<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-31-1998       
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1998       
<PERIOD-END>                                   MAR-31-1998       
<DEBT-HELD-FOR-SALE>                           6,271,780         
<DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE>                          0                 
<DEBT-MARKET-VALUE>                            0                 
<EQUITIES>                                     13,130            
<MORTGAGE>                                     1,368,566         
<REAL-ESTATE>                                  13,185            
<TOTAL-INVEST>                                 8,054,481         
<CASH>                                         0                 
<RECOVER-REINSURE>                             584,220           
<DEFERRED-ACQUISITION>                         652,709           
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 10,613,560        
<POLICY-LOSSES>                                3,428,924         
<UNEARNED-PREMIUMS>                            388,323           
<POLICY-OTHER>                                 0                                     
<POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS>                          166,121           
<NOTES-PAYABLE>                                0                 
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0                
<PREFERRED>                                    2                 
<COMMON>                                       5,000             
<OTHER-SE>                                     1,040,798         
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   10,613,560        
<PREMIUMS>                                     136,867           
<INVESTMENT-INCOME>                            149,241           
<INVESTMENT-GAINS>                             11                
<OTHER-INCOME>                                 3,840             
<BENEFITS>                                     180,390              
<UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION>                    24,827            
<UNDERWRITING-OTHER>                           42,755            
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                41,987            
<INCOME-TAX>                                   15,244            
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            26,743            
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0                 
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0                 
<CHANGES>                                      0                 
<NET-INCOME>                                   26,743            
<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>