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                                                                   Exhibit 12(c)

                THE TRAVELERS FUND UL FOR VARIABLE LIFE INSURANCE

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

         That I, JAY S. BENET of West Hartford, Connecticut, Director, Senior
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer and
Controller of The Travelers Insurance Company (hereafter the "Company"), do
hereby make, constitute and appoint ERNEST J. WRIGHT, Secretary of said Company,
and KATHLEEN A. McGAH, Assistant Secretary of said Company, or either one of
them acting alone, my true and lawful attorney-in-fact, for me, and in my name,
place and stead, to sign registration statements on behalf of said Company on
Form S-6 or other appropriate form under the Securities Act of 1933 for The
Travelers Fund UL for Variable Life Insurance, a separate account of the Company
dedicated specifically to the funding of variable life insurance contracts to be
offered by said Company, and further, to sign any and all amendments thereto,
including post-effective amendments, that may be filed by the Company on behalf
of said registrant.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of
January 1999.

                                         /s/ Jay S. Benet
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         Director, Senior Vice President
                                         Chief Financial Officer,
                                         Chief Accounting Officer and Controller
                                         The Travelers Insurance Company