverse S&P 500 Strategy Fund⁽¹⁾

This Fund seeks to provide investment results that match the daily performance, before fees and expenses, of the Fund's current benchmark, which is the inverse (opposite) of the performance of the S&P 500^® Index.

Rydex Nova Fund⁽¹⁾

This Fund seeks to provide investment results that match the daily performance, before fees and expenses, of the Fund's current benchmark, which is 150% of the performance of the S&P 500^® Index.

Micro-Cap Fund, Service Class

This Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

Small-Cap Fund, Service Class

This Fund seeks long-term growth of capital.

T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth Portfolio, Portfolio-II Class Shares

The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital growth; income is a secondary objective.

T. Rowe Price Health Sciences Portfolio, Portfolio-II Class Shares

The Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation.

⁽¹⁾ Effective May 1, 2014, the Sub-Account investing in this Rydex fund is only available to Owners invested in that Sub-Account as of that date. Unless you had Contract Value in this Sub-Account as of April 30, 2014, this Sub-Account is no longer available for the allocation of Purchase Payments or transfer of Contract Value. Transfers of Contract Value include transfers made pursuant to the dollar-cost averaging program, but do not include transfers made pursuant to allocation adjustment or portfolio rebalancing programs. If you had Contract Value in this Sub-Account on April 30, 2014, your Contract Value will remain invested in the Sub-Account and you may continue to allocate Purchase Payments and transfer Contract Value to the Sub-Account, but if you submit new allocation instructions to our Administrative Office where your Contract Value will no longer be invested in this Sub-Account, you will no longer be permitted to allocate Purchase Payments and transfer Contract Value to the Sub-Account. If we receive an application for a Contract with an allocation to the Sub-Account investing in this Rydex fund, we will consider the application to be incomplete and we will attempt to contact the applicant to get revised instructions. If the applicant does not provide us with revised instructions within five Valuation Days after the Valuation Date on which we first received the initial Purchase Payment, we will return the application and initial Purchase Payment, unless the applicant consents to us retaining the initial Purchase Payment until further instructions are provided. If we receive a Purchase Payment for an existing Contract with an allocation to the Sub-Account investing in this Rydex fund, (other than from an Owner currently invested in the Sub-Account), we will return the applicable portion of the payment to you. If you are not currently invested in the Sub-Account investing in this Rydex fund and you request a transfer of Contract Value to that Sub-Account, we will consider your request to not be in "good order," and we will not process it. In such cases, we will contact you for further instructions.

There is no assurance that the stated objectives and policies of any of the Funds will be achieved. More detailed information concerning the investment objectives, policies and restrictions of the Funds, the expenses of the Funds, the risks attendant to investing in the Funds and other aspects of their operations can be found in the current prospectuses for the Funds and the current Statement of Additional Information for each of the Funds. You may obtain a prospectus or a Statement of Additional Information for any of the Funds by contacting Protective Life or by asking your financial professional. You should read the Funds' prospectuses carefully before making any decision concerning the allocation of Purchase Payments or transfers among the Sub-Accounts.

Certain Funds may have investment objectives and policies similar to other mutual funds (sometimes having similar names) that are managed by the same investment adviser or manager. The investment results of the Funds, however, may be more or less favorable than the results of such other mutual funds. Protective Life does not guarantee or make any representation that the investment results of any Fund is, or will be, comparable to any other mutual fund, even one with the same investment adviser or manager.

Volatility Management Strategies. Certain Funds utilize volatility management strategies as part of their investment objectives and/or principal investment strategies. Volatility management strategies are designed to reduce the overall volatility and provide risk-adjusted returns over time. During rising markets, the volatility management strategy, however, could result in your Contract Value rising less than would have been the case had you been invested in a Fund that does not utilize a volatility management strategy. Conversely, investing in a Fund that features a volatility management strategy may be helpful in a declining market when high market volatility triggers a reduction in the Fund’s equity exposure, because during these periods of high volatility, the risk of losses from investing in equity securities may increase. In these instances, your Contract Value may decline less than would have been the case had you not been invested in a Fund that features a volatility management strategy. Please see the Funds’ prospectuses for information about volatility management strategies.

We select the Funds offered through the Contracts based on several criteria, including but not limited to the following:

• asset class coverage;
• the strength of the investment adviser's (or sub-adviser's) reputation and tenure;
• brand recognition;
• performance;
• the capability and qualification of each investment firm; and
• whether our distributors are likely to recommend the Funds to Contract Owners.

Another factor we consider during the selection process is whether the Fund, its adviser, its sub-adviser, or an affiliate will make payments to us or our affiliates. For a discussion of these arrangements, see "Certain Payments We Receive with Regard to the Funds." We also consider whether the Fund, its adviser, sub-adviser, or distributor (or an affiliate) can provide marketing and distribution support for sale of the Contracts. We review each Fund periodically after it is selected. Upon review, we may remove a Fund or restrict allocation of additional Purchase Payments and/or transfers of Contract Value to a Fund if we determine the Fund no longer meets one or more of the criteria and/or if the Fund has not attracted significant contract owner assets. We do not recommend or endorse any particular Fund, and we do not provide investment advice.

Asset Allocation Model Portfolios.  Four asset allocation models ("Model Portfolios") are available at no additional charge as Investment Options under your Contract.

Each Model Portfolio invests different percentages of Contract Value in some or all of the Sub-Accounts under your Contract, and these Model Portfolios range from conservative to aggressive. The Model Portfolios are intended to provide a diversified investment portfolio by combining different asset classes to help you reach your investment goal. Also, while diversification may help reduce overall risk, it does not eliminate the risk of losses and it does not protect against losses in a declining market. There can be no assurance that any of the Model Portfolios will achieve their investment objectives.

Pursuant to an agreement with Protective Life, Milliman, Inc., a diversified financial services firm and registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, determines the composition of the Model Portfolios and is compensated by Protective Life for doing so. There is no investment advisory relationship between Milliman and Owners. In the future, Protective Life may modify or discontinue its arrangement with Milliman, in which case Protective Life may contract with another firm to provide similar asset allocation models, provide its own asset allocation models, or cease offering asset allocation models. Protective Life does not provide investment advisory services in making the Model Portfolios or any other service or feature available under the Contract.

The selection of Investment Options in the Model Portfolios involves balancing a number of factors including, but not limited to, the investment objectives, policies and expenses of the Funds in each Model Portfolio, the overall historical performance and volatility of the Funds, and the marketability of individual Funds and Fund families. In addition, Protective Life considers the marketability of individual Funds and Fund families, as well as marketing support provided to Protective Life and the broker-dealers who sell the Contracts and administrative services and marketing support payments made by the Fund or its manager to Protective Life or Investment Distributors, Inc. ("IDI"). The receipt of greater administrative services or marketing support payments from certain Funds may present a conflict of interest for Protective Life.

The available Model Portfolios may change from time to time. In addition, the target asset allocations of these Model Portfolios may vary from time to time in response to market conditions and changes in the portfolio holdings of the Funds in the underlying Sub-Accounts. We will not change your existing Contract Value or Purchase Payment allocation or percentages in response to these changes, however. If you desire to change your Contract Value or Purchase Payment allocation or percentages to reflect a revised or different Model Portfolio, you must submit new allocation instructions to our Administrative Office in writing.

The following is a brief description of the four Model Portfolios currently available. They are more fully described in a separate brochure. Your sales representative can provide additional information about the Model Portfolios and help you select which Model Portfolio, if any, may be suitable for you. Please talk to him or her if you have additional questions about these Model Portfolios.

• Conservative Growth portfolio is composed of underlying Sub-Accounts representing a target allocation of approximately 40% in equity and 60% in fixed income investments. The largest of the asset class target allocations are in fixed income, large-cap value and mortgages.
• Balanced Growth & Income portfolio is composed of underlying Sub-Accounts representing a target allocation of approximately 50% in equity and 50% in fixed income investments. The largest asset class target allocations are in fixed income, large-cap value, international equity and large-cap growth.
• Balanced Growth portfolio is composed of underlying Sub-Accounts representing a target allocation of approximately 60% in equity and 40% in fixed income investments. The largest asset class target allocations are in fixed income, international equity, large-cap value, and large-cap growth.
• Growth Focus portfolio is composed of underlying Sub-Accounts representing a target allocation of approximately 75% in equity and 25% in fixed income investments. The largest asset class target allocations are in international equity, large-cap value, large-cap growth and mid-cap stocks.

Each Fund sells its shares to the Variable Account in accordance with the terms of a participation agreement between the appropriate investment company and Protective Life. The termination provisions of these agreements vary. If a participation agreement relating to a Fund terminates, the Variable Account may not be able to purchase additional shares of that Fund. In that event, Owners may no longer be able to allocate Variable Account value or Purchase Payments to Sub-Accounts investing in that Fund. In certain circumstances, it is also possible that a Fund may refuse to sell its shares to the Variable Account despite the fact that the participation agreement relating to that Fund has not been terminated. Should a Fund decide to discontinue selling its shares to the Variable Account, Protective Life would not be able to honor requests from Owners to allocate Purchase Payments or transfer Contract Value to the Sub-Account investing in shares of that Fund.

We (and our affiliates) may receive payments from the Funds, their advisers, sub-advisers, and their distributors, or affiliates thereof. These payments are negotiated and thus differ by Fund (sometimes substantially), and the amounts we (or our affiliates) receive may be significant. These payments are made for various purposes, including payment for services provided and expenses incurred by us (and our affiliates) in promoting, marketing, distributing, and administering the Contracts, and, in our role as intermediary, the Funds. We (and our affiliates) may profit from these payments.

12b-1 Fees.  We receive 12b-1 fees from the Funds, their advisers, sub-advisers, and their distributors, or affiliates thereof that are based on a percentage of the average daily net assets of the particular Fund attributable to the Contracts and to certain other variable insurance contracts issued or administered by us. Rule 12b-1 fees are paid out of Fund assets as part of the Fund's total annual operating expenses. Payments made out of Fund assets will reduce the amount of assets that you otherwise would have available for investment, and will reduce the return on your investment. The chart below shows the maximum 12b-1 fees we anticipate we will receive from the Funds on an annual basis:

Payments From Advisers and/or Distributors.  As of the date of this Prospectus, we (or our affiliates) also receive payments from the investment advisers, sub-advisers, or distributors (or affiliates thereof) of all of the Funds other than 12b-1 fees. These payments are not paid out of fund assets. These payments may be derived, in whole or in part, from the investment advisory fee deducted from Fund assets other than 12b-1 fees. Owners, through their indirect investment in the Funds, bear the costs of these investment advisory fees. See the Funds' prospectuses for more information. The amount of the payments we receive is based on a percentage of the average daily net assets of the particular Fund attributable to the Contracts and to certain other variable insurance contracts issued or administered by us (or our affiliates). The payments we receive from the investment advisers, sub-advisers or distributors of the Funds currently range from 0.10% to 0.50% of Fund assets attributable to our variable insurance contracts.

