Edgar Filing: PROTECTIVE LIFE CORP

PLC Form 10-K 12-31-06

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549 __________________________________
FORM 10-K
ý Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006
or
o Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the transition period from ____________ to ____________
Commission File Number 001-11339
PROTECTIVE LIFE CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
DELAWARE (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	95-2492236 (IRS Employer Identification Number)
2801 HIGHWAY 280 SOUTH BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA 35223 (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (205) 268-1000
__________________________________
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class		Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.50 Par Value		New York Stock Exchange
PLC Capital Trust III 7.5% Trust Originated Preferred Securities, including the Guarantee of Protective Life Corporation		New York Stock Exchange
PLC Capital Trust IV 7.25% Trust Originated Preferred Securities, including the Guarantee of Protective Life Corporation		New York Stock Exchange
PLC Capital Trust V 6.125% Trust Originated Preferred Securities, including the Guarantee of Protective Life Corporation		New York Stock Exchange
7.25% Capital Securities		New York Stock Exchange

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ý No o Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes o No ý Note - Checking the box above will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act from their obligations under those Sections. Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No o Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. o Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one): Large accelerated filer ý Accelerated Filer o Non-accelerated filer o Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes o No ý
Aggregate market value of the registrant’s voting common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 30, 2006: $3,185,877,234
Number of shares of Common Stock, $0.50 Par Value, outstanding as of February 27, 2007: 70,017,458
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE Portions of the Registrant’s Proxy Statement prepared for the 2007 annual meeting of share owners, pursuant to Regulation 14A, are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Report.

PROTECTIVE LIFE CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I

Item 1.	Business
Item 1A.	Risk Factors and Cautionary Factors that may Affect Future Results
Item 1B.	Unresolved Staff Comments
Item 2.	Properties
Item 3.	Legal Proceedings
Item 4.	Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
PART II

Item 5.	Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities
Item 6.	Selected Financial Data
Item 7.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
Item 7A.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk
Item 8.	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data
Item 9.	Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure
Item 9A.	Controls and Procedures
Item 9B.	Other Information
PART III

Item 10.	Directors and Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Item 11.	Executive Compensation
Item 12.	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
Item 13.	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
Item 14.	Principal Accountant Fees and Services
PART IV

Item 15.	Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules

PART I

Item 1. Business

Protective Life Corporation (the “Company”) is a holding company whose subsidiaries provide financial services through the production, distribution, and administration of insurance and investment products. Founded in 1907, Protective Life Insurance Company (“Protective Life”) is the Company's largest operating subsidiary. Unless the context otherwise requires, the Company refers to the consolidated group of Protective Life Corporation and its subsidiaries.

Copies of the Company’s Proxy Statement and 2006 Annual Report to Share-Owners will be furnished to anyone who requests such documents from the Company. Requests for copies should be directed to: Share-Owner Relations, Protective Life Corporation, P. O. Box 2606, Birmingham, Alabama 35202, Telephone (205) 268-3573, FAX (205) 268-5547. Copies may also be requested through the Internet from the Company’s worldwide website (www.protective.com). The Company makes periodic and current reports available free of charge on its website as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with or furnished to the SEC. The information incorporated herein by reference is also electronically accessible through the Internet from the “EDGAR Database of Corporate Information” on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s worldwide website (www.sec.gov).

The Company operates several business segments each having a strategic focus. An operating segment is generally distinguished by products and/or distribution channels. The Company’s operating segments are Life Marketing, Acquisitions, Annuities, Stable Value Products, and Asset Protection. The Company has an additional segment referred to as Corporate and Other which consists of net investment income on unallocated capital, interest on debt, earnings from various investment-related transactions, and the operations of several non-strategic lines of business. The Company periodically evaluates its operating segments in light of the segment reporting requirements prescribed by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 131, “Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information,” and makes adjustments to its segment reporting as needed.

Additional information concerning the Company's business segments may be found in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and Note 19 to Consolidated Financial Statements included herein.

In the following paragraphs, the Company reports sales and other statistical information. These statistics are used by the Company to measure the relative progress of its marketing and acquisition efforts, but may or may not have an immediate impact on reported segment operating income. Sales data for traditional life insurance are based on annualized premiums, while universal life sales are based on annualized planned (target) premiums plus 6% of amounts received in excess of target premiums and 10% of single premiums. Sales of annuities are measured based on the amount of deposits received. Stable value contract sales are measured at the time that the funding commitment is made based on the amount of deposit to be received. Sales within the Asset Protection segment are generally based on the amount of single premium and fees received.

These statistics are derived from the Company’s various sales tracking and administrative systems, and are not derived from the Company’s financial reporting systems or financial statements. These statistics attempt to measure some of the many factors that may affect future profitability, and therefore are not intended to be predictive of future profitability.

