EX-8
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LONDON WASHINGTON, D.C.
October 15, 2004
Hartford Life Insurance Company
200 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury, Connecticut 06089
Re: HARTFORD LIFE GLOBAL FUNDING TRUST 2004-005 $300,000,000
EXTENDIBLE FLOATING RATE NOTES DUE OCTOBER 15, 2006
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This opinion letter is delivered to you in connection with the issuance
by Hartford Life Global Funding Trust 2004-005 (the "Trust") of $300,000,000
aggregate principal amount of the Trust's Extendible Floating Rate Notes Due
October 15, 2006 (the "Notes") related to funding agreement No. FA-404005 (the
"Funding Agreement") executed by Hartford Life Insurance Company, a Connecticut
life insurance company ("Hartford Life"). The Trust was formed on October 5,
2004 (the "Formation Date") and the Notes will be issued on October 15, 2004
(the "Issuance Date").
With your consent, we have acted as special tax counsel to Hartford
Life and as counsel to ABN AMRO Incorporated, in connection with the preparation
and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), by Hartford Life, of a
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File Nos. 333-112244) filed with the
Commission on January 27, 2004, as amended by Amendment No. 1 filed with the
Commission on March 16, 2004, Amendment No. 2 filed with the Commission on May
4, 2004 and Amendment No. 3 filed with the Commission on July 27, 2004 (the
"Registration Statement"), including a prospectus dated September 7, 2004 (the
"Prospectus") relating to secured notes to be issued by newly formed statutory
trusts formed under the laws of the State of Delaware and a prospectus
supplement dated September 7, 2004 relating to Hartford Life Secured Medium-Term
Notes to be issued by the trusts (the "Institutional Prospectus Supplement").
The Registration Statement provides for: (i) the registration of up to
$2,000,000,000, or the equivalent amount in one or more foreign currencies,
aggregate principal amount of notes to be issued by the trusts and (ii) the
registration of up to $2,000,000,000, or the equivalent amount in one or more
foreign currencies, of Hartford Life's funding agreements to be sold to the
trusts in connection with the sale of notes.
SIDLEY AUSTIN BROWN & WOOD LLP NEW YORK
Hartford Life Insurance Company
October 15, 2004
Page 2
In furnishing this opinion, we have reviewed: (i) the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, the Institutional Prospectus Supplement and the
pricing supplement related to the Notes (the "Pricing Supplement"), dated as of
the Formation Date, (ii) the trust agreement, dated as of the Formation Date
(the "Trust Agreement"), between Wilmington Trust Company, as trustee, and
AMACAR Pacific Corp., as trust beneficial owner, which adopts and incorporates
the standard trust terms dated July 23, 2004, (iii) the indenture, dated as of
the Issuance Date (the "Indenture"), between JPMorgan Chase Bank, as indenture
trustee, and the Trust, which adopts and incorporates the standard indenture
terms dated July 23, 2004, (iv) the distribution agreement, dated as of the
Formation Date (the "Distribution Agreement"), between Hartford Life, Bear
Stearns & Co. Inc., on behalf of itself and each of the other agents, and the
Trust, which adopts and incorporates the standard distribution agreement terms
dated July 23, 2004, (v) the omnibus instrument, dated as of the Formation Date,
which includes the Trust Agreement, Indenture and Distribution Agreement
executed in connection with the creation of the Trust and the issuance by the
Trust of the Notes, (vi) the closing instrument, dated as of the Issuance Date,
related to the Trust, (vii) the Notes, (viii) the Funding Agreement and (ix)
such other records, documents, certificates or other instruments as in our
judgment were necessary or appropriate to enable us to render the opinion
expressed below. We have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to
us as originals, the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all
natural persons and the conformity with the original documents of any copies
submitted to us for our examination. We have also assumed that the transactions
described in the Registration Statement are performed in the manner described
therein.
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the limitations, qualifications
and assumptions set forth herein, the discussions set forth in the Institutional
Prospectus Supplement under the heading "Material United States Federal Income
Tax Considerations" and in the Pricing Supplement under the heading "Special Tax
Considerations, Relating to the Notes" to the extent describing matters of
United States federal income tax law or legal conclusions with respect thereto,
is our opinion.
In rendering the opinion set forth above, we have considered the
applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), regulations promulgated thereunder by the United States Treasury
Department (the "Regulations"), pertinent judicial authorities, rulings and
other administrative interpretations of the Internal Revenue Service and such
other authorities as we have considered relevant. It should be noted that the
Code, the Regulations and such judicial authorities, rulings, and administrative
interpretations and other authorities are subject to change at any time and, in
some circumstances, with retroactive effect; and any such change could affect
the opinion stated herein.
This opinion is rendered as of the date hereof based upon the facts and
law in existence on the date hereof. We assume no obligation to update or
supplement this letter to reflect any
SIDLEY AUSTIN BROWN & WOOD LLP NEW YORK
Hartford Life Insurance Company
October 15, 2004
Page 3
facts or circumstances which may hereafter come to our attention with respect to
the opinion and statements set forth above, including any changes in applicable
law which may hereafter occur.
We hereby consent to the filing of this letter as an exhibit to the
Current Report on Form 8-K filed by Hartford Life in connection with the
issuance and sale of the Notes, incorporated by reference in the Registration
Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby concede that we are within
the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
Very truly yours,
/s/ SIDLEY AUSTIN BROWN & WOOD LLP