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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.3
 
                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
The Board of Directors
Aetna Life and Casualty Company:
 
     We consent to incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on
Form S-3 of Aetna Life and Casualty Company (the "Company") and Aetna Inc. for
the registration of up to $2,000,000,000 of debt securities of Aetna Life and
Casualty Company and guarantees thereof of Aetna Inc. of our reports dated
February 6, 1996, relating to the consolidated balance sheets of Aetna Life and
Casualty Company and Subsidiaries as of December 31, 1995 and 1994 and the
related consolidated statements of income, shareholders' equity, and cash flows
and related schedules for each of the years in the three-year period ended
December 31, 1995, which reports appear in or are incorporated by reference in
the December 31, 1995 annual report on Form 10-K of Aetna Life and Casualty
Company. Our reports refer to changes in 1993 in the Company's method of
accounting for certain investments in debt and equity securities, postemployment
benefits, workers' compensation life table indemnity reserves and
retrospectively rated reinsurance contracts.
 
     We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading "Experts" in
the Prospectus.
 
                                          /s/  KPMG Peat Marwick LLP
 
Hartford, Connecticut
June 28, 1996