Other Payments.  A Fund's adviser, sub-adviser, or distributor or its affiliates may provide us (or our affiliates) and/or broker-dealers that sell the Contracts ("selling firms") with marketing support, may pay us (or our affiliates) and/or selling firms amounts to participate in national and regional sales conferences and meetings with the sales desks, and may occasionally provide us (or our affiliates) and/or selling firms with items of relatively small value, such as promotional gifts, meals, tickets, or other similar items in the normal course of business.

For details about the compensation payments we make in connection with the sale of the Contracts, see "DISTRIBUTION OF THE CONTRACTS."

Protective Life reserves the right, subject to applicable law, to make additions to, deletions from, or substitutions for the shares that are held in the Variable Account or that the Variable Account may purchase. If the shares of a Fund are no longer available for investment or if in Protective Life's judgment further investment in any Fund should become inappropriate in view of the purposes of the Variable Account, Protective Life may redeem the shares, if any, of that Fund and substitute shares of another registered open-end management company or unit investment trust. The new Funds may have higher fees and charges than the ones they replaced. Protective Life will not substitute any shares attributable to a Contract's interest in the Variable Account without notice and any necessary approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission and state insurance authorities. Because the plan fiduciary retains the right to select the investments in an employee benefit plan, when the fiduciary receives notice of an addition, deletion, or substitution of an investment (for example, either through this Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus), a plan fiduciary should consider whether the Contract will remain a prudent investment for the plan. If a plan fiduciary wishes to reject the change after receiving notice, it can do so by surrendering the Contract.

Protective Life also reserves the right to establish additional Sub-Accounts of the Variable Account, each of which would invest in shares of a new Fund. Subject to applicable law and any required SEC approval, Protective Life may, in its sole discretion, establish new Sub-Accounts or eliminate one or more Sub-Accounts if marketing needs, tax considerations or investment conditions warrant. We may make any new Sub-Accounts available to existing Owner(s) on a basis we determine. All Sub-Accounts and Funds may not be available to all classes of contracts.

If we make any of these substitutions or changes, Protective Life may by appropriate endorsement change the Contract to reflect the substitution or other change. If Protective Life deems it to be in the best interest of Owners and Annuitants, and subject to any approvals that applicable law may require, we may operate the Variable Account as a management company under the 1940 Act, we may de-register it under that Act if registration is no longer required, or we may combine it with other Protective Life separate accounts. Protective Life reserves the right to make any changes to the Variable Account that the 1940 Act or other applicable law or regulation requires or permits.

The following sections describe the Contracts currently being offered.

The Protective Variable Annuity Investors Series Contract is an individual flexible premium deferred variable and fixed annuity contract issued by Protective Life.

You may purchase the Contract on a non-qualified basis. You may also purchase it for use within certain qualified retirement plans or in connection with other employee benefit plans or arrangements that receive favorable tax treatment. Such qualified plans include individual retirement accounts and individual retirement annuities (IRAs), and pension and profit sharing plans (including H.R. 10 Plans). Many of these qualified plans, including IRAs, provide the same type of tax deferral as provided by the Contract. The Contract, however, provides a number of benefits and features not provided by such retirement plans and employee benefit plans or arrangements alone. There are costs and expenses under the Contract related to these benefits and features. You should consult a qualified tax and/or financial adviser regarding the use of the Contract within a Qualified Plan or in connection with other employee benefit plans or arrangements. You should carefully consider the benefits and features provided by the Contract in relation to their costs as they apply to your particular situation.

Owner

The Owner is the person or persons who own the Contract and is entitled to exercise all rights and privileges provided in the Contract. Two persons may own the Contract together. In the case of two Owners, provisions relating to action by the Owner means both Owners acting together. However, Protective Life may accept instructions from one Owner on behalf of both Owners. Protective Life will only issue a Contract prior to each Owner's 86th birthday. Individuals as well as nonnatural persons, such as corporations or trusts, may be Owners. In the case of Owners who are nonnatural persons, age restrictions apply to the Annuitant.

The Owner of this Contract may be changed by Written Notice provided:

1. each new Owner's 86th birthday is after the Issue Date; and
2. each new Owner's 95th birthday is on or after the Annuity Date.

For a period of 1 year after any change of ownership involving a natural person, the death benefit will equal the Contract Value. Naming a nonnatural person as an Owner or changing the Owner may result in a tax liability. (See "TAXATION OF ANNUITIES IN GENERAL.")

Beneficiary

The Beneficiary is the person or persons who may receive the benefits of this Contract upon the death of the Owner.

Primary — The Primary Beneficiary is the surviving Owner, if any. If there is no surviving Owner, the Primary Beneficiary is the person or persons designated by the Owner and named in our records.

Contingent — The Contingent Beneficiary is the person or persons designated by the Owner and named in our records to be Beneficiary if the Primary Beneficiary is not living at the time of the Owner's death.

If no Beneficiary designation is in effect or if no Beneficiary is living at the time of the Owner's death, the Beneficiary will be the estate of the deceased Owner. If any Owner dies on or after the Annuity Date, the Beneficiary will become the new Owner.

Unless designated irrevocably, the Owner may change the Beneficiary by Written Notice prior to the death of any Owner. An irrevocable Beneficiary is one whose written consent is needed before the Owner can change the Beneficiary designation or exercise certain other rights. In the case of certain Qualified Contracts, Treasury Department regulations prescribe certain limitations on the designation of a Beneficiary.

Annuitant

The Annuitant is the person or persons on whose life annuity income payments may be based. The first Owner shown on the application for the Contract is the Annuitant unless the Owner designates another person as the Annuitant. The Contract must be issued prior to the Annuitant's 86th birthday. If the Annuitant is not an Owner and dies prior to the Annuity Date, the Owner will become the new Annuitant unless the Owner designates otherwise. However, if the Owner is a nonnatural person, the death of the Annuitant will be treated as the death of the Owner.

The Owner may change the Annuitant by Written Notice prior to the Annuity Date. However, if any Owner is not a natural person, then the Annuitant may not be changed. The new Annuitant's 95th birthday must be on or after the Annuity Date in effect when the change of Annuitant is requested.

Payee

The Payee is the person or persons designated by the Owner to receive the annuity income payments under the Contract. The Annuitant is the Payee unless the Owner designates another party as the Payee. The Owner may change the Payee at any time.

To purchase a Contract, you must submit certain application information and an initial Purchase Payment to Protective Life through a licensed representative of Protective Life. Any such licensed representative must also be a registered representative of a broker/dealer having a distribution agreement with Investment Distributors, Inc. Protective Life reserves the right to accept or decline a request to issue a Contract for any reason permitted or required by law. Contracts may be sold to or in connection with retirement plans which do not qualify for special tax treatment as well as retirement plans that qualify for special tax treatment under the Code.

If the necessary application information for a Contract accompanies the initial Purchase Payment, we will allocate the initial Purchase Payment (less any applicable premium tax) to the Investment Options as you direct on the appropriate form within two business days of receiving such Purchase Payment at the Administrative Office at the Accumulation Unit Value next determined for the portion of the Purchase Payment allocated to the Sub-Account. If we do not receive the necessary application information, Protective Life will retain the Purchase Payment for up to five business days while it attempts to complete the information. If the necessary application information is not complete after five business days, Protective Life will inform the applicant of the reason for the delay and return the initial Purchase Payment immediately unless the applicant specifically consents to Protective Life retaining it until the information is complete. Once the information is complete, we will allocate the initial Purchase Payment to the appropriate Investment Options within two business days. You may transmit information necessary to complete an application to Protective Life by telephone, facsimile, or electronic media.

We will only accept Purchase Payments before the earlier of the oldest Owner's and Annuitant's 86th birthday. No Purchase Payment will be accepted within 3 years of the Annuity Date then in effect. The minimum initial Purchase Payment is $5,000. The minimum subsequent Purchase Payment is $100, or $50 if made by electronic funds transfer. We may amend this minimum subsequent Purchase Payment amount at any time. Under certain circumstances, we may be required by law to reject a Purchase Payment.

We reserve the right to limit, suspend, or reject any Purchase Payment at any time in our sole discretion, and/or limit the Investment Options to which Contract Owners may direct Purchase Payments, following written notice to Contract Owners. We may do so for all Contracts or only certain classes of Contracts. If we exercise our right to suspend, reject, and/or place limitations on the acceptance and/or allocation of subsequent Purchase Payments, you may be unable to, or limited in your ability to, increase your Contract Value through subsequent Purchase Payments. These restrictions could prevent you from making future contributions to a Qualified Contract, including periodic contributions to an employer sponsored retirement plan or an IRA. Accordingly, you should consider whether the Contract is appropriate for you. (See "QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS.") Before you purchase this Contract and determine the amount of your initial Purchase Payment, you should consider the fact that we may suspend, reject, or limit subsequent Purchase Payments at some point in the future. You should consult with your sales representative prior to purchase.

Purchase Payments are payable at our Administrative Office. You may make them by check payable to Protective Life Insurance Company or by any other method we deem acceptable. We will process Purchase Payments as of the end of the Valuation Period during which we receive your payment and a completed transaction service form at our Administrative Office at the Accumulation Unit Value next determined for the portion of the Purchase Payment allocated to the Sub-Account. Valuation Periods end at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 3:00 p.m. Central Time). We will process any Purchase Payment received at our Administrative Office after the end of the Valuation Period on the next Valuation Date.

The maximum aggregate Purchase Payment(s) that can be made without prior Administrative Office approval is $1,000,000.

We reserve the right to change the maximum aggregate Purchase Payment(s) that we will accept at any time, and to condition acceptance of Purchase Payments over any established maximum amount upon prior approval by our Administrative Office and to impose conditions upon the acceptance of aggregate Purchase Payments greater than the established maximum, such as limiting the death benefit options that are available under your Contract. We will give written notice at least five (5) days before any changes to Purchase Payment limitations go into effect.

Under the current automatic purchase payment plan, you may select a monthly or quarterly payment schedule pursuant to which Purchase Payments will be automatically deducted from a bank account. We currently accept automatic Purchase Payments on the 1st through the 28th day of each month. Each automatic Purchase Payment must be at least $50. You may not allocate payments made through the automatic purchase payment plan to any DCA Account. You may not elect the automatic purchase payment plan and the automatic withdrawal plan simultaneously. (See "Surrenders and Withdrawals.") Upon receipt of Due Proof of Death of the Owner at our Administrative Office the Company will terminate deductions under the automatic purchase payment plan.

We do not always receive your Purchase Payment or your application on the day you send it or give it to your sales representative. In some circumstances, such as when you purchase a Contract in exchange for an existing annuity contract from another company, we may not receive your Purchase Payment from the other company for a substantial period of time after you sign the application and send it to us.

