VAN ECK WORLDWIDE INSURANCE TRUST
                                 99 PARK AVENUE
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10016


May 25, 2005


VIA EDGAR
- ---------

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549

      Re:  Van Eck Worldwide Insurance Trust
           File Nos. 033-13019 and 811-05083
           Request for Withdrawal of Post-Effective Amendment No. 24
           ---------------------------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      Pursuant to Rule 477(a) under the  Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933  Act"),  Van Eck  Worldwide  Insurance  Trust (the  "Trust")  requests the
withdrawal  of  Post-Effective  Amendment  No.  24 to the  Trust's  Registration
Statement on Form N-1A filed with the U.S.  Securities  and Exchange  Commission
(the  "SEC")  on  July  25,  2003  (Accession  No.   0000930413-03-002295)  (the
"Amendment").

      The Trust filed the  Amendment  with the SEC pursuant to Rule 485(a) under
the 1933 Act with a proposed  effective  date of September 23, 2003. The purpose
of the  Amendment  was to  register a new class of shares,  the S class,  of the
Worldwide Hard Assets Fund. The Trust is requesting  withdrawal of the Amendment
because the Trust did not proceed  with the offering of the new class of shares,
and shares  using the form of  prospectus  filed with the  Amendment  were never
sold.

      The Trust hereby requests that an order be issued granting its request for
withdrawal of the Amendment as soon as is practicable.


                                            Very truly yours,

                                            /s/ Patricia A. Maxey

                                            Patricia A. Maxey
                                            Vice President and Secretary