Letterhead of
                       The Franklin Life Insurance Company
                               #1 Franklin Square
                           Springfield, Illinois 62713
                                 (217) 528-2011



                                   May 5, 1999



Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

            RE:     Franklin Life Variable  Annuity Fund (1933 Act
                    Registration  No.  2-36394; 1940 Act Registration
                    No. 811-1990)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         On behalf of Franklin Life Variable Annuity Fund, a registered
investment company (the "Fund"), and in lieu of filing the Fund's Prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information under Rule 497(c) under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, I hereby certify pursuant to Rule 497(j) that the forms of
Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information that would have been filed
under Rule 497(c) would not have differed from the Prospectus and Statement of
Additional Information contained in Post-Effective Amendment No. 47 to the
Fund's Registration Statement on Form N-4, which was filed electronically with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 1999.

         If you have any questions about this filing, please contact the
undersigned at (800) 528-2011, extension 2759.

                            Very truly yours,

                            /s/ Elizabeth E. Arthur

                            Elizabeth E. Arthur
                            Associate General Counsel


VIA EDGAR