You have the right to return the Contract within a certain number of days after you receive it by returning it, along with a written cancellation request, to our Administrative Office or the sales representative who sold it. In the state of Connecticut, non-written requests are also accepted. The number of days, which is at least ten, is determined by state law in the state where the Contract is delivered. Return of the Contract by mail is effective on being post-marked, properly addressed and postage pre-paid. We will treat the returned Contract as if it had never been issued. Where permitted under state law, Protective Life will refund the Contract Value. This amount may be more or less than the aggregate amount of your Purchase Payments up to that time. In states requiring the return of Purchase Payments, we will refund the greater of the Contract Value or the Purchase Payment.

For individual retirement annuities and Contracts issued in states where, upon cancellation during the right-to-cancel period, we return at least your Purchase Payments, we reserve the right to allocate all or a portion of your initial Purchase Payment (and any subsequent Purchase Payment made during the right-to-cancel period) that you allocated to the Sub-Accounts to the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account until the expiration of the right-to-cancel period. When we allocate your initial Purchase Payment (and any subsequent Purchase Payments) to the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account for the right-to-cancel period, we will refund the greater of the Contract Value without any deductions for fees or charges or the Purchase Payment. Thereafter, we will allocate all Purchase Payments according to your allocation instructions then in effect.

Owners must indicate in the application how their initial and subsequent Purchase Payments are to be allocated among the Investment Options. If your allocation instructions are indicated by percentages, whole percentages must be used.

Owners may change allocation instructions by Written Notice at any time. Owners may also change instructions by telephone, facsimile, automated telephone system or via the Internet at www.protective.com ("non-written instructions"). For non-written instructions regarding allocations, we may require a form of personal identification prior to acting on instructions and we will record any telephone voice instructions. If we follow these procedures, we will not be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent instructions. We reserve the right to limit or eliminate any of these non-written communication methods for any Contract or class of Contracts at any time for any reason.

If you elect to participate in the optional Allocation Adjustment program, you may not allocate Purchase Payments into restricted Sub-Accounts. If we receive instructions from you requesting an allocation to a restricted Sub-Account, we will allocate the requested amount to the restricted Sub-Account, and then immediately transfer the amount to the Invesco Oppenheimer V.I. Government Money Fund Sub-Account. See "THE ALLOCATION ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM."

Sub-Account Value

A Contract's Variable Account value at any time is the sum of the Sub-Account values and therefore reflects the investment experience of the Sub-Accounts to which it is allocated. There is no guaranteed minimum Variable Account value. The Sub-Account value for any Sub-Account as of the Issue Date is equal to the amount of the initial Purchase Payment allocated to that Sub-Account. On subsequent Valuation Dates prior to the Annuity Date, the Sub-Account value is equal to that part of any Purchase Payment allocated to the Sub-Account and any Contract Value transferred to the Sub-Account, adjusted by income, dividends, net capital gains or losses (realized or unrealized), decreased by withdrawals (including any applicable surrender charges and premium tax), Contract Value transferred out of the Sub-Account and fees deducted from the Sub-Account.

The Sub-Account value for a Contract may be determined on any day by multiplying the number of Accumulation Units attributable to the Contract in that Sub-Account by the Accumulation Unit value for the Accumulation Units in that Sub-Account on that day.

Determination of Accumulation Units

Purchase Payments allocated and Contract Value transferred to a Sub-Account are converted into Accumulation Units. An Accumulation Unit is a unit of measure used to calculate the value of a Sub-Account prior to the Annuity Date. We determine the number of Accumulation Units to be credited to a Contract by dividing the dollar amount directed to the Sub-Account by the Accumulation Unit value of the appropriate class of Accumulation Units of that Sub-Account for the Valuation Date as of which the allocation or transfer occurs. Purchase Payments allocated or amounts transferred to a Sub-Account under a Contract increase the number of Accumulation Units of that Sub-Account credited to the Contract. We execute such allocations and transfers as of the end of the Valuation Period in which we receive a Purchase Payment or Written Notice or other instruction requesting a transfer.

Certain events reduce the number of Accumulation Units of a Sub-Account credited to a Contract. The following events result in the cancellation of the appropriate number of Accumulation Units of a Sub-Account:

• surrenders and applicable surrender charges;
• withdrawals and applicable surrender charges;
• automatic withdrawals and applicable surrender charges;
• transfer from a Sub-Account and any applicable transfer fee;
• payment of a death benefit claim;
• application of the Contract Value to an Annuity Option; and
• deduction of the monthly death benefit fee and the annual contract maintenance fee.

Accumulation Units are canceled as of the end of the Valuation Period in which we receive Written Notice of or other instructions regarding the event. Accumulation Units associated with the monthly death benefit fee and the annual contract maintenance fee are canceled without notice or instruction.

Determination of Accumulation Unit Value

The Accumulation Unit value for each class of Accumulation Units in a Sub-Account at the end of every Valuation Date is the Accumulation Unit value for that class at the end of the previous Valuation Date times the net investment factor.

Net Investment Factor

The net investment factor measures the investment performance of a Sub-Account from one Valuation Period to the next. For each Sub-Account, the net investment factor reflects the investment performance of the Fund in which the Sub-Account invests and the charges assessed against that Sub-Account for a Valuation Period. Each Sub-Account has a net investment factor for each Valuation Period which may be greater or less than one. Therefore, the value of an Accumulation Unit may increase or decrease. The net investment factor for any Sub-Account for any Valuation Period is determined by dividing (1) by (2) and subtracting (3) from the result, where:

1. is the result of:
1. the net asset value per share of the Fund held in the Sub-Account, determined at the end of the current Valuation Period; plus
2. the per share amount of any dividend or capital gain distributions made by the Funds held in the Sub-Account, if the "ex-dividend" date occurs during the current Valuation Period.
2. is the net asset value per share of the Fund held in the Sub-Account, determined at the end of the most recent prior Valuation Period.
3. is a factor representing the mortality and expense risk charge and the administration charge for the number of days in the Valuation Period and a charge or credit for any taxes attributed to the investment operations of the Sub-Account, as determined by the Company.

Before the Annuity Date, you may instruct us to transfer Contract Value between and among the Investment Options. When we receive your transfer instructions on a completed transaction service form at our Administrative Office, we will allocate the Contract Value you transfer at the next price determined for the Investment Options you indicate. Prices for the Investment Options are determined as of the end of each Valuation Period, which is the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 3:00 p.m. Central Time). Accordingly, transfer requests received in "good order" at our Administrative Office before the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange are processed at the price determined as of the close of regular trading on the day the requests are received; transfer requests received at our Administrative Office after the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange are processed at the price determined as of the close of regular trading on the next day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for regular trading. A transaction request will be deemed in "good order" if the transaction service form is fully and accurately completed and signed by the Owner(s) and received by us at our Administrative Office. We may defer transfer requests under the same conditions that payment of withdrawals and surrenders may be delayed. (See "SUSPENSION OR DELAY IN PAYMENTS.") There are limitations on transfers, which are described below.

After the Annuity Date, when variable income payments are selected, transfers are allowed between Sub-Accounts, but are limited to one transfer per month. Dollar cost averaging and portfolio rebalancing are not allowed. No transfers are allowed within the Guaranteed Account or from a Sub-Account and Guaranteed Account.

In the event of the Owner's death, all automatic transfers under the Contract, such as dollar cost averaging, portfolio rebalancing, and Allocation Adjustment will cease upon our receipt of Due Proof of Death at our Administrative Office.

A surviving spouse who elects to continue the Contract as the new Owner may decide to participate in either dollar cost averaging or portfolio rebalancing, or both, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Prospectus. A surviving spouse who continues the Contract may also elect to participate in the Allocation Adjustment Program.

Any Beneficiary who elects a Death Benefit payment option that provides for the payment of Death Benefit proceeds either over the lifetime of the Beneficiary or within 5 years of the Owner’s death may transfer Contract Value among the Sub-Accounts and participate in either the portfolio rebalancing program or Allocation Adjustment Program, or both. Because that Beneficiary may not make additional premium payments, however, the Beneficiary may not participate in dollar cost averaging. See “DEATH BENEFIT-Payment of the Death Benefit.”

How to Request Transfers

Before or after the Annuity Date, owners may request transfers by Written Notice at any time. Owners also may request transfers by telephone, facsimile, automated telephone system or via the Internet at www.protective.com ("non-written instructions"). From time to time and at our sole discretion, we may introduce additional methods for requesting transfers or discontinue any method for making non-written instructions for such transfers. We will require a form of personal identification prior to acting on non-written instructions and we will record telephone requests. We will send you a confirmation of all transfer requests communicated to us. If we follow these procedures, we will not be liable for any losses due to unauthorized or fraudulent transfer requests.

Reliability of Communications Systems

The Internet and telephone systems may not always be available. Any computer or telephone system, whether it is yours, your service providers', your registered representative's, or ours, can experience unscheduled outages or slowdowns for a variety of reasons. Such outages or delays may delay or prevent our processing of your request. Although we have taken precautions to help our systems handle heavy use, we cannot promise complete reliability under all circumstances. If you experience problems, you can request your transaction by writing to us.

Limitations on Transfers

We reserve the right to modify, limit, suspend or eliminate the transfer privileges (including acceptance of non-written instructions submitted by telephone, automated telephone system, the Internet or facsimile) without prior notice for any Contract or class of Contracts at any time for any reason.

Minimum amounts.  You must transfer at least $100 each time you make a transfer. If the entire amount in the Investment Option is less than $100, you must transfer the entire amount. If less than $100 would be left in an Investment Option after a transfer, then we may transfer the entire amount out of that Investment Option instead of the requested amount.

Number of transfers.  Currently we do not generally limit the number of transfers that may be made. We reserve the right, however, to limit the number of transfers to no more than 12 per Contract Year and we also reserve the right to charge a transfer fee for each additional transfer over 12 during any Contract Year if Protective Life determines, in its sole discretion, that the number of transfers or the cost of processing such transfers is excessive. We will give written notice thirty (30) days before we impose a transfer fee or limit the number of transfers. The transfer fee will not exceed $25 per transfer. We will deduct any transfer fee from the amount being transferred. (See "CHARGES AND DEDUCTIONS, Transfer Fee.") We will not include transfers made pursuant to the dollar-cost averaging, allocation adjustment or portfolio rebalancing programs when counting frequent transfer activity or assessing a transfer fee.

Limitations on transfers involving the Guaranteed Account.  No amounts may be transferred into a DCA Account. No amounts may be transferred to the Fixed Account within six months after any transfer from the Guaranteed Account to the Variable Account. The maximum amount that may be transferred from the Fixed Account during a Contract Year is the greater of (a) $2,500 or (b) 25% of the Contract Value in the Fixed Account. Due to this limitation, if you want to transfer all of your Contract Value from the Guaranteed Account to the Variable Account, it may take several years to do so. The limitation on transfers from the Fixed Account does not apply, however, to dollar cost averaging transfers from the Fixed Account.

Limitations on Transfers under the Optional Allocation Adjustment Program.  If you elect to participate in the optional Allocation Adjustment Program, you may transfer Contract Value among the Investment Options only by submitting a new Contract allocation instruction and you may not transfer Contract Value into restricted Sub-Accounts. If we receive instructions from you requesting a transfer of Contract Value to a restricted Sub-Account, we will transfer the requested amount to the restricted Sub-Account, and then immediately transfer the amount to the Oppenheimer Government Money Fund/VA Sub-Account. See "THE ALLOCATION ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM."

