Pricing Supplement No. 38 dated                 Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
January 31, 2005.                                            File No. 333-112244
(To Prospectus dated September 7, 2004 and Prospectus
Supplement dated September 7, 2004)
This Pricing Supplement consists of 2 pages.

                         HARTFORD LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                                    DEPOSITOR

                           FIXED RATE INCOMENOTES(sm)
                                 ISSUED THROUGH


                   HARTFORD LIFE GLOBAL FUNDING TRUST 2005-017

                   5.00% CALLABLE NOTES DUE FEBRUARY 15, 2016


The description in this pricing  supplement of the particular terms of the 5.00%
IncomeNotes(sm)  offered hereby and the Funding  Agreement sold by Hartford Life
Insurance  Company to the Trust specified herein  supplements the description of
the general  terms and  provisions of the notes and the funding  agreements  set
forth  in the  accompanying  prospectus  and  prospectus  supplement,  to  which
reference is hereby made.

                        PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE NOTES

                                                      
Principal Amount:          $2,816,000.00                 Interest Rate:        5.00%

Price to Public:           100%                          Issuance Date:        February 3, 2005

Net Proceeds to Trust:     $2,770,944.00                 Stated Maturity Date: February 15, 2016

Agent's Discount:          1.600%                        Initial Interest Payment Date: August 15, 2005

CUSIP Number:              41659FBL7                     Interest Payment Frequency: Semi-Annually

Day Count Convention:      30/360                        Regular Record Dates:  15 days prior to an Interest Payment Date.

Optional Redemption:   Yes [X]   No [ ]                  The Survivor's Option  [X] is   [ ]  is not  available
    Optional Redemption Date:  February 15, 2007 or any         Annual Put Limitation:  $1 million or 1%
                 Interest Payment Date thereafter.              Individual Put Limitation: $250,000
    Initial Redemption Percentage:  100%                        Trust Put Limitation:  N/A
    Annual Percentage Reduction:  N/A
    Redemption may be:  [X]  In whole only.              Authorized Denominations: $1,000 integral amounts.
                        [ ]  In whole or in part.
Securities Exchange Listing: None.

Special Tax Considerations:  None.                       Other Provisions Relating to the Notes:  None.


Agents : Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc., Banc of America
Securities LLC, Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., Citigroup, HSBC, JPMorgan, Merrill
Lynch & Co., Morgan Stanley, Raymond James, RBC Dain Rauscher, Inc., Scott &
Stringfellow, Inc., UBS Financial Services, Inc., Wachovia Securities, WM
Financial Services








                  INFORMATION RELATING TO THE FUNDING AGREEMENT

Funding Agreement Provider: Hartford Life Insurance Company

                                                    
Funding Agreement:           FA-405017                 Interest Rate:        5.00%

Contract Payment:            $2,816,015.00             Effective Date:       February 3, 2005

Deposit Amount:              $2,770,959.00             Stated Maturity Date: February 15, 2016
(if different from Contract Payment)

Day Count Convention:        30/360                    Initial Interest Payment Date: August 15, 2005

Special Tax Considerations:  None.                     Interest Payment Frequency:  Semi-Annually

Optional Redemption:  Yes [X]    No [ ]                Survivor Option:  Under the Funding Agreement, Hartford Life
Optional Redemption Date:  February 15, 2007 or any             Insurance Company  [X] is  [ ] is not  required
              Interest Payment Date thereafter.                 to provide the Trust with amounts it needs to
         Initial Redemption Percentage:   100%                  honor valid exercises of the Survivor's Option.
         Annual Percentage Reduction:    N/A
         Redemption may be:   [X]  In whole only.  Other Provisions Relating to the Funding Agreement:  None.
                              [ ]  In whole or in part.


Note: The Opinion regarding the  enforceability of the Funding Agreement and the
related  Consent of Counsel  for  Hartford  Life  Insurance  Company is given by
Jonathan Mercier, Counsel.


  INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE RATINGS OF THE NOTES AND THE FUNDING AGREEMENT

It is anticipated  that, as of February 3, 2005,  both the Notes and the Funding
Agreement will be rated by the indicated rating agencies as follows:

                  Standard & Poor's:  AA-            Moody's: Aa3

The Moody's rating also extends to the Program under which the Notes are issued.