[JOHN HANCOCK GRAPHIC APPEARS HERE]
John Hancock Variable Life Insurance Company
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DEATH BENEFIT ENHANCEMENT RIDER
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This rider is made a part of the contract to which it is attached, in
consideration of any charges deducted for this rider as shown in Section 1 of
the contract. Without our prior approval, this rider may not be issued
subsequent to the Date of Issue of the contract.
If this rider attaches to a certificate issued under a group master policy, the
term "Owner" as used in this rider refers to the Participant and the term
"contract" as used in this rider refers to the certificate.
The Owner on the Date of Issue of this Rider and any charges for this rider are
as shown in Section 1 of the contract. The Date of Issue of this Rider is the
Date of Issue of the contract to which it is attached, unless a different Date
of Issue of this Rider is shown in Section 1 of the contract.
Without our prior approval, you may not change the Owner for this contract once
this rider is selected. Any contrary terms under the contract are superseded by
the terms of this rider.
BENEFIT
The Death Benefit provision of the contract, Section 9, is superseded by the
following:
We agree to pay the Death Benefit to the Beneficiary, subject to the terms and
conditions of this rider and the contract, according to the following chart.
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SCENARIO DEATH BENEFIT PAID ON... MEASURING LIFE...
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. Single Owner . First death . First to die
. Single Annuitant
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. Joint Owners . First death . Oldest Owner if any
. Single Annuitant Owner dies
. Annuitant if
Annuitant who is not
an Owner dies
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. Single Owner . Earliest of Owner death . Owner if Owner dies
. Joint Annuitants (whether or not an (whether or not an
Annuitant) or last Annuitant)
Annuitant death . Youngest Annuitant
if last Annuitant to
die is not an Owner
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. Joint Owners . Earliest of first Owner . Oldest Owner if any
. Joint Annuitants death (whether or not an Owner dies (whether
Annuitant) or last or not an Annuitant)
Annuitant death . Youngest Annuitant
if last Annuitant to
die is not an Owner
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The Measuring Life listed above is used in determining the Death Benefit to be
paid under this rider, according to the following paragraph.
Upon receipt of due proof of the decedent's death and any other required
materials that we need to pay out the Death Benefit, we will pay the Death
Benefit to the Beneficiary. The Death Benefit will equal the greatest of: (i)
the Accumulated Value of the contract, adjusted by any Market Value Adjustment,
as of the date of receipt of due proof of the decedent's death; (ii) the amount
of premiums paid, each accumulated at the effective annual rate of 5% from the
date of payment to the date of receipt of due proof of the decedent's death and
preceding the contract anniversary nearest the Measuring Life's 81st birthday
minus the amount of all partial withdrawals made, each accumulated at the
effective annual rate of 5% from the date of withdrawal to the date of receipt
of due proof of the decedent's death and preceding the contract anniversary
nearest the Measuring Life's 81st birthday; and (iii) the Accumulated Value of
the contract, adjusted by any Market Value Adjustment, as of any contract
anniversary preceding the date of receipt of due proof of the decedent's death
and preceding the contract anniversary nearest the Measuring Life's 81st
birthday plus any premiums paid less any partial withdrawals made since such
contract anniversary.
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RIGHT OF CONTRACT CONTINUATION BY SPOUSE
If the decedent is the Owner (or Owner/Annuitant) and the Beneficiary is solely
the spouse of the Owner (or Owner/Annuitant), the Spousal Beneficiary may elect
to continue the contract, with or without this rider in his or her own name. In
order to continue this rider, the spouse must meet the age requirements in
effect at the time of continuation. If an election is made to continue the
contract (with or without this rider) we will set the new Account Value equal to
the Death Benefit on the date we receive due proof of the decedent's death. The
new Account Value will be allocated to the investment options in the same ratio
investment allocations held at the time of the death benefit calculation. Any
additional amount credited will not be subject to any future surrender or
withdrawal charges.
If an election is made to continue this rider:
. the Spousal Beneficiary will be considered the "Owner" under the rider,
. a second Death Benefit may be paid upon the death before the Maturity Date
of the next applicable life (as determined under this rider),
. the new Account Value upon the date of continuation will be treated as the
initial premium paid in any subsequent calculation of a second Death
Benefit, and
. o for tax purposes, the original decedent's cost basis will be used.
We reserve the right to adjust the charge for this rider if continued by the
spouse.
If the Beneficiary is not the spouse of the Owner, or if the Beneficiary is the
spouse of the Owner but does not choose to continue the contract, we must pay,
in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code, the Death Benefit in full to the
Beneficiary within five years of the Owner's death or apply the Accumulated
Value in full towards the purchase of a life annuity for the Beneficiary with
payments beginning within one year of the Owner's death.
TERMINATION
This Rider will terminate and the Death Benefit provision appearing in the
contract will become effective upon the earlier of:
(i) receipt of written notice at our Servicing Office that the Owner
elects to terminate this Rider;
(ii) the Date of Maturity;
(iii) the date the contract is surrendered;
(iv) without or prior approval, assignment or transfer of ownership of the
contract (unless a Spousal Beneficiary elects to continue the rider
under the provisions above);
(v) payment of the Death Benefit (unless a Spousal Beneficiary elects to
continue the rider under the provisions above).
Signed for the Company at Boston, Massachusetts.
Secretary
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