Life Marketing

The Life Marketing segment markets level premium term insurance (“traditional life”), universal life (“UL”), variable universal life and bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”) products on a national basis through a variety of distribution channels. One distribution system is comprised of brokerage general agencies who recruit a network of independent life agents. The segment also distributes insurance products through a network of experienced independent personal producing general agents who are recruited by regional sales managers. The segment also distributes life insurance products through stockbrokers and banks, through worksite arrangements, and through direct marketing channels. The Company markets its BOLI products through independent marketing organizations that specialize in the BOLI market.

The following table shows the Life Marketing segment’s sales measured by new premium.

Year Ended December 31	Sales
	(Dollars in millions)
2002	$224
2003	290
2004	262
2005	295
2006	228

Acquisitions

The Acquisitions segment focuses on acquiring, converting, and servicing policies acquired from other companies. The segment’s primary focus is on life insurance policies and annuity products sold to individuals. These acquisitions may be accomplished through acquisitions of companies or through the reinsurance of blocks of policies from other insurers. Forty-four transactions have been closed by the segment since 1970, including 17 since 1989. The level of the segment’s acquisition activity is predicated upon many factors, including available capital, operating capacity, and market dynamics. The Company expects acquisition opportunities to continue to be available as the life insurance industry continues to consolidate; however, management believes that the Company may face increased competition for future acquisitions.

Most acquisitions closed by the Acquisitions segment do not include the acquisition of an active sales force, thus policies acquired through the segment are typically “closed” blocks of business (no new policies are being marketed). Therefore, the amount of insurance in-force for a particular acquisition is expected to decline with time due to lapses, deaths and other termination of coverage. In transactions where some marketing activity was included, the Company generally either ceased future marketing efforts or redirected those efforts to another segment of the Company. However, in the case of the acquisition of West Coast Life Insurance Company (“West Coast”) which was closed by the Acquisitions segment in 1997, the Company elected to continue the marketing of new policies and operate West Coast as a component of the Company’s Life Marketing segment. Additionally, the Company has continued the marketing of new annuity products associated with its 2006 acquisition of the Chase Insurance Group (see below). New annuity product sales resulting from this acquisition are reported as a component of the Company’s Annuities segment.

The Company believes that its focused and disciplined approach to the acquisition process and its experience in the assimilation, conservation, and servicing of acquired policies provides a significant competitive advantage over many other companies that attempt to make similar acquisitions.

Since most acquisitions consist of closed blocks of business, earnings and account values from the Acquisitions segment are expected to decline with time unless new acquisitions are made. Therefore, the segment’s revenues and earnings may fluctuate from year to year depending upon the level of acquisition activity.

In 2002, the Company coinsured a block of traditional life and interest-sensitive life insurance policies from Conseco Variable Insurance Company.

On July 3, 2006, the Company completed its acquisition of the Chase Insurance Group, which consisted of five insurance companies that manufacture and administer traditional life insurance and annuity products and four related non-insurance companies (which collectively are referred to as the “Chase Insurance Group.”) The Chase Insurance Group is headquartered in Elgin, Illinois, and offers primarily level premium term and other traditional life products, as well as fixed and variable annuity products. While the Company has ceased marketing the level premium term and other traditional life products previously offered by the Chase Insurance Group, as noted above, it has continued marketing the fixed and variable annuity products.

From time to time other of the Company’s business segments have acquired companies and blocks of policies which are included in their respective results.

Annuities

The Annuities segment manufactures, sells, and supports fixed and variable annuity products. These products are primarily sold through stockbrokers, but are also sold through financial institutions and independent agents and brokers.

The Company’s fixed annuities include modified guaranteed annuities which guarantee an interest rate for a fixed period. Because contract values for these annuities are "market-value adjusted" upon surrender prior to maturity, these products afford the Company a measure of protection from the effects of changes in interest rates. The Company’s fixed annuities also include single premium deferred annuities, book value annuities, and equity indexed annuities which the Company began marketing during 2005. The Company’s variable annuities offer the policyholder the opportunity to invest in various investment accounts.

The following table shows fixed and variable annuity sales. The demand for annuity products is related to the general level of interest rates and performance of the equity markets. Additionally, as previously discussed, the Company has continued the marketing of new annuity products associated with its 2006 acquisition of the Chase Insurance Group and includes such sales as a component of its Annuities segment. During 2006, $276 million of fixed annuity sales were generated through the Chase Insurance Group distribution channels.

