<ARTICLE>                                           7
<LEGEND>
This  schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
consolidated  financial  statements of Protective Life Insurance  Company and is
qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                              1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                   MAR-31-1997
<DEBT-HELD-FOR-SALE>                           4,674,781
<DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE>                          0
<DEBT-MARKET-VALUE>                            0
<EQUITIES>                                     37,255
<MORTGAGE>                                     1,580,600
<REAL-ESTATE>                                  11,641
<TOTAL-INVEST>                                 6,570,685
<CASH>                                         35,801
<RECOVER-REINSURE>                             335,838
<DEFERRED-ACQUISITION>                         502,392
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 8,205,039
<POLICY-LOSSES>                                2,472,301
<UNEARNED-PREMIUMS>                            249,955
<POLICY-OTHER>                                 0
<POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS>                          146,076
<NOTES-PAYABLE>                                0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          2
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       5,000
<OTHER-SE>                                     754,531
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   8,205,039
<PREMIUMS>                                     120,377
<INVESTMENT-INCOME>                            123,596
<INVESTMENT-GAINS>                             (418)
<OTHER-INCOME>                                 807
<BENEFITS>                                     157,702
<UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION>                    20,827
<UNDERWRITING-OTHER>                           32,081
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                33,752
<INCOME-TAX>                                   11,571
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            22,181
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   22,181
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0<F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0<F1>
<RESERVE-OPEN>                                 0
<PROVISION-CURRENT>                            0
<PROVISION-PRIOR>                              0
<PAYMENTS-CURRENT>                             0
<PAYMENTS-PRIOR>                               0
<RESERVE-CLOSE>                                0
<CUMULATIVE-DEFICIENCY>                        0
<FN>
<F1>Protective Life Insurance Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Protective
Life Corporation (NYSE: PL) and is not required to present EPS information.
</FN>