Exhibit 18.1

Letter re change in accounting principle


Mr. Thomas E. Moloney
Chief Financial Officer
John Hancock Financial
Services, Inc.
John Hancock Place
Boston, Massachusetts 02117


Dear Sir:

Note 1 of Notes to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements of John
Hancock Life Insurance Company included in its Form 10-Q for the period ended
March 31, 2001 describes a change in the method of accounting for the
recognition of deferred gains and losses considered in the calculation of the
annual expense for its employee pension plans under SFAS No. 87, Employers'
Accounting for Pensions, and for its postretirement health and welfare plans
under SFAS No. 106, Employers' Accounting for Postretirement Benefits Other Than
Pensions. The Company changed the method of recognizing gains and losses from
deferral within a 10% corridor and amortization of gains outside this corridor
over the future working careers of the participants to a deferral within a 5%
corridor and amortization of gains and losses outside this corridor over the
future working careers of the participants. There are no authoritative criteria
for determining a "preferable" method of accounting for the recognition of gains
and losses from deferrals for determining the annual expense for employee
pension plans and postretirement health and welfare plans based upon the
particular circumstances; however, we conclude that such change in the method of
accounting is to an acceptable alternative method which, based on your business
judgment to make this change and for the stated reason, is preferable in your
circumstance. We have not conducted an audit in accordance with auditing
standards generally accepted in the United States of any financial statements of
the Company as of any date or for any period subsequent to December 31, 2000,
and therefore we do not express any opinion on any financial statements of John
Hancock Life Insurance Company subsequent to that date.


                                                           Very truly yours,


                                                           /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Boston, Massachusetts
May 11, 2001