Year Ended December 31	Fixed Annuities	Variable Annuities	Total Annuities
	(Dollars in millions)
2002	$628	$325	$ 953
2003	164	350	514
2004	443	283	726
2005	275	312	587
2006	878	323	1,201

Stable Value Products

The Stable Value Products segment sells guaranteed funding agreements (“GFAs”) to special purpose entities that in turn issue notes or certificates in smaller, transferable denominations. The segment also markets fixed and floating rate funding agreements directly to the trustees of municipal bond proceeds, institutional investors, bank trust departments and money market funds. During 2003, the Company registered a funding agreement-backed notes program with the SEC. Through this program, the Company is able to offer notes to both institutional and retail investors. As a result of the strong sales of these notes since their introduction in 2003, the amount available under this program was increased by $4 billion in 2005 through a second registration. The segment's funding agreement-backed notes complement the Company’s overall asset-liability management in that the terms of the funding agreements may be tailored to the needs of Protective Life as the seller of the funding agreements, as opposed to solely meeting the needs of the buyer.

Additionally, the segment markets guaranteed investment contracts (“GICs”) to 401(k) and other qualified retirement savings plans. GICs are generally contracts which specify a return on deposits for a specified period and often provide flexibility for withdrawals at book value in keeping with the benefits provided by the plan. The demand for GICs is related to the relative attractiveness of the “fixed rate” investment option in a 401(k) plan compared to the equity-based investment options available to plan participants.

The Company’s emphasis is on a consistent and disciplined approach to product pricing and asset/liability management, careful underwriting of early withdrawal risks and maintaining low distribution and administration costs. Most GIC contracts and funding agreements written by the Company have maturities of three to ten years.

Table of Contents

The following table shows the stable value products sales.

Year Ended December 31	GICs	Funding Agreements	Total
	(Dollars in millions)
2002	$267	$ 888	$1,155
2003	275	1,333	1,608
2004	59	1,524	1,583
2005	96	1,316	1,412
2006	294	140	434

The Company chose not to participate in the institutional funding agreement-backed note market during 2006. The rate of growth in account balances is affected by the amount of maturing contracts relative to the amount of new sales.

Asset Protection

The Asset Protection segment primarily markets extended service contracts and credit life and disability insurance to protect consumers’ investments in automobiles, watercraft, and recreational vehicles (“RV”). In addition, the segment markets an inventory protection product (“IPP”) and a guaranteed asset protection (“GAP”) product. The segment’s products are primarily marketed through a national network of 4,500 automobile, marine, and RV dealers. The Asset Protection segment has also offered credit insurance through banks and consumer finance companies.

The Company is the 8^th largest independent writer of credit insurance in the United States according to industry surveys. These policies cover automobile loans made through automobile dealers throughout the United States and consumer loans made by financial institutions located primarily in the southeastern United States. The Company’s ranking with respect to the writing of credit insurance is expected to decline in 2007 and beyond as the segment discontinues marketing these products through financial institutions.

On July 14, 2006, the Company completed its acquisition of the vehicle extended service contract business of Western General. Western General is headquartered in Calabasas, California, and is a provider of vehicle service contracts nationally, focusing primarily on the west coast market. In addition, Western General currently provides extended service contract administration for several automobile manufacturers and provides used car service contracts for a publicly-traded national dealership group.

The following table shows the insurance and related product sales measured by new premium.

Year Ended December 31	Sales
	(Dollars in millions)
2002	$468
2003	472
2004	460
2005	489
2006	536

In 2006, approximately 63% of the segment’s sales were through the automobile dealer distribution channel, and approximately 52% of the segment’s sales were extended service contracts. A portion of the sales and resulting premium are reinsured with producer-affiliated reinsurers.

Corporate and Other

The Company has an additional segment referred to as Corporate and Other. The Corporate and Other segment primarily consists of net investment income and expenses not attributable to the other business segments described above (including net investment income on unallocated capital and interest on debt). This segment also includes earnings from several non-strategic lines of business (primarily cancer insurance, residual value insurance, surety insurance, and group annuities), various investment-related transactions, and the operations of several small subsidiaries. The earnings of this segment may fluctuate from year to year.

Investments

The types of assets in which the Company may invest are influenced by various state laws which prescribe qualified investment assets. Within the parameters of these laws, the Company invests its assets giving consideration to such factors as liquidity needs, investment quality, investment return, matching of assets and liabilities, and the overall composition of the investment portfolio by asset type and credit exposure. For further information regarding the Company's investments, the maturity of and the concentration of risk among the Company's invested assets, derivative financial instruments, and liquidity, see Notes 2 and 4 to Consolidated Financial Statements, and “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

A significant portion of the Company's bond portfolio is invested in mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities are constructed from pools of residential mortgages and may have cash flow volatility as a result of changes in the rate at which prepayments of principal occur with respect to the underlying loans. Prepayments of principal on the underlying residential loans can be expected to accelerate with decreases in interest rates and diminish with increases in interest rates. The Company has not invested in the higher risk tranches of mortgage-backed securities (except mortgage-backed securities issued in securitization transactions sponsored by the Company). In addition, the Company has entered into derivative contracts to offset the volatility in the market value of its mortgage-backed securities.