Limitations on frequent transfers, including "market timing" transfers.  Frequent transfers may involve an effort to take advantage of the possibility of a lag between a change in the value of a Fund's portfolio securities and the reflection of that change in the Fund's share price. This strategy, sometimes referred to as "market timing," involves an attempt to buy shares of a Fund at a price that does not reflect the current market value of the portfolio securities of the Fund, and then to realize a profit when the Fund shares are sold the next Valuation Date or thereafter.

When you request a transfer among the Sub-Accounts, your request triggers the purchase and redemption of Fund shares. Frequent transfers cause frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares. Frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares can cause adverse effects for a Fund, Fund shareholders, the Variable Account, other Owners, beneficiaries, annuitants, or owners of other variable annuity contracts we issue that invest in the Variable Account. Frequent transfers can result in the following adverse effects:

• Increased brokerage, trading and transaction costs;
• Disruption of planned investment strategies;
• Forced and unplanned liquidation and portfolio turnover;
• Lost opportunity costs; and
• Large asset swings that decrease the Fund's ability to provide maximum investment return to all Contract Owners.

In order to try to protect our Owners and the Funds from the potential adverse effects of frequent transfer activity, we have implemented certain market timing policies and procedures (the "Market Timing Procedures"). Our Market Timing Procedures are designed to detect and prevent frequent, short-term transfer activity that may adversely affect the Funds, Fund shareholders, the Variable Account, other Owners, beneficiaries, annuitants and owners of other variable annuity contracts we issue that invest in the Variable Account. We discourage frequent transfers of Contract Value between Sub-Accounts.

We monitor transfer activity in the Contracts to identify frequent transfer activity in any Contract. Our current Market Timing Procedures are intended to detect transfer activity in which the transfers exceed a certain dollar amount and a certain number of transfers involving the same Sub-Accounts within a specific time period. We regularly review transaction reports in an attempt to identify transfers that exceed our established parameters. We do not include transfers made pursuant to the allocation adjustment, dollar-cost averaging or portfolio rebalancing programs when monitoring for frequent transfer activity.

When we identify transfer activity exceeding our established parameters in a Contract or group of Contracts that appear to be under common control, we suspend non-written methods of requesting transfers for that Contract or group of Contracts. All transfer requests for the affected Contract or group of Contracts must be made by Written Notice. We notify the affected Owner(s) in writing of these restrictions.

In addition to our Market Timing Procedures, the Funds may have their own market timing policies and restrictions. While we reserve the right to enforce the Funds' policies and procedures, Owners and other persons with interests under the Contracts should be aware that we may not have the contractual authority or the operational capacity to apply the market timing policies and procedures of the Funds, except that, under SEC rules, we are required to: (1) enter into a written agreement with each Fund or its principal underwriter that obligates us to provide to the Fund promptly upon request certain information about the trading activity of individual Owners, and (2) execute instructions from the Fund to restrict or prohibit further purchases or transfers by specific Owners who violate the market timing policies established by the Fund.

Some of the Funds have reserved the right to temporarily or permanently refuse payments or transfer requests from us if, in the judgment of the Fund's investment adviser, the Fund would be unable to invest effectively in accordance with its investment objective or policies, or would otherwise potentially be adversely affected. To the extent permitted by law, we reserve the right to delay or refuse to honor a transfer request, or to reverse a transfer at any time we are unable to purchase or redeem shares of any of the Funds because of the Fund's refusal or restriction on purchases or redemptions. We will notify the Owner(s) of any refusal or restriction on a purchase or redemption by a Fund relating to that Owner's transfer request. Some Funds also may impose redemption fees on short-term trading (i.e., redemptions of mutual Fund shares within a certain number of business days after purchase). We reserve the right to implement, administer, and collect any redemption fees imposed by any of the Funds. You should read the prospectus of each Fund for more information about its ability to refuse or restrict purchases of its shares, which may be more or less restrictive than our Market Timing Procedures and those of other Funds, and to impose redemption fees.

We apply our Market Timing Procedures consistently to all Owners without special arrangement, waiver or exception. We reserve the right to change our Market Timing Procedures at any time without prior notice as we deem necessary or appropriate to better detect and deter potentially harmful frequent transfer activity, to comply with state or federal regulatory requirements, or both. We may change our parameters to monitor for different dollar amounts, number of transfers, time period of the transfers, or any of these.

Owners seeking to engage in frequent transfer activity may employ a variety of strategies to avoid detection. Our ability to detect and deter such transfer activity is limited by operational systems and technological limitations. Furthermore, the identification of Owners determined to be engaged in transfer activity that may adversely affect others involves judgments that are inherently subjective. Accordingly, despite our best efforts, we cannot guarantee that our Market Timing Procedures will detect or deter every potential market timer. In addition, because other insurance companies, retirement plans, or both may invest in the Funds, we cannot guarantee that the Funds will not suffer harm from frequent transfer activity in contracts or policies issued by other insurance companies or by retirement plan participants.

Dollar Cost Averaging

Before the Annuity Date, you may instruct us by Written Notice to transfer automatically, on a monthly basis, amounts from a DCA Account or the Fixed Account to any Sub-Account of the Variable Account. This is known as the "dollar-cost averaging" ("DCA") method of investment. By transferring equal amounts of Contract Value on a regularly scheduled basis, as opposed to allocating a larger amount at one particular time, an Owner may be less susceptible to the impact of market fluctuations in the value of Sub-Account Accumulation Units. Protective Life, however, makes no guarantee that the dollar cost averaging method will result in a profit or protection against loss.

DCA transfers are made monthly; you may choose to make the transfers on the 1st through the 28th day of each month. Dollar cost averaging transfers cease upon our receipt of Due Proof of Death of the Owner at our Administrative Office. Any remaining balance designated for DCA transfers will be automatically transferred to the Sub-Accounts according to the Owner's current dollar cost averaging instructions.

There is no charge for dollar cost averaging. Automatic transfers made to facilitate dollar cost averaging will not count toward the 12 transfers permitted each Contract Year if we elect to limit transfers, or the designated number of free transfers in any Contract Year if we elect to charge for transfers in excess of that number in any Contract Year. We reserve the right to restrict the Sub-Accounts into which you may make DCA transfers or discontinue dollar cost averaging upon written notice to the Owner at any time for any reason.

In states where, upon cancellation during the right-to-cancel period, we are required to return your Purchase Payment, we reserve the right to delay commencement of dollar cost averaging transfers until the expiration of the right-to-cancel period.

Transfers from the DCA Accounts.  If you allocate a Purchase Payment to one of the DCA Accounts, you must include instructions regarding the day of the month on which the transfers should be made, the period during which the dollar cost averaging transfers should occur, and the Sub-Accounts into which the transferred funds should be allocated.

Currently, the maximum period for dollar cost averaging from the DCA Account 1 is six months and from the DCA Account 2 is twelve months. From time to time, we may offer different maximum periods for dollar cost averaging amounts from a DCA Account. The periodic amount transferred from a DCA Account will be equal to the Purchase Payment allocated to the DCA Account divided by the number of dollar cost averaging transfers to be made.

The interest rates on the DCA Accounts apply to the declining balance in the account. Therefore the amount of interest actually paid with respect to a Purchase Payment allocated to the DCA Account will be substantially less than the amount that would have been paid if the full Purchase Payment remained in the DCA Account for the full period. Interest credited will be transferred from the DCA Account after the last dollar cost averaging transfer.

We will process dollar cost averaging transfers until the earlier of the following: (1) the DCA Account Value equals $0, or (2) the Owner instructs us by Written Notice to cancel the automatic transfers. If you terminate transfers from a DCA Account before the amount remaining in that account is $0, we will immediately transfer any amount remaining in that DCA Account according to your instructions. If you do not provide instructions, we will transfer the remaining amount to the Sub-Accounts according to your dollar cost averaging allocation instruction in effect at that time.

Transfers from the Fixed Account.  You may also establish dollar-cost averaging transfers from the Fixed Account; the minimum period for dollar cost averaging transfers from the Fixed Account is twelve months. If you wish to establish dollar-cost averaging transfers from the Fixed Account, you must include instructions regarding the day of the month on which the transfers should be made, the amount of the transfers (you must transfer the same amount each time), the period during which the dollar cost averaging transfers should occur, and the Sub-Accounts into which the transferred funds should be allocated.

Dollar Cost Averaging Transfers under the Optional Allocation Adjustment Program.  If you elect to participate in the optional Allocation Adjustment Program, any automatic transfers from the DCA Account to the restricted Sub-Account will be redirected to the Oppenheimer Government Money Fund/VA Sub-Account. See "THE ALLOCATION ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM."

Portfolio Rebalancing

Before the Annuity Date, you may instruct Protective Life by Written Notice to periodically transfer your Variable Account value among specified Sub-Accounts to achieve a particular percentage allocation of Variable Account value among such Sub-Accounts ("portfolio rebalancing"). The portfolio rebalancing percentages must be in whole numbers and must allocate amounts only among the Sub-Accounts. Unless you instruct otherwise, portfolio rebalancing is based on your Purchase Payment allocation instructions in effect with respect to the Sub-Accounts at the time of each rebalancing transfer. We deem portfolio rebalancing instructions from you that differ from your current Purchase Payment allocation instructions to be a request to change your Purchase Payment allocation.

You may elect portfolio rebalancing to occur on the 1st through the 28th day of a month on either a quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis. If you do not select a day, transfers will occur on the same day of the month as your Contract Anniversary, or on the 28th day of the month if your Contract Anniversary occurs on the 29th, 30th or 31st day of the month. You may change or terminate portfolio rebalancing by Written Notice, or by other non-written communication methods acceptable for transfer requests. Portfolio rebalancing ceases when we receive Due Proof of Death of the Owner at our Administrative Office. The Contract Value will remain in the Investment Options as of the date we receive Due Proof of Death of the Owner. A surviving spouse who elects to continue the Contract and become the new Owner, or any Beneficiary who elects to receive payment of the Death Benefit over their lifetime or within 5 years of the Owner’s death, may provide us with new Contract allocation instructions. See ”DEATH BENEFIT – Payment of the Death Benefit.”

There is no charge for portfolio rebalancing. Automatic transfers made to facilitate portfolio rebalancing will not count toward the 12 transfers permitted each Contract Year if we elect to limit transfers, or the designated number of free transfers in any Contract Year if we elect to charge for transfers in excess of that number in any Contract Year. We reserve the right to discontinue portfolio rebalancing upon written notice to the Owner at any time for any reason.

Portfolio Rebalancing under the Optional Allocation Adjustment Program. If you elect to participate in the optional Allocation Adjustment Program, we will "re-balance" your Variable Account value according to your most recent allocation instructions, but will include the Oppenheimer Money Fund/VA Sub-Account in place of the restricted Sub-Account. See "The Allocation Adjustment Program."

