Exhibit 8
SIDLEY AUSTIN BROWN & WOOD LLP
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60603
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CHICAGO www.sidley.com SAN FRANCISCO
DALLAS FOUNDED 1866 SHANGHAI
GENEVA SINGAPORE
HONG KONG TOKYO
LONDON WASHINGTON, D.C.
December 30, 2005
Hartford Life Insurance Company
200 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury, Connecticut 06089
Re: HARTFORD LIFE GLOBAL FUNDING TRUSTS 2005-153, 2005-154 AND 2005-155
INCOMENOTES(sm)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This opinion letter is delivered to you in connection with:
1. the issuance by Hartford Life Global Funding Trust 2005-153 (the
"2005-153 Trust") of $4,189,000 aggregate principal amount of the
2005-153 Trust's 5.00% Callable IncomeNotes(sm) due 2010 (the
"2005-153 Notes") related to funding agreement No. FA-405153 (the
"2005-153 Funding Agreement") executed by Hartford Life Insurance
Company, a Connecticut life insurance company ("Hartford Life");
2. the issuance by Hartford Life Global Funding Trust 2005-154 (the
"2005-154 Trust") of $2,208,000 aggregate principal amount of the
2005-154 Trust's 5.25% Callable IncomeNotes(sm) due 2012 (the
"2005-154 Notes") related to funding agreement No. FA-405154 (the
"2005-154 Funding Agreement") executed by Hartford Life; and
3. the issuance by Hartford Life Global Funding Trust 2005-155 (the
"2005-155 Trust") of $4,876,000 aggregate principal amount of the
2005-155 Trust's 5.50% Callable IncomeNotes(sm) due 2014 (the
"2005-155 Notes") related to funding agreement No. FA-405155 (the
"2005-155 Funding Agreement") executed by Hartford Life.
The 2005-153 Trust, the 2005-154 Trust and the 2005-155 Trust are referred to
collectively herein as the "Trusts"; the 2005-153 Notes, the 2005-154 Notes and
the 2005-155 Notes are referred to collectively herein as the "Notes"; and the
2005-153 Funding Agreement, the 2005-
SIDLEY AUSTIN BROWN & WOOD LLP IS AN ILLINOIS LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP
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SIDLEY AUSTIN BROWN & WOOD LLP CHICAGO
Hartford Life Insurance Company
December 30, 2005
Page 2
154 Funding Agreement and the 2005-155 Funding Agreement are referred to
collectively herein as the "Funding Agreements." The Trusts were formed on
December 27, 2005 (the "Formation Date") and the Notes will be issued on
December 30, 2005 (the "Issuance Date").
We have acted as counsel to Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and each other agent
under the Hartford Life Global Funding Trusts Program (each, an "Agent") 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 No.
333-123441) filed with the Commission on March 18, 2005, as amended by Amendment
No. 1 filed with the Commission on April 12, 2005 (the "Registration
Statement"), including a prospectus (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 relating to Hartford Life
IncomeNotes(sm) to be issued by the trusts (the "Retail Prospectus Supplement").
The Registration Statement provides for: (i) the registration of up to
$5,000,000,000, 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 $5,000,000,000, 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.
In furnishing this opinion, we have reviewed: (i) the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus, the Retail Prospectus Supplement and each of the
pricing supplements related to the Notes, each such pricing supplement dated as
of the Formation Date, (ii) each of the trust agreements, dated as of the
Formation Date (each, a "Trust Agreement"), between Wilmington Trust Company, as
trustee, and AMACAR Pacific Corp., as trust beneficial owner, which adopt and
incorporate the standard trust terms dated March 18, 2005, (iii) each of the
indentures, dated as of the Issuance Date (each, an "Indenture"), between
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as indenture trustee, and the relevant Trust, which
adopt and incorporate the standard indenture terms dated March 18, 2005, (iv)
each of the distribution agreements, dated as of the Formation Date (each, a
"Distribution Agreement"), between Hartford Life, Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc., on
behalf of itself and each of the other Agents, and the relevant Trust, which
adopt and incorporate the standard distribution agreement terms dated March 18,
2005, (v) each of the omnibus instruments, dated as of the Formation Date, which
include the relevant Trust Agreement, Indenture and Distribution Agreement
executed in connection with the creation of the Trusts and the issuance by the
Trusts of the Notes, (vi) each of the closing instruments, dated as of the
Issuance Date, related to each relevant Trust, (vii) the Notes, (viii) each of
the Funding Agreements 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.
SIDLEY AUSTIN BROWN & WOOD LLP CHICAGO
Hartford Life Insurance Company
December 30, 2005
Page 3
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the limitations, qualifications and
assumptions set forth herein, the discussion set forth in the Retail Prospectus
Supplement under the heading "Material United States Federal Income Tax
Considerations," 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 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