The table below shows a breakdown of the Company’s mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities portfolio by type at December 31, 2006. Planned amortization class securities (“PACs”) pay down according to a schedule. Asset-backed securities (“ABS”) pay down based on cash flow received from the underlying pool of assets, such as receivables on auto loans, student loans, credit cards, etc. Sequentials receive payments in order until each class is paid off. Pass through securities receive principal as principal of the underlying mortgages is received. The CMBS are commercial mortgage-backed securities issued in securitization transactions. Portions of the CMBS are sponsored by the Company, in which the Company securitized portions of its mortgage loan portfolio.

Type	Percentage of Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities
Sequential	47.3	%
PAC	21.0
CMBS	9.1
Pass Through	8.5
ABS	5.6
Other	8.5
	100.0	%

The Company obtains ratings of its fixed maturities from Moody's Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody's”), Standard & Poor's Corporation (“S&P”) and Fitch Ratings (“Fitch”). If a bond is not rated by Moody's, S&P, or Fitch, the Company uses ratings from the Securities Valuation Office of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”), or the Company rates the bond based upon a comparison of the unrated issue to rated issues of the same issuer or rated issues of other issuers with similar risk characteristics. At December 31, 2006, over 99% of bonds were rated by Moody's, S&P, Fitch, and/or the NAIC.

The approximate percentage distribution of the Company’s fixed maturity investments by quality rating at December 31, 2006, is as follows:

Rating	Percentage of Fixed Maturity Investments
AAA	46.2	%
AA	6.8
A	18.4
BBB	27.0
BB or less	1.6
	100.0	%

At December 31, 2006, approximately $21.0 billion of the Company's $21.4 billion bond portfolio was invested in U.S. Government or agency-backed securities or investment grade bonds and approximately $0.4 billion of its fixed maturities portfolio was rated less than investment grade, of which $22.7 million were securities issued in Company-sponsored commercial mortgage loan securitizations.

Risks associated with investments in less than investment grade debt obligations may be significantly higher than risks associated with investments in debt securities rated investment grade. Risk of loss upon default by the borrower is significantly greater with respect to such debt obligations than with other debt securities because these obligations may be unsecured or subordinated to other creditors. Additionally, there is often a thinly traded market for such securities and current market quotations are frequently not available for some of these securities. Issuers of less than investment grade debt obligations usually have higher levels of indebtedness and are more sensitive to adverse economic conditions, such as recession or increasing interest rates, than investment-grade issuers.

The Company also invests a significant portion of its portfolio in mortgage loans. The Company generally does not lend on speculative properties and has specialized in making loans on either credit-oriented commercial properties or credit-anchored strip shopping centers. The average size of loans made during 2006 was $3.2 million. The average size mortgage loan in the Company's portfolio is approximately $2.5 million. The largest single loan amount is $26.5 million.

The following table shows a breakdown of the Company’s mortgage loan portfolio by property type at December 31, 2006:

Property Type	Percentage of Mortgage Loans on Real Estate
Retail	68.3	%
Office Buildings	11.9
Apartments	10.0
Warehouses	7.1
Other	2.7
	100.0	%

Retail loans are predominantly on strip shopping centers anchored by one or more regional or national retail stores. The anchor tenants enter into long-term leases with the Company's borrowers. These centers provide the basic necessities of life, such as food, pharmaceuticals, and clothing, and have been relatively insensitive to changes in economic conditions. The following are the largest anchor tenants (measured by the Company's exposure) at December 31, 2006:

Anchor Tenants	Percentage of Mortgage Loans on Real Estate
Walgreen Corporation	2.4	%
Food Lion, Inc.	2.3
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.	2.1
Lone Star Funds	1.5
Tractor Supply Co.	1.4

The Company's mortgage lending criteria generally require that the loan-to-value ratio on each mortgage be at or less than 75% at the time of origination. Projected rental payments from credit anchors (i.e., excluding rental payments from smaller local tenants) generally exceed 70% of the property's projected operating expenses and debt service. The Company also offers a commercial loan product under which the Company will permit a loan-to-value ratio of up to 85% in exchange for a participating interest in the cash flows from the underlying real estate. Approximately $493.0 million of the Company’s mortgage loans have this participation feature.

Many of the Company's mortgage loans have call or interest rate reset provisions between 3 and 10 years. However, if interest rates were to significantly increase, the Company may be unable to call the loans or increase the interest rates on its existing mortgage loans commensurate with the significantly increased market rates.

At December 31, 2006, $15.8 million or 0.4% of the mortgage loan portfolio was nonperforming. It is the Company’s policy to cease to carry accrued interest on loans that are over 90 days delinquent. For loans less than 90 days delinquent, interest is accrued unless it is determined that the accrued interest is not collectible. If a loan becomes over 90 days delinquent, it is the Company’s general policy to initiate foreclosure proceedings unless a workout arrangement to bring the loan current is in place.

