TIAA-CREF Life Insurance 10-K 2008 FY Annual report

Exhibit 32.1

CERTIFICATION OF PRINCIPLE EXECUTIVE OFFICER PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,

AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION 906

OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

In connection with the Annual Report of TIAA-CREF Life Insurance Company (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2008, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Eric T. Jones, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. section 1350, as adopted pursuant to section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:

(1) The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

(2) The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.

Date: March 27, 2009	/s/ ERICT.JONES
	Eric T. Jones
	Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, TIAA-CREF Life Insurance