At any time before the Annuity Date, you may request a surrender of or withdrawal from your Contract. Federal and state income taxes may apply to surrenders and withdrawals, and a 10% federal penalty tax may apply if the surrender or withdrawal occurs before the Owner reaches age 59-1/2. (See "TAXATION OF ANNUITIES IN GENERAL, Taxation of Withdrawals and Surrenders.") A surrender charge may also apply to surrenders and withdrawals. (See "CHARGES AND DEDUCTIONS.") A surrender value may be available under certain Annuity Options. (See "Annuitization.") In accordance with SEC regulations, surrenders and withdrawals are payable within 7 calendar days of our receiving your request in "good order" at our Administrative Office. (See "SUSPENSION OR DELAY IN PAYMENTS.")

Surrenders

At any time before the Annuity Date, you may request a surrender of your Contract for its surrender value either by Written Notice or by facsimile. Surrenders requested by facsimile are subject to limitations. Currently, we accept requests by facsimile for surrenders of Contracts that have a Contract Value of $50,000 or less. For Contracts that have a Contract Value greater than $50,000, we will only accept surrender requests by Written Notice. We may eliminate your ability to request a surrender by facsimile or change the requirements for your ability to request a surrender by facsimile for any Contract at any time without prior notice. We will pay you the surrender value in a lump sum.

Withdrawals

At any time before the Annuity Date, you may request a withdrawal of your Contract Value provided the Contract Value remaining after the withdrawal is at least $5,000. If you request a withdrawal that would reduce your Contract Value below $5,000, then we will consider your request to be not in Good Order and we will notify you that we will not process your request.

You may request a withdrawal by Written Notice or by facsimile. If we have received your completed telephone withdrawal authorization form, you also may request a withdrawal by telephone. Withdrawals requested by telephone or facsimile are subject to limitations. Currently we accept requests for withdrawals by telephone or by facsimile for amounts not exceeding 25% of Contract Value, up to a maximum of $50,000. For withdrawals exceeding 25% of the Contract Value and/or $50,000 we will only accept withdrawal requests by Written Notice. We may eliminate your ability to make withdrawals by telephone or facsimile or change the requirements for your ability to make withdrawals by telephone or facsimile for any Contract or class of Contracts at any time without prior notice.

You may specify the amount of the withdrawal to be made from any Investment Option. If you do not so specify, or if the amount in the designated Investment Option(s) is inadequate to comply with the request, the withdrawal will be made from each Investment Option based on the proportion that the value of each Investment Option bears to the total Contract Value.

Signature Guarantees

Signature guarantees are required for withdrawals or surrenders of $50,000 or more.

Signature guarantees are relied upon as a means of preventing the perpetuation of fraud in financial transactions, including the disbursement of funds or assets from a victim's account with a financial institution or a provider of financial services. They provide protection to investors by, for example, making it more difficult for a person to take another person's money by forging a signature on a written request for the disbursement of funds.

An investor can obtain a signature guarantee from more than 7,000 financial institutions across the United States and Canada that participate in a Medallion signature guarantee program. The best source of a signature guarantee is a bank, savings and loan association, brokerage firm, or credit union with which you do business. Guarantor firms may, but frequently do not, charge a fee for their services.

A notary public cannot provide a signature guarantee. Notarization will not substitute for a signature guarantee.

Surrender Value

The surrender value of any surrender or withdrawal request is equal to the Contract Value surrendered or withdrawn minus any applicable surrender charge, contract maintenance fee and premium tax. We will determine the surrender value as of the end of the Valuation Period during which we receive your request in "good order" at our Administrative Office. Valuation Periods end at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, which is generally at 3:00 p.m. Central Time. We will process any request received at our Administrative Office after the end of the Valuation Period on the next Valuation Date.

The amount we will pay you if you request a withdrawal depends on whether you request a "gross" withdrawal or a "net" withdrawal. For a "gross" withdrawal, this amount is equal to the Contract Value withdrawn minus any applicable surrender charge and premium tax. For a "net" withdrawal, this amount is equal to the Contract Value withdrawn (we will deduct the surrender charge from your remaining Contract Value after we process the withdrawal). (See CHARGES AND DEDUCTIONS — Surrender Charge. (Contingent Deferred Sales Charge))

Cancellation of Accumulation Units

Surrenders and withdrawals, including any surrender charges, will result in the cancellation of Accumulation Units from each applicable Sub-Account(s) and/or in a reduction of the Guaranteed Account value.

Surrender and Withdrawal Restrictions

The Owner's right to make surrenders and withdrawals is subject to any restrictions imposed by applicable law or employee benefit plan.

In the case of certain Qualified Plans, federal tax law imposes restrictions on the form and manner in which benefits may be paid. For example, spousal consent may be needed in certain instances before a distribution may be made.

Automatic Withdrawals

Currently, we offer an automatic withdrawal plan. This plan allows you to pre-authorize periodic withdrawals before the Annuity Date. You may elect to participate in this plan at the time of application or at a later date by properly completing an election form. Payments to you under this plan will be made by electronic fund transfer. To participate in the plan you must have:

1. made an initial Purchase Payment of at least $5,000; or
2. a Contract Value as of the previous Contract Anniversary of at least $5,000.

The automatic withdrawal plan and the automatic purchase payment plan may not be elected simultaneously. (See "Purchase Payments".) There may be federal and state income tax consequences to automatic withdrawals from the Contract, including the possible imposition of a 10% federal penalty tax if the withdrawal occurs before the Owner reaches age 59-1/2. You should consult your tax advisor before participating in any withdrawal program. (See "Taxation of Withdrawals and Surrenders.")

When you elect the automatic withdrawal plan, you will instruct Protective Life to withdraw a level dollar amount from the Contract on a monthly or quarterly basis. Automatic withdrawals may be made on the 1st through the 28th day of each month. The amount requested must be at least $100 per withdrawal. We will process withdrawals for the designated amount until you instruct us otherwise. If, during any Contract Year, the amount of the withdrawals exceeds the "free withdrawal amount" described in the "Surrender Charge" section of this prospectus, we will deduct a surrender charge where applicable. (See "Surrender Charge.") Automatic withdrawals will be taken pro-rata from the Investment Options in proportion to the value each Investment Option bears to the total Contract Value. We will pay you the amount requested each month or quarter as applicable and cancel the applicable Accumulation Units.

If any automatic withdrawal transaction would result in a Contract Value of less than $5,000 after the withdrawal, the transaction will not be completed and the automatic withdrawal plan will terminate. Once automatic withdrawals have terminated due to insufficient Contract Value, they will not be automatically reinstated in the event that your Contract Value should reach $5,000 again. The automatic withdrawal plan may be discontinued by the Owner by Written Notice at any time for any reason. Upon receipt of Due Proof of Death of an Owner at our Administrative Office, we will terminate the automatic withdrawal plan.

There is no charge for the automatic withdrawal plan. We reserve the right to discontinue the automatic withdrawal plan upon written notice to you.

The Guaranteed Account has not been, and is not required to be, registered with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("1933 Act"), and neither these accounts nor the Company's general account have been registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act. Therefore, neither the Guaranteed Account, the Company's general account, nor any interests therein are generally subject to regulation under the 1933 Act or the 1940 Act. The disclosures relating to the Guaranteed Account included in this prospectus are for the Owner's information. However, such disclosures are subject to certain generally applicable provisions of federal securities law relating to the accuracy and completeness of statements made in prospectuses.

The Guaranteed Account consists of the Fixed Account and the DCA Accounts. We may not always offer the Fixed Account or the DCA Accounts in new Contracts. If we are offering the Fixed Account or any of the DCA Accounts in your state at the time you purchase your Contract, however, those accounts will always be available in your Contract. Please ask your sales representative whether the Fixed Account or any DCA Accounts are available in your Contract.

From time to time and subject to regulatory approval, we may offer Fixed Accounts or DCA Accounts with different interest guaranteed periods. We, in our sole discretion, establish the interest rates for each account in the Guaranteed Account. We will not declare a rate that yields values less than those required by the state in which the Contract is delivered. You bear the risk that we will not declare a rate that is higher than the minimum rate. Because these rates vary from time to time, allocations made to the same account within the Guaranteed Account at different times may earn interest at different rates. The guaranteed minimum interest for each account in the Guaranteed Account is disclosed in the specification pages of your Contract. The current interest rate for each account in the Guaranteed Account under your Contract is available to you through your myprotective.com account or by calling toll-free 1-800-456-6330.

The Guaranteed Account is part of our general account. Unlike Purchase Payments and Contract Value allocated to the Variable Account, we assume the risk of investment gain or loss on amounts held in the Fixed Account and the DCA Accounts.

The assets of our general account support our insurance and annuity obligations and are subject to our general liabilities from business operations and to claims by our creditors. Because amounts allocated to the Fixed Account and the DCA Accounts, plus any guarantees under the Contract that exceed your Variable Account value (such as those associated with the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit), are paid from our general account, any amounts that we may pay under the Contract in excess of Variable Account value are subject to our financial strength and claims-paying ability. It is important to note that there is no guarantee that we will always be able to meet our claims-paying obligations, and that there are risks to purchasing any insurance product. For this reason, you should consider our financial strength and claims-paying ability to meet our obligations under the Contract when purchasing a Contract and making investment decisions under the Contract.

We encourage both existing and prospective Owners to read and understand our financial statements. We prepare our financial statements on both a statutory basis, as required by state regulators, and according to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP").

Our audited consolidated GAAP financial statements are incorporated by reference in the Statement of Additional Information (which is available at no charge by calling us at 1-800-456-6330 or writing us at the address shown on the cover page of this Prospectus). In addition, the Statement of Additional Information is available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.

You also will find on our website information on ratings assigned to us by one or more independent rating organizations. These ratings are opinions of our financial capacity to meet the obligations of our insurance and annuity contracts based on our financial strength and/or claims-paying ability.

You generally may allocate some or all of your Purchase Payments and may transfer some or all of your Contract Value to the Fixed Account. Amounts allocated or transferred to the Fixed Account earn interest from the date the funds are credited to the account. There are limitations on transfers involving the Fixed Account. Due to this limitation, if you want to transfer all of your Contract Value from the Fixed Account to the Variable Account, it may take several years to do so. You should carefully consider whether the Fixed Account meets your investment needs. (See "Transfers.")

The interest rates we apply to Purchase Payments and transfers into the Fixed Account are guaranteed for one year from the date the Purchase Payment or transfer is credited to the account. When an interest rate guarantee expires, we will set a new interest rate, which may not be the same as the interest rate then in effect for Purchase Payments and transfers allocated to the Fixed Account. The new interest rate is also guaranteed for one year.

DCA Accounts are designed to systematically transfer amounts to the Sub-Accounts of the Variable Account over a designated period. (See "Transfers, Dollar Cost Averaging.") We currently offer two DCA Accounts. The maximum period for dollar cost averaging transfers from DCA Account 1 is six months and from DCA Account 2 is twelve months.