Between 1996 and 1999, the Company securitized $1.4 billion of its mortgage loans. The Company sold the senior tranches while retaining the subordinate tranches. The Company continues to service the securitized mortgage loans. At December 31, 2006, the Company had investments related to retained beneficial interests of mortgage loan securitizations of $173.4 million.

As a general rule, the Company does not invest directly in real estate. The investment real estate held by the Company consists largely of properties obtained through foreclosures or the acquisition of other insurance companies. In the Company's experience, the appraised value of a foreclosed property often approximates the mortgage loan balance on the property plus costs of foreclosure. Also, foreclosed properties often generate a positive cash flow enabling the Company to hold and manage the property until the property can be profitably sold.

The following table shows the investment results from continuing operations of the Company:

	Cash, Accrued Investment		Percentage Earned on	Realized Investment Gains (Losses)
Year Ended December 31	Income, and Investments at December 31	Net Investment Income	Average of Cash and Investments	Derivative Financial Instruments	All Other Investments
	(Dollars in thousands)
2002	$15,765,420	$1,022,953	7.0 %	$28,308	$ 910
2003	17,752,081	1,030,752	6.4	12,550	58,064
2004	19,712,244	1,084,217	6.1	19,591	28,305
2005	20,741,423	1,180,502	5.8	(30,881)	49,393
2006	28,299,749	1,419,778	6.0	(21,516)	104,084

Table of Contents

Life Insurance in Force

The following table shows life insurance sales by face amount and life insurance in force.

	Year Ended December 31
	2006		2005		2004		2003		2002
	(Dollars in thousands)
New Business Written
Life Marketing	$	81,389,241	$	60,435,133	$	77,917,553	$	102,154,269	$	67,827,198
Group Products⁽¹⁾								67,405		44,567
Asset Protection		3,095,205		3,770,783		5,702,146		6,655,790		4,516,350
Total	$	84,484,446	$	64,205,916	$	83,619,699	$	108,877,464	$	72,388,115
Business Acquired
Acquisitions	$	224,498,169							$	3,859,788
Insurance in Force at End of Year⁽²⁾
Life Marketing	$	453,937,534	$	435,430,943	$	372,395,267	$	305,939,864	$	225,667,767
Acquisitions		265,837,876		26,861,772		29,135,715		30,755,635		27,372,622
Group Products⁽¹⁾								710,358		5,015,636
Asset Protection		4,718,018		5,496,543		6,807,494		9,088,963		12,461,564
Total	$	724,493,428	$	467,789,258	$	408,338,476	$	346,494,820	$	270,517,589

(1) On December 31, 2001, the Company completed the sale of substantially all of its Dental Division, with which the group products are associated.

(2) Reinsurance assumed has been included; reinsurance ceded (2006 - $576,790,608; 2005 - $393,605,152; 2004 - $354,015,938; 2003 - $292,740,795; 2002 - $219,025,215) has not been deducted.

The ratio of voluntary terminations of individual life insurance to mean individual life insurance in force, which is determined by dividing the amount of insurance terminated due to lapses during the year by the mean of the insurance in force at the beginning and end of the year, adjusted for the timing of major acquisitions was:

Year Ended December 31	Ratio of Voluntary Terminations
2002	4.7	%
2003	4.1
2004	4.6
2005	4.2
2006	3.9

Investment Products in Force

The amount of investment products in force is measured by account balances. The following table shows stable value product and annuity account balances. Most of the variable annuity account balances are reported in the Company’s financial statements as liabilities related to separate accounts.

December 31	Stable Value Products		Modified Guaranteed Annuities		Fixed Annuities		Variable Annuities
	(Dollars in thousands)
2002	$	4,018,552	$	2,390,440	$	955,886	$	1,864,993
2003		4,676,531		2,286,417		851,165		2,388,033
2004		5,562,997		2,406,426		753,832		2,612,077
2005		6,057,721		2,348,037		777,422		2,639,670
2006		5,513,464		2,424,218		4,981,587		4,302,413

Underwriting

The underwriting policies of the Company's insurance subsidiaries are established by management. With respect to individual insurance, the subsidiaries use information from the application and, in some cases, inspection reports, attending physician statements, or medical examinations to determine whether a policy should be issued as applied for, other than applied for, or rejected. Medical examinations of applicants are required for individual life insurance in excess of certain prescribed amounts (which vary based on the type of insurance) and for most individual insurance applied for by applicants over age 50. In the case of "simplified issue" policies, which are issued primarily through the Asset Protection segment and the Life Marketing segment in the payroll deduction market, coverage is rejected if the responses to certain health questions contained in the application indicate adverse health of the applicant. For other than "simplified issue" policies, medical examinations are requested of any applicant, regardless of age and amount of requested coverage, if an examination is deemed necessary to underwrite the risk. Substandard risks may be referred to reinsurers for evaluation of the substandard risk.

