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. 140	Trade Date: 9/13 /2004
(To Prospectus dated July 22, 2002 as supplemented by Prospectus Supplement dated January 10, 2003)	Issue Date: 9/16/2004

The date of this Pricing Supplement is September 13, 2004

CUSIP or Common Code:	41013NBY3	41013NBZ0	41013NCA4	41013NCB2	41013NCC0
Price to Public:	100.000%	100.000%	100.000%	100.000%	100.000%
Principal Amount:	$2,080,000.00	$901,000.00	$540,000.00	$404,000.00	$1,230,000.00
Proceeds to Issuer:	$2,069,600.00	$895,368.75	$535,680.00	$399,960.00	$1,216,162.50
Discounts and Commissions:	0.500%	0.625%	0.800%	1.000%	1.125%
Reallowance:	0.100%	0.150%	0.150%	0.150%	0.175%
Dealer:	99.625%	99.500%	99.350%	99.200%	99.150%
Maturity Date:	9/15/2006	9/15/2007	9/15/2008	9/15/2009	9/15/2010
Stated Annual Interest Rate:	2.600%	3.050%	3.450%	3.750%	4.000%
Interest Payment Frequency:	Semi	Monthly	Monthly	Semi	Semi
First Payment Date:	3/15/2005	10/15/2004	10/15/2004	3/15/2005	3/15/2005
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	No	No
If Callable by Issuer, dates and terms of redemption (including the redemption price)	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	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.

Page 1 of 2

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. 140	Trade Date: 9/13/2004
(To Prospectus dated July 22, 2002 as supplemented by Prospectus Supplement dated January 10, 2003)	Issue Date: 9/16/2004

The date of this Pricing Supplement is September 13, 2004

CUSIP or Common Code:	41013NCD8	41013NCE6	41013NCG1	41013NCH9
Price to Public:	100.000%	100.000%	100.000%	100.000%
Principal Amount:	$391,000.00	$2,023,000.00	$1,017,000.00	$2,708,000.00
Proceeds to Issuer:	$385,526.00	$1,994,678.00	$999,202.50	$2,640,300.00
Discounts and Commissions:	1.400%	1.400%	1.750%	2.500%
Reallowance:	0.200%	0.200%	0.275%	0.350%
Dealer:	98.800%	98.800%	98.600%	97.850%
Maturity Date:	9/15/2012	9/15/2012	9/15/2016	9/15/2029
Stated Annual Interest Rate:	4.350%	Step: 3.200% through 9/14/2006, and 5.750% thereafter (unless called)	5.150%	5.600%
Interest Payment Frequency:	Monthly	Monthly	Semi	Semi
First Payment Date:	10/15/2004	10/15/2004	3/15/2005	3/15/2005
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	9/15/2006 Callable one time only at 100% on call date above with 30 days notice.	3/15/2007 Callable one time only at 100% on call date above with 30 days notice.	9/15/2009 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.

Page 2 of 2