The DCA Accounts are available only for Purchase Payments designated for dollar cost averaging. Purchase Payments may not be allocated into any DCA Account when that DCA Account value is greater than $0, and all funds must be transferred from a DCA Account before allocating a Purchase Payment to that DCA Account. Where we agree, under current administrative procedures, to allocate a Purchase Payment to any DCA Account in installments from more than one source, we will credit each installment with the interest rate applied to the first installment we receive. The interest rate we apply to Purchase Payments allocated to a DCA Account is guaranteed for the period over which dollar cost averaging transfers are allowed from that DCA Account.

Any time prior to the Annuity Date, the Guaranteed Account value is equal to the sum of:

1. Purchase Payments allocated to the Guaranteed Account; plus
2. amounts transferred into the Guaranteed Account; plus
3. interest credited to the Guaranteed Account; minus
4. amounts transferred out of the Guaranteed Account including any transfer fee; minus
5. the amount of any surrenders removed from the Guaranteed Account, including any premium tax and surrender charges; minus
6. fees deducted from the Guaranteed Account, including the monthly death benefit fee and the annual contract maintenance fee.

For the purposes of interest crediting, amounts deducted, transferred or withdrawn from accounts within the Guaranteed Account will be separately accounted for on a "first-in, first-out" (FIFO) basis.

If any Owner dies before the Annuity Date and while the Contract is in force, we will pay a death benefit, less any applicable premium tax, to the Beneficiary. The death benefit terminates on the Annuity Date.

We will determine the death benefit as of the end of the Valuation Period during which we receive at our Administrative Office Due Proof of Death of the Owner, either by certified death certificate or by judicial order from a court of competent jurisdiction or similar tribunal. Valuation Periods end at the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 3:00 p.m. Central Time). If we receive due proof of death after the end of the Valuation Period, we will determine the death benefit on the next Valuation Date. Only one death benefit is payable under the Contract, even though the Contract may, in some circumstances, continue beyond the time of an Owner's death. If any Owner is not a natural person, the death of the Annuitant is treated as the death of an Owner. In the case of certain Qualified Contracts, Treasury Department regulations prescribe certain limitations on the designation of a Beneficiary. The following discussion generally applies to Qualified Contracts and Non-Qualified Contracts, except where noted otherwise. In that regard, the post-death distribution requirements for Qualified Contracts and Non-Qualified Contracts are similar, but there are some significant differences. For a discussion of the post-death distribution requirements for Qualified Contracts, see "QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS, Required Minimum Distributions Upon Your Death."

The death benefit provisions of this Contract shall be interpreted to comply with the requirements of Section 72(s) of the Code in the case of a Non-Qualified Contract, and Section 401(a)(9) of the Code in the case of a Qualified Contract. We reserve the right to endorse the Contract, as necessary, to conform with regulatory requirements. We will send you a copy of any endorsement containing such Contract modifications.

Please note that any death benefit payment we make in excess of the Variable Account value is subject to our financial strength and claims-paying ability.

The Beneficiary may take the death benefit in one sum immediately, in which event the Contract will terminate. If the death benefit is not taken in one sum immediately, the death benefit will become the new Contract Value as of the end of the Valuation Period during which we receive Due Proof of Death of the Owner, and the entire interest in the Contract must be distributed under one of the following options:

1. the entire Contract Value must be distributed over the life of the Beneficiary, or over a period not extending beyond the life expectancy of the Beneficiary, with distributions beginning within one year of the Owner's death, and subject to certain further limits in the case of a Qualified Contract; or,
2. the entire Contract Value must be distributed (i) within 5 years of the Owner's death if the Contract is a Non-Qualified Contract or, in some cases, a Qualified Contract, or (ii) within 10 years of the Owner's death if the Contract is a Qualified Contract and the 5-year requirement does not apply under applicable federal tax rules.

If no option is elected, we will distribute the entire Contract Value within 5 years of the Owner's death in the case of a Non-Qualified Contract or, if applicable tax rules permit, within 10 years of the Owner's death in the case of a Qualified Contract. The tax rules for Qualified Contracts differ in some material respects from the tax rules for Non-Qualified Contracts, including by limiting the types of beneficiaries who can elect the first option above and the circumstances in which a 5-year or 10-year distribution requirement will apply. See "QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS, Temporary Rules under the CARES Act and Required Minimum Distributions Upon Your Death."

If there is more than one Beneficiary, each Beneficiary must submit instructions in Good Order specifying the manner in which the Beneficiary wishes to receive his or her portion of the death benefit, and the value of each Beneficiary's portion of the claim is established as of date we receive that Beneficiary's claim. Until the death benefit is fully distributed, however, the undistributed portion of the death benefit will remain invested in accordance with the Owner's allocation instructions. Accordingly, if we do not receive instructions in Good Order from the Beneficiary (or Beneficiaries) to make an immediate distribution or transfer all or part of the Beneficiary's portion of the death benefit to the Fixed Account, the value of the portion of the death benefit that remains invested in the Sub-Accounts will be subject the investment performance of the underlying Funds, and may increase or decrease in value.

Automatic Transfers Upon the Death of an Owner. In the event of the Owner's death, all automatic transfers under the Contract, such as dollar cost averaging, portfolio rebalancing, and Allocation Adjustment will cease upon receipt of Due Proof of Death of the Owner at our Administrative Office. A surviving spouse who elects to continue the Contract and become the new Owner may elect to participate in the dollar cost averaging or portfolio rebalancing program, subject to the requirements governing those programs described in this Prospectus. A surviving spouse who continues the Contract may also elect to participate in the Allocation Adjustment Program. Any Beneficiary who elects to receive payment of the Death Benefit over their lifetime or within 5 or 10 years of the Owner’s death (as applicable under federal tax rules), may elect to participate in the portfolio rebalancing or Allocation Adjustment program, or both, subject to the requirements governing those programs as described in this Prospectus. See ”DEATH BENEFIT – Payment of the Death Benefit.”

In the case of non-Qualified Contracts and Contracts that are individual retirement annuities within the meaning of Code Section 408(b), if the Beneficiary is the deceased Owner's spouse, the surviving spouse may elect, in lieu of receiving a death benefit, to continue the Contract and become the new Owner. This election is only available, however, if the deceased Owner's spouse's 86th birthday is after the Issue Date and 95th birthday is on or after the Annuity Date then in effect. The Contract will continue with the value of the death benefit having become the new Contract Value as of the end of the Valuation Period during which we received due proof of death. The death benefit is not terminated by a surviving spouse's continuation of the contract. The surviving spouse may select a new Beneficiary. Upon this spouse's death, the death benefit may be taken in one sum immediately and the Contract will terminate. If the death benefit is not taken in one sum immediately, the death benefit will become the new Contract Value as of the end of the Valuation Period during which we receive due proof of death and must be distributed to the new Beneficiary according to option (1) or (2), above.

A Contract may be continued by a surviving spouse only once. This benefit will not be available to any subsequent surviving spouse under the continued Contract.

The rights of a Beneficiary under an annuity contract depend in part upon whether the Beneficiary is recognized as a “spouse” under federal tax law. A Beneficiary who is recognized as a spouse is treated more favorably than a Beneficiary who is not a spouse for federal tax purposes. Specifically, a Beneficiary who is the spouse of the deceased Owner may continue the Contract and become the new Owner, as described above. In contrast, a Beneficiary who is not recognized as a spouse of the deceased Owner generally must surrender the Contract within 5 or 10 years of the Owner’s death, or take distributions from the Contract over the Beneficiary’s life or life expectancy, beginning within one year of the deceased Owner’s death, with the applicable rules different depending on whether the Contract is a Non-Qualified Contract or a Qualified Contract.

U.S. Treasury Department regulations provide that for federal tax purposes, the term "spouse" does not include individuals (whether of the opposite sex or the same sex) who have entered into a registered domestic partnership, civil union, or other similar formal relationship that is not denominated as a marriage under the laws of the state where the relationship was entered into, regardless of domicile. As a result, if a Beneficiary of a deceased Owner and the Owner were parties to such a relationship, the Beneficiary will be required by federal tax law to take distributions from the Contract in the manner applicable to non-spouse Beneficiaries and will not be able to continue the Contract.

If you have questions concerning your status as a spouse for federal tax purposes and how that status might affect your rights under the Contract, you should consult your legal adviser.

This Contract offers two different death benefits: (1) the Contract Value Death Benefit and (2) the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit. These death benefits are described more completely below. The Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit may not be available through your broker-dealer.

You must determine the type of death benefit you want when you apply for your Contract. You may not change your death benefit selection after your Contract is issued. The Contract Value Death Benefit is included with your Contract at no additional charge. You may select the optional Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit for an additional fee.

You should carefully consider each of these death benefits and consult a qualified financial advisor to help you carefully consider the two death benefits offered with the Contract, and if you select the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit, the relative costs, benefits and risks of the fee options in your particular situation.

Contract Value Death Benefit

The Contract Value Death Benefit will equal the Contract Value.

Optional Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit

The Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit will equal the greater of (1) the Contract Value, or (2) the aggregate Purchase Payments less an adjustment for each withdrawal provided however, that the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit will never be more than the Contract Value plus $1,000,000. The adjustment for each withdrawal in item (2) is the amount that reduces the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit at the time of the withdrawal in the same proportion that the amount withdrawn, including any associated surrender charges, reduces the Contract Value. If the value of the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit is greater than the Contract Value at the time of the withdrawal, the downward adjustment to the death benefit will be larger than the amount withdrawn. See Appendix A for an example of the calculation of the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit.

It is possible that, at the time of an Owner's death, the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit will be no greater than the Contract Value Death Benefit. You should consult a financial advisor to carefully consider this possibility and the cost of the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit before you decide whether the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit is right for you.

Suspension of Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit. For a period of one year after any change of ownership involving a natural person, the death benefit will equal the Contract Value, less any applicable premium tax, regardless of the type of death benefit that was selected. We will, however, continue to assess the death benefit fee during this period. During the one-year suspension period, we will continue to calculate the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit; however, if any Owner dies during this period we will only pay the Contract Value less any applicable premium tax as of the end of the Valuation Period during which we receive Due Proof of Death at our Administrative Office. This means if death occurs after the one-year period has ended, we will include Purchase Payments received and withdrawals made during the one-year suspension when calculating the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit.

Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit Fee

We assess a fee for the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit. If you select this death benefit, you must pay a fee based on the value of the death benefit on the day the fee is assessed. This fee is assessed on a monthly basis. (See "CHARGES AND DEDUCTIONS, Death Benefit Fee.") It is possible that this fee (or some portion thereof) could be treated for federal tax purposes as a withdrawal from the Contract. (See "FEDERAL TAX MATTERS.")