The Company's insurance subsidiaries generally require blood samples to be drawn with individual insurance applications above certain face amounts based on the applicant’s age, except in the worksite and BOLI markets where limited blood testing is required. Blood samples are tested for a wide range of chemical values and are screened for antibodies to the HIV virus. Applications also contain questions permitted by law regarding the HIV virus which must be answered by the proposed insureds.

During third quarter of 2006, the Company introduced an advanced underwriting system, TeleLife^®, through the brokerage agent distribution channel for traditional insurance. TeleLife^® streamlines the application process through a telephonic interview of the applicant, schedules medical exams, accelerates the underwriting process and the ultimate issuance of a policy, mostly through electronic means, as well as reduces the number of attending physician statements.

Reinsurance Ceded

The Company's insurance subsidiaries cede insurance to other insurance companies. The ceding insurance company remains liable with respect to ceded insurance should any reinsurer fail to meet the obligations assumed by it. The Company also has used reinsurance to reinsure guaranteed minimum death benefit (“GMDB”) claims in its variable annuity contracts.

During 2006, the life reinsurance market continued the process of consolidation and tightening, resulting in a higher net cost of reinsurance for much of the Company’s life insurance business. The Company has also been challenged by changes in the reinsurance market which have impacted management of capital, particularly in the Company’s term life business which is required to hold reserves pursuant to the Valuation of Life Insurance Policies Regulation (“Regulation XXX”). In response to these challenges, in 2005 the Company reduced its overall reliance on reinsurance by changing from coinsurance to yearly renewable term reinsurance arrangements for certain newly issued traditional life products. Additionally in 2005, for certain newly issued traditional life products, the Company increased, from $500,000 to $1,000,000, the amount of insurance it will retain on any one life. The Company’s maximum retention for newly issued universal life products is $1,000,000. In order to fund the additional statutory reserves required as a result of these changes in the Company’s reinsurance arrangements, the Company has established a surplus notes facility under which it may issue up to an aggregate of $600 million of non-recourse funding obligations through June 2007.

At December 31, 2006, the Company had insurance in force of $724.1 billion of which approximately $576.8 billion was ceded to reinsurers. See Note 8 to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information related to the Company’s use of reinsurance.

Policy Liabilities and Accruals

The applicable insurance laws under which the Company's insurance subsidiaries operate require that each insurance company report policy liabilities to meet future obligations on the outstanding policies. These liabilities are the amounts which, with the additional premiums to be received and interest thereon compounded annually at certain assumed rates, are calculated in accordance with applicable law to be sufficient to meet the various policy and contract obligations as they mature. These laws specify that the liabilities shall not be less than liabilities calculated using certain named mortality tables and interest rates.

The policy liabilities and accruals carried in the Company's financial reports presented on the basis of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) differ from those specified by the laws of the various states and carried in the insurance subsidiaries' statutory financial statements (presented on the basis of statutory accounting principles mandated by state insurance regulations). For policy liabilities other than those for universal life policies, annuity contracts, GICs, and funding agreements, these differences arise from the use of mortality and morbidity tables and interest rate assumptions which are deemed to be more appropriate for financial reporting purposes than those required for statutory accounting purposes; from the introduction of lapse assumptions into the calculation; and from the use of the net level premium method on all business. Policy liabilities for universal life policies, annuity contracts, GICs, and funding agreements are generally carried in the Company's financial reports at the account value of the policy or contract plus accrued interest.

Federal Income Tax Consequences

Existing federal laws and regulations affect the taxation of the Company’s products. Income tax payable by policyholders on investment earnings is deferred during the accumulation period of certain life insurance and annuity products. This favorable tax treatment may give certain of the Company’s products a competitive advantage over other non-insurance products. To the extent that the Code is revised to reduce the tax-deferred status of life insurance and annuity products, or to increase the tax-deferred status of competing products, all life insurance companies, including the Company and its subsidiaries, will be adversely affected with respect to their ability to sell such products. Also, depending upon grandfathering provisions, the Company will be affected by the surrenders of existing annuity contracts and life insurance policies.

Additionally, if enacted, proposed changes in the federal tax law would establish new tax-advantaged retirement and life savings plans that will reduce the tax advantage of investing in life insurance or annuity products. Such proposals include changes that create new non-life-insurance vehicles for tax-exempt savings, and such proposals sometimes include provisions for more generous annual limits on contributions, etc.

In addition, life insurance products are often used to fund estate tax obligations. Federal law phases out, and ultimately eliminates, the U.S. estate tax in 2010. The same law, if not explicitly extended by Congress and the President via new legislation, reinstates in full the U.S. estate tax in 2011. President Bush and certain members of Congress have expressed a desire to either more quickly phase-out, or completely repeal the U.S. estate tax. If the U.S. estate tax is significantly reduced or repealed, the demand for certain life insurance products will be adversely affected.

