Registration No. 333-85488

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

John Hancock Life Insurance Company

SignatureNotes

With Maturities of Twelve Months or More from Date of Issue

Pricing Supplement No. 72	Trade Date: 12/15/2003
(To Prospectus dated July 22, 2002 as supplemented by Prospectus Supplement dated January 10, 2003)	Issue Date: 12/18/2003

The date of this Pricing Supplement is December 15, 2003

CUSIP or Common Code:	41013MZM5	41013MZN3	41013MZP8	41013MZQ6	41013MZR4
Price to Public:	100.000%	100.000%	100.000%	100.000%	100.000%
Proceeds to Issuer:	$1,807,631.25	$1,261,824.00	$103,950.00	$2,709,528.00	$1,766,912.00
Discounts and Commissions:	0.625%	0.800%	1.000%	1.400%	1.400%
Reallowance:	0.150%	0.150%	0.150%	0.200%	0.200%
Dealer:	99.500%	99.350%	99.200%	98.800%	98.800%
Maturity Date:	12/15/2006	12/15/2007	1/15/2009	12/15/2011	12/15/2011
Stated Annual Interest Rate:	2.550%	3.100%	3.500%	Step: 2.950% through 12/14/2005, and 6.000% thereafter (unless called)	4.300%
Interest Payment Frequency:	Monthly	Monthly	Monthly	Monthly	Monthly
First Payment Date:	1/15/2004	1/15/2004	1/15/2004	1/15/2004	1/15/2004
Additional Amounts:	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Survivor’s Option:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Callable by Issuer:	No	No	No	Yes	No
If Callable by Issuer, dates and terms of redemption (including the redemption price)	N/A	N/A	N/A	12/15/2005 Callable one time only at 100% on call date above with 30 days notice.	N/A
Original Issue Discount1:	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Other Material Terms (if any):	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Effective April 7, 2003 the name of Solomon Smith Barney Inc., an agent of the program, was changed to Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

¹ For information regarding certain tax provisions applicable to Original Issue Discount notes, including zero-coupon notes, see “Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders — Original Issue Discount Notes” in the Prospectus.

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Registration No. 333-85488

Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

John Hancock Life Insurance Company

SignatureNotes

With Maturities of Twelve Months or More from Date of Issue

Pricing Supplement No. 72	Trade Date: 12/15/2003
(To Prospectus dated July 22, 2002 as supplemented by Prospectus Supplement dated January 10, 2003)	Issue Date: 12/18/2003

The date of this Pricing Supplement is December 15, 2003

CUSIP or Common Code:	41013MZS2	41013MZT0	41013MZU7	41013MZV5
Price to Public:	100.000%	100.000%	100.000%	100.000%
Proceeds to Issuer:	$216,700.00	$2,285,295.00	$1,941,380.00	$6,379,600.00
Discounts and Commissions:	1.500%	1.750%	2.000%	2.750%
Reallowance:	0.200%	0.275%	0.350%	0.350%
Dealer:	98.800%	98.600%	98.350%	97.600%
Maturity Date:	12/15/2013	12/15/2015	12/15/2018	12/15/2028
Stated Annual Interest Rate:	4.750%	5.250%	5.500%	5.700%
Interest Payment Frequency:	Semi	Semi	Semi	Quarterly
First Payment Date:	6/15/2004	6/15/2004	6/15/2004	3/15/2004
Additional Amounts:	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Survivor’s Option:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Callable by Issuer:	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
If Callable by Issuer, dates and terms of redemption (including the redemption price)	N/A	6/15/2006 Callable one time only at 100% on call date above with 30 days notice.	12/15/2006 Callable one time only at 100% on call date above with 30 days notice.	3/15/2009 Callable one time only at 100% on call date above with 30 days notice.
Original Issue Discount2:	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Other Material Terms (if any):	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

² For information regarding certain tax provisions applicable to Original Issue Discount notes, including zero-coupon notes, see “Tax Consequences to U.S. Holders — Original Issue Discount Notes” in the Prospectus.

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