Every state has unclaimed property laws which generally declare annuity contracts to be abandoned after a period of inactivity of 3 to 5 years from the contract's annuity commencement date or date the death benefit is due and payable. For example, if the payment of a death benefit has been triggered, but, if after a thorough search, we are still unable to locate the beneficiary of the death benefit, or the beneficiary does not come forward to claim the death benefit in a timely manner, the death benefit will be paid to the abandoned property division or unclaimed property office of the state in which the beneficiary or the Owner last resided, as shown on our books and records, or to our state of domicile. Once the death benefit has been paid or "escheated" to the state, however, your designated beneficiary may submit a claim to the state for payment of those funds. The state is obligated to pay the death benefit (without interest) if your beneficiary steps forward to claim the death benefit with the proper documentation. To prevent such escheatment, it is important that you update your beneficiary designations, including addresses, if and as they change. Such updates should be communicated in writing, by telephone, or other approved electronic means to our Administrative Office.

Under the Allocation Adjustment Program, we will monitor the performance of each Sub-Account in which you invest other than the Unmonitored Sub-Accounts identified below. If, on any Monthly Anniversary Date, the Accumulation Unit value of a Sub-Account is the same as or drops below a specified level, the Sub-Account will be temporarily "restricted" from allocations of Purchase Payments and Contract Value and we will transfer all existing Contract Value in the Sub-Account to the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account. The Sub-Account will remain restricted until the Sub-Account's Accumulation Unit value is greater than the specified level on a future Monthly Anniversary Date. By participating in this risk-mitigating program, you may be less susceptible to the impact of volatile market fluctuations in the value of Sub-Account Accumulation Units. However, we make no guarantee that this program will protect against loss. Also, this program may limit increases in your Contract Value during periods of growth in the market.

The Allocation Adjustment Program is optional and is available at no additional charge. You must elect whether you will or will not participate in the Allocation Adjustment Program when you purchase the Contract. If you do not indicate your election on your application, we will treat the application as incomplete. If you are enrolled in the Allocation Adjustment Program, you may subsequently suspend your participation in the Program.

Under the Allocation Adjustment Program, we calculate a 12-month Simple Moving Average ("SMA") for each Sub-Account on each Monthly Anniversary Date. Each Sub-Account's SMA is the average Accumulation Unit value for that Sub-Account based on its Accumulation Unit value on the Monthly Anniversary Date and each of the last 11 Monthly Anniversary Dates.

• For example, assume a Sub-Account's Accumulation Unit values were $4.19, 3.81, 3.29, 2.98, 3.15, 3.33, 2.94, 3.73, 4.53, 5.35, 5.41, and 5.76 on each of the 12 most recent Monthly Anniversary Dates. Based on these Accumulation Unit values, its SMA on the most recent Monthly Anniversary Dates would be $4.04 (the sum of the 12 most recent Monthly Anniversary Dates' Accumulation Unit values divided by 12).

If a Sub-Account has not been in existence for 12 months, we will calculate the SMA using the net asset value of the Fund in which the Sub-Account invests, adjusted for Contract charges and expenses, for each month no Accumulation Unit value is available.

If any Monthly Anniversary Date is not a Valuation Date, we will effect the changes described herein as of the next Valuation Date.

Once we calculate a Sub-Account's SMA on a Monthly Anniversary Date, we then compare that SMA to the Sub-Account's Accumulation Unit value on that Monthly Anniversary Date. If the Sub-Account's current Accumulation Unit value is equal to or less than the Sub-Account's SMA on that date, then we will consider the Sub-Account to be temporarily restricted. This means:

• On that Monthly Anniversary Date, we will transfer any Contract Value you have in the restricted Sub-Account to the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account;
• You may not allocate Purchase Payments or transfer Contract Value into a restricted Sub-Account;
• If we receive instructions from you on or after that Monthly Anniversary Date requesting an allocation or transfer to the restricted Sub-Account, we will allocate or transfer the requested amount to the restricted Sub-Account, and then immediately transfer the amount to the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account;
• When effecting periodic portfolio rebalancing (if elected), we will "re-balance" your Variable Account value according to your most recent allocation instructions, but will include the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account in place of the restricted Sub-Account; and
• Any automatic transfers from the DCA Account to the restricted Sub-Account will be redirected to the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account.

You may submit new allocation instructions to allocate additional Purchase Payments, rebalance your Contract Value, and apply automatic DCA transfers to any non-restricted Sub-Accounts.

If you wish to transfer all or part of your Contract Value in the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account to an unrestricted Sub-Account, you must submit new allocation instructions. If we receive a transfer request that does not include allocation instructions, then we will consider the request to not be in Good Order and we will not process the transfer. When we receive a transfer request in Good Order, we will effect a one-time reallocation of your Contract Value in accordance with these instructions (in other words, we will allocate your Contract Value among the Investment Options in the percentages you specify). To the extent your new allocation instructions include allocations to a restricted Sub-Account, that portion of your contract value will remain in the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account until the Sub-Account is no longer restricted under the Allocation Adjustment Program. Following this reallocation, we will consider these instructions to be the Contract's allocation instructions, and use them when allocating additional Purchase Payments and rebalancing your Contract Value (if you have elected portfolio rebalancing), unless you submit new allocation instructions.

We will no longer consider a Sub-Account to be restricted when, on a subsequent Monthly Anniversary Date, the Sub-Account's Accumulation Unit value is greater than its 12-month SMA. When that occurs, we will immediately transfer any Contract Value in the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account attributable to the previously restricted Sub-Account back to the previously restricted Sub-Account based on your current allocation percentages. At this time you also may resume allocating Purchase Payments and transferring Contract Value into the previously restricted Sub-Account, and we will resume any automated transactions involving the previously restricted Sub-Account.

You must elect whether you will or will not participate in the Allocation Adjustment Program when you purchase the Contract. If you do not indicate your election on your application, we will treat the application as incomplete. We will not issue your Contract unless we have this information (see "Issuance of a Contract"). If you elect not to participate in the Allocation Adjustment Program when you purchase your Contract, you may enroll in the Program at any time before the Annuity Date by sending us Written Notice. If you participate in the Allocation Adjustment Program, we will monitor the performance of all Sub-Accounts in which you invest, other than any Unmonitored Sub-Accounts.

Your participation in the program will begin as of the end of the Valuation Period during which we receive your Written Notice to enroll in the program. If that day is a Monthly Anniversary Date, we will compare each Sub-Account's Accumulation Unit value as of that date to its 12-month SMA as of that date. If that day is not a Monthly Anniversary Date, we will compare each Sub-Account's Accumulation Unit value to its 12-month SMA as of the most recent prior Monthly Anniversary Date. If necessary, the 12-month SMA calculation will include months that occur prior to the Issue Date. If after making these comparisons we determine that a Sub-Account in which you are currently invested is restricted, we will take the actions described above, including transferring any Contract Value in that Sub-Account to the the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account.

Note: Investing in Sub-Accounts that experience higher volatility, and therefore more volatile Accumulation Unit values, may increase the likelihood of those Sub-Accounts being restricted from investment. Therefore, the Allocation Adjustment Program may not be consistent with an aggressive investment strategy. You should consult with your registered representative to determine if this program is consistent with your investment objectives.

You should not view the Allocation Adjustment Program as a "market timing" or other type of investment program designed to enhance your earnings under the Contract. If we transfer Contract Value from one or more Sub-Accounts to the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account during a market downturn, your Contract Value will not be available to participate in any upside potential if there is a subsequent recovery until the next Monthly Anniversary when the Accumulation Unit Value of the Sub-Account rises above the SMA. Please see Appendix E in this Prospectus for an example of the Allocation Adjustment Program.

The Allocation Adjustment Program ceases when we receive Due Proof of Death of the Owner at our Administrative Office. This means that we will no longer monitor the performance of the Sub-Accounts, and the Sub-Accounts can no longer be "restricted" from allocations of Contract Value based on the 12-month SMA. When Due Proof of Death is received at our Administrative Office, any Contract Value in the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account attributable to a restricted Sub-Account will remain in that Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account and will not be transferred back to the previously restricted Sub-Account when that Sub-Account is no longer restricted.

We will not assess a transfer charge on transfers made pursuant to the Allocation Adjustment Program or count such transfers towards the 12 transfers allowed each Contract Year without charge. We will provide a written confirmation to you of any transfer or other allocation made pursuant to the Allocation Adjustment Program.

We reserve the right to use a different mathematical model for Contracts we issue in the future. We reserve the right to terminate the Allocation Adjustment Program at any time in our sole discretion by prior written notice.

Unmonitored Sub-Accounts

We determine in our sole discretion whether we will monitor the performance of a Sub-Account under the Allocation Adjustment Program. We currently do not monitor the following Sub-Accounts:

We may change the list of Unmonitored Sub-Accounts at any time, in our sole discretion. We will provide you with written notice of any such changes.

You may instruct us by Written Notice to suspend your participation in the Allocation Adjustment Program at any time. We will end your participation in the program and remove any restrictions on Sub-Accounts as of the end of the Valuation Period during which we receive your Written Notice. You must provide Written Notice requesting the transfer of any Contract Value in the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account to another Investment Option. If you do not provide us with such instructions, any Contract Value allocated to the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account on the suspension date will remain there until you instruct us otherwise. You may later elect to begin participating in the Allocation Adjustment Program at any time prior to the Annuity Date if the program is available at that time. We reserve the right to limit the number of times you may begin participating in the Allocation Adjustment Program following suspension.

We will terminate your participation in the Allocation Adjustment Program and remove any restrictions on Sub-Accounts upon the earliest of:

1. the Valuation Date the Contract is surrendered or terminated;
2. the Annuity Date;
3. the Valuation Date a rider that includes an allocation adjustment program is made a part of your Contract; or
4. the Valuation Date we decide to no longer offer the Allocation Adjustment Program.

Following termination of the Allocation Adjustment Program, you must provide Written Notice requesting the transfer of any Contract Value in the the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account to another Investment Option. If you do not provide us with such instructions, any Contract Value allocated to the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account on the termination date will remain there until you instruct us otherwise.

Payments of a withdrawal or surrender of the Variable Account value or death benefit are usually made within seven (7) calendar days. However, we may delay such payment of a withdrawal or surrender of the Variable Account value or death benefit for any period in the following circumstances where permitted by state law:

1. when the New York Stock Exchange is closed other than the customary weekend and holiday closures;
2. when trading on the New York Stock Exchange is restricted;
3. when an emergency exists (as determined by the SEC as a result of which (a) the disposal of securities in the Variable Account is not reasonably practical; or (b) it is not reasonably practical to determine fairly the value of the net assets of the Variable Account);
4. when the SEC, by order, so permits for the protection of security holders; or
5. your premium check has not cleared your bank.

If, pursuant to SEC rules, the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio suspends payment of redemption proceeds in connection with a liquidation of the Fund, we will delay payment of any transfer, withdrawal, surrender, or death benefit from the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account until the Fund is liquidated. We will also delay execution of the following: (a) transfers and variable income payments from the Variable Account; (b) variable income payments from the Invesco V.I. U.S. Government Money Portfolio Sub-Account; and (c) transfers, fixed income payments, and payment of death benefit from the Guaranteed Account.

We may delay payment of a withdrawal or surrender from the Guaranteed Account for up to six months where permitted.

If mandated under applicable law, we may be required to reject a Purchase Payment. We also may be required to provide additional information about you and your account to government regulators or law enforcement authorities. In addition, we may be required to block an Owner's account and thereby refuse to pay any request for transfers, withdrawals, surrenders, or death benefits until instructions are received from the appropriate regulator or law enforcement authorities.

General

We do not deduct any charge for sales expenses from Purchase Payments at the time you make them. However, within certain time limits described below, we deduct a surrender charge (contingent deferred sales charge) from the Contract Value when you make a surrender or withdrawal before the Annuity Date or when you fully or partially surrender your Contract for a commuted value while variable income payments under Annuity Option A (payments for a certain period) are being made. (See "Annuitization, Annuity Date."). We do not apply the surrender charge to the payment of a death benefit or when we apply your Annuity Value to an Annuity Option.

The surrender charge reimburses us for expenses related to sales and distribution of the Contract, including commissions, marketing materials, and other promotional expenses. In the event surrender charges are not sufficient to cover sales expenses, we will bear the loss; conversely, if the amount of such charges provides more than enough to cover such expenses, we will retain the excess. Protective Life does not currently believe that the surrender charges imposed will cover the expected costs of distributing the Contracts. Any shortfall will be made up from Protective Life's general assets, which may include amounts derived from the mortality and expense risk charge.

Free Withdrawal Amount

Each Contract Year you may withdraw a specified amount, called the "free withdrawal amount", from your Contract without incurring a surrender charge. During the first Contract Year the free withdrawal amount is equal to 10% of your initial Purchase Payment. In any subsequent Contract Year the free withdrawal amount is equal to the greatest of: (1) the earnings in your Contract as of the prior Contract Anniversary; (2) 10% of your cumulative Purchase Payments as of the prior Contract Anniversary; or (3) 10% of the Contract Value as of the prior Contract Anniversary. For the purpose of determining the free withdrawal amount, earnings equal the Contract Value minus the Purchase Payments not previously assessed with a surrender charge, both measured as of the Contract Anniversary for which values are being determined. Withdrawals in excess of the free withdrawal amount in any Contract Year may be subject to surrender charges. Withdrawals, including withdrawals of the free withdrawal amount, may be subject to income taxation and may be subject to a 10% federal penalty tax if taken before the Owner reaches age 59-1/2. (See "TAXATION OF ANNUITIES IN GENERAL, Taxation of Withdrawals and Surrenders.")

Determining the Surrender Charge

We calculate the surrender charge in the following manner:

1. We deduct any available free withdrawal amount from the requested withdrawal amount;
2. We allocate any withdrawal amount in excess of any free withdrawal amount to Purchase Payments (or portions of Purchase Payments) not previously assessed a surrender charge on a "first-in, first-out" (FIFO) basis; and
3. If there is still a portion of the withdrawal amount that has not been allocated (which may occur if the amount withdrawn exceeds the free withdrawal amount plus Purchase Payments not previously assessed a surrender charge, for example, if there has been gain in the Contract Value since the previous Contract Anniversary), then we will allocate this remaining amount pro-rata to such Purchase Payments.

The surrender charge is the total of each of these allocated amounts multiplied by its applicable surrender charge percentage, as shown below. If, at the time of withdrawal, all Purchase Payments have already been withdrawn from the Contract, then we will apply the surrender charge percentage associated with the most recent Purchase Payment we accepted to the amount withdrawn (in excess of any free withdrawal amount).

Refer to Appendix B for an example of how the surrender charge is calculated.

We will monitor the amount of the surrender charge we assess such that the amount of any surrender charge we impose, when added to any surrender charge previously paid on the Contract, will not exceed nine percent (9%) of aggregate Purchase Payments made to date for your Contract.

Deduction of the Surrender Charge on Withdrawals

We will deduct the surrender charge associated with a withdrawal either from the amount withdrawn (a "gross" withdrawal) or from your remaining Contract Value (a "net" withdrawal), based on your instructions.

• In a "gross" withdrawal, you request a specific withdrawal amount, and we reduce that amount by the amount of the surrender charge. Therefore, you will receive less than the dollar amount of the withdrawal you requested.
• In a "net" withdrawal, you request a specific withdrawal amount, and we deduct the surrender charge from your remaining Contract Value by withdrawing the charge from the Investment Options in which you invest in the same proportion as the withdrawal upon which the charge is assessed. Therefore, we will deduct a larger amount from your Contract Value than the withdrawal amount you specified.

If you choose to have us withhold for taxes, we will reduce the amount we pay you by the amount we withhold.

If you do not indicate whether you would like a "gross" or a "net" withdrawal when you submit your withdrawal request, then we will process your withdrawal request as a gross withdrawal.

Waiver of Surrender Charges

We will waive any applicable surrender charge if, at any time after the first Contract Year:

1. you are first diagnosed as having a terminal illness by a physician who is not related to you or the Annuitant; or,
2. you enter, for a period of at least ninety (90) days, a facility which is both
1. licensed by the state or operated pursuant to state law; and
2. qualified as a skilled nursing home facility under Medicare or Medicaid.

The term "terminal illness" means that you are diagnosed as having a non-correctable medical condition that, with a reasonable degree of medical certainty, will result in your death in 12 months or less. A "physician" is a medical doctor licensed by a state's Board of Medical Examiners, or similar authority in the United States, acting within the scope of his or her license. You must submit written proof satisfactory to us of a terminal illness or nursing home confinement. We reserve the right to require an examination by a physician of our choice at our expense.

Once we have granted the waiver of surrender charges under the provision described above, no surrender charges will apply to the Contract in the future and we will accept no additional Purchase Payments. If any Owner is not an individual, the waiver of surrender charge provision described above will apply to the Annuitant. For a period of one year after any change of ownership involving a natural person, we will not waive the surrender charges under the provision described above. If the surrender charge is waived, payments will still be treated as withdrawals for tax purposes. (See "FEDERAL TAX MATTERS.")

We will not apply a surrender charge if you fully surrender your Contract when the Contract Value is 25% or less of the value of the death benefit.

We may decrease or waive surrender charges on Contracts issued to a trustee, employer or similar entity pursuant to a retirement plan or when sales are made in a similar arrangement where offering the Contracts to a group of individuals under such a program results in savings of sales expenses, or where the sponsor of a Qualified Plan determines to surrender a Qualified Contract when there has been a modification to the Investment Options available under the Contract. We will determine the entitlement to such a reduction in surrender charge.

We may also waive surrender charges on withdrawals taken as a minimum distribution required under federal or state tax laws on amounts attributable to Protective Life annuity contracts. (See "QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLANS.") During any Contract Year, the total amount of such withdrawals will reduce the free withdrawal amount available on any subsequent withdrawal.

We also may waive surrender charges (1) for Contracts issued in connection with fee-only arrangements between the purchaser and the registered representative of the selling broker-dealer and (2) for Contracts issued to employees and registered representatives of any member of the selling group, or to officers, directors, trustees or bona-fide full time employees of Protective Life or the investment advisors of any of the Funds or their affiliated companies (based upon the Owner's status at the time the Contract is purchased). In either case, no marketing expenses or sales commissions are associated with such Contracts.

To compensate Protective Life for assuming mortality and expense risks, we deduct a daily mortality and expense risk charge. We deduct the mortality and expense risk charge only from the Variable Account. The charge is equal, on an annual basis, to 0.90% of the average daily net assets of the Variable Account attributable to your Contract.

The mortality risk Protective Life assumes is that Annuitant(s) may live for a longer period of time than estimated when the guarantees in the Contract were established. Because of these guarantees, each payee is assured that longevity will not have an adverse effect on the annuity payments received. The expense risk that Protective Life assumes is the risk that the administration charge, contract maintenance fee and transfer fees may be insufficient to cover actual future expenses. We expect to make a reasonable profit with respect to the Contracts. We may make a profit or incur a loss from the mortality and expense risk charge. Any profit, including profit from the mortality and expense risk charge, may be used to finance distribution and other expenses.

We will deduct an administration charge equal, on an annual basis, to 0.10% of the daily net asset value of the Variable Account attributable to your Contract. We make this deduction to reimburse Protective Life for expenses incurred in the administration of the Contract and the Variable Account. We deduct the administration charge only from the Variable Account value.

If you select the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit, we assess a death benefit fee to compensate us for the cost of providing this death benefit. (There is no fee for the Contract Value Death Benefit.) We calculate the death benefit fee as of each Monthly Anniversary Date on which the fee is assessed, and we deduct it from your Contract Value on the next Valuation Date. We will deduct the death benefit fee pro-rata from the Investment Options (i.e., in the same proportion that each Investment Option has to Contract Value). The deduction of the death benefit fee will reduce your Contract Value, but it will not otherwise reduce the value of your Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit. We deduct this fee whether or not the value of the death benefit is greater than the Contract Value on the Contract Anniversary the fee is deducted. It is possible that this fee (or some portion thereof) could be treated for federal tax purposes as a withdrawal from the Contract. (See "FEDERAL TAX MATTERS.") We do not assess the death benefit fee after the Annuity Date.

The fee is equal, on an annualized basis, to 0.20% of your annualized death benefit value measured on each Monthly Anniversary Date. The value of your Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit on any Monthly Anniversary Date is the greater of (1) your Contract Value or (2) your adjusted aggregate Purchase Payments, less an adjustment for each withdrawal, provided however, that the Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit will never be more than the Contract Value plus $1,000,000. (See "DEATH BENEFIT, Return of Purchase Payments Death Benefit" for a more complete description.) For example, if on a Monthly Anniversary Date your Contract Value equals $125,000 and your adjusted aggregate Purchase Payments equal $100,000, the fee we deduct on that day will be based on your Contract Value of $125,000. Alternatively, if your Contract Value equals only $95,000 and your adjusted aggregate Purchase Payments equal $100,000, the fee we deduct on that day will be based on your adjusted aggregate Purchase Payments of $100,000.

Currently, there is no charge for transfers. Protective Life reserves the right, however, to charge $25 for each transfer after the first 12 transfers in any Contract Year if Protective Life determines, in its sole discretion, that the number of transfers or the cost of processing such transfers is excessive. We will give written notice thirty (30) days before we impose a transfer fee or limit the number of transfers. For the purpose of assessing the fee, we would consider each request to be one transfer, regardless of the number of Investment Options affected by the transfer in one day. We would deduct the fee from the amount being transferred.

Prior to the Annuity Date, we deduct a contract maintenance fee of $35 from the Contract Value on each Contract Anniversary, and on any day that you surrender the Contract other than the Contract Anniversary. We will deduct the contract maintenance fee from the Investment Options in the same proportion as their values are to the Contract Value. We will waive the contract maintenance fee in the event the Contract Value or the aggregate Purchase Payments reduced by surrenders and associated surrender charges (if applicable) equals or exceeds $100,000 on the date we are to deduct the contract maintenance fee.