Additionally, the Company is subject to the federal corporation income tax. The Company cannot predict what changes to tax law or interpretations of existing tax law may ultimately be enacted or adopted or whether such changes will adversely affect the Company.

The Company's insurance subsidiaries are taxed by the federal government in a manner similar to companies in other industries. However, certain restrictions apply regarding the consolidation of recently-acquired life insurance companies into the Company’s consolidated U.S. income tax return. Additionally, restrictions apply to the combining, in a consolidated U.S. income tax return, of life-insurance-company taxable income with non-life-insurance-company taxable losses. For 2006, the Company will consolidate all of its subsidiaries into its consolidated U.S. income tax return except for the five recently-acquired Chase life insurance companies. The Chase life insurance companies will file either stand-alone U.S. income tax returns or will join in the filing of a separate U.S. consolidated income tax return.

Under pre-1984 U.S. tax law, a significant amount of the Company’s taxable income was not currently taxed. Instead, it was accumulated in a memorandum, or policyholders' surplus, account. Such income was subject to taxation only when it was either distributed or accumulated in excess of certain prescribed limits. The $70.5 million balance in the Company’s policyholders' surplus account as of December 31, 2003, has been carried forward without change since that date. Legislation was enacted in 2004 which permitted a life insurance company to reduce, during 2005 and 2006, its policyholders’ surplus account balances without such reductions being subject to taxation. During 2006, the Company followed this legislation and reduced its policyholders’ surplus account balances to zero.

Competition

Life and health insurance is a mature and highly competitive industry. In recent years, the industry has experienced little growth in life insurance sales, though the aging population has increased the demand for retirement savings products. The Company encounters significant competition in all lines of business from other insurance companies, many of which have greater financial resources than the Company and which may have a greater market share, offer a broader range of products, services or features, assume a greater level of risk, have lower operating or financing costs, or have lower profitability expectations than the Company. The Company also faces competition from other providers of financial services. Competition could result in, among other things, lower sales or higher lapses of existing products.

The Company’s move away from relying on reinsurance for newly written traditional life products results in a net reduction of current taxes (but an increase in deferred taxes). The Company allocates the benefits of reduced current taxes to the life marketing segment and the profitability and competitive position of certain products is dependent on the continuation of existing tax rules and interpretations and the Company’s ability to generate taxable income.

The insurance industry is consolidating, with larger, potentially more efficient organizations emerging from consolidation. Participants in certain of the Company’s independent distribution channels are also consolidating into larger organizations. Some mutual insurance companies have converted to stock ownership, which gives them greater access to capital markets. The ability of banks to increase their securities-related business or to affiliate with insurance companies may materially and adversely affect sales of all of the Company’s products by substantially increasing the number and financial strength of potential competitors.

The Company’s ability to compete is dependent upon, among other things, its ability to attract and retain distribution channels to market its insurance and investment products, its ability to develop competitive and profitable products, its ability to maintain low unit costs, and its maintenance of strong ratings from rating agencies.

As technology evolves, comparison of a particular product of any company for a particular customer with competing products for that customer is more readily available, which could lead to increased competition as well as agent or customer behavior, including persistency, that differs from past behavior.

Regulation

The purchase of life insurance products is limited by state insurable interest laws, which generally require that the purchaser of life insurance have some interest in the sustained life of the insured. To some extent, the insurable interest laws present a barrier to the life settlement, or “stranger-owned” industry, in which a financial entity acquires an interest in life insurance proceeds, and efforts have been made in some states to strengthen as well as clarify the insurable interest laws. To the extent these laws are relaxed, the Company’s lapse assumptions may prove to be unduly optimistic.

A life insurance company's statutory capital is computed according to rules prescribed by the NAIC, as modified by state law. Generally speaking, other states in which a company does business defer to the interpretation of the domiciliary state with respect to certain NAIC rules, unless inconsistent with the other state’s law. Statutory accounting rules are different from U.S. GAAP and are intended to reflect a more conservative view by, for example, requiring immediate expensing of policy acquisition costs and use of more conservative computations of policy liabilities. The NAIC's risk-based capital requirements require insurance companies to calculate and report information under a risk-based capital formula. These requirements are intended to allow insurance regulators to identify inadequately capitalized insurance companies based upon the types and mixtures of risks inherent in the insurer's operations. The formula includes components for asset risk, liability risk, interest rate exposure, and other factors. Based upon the December 31, 2006 statutory financial reports, the Company's insurance subsidiaries are adequately capitalized under the formula.

The Company's insurance subsidiaries are required to file detailed annual reports with the supervisory agencies in each of the jurisdictions in which they do business and their business and accounts are subject to examination by such agencies at any time. Under the rules of the NAIC, insurance companies are examined periodically (generally every three to five years) by one or more of the supervisory agencies on behalf of the states in which they do business. At any given time, a number of financial and/or market conduct examinations of the Company’s subsidiaries may be ongoing. To date, no such insurance department examinations have produced any significant adverse findings regarding any insurance company subsidiary of the Company.

Under insurance guaranty fund laws, in most states insurance companies doing business therein can be assessed up to prescribed limits for policyholder losses incurred by insolvent companies. Although the Company cannot predict the amount of any future assessments, most insurance guaranty fund laws currently provide that an assessment may be excused or deferred if it would threaten an insurer's own financial strength. The Company's insurance subsidiaries were assessed immaterial amounts in 2006, which will be partially offset by credits against future state premium taxes.

In addition, many states, including the states in which the Company's insurance subsidiaries are domiciled, have enacted legislation or adopted regulations regarding insurance holding company systems. These laws require registration of and periodic reporting by insurance companies domiciled within the jurisdiction which control or are controlled by other corporations or persons so as to constitute an insurance holding company system. These laws also affect the acquisition of control of insurance companies as well as transactions between insurance companies and companies controlling them. Most states, including Tennessee where Protective Life is domiciled, require administrative approval of the acquisition of control of an insurance company domiciled in the state or the acquisition of control of an insurance holding company whose insurance subsidiary is incorporated in the state. In Tennessee, the acquisition of 10% of the voting securities of an entity is generally deemed to be the acquisition of control for the purpose of the insurance holding company statute and requires not only the filing of detailed information concerning the acquiring parties and the plan of acquisition, but also administrative approval prior to the acquisition.

The states in which the Company's insurance subsidiaries are domiciled impose certain restrictions on the insurance subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends to Protective Life Corporation. These restrictions are generally based in part on the prior year’s statutory income and surplus. In general, dividends up to specified levels are considered ordinary and may be paid without prior approval. Dividends in larger amounts are subject to approval by the insurance commissioner of the state of domicile. The maximum amount that would qualify as ordinary dividends to Protective Life Corporation by its insurance subsidiaries in 2007 is estimated to be $446.7 million. No assurance can be given that more stringent restrictions will not be adopted from time to time by states in which the Company's insurance subsidiaries are domiciled; such restrictions could have the effect, under certain circumstances, of significantly reducing dividends or other amounts payable to the Company by such subsidiaries without affirmative prior approval by state regulatory authorities.

The Company’s insurance subsidiaries may be subject to regulation by the United States Department of Labor when providing a variety of products and services to employee benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”). Severe penalties are imposed for breach of duties under ERISA.

Certain policies, contracts and annuities offered by the Company’s subsidiaries are subject to regulation under the federal securities laws administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The federal securities laws contain regulatory restrictions and criminal, administrative and private remedial provisions.

Additional issues related to regulation of the Company and its insurance subsidiaries are discussed in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" included herein.

Employees

At December 31, 2006, the Company had 2,743 employees, including 1,246 employees in Birmingham, Alabama. The Company believes its relations with its employees are satisfactory. Most employees are covered by contributory major medical, dental, group life, and long-term disability insurance plans. The cost of these benefits to the Company in 2006 was approximately $10.7 million. In addition, substantially all of the employees are covered by a defined benefit pension plan. The Company also matches employee contributions to its 401(k) Plan and makes discretionary profit sharing contributions for employees not otherwise covered by a bonus or sales incentive plan. See Note 12 to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Executive Officers

The executive officers of the Company as of March 1, 2007 are as follows:

Name	Age	Position
John D. Johns	55	Chairman of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer, and a Director
Richard J. Bielen	46	Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer, and Treasurer
R. Stephen Briggs	57	Executive Vice President, Life and Annuity
Gary Corsi	52	Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
D. Scott Adams	42	Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
Brent E. Griggs	51	Senior Vice President, Asset Protection
Kevin J. Howard	47	Senior Vice President and Chief Product Actuary, Life and Annuity
Carolyn King	56	Senior Vice President, Acquisitions
Carolyn M. Johnson	46	Senior Vice President, Chief Operations and Technology Officer
Deborah J. Long	53	Senior Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel
Wayne E. Stuenkel	53	Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary
Carl S. Thigpen	50	Senior Vice President and Chief Mortgage and Real Estate Officer
Steven G. Walker	47	Senior Vice President, Controller, and Chief Accounting Officer
Judy Wilson	48	Senior Vice President, Stable Value Products

All executive officers are elected annually and serve at the pleasure of the Board of Directors. None of the executive officers are related to any director of the Company or to any other executive officer.

Mr. Johns has been Chairman of the Board of the Company since January 2003, and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since December 2001. He has been a Director of the Company since May 1997. Mr. Johns has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 1993.

Mr. Bielen has been Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer, and Treasurer since September 2006. From January 2002 to September 2006, he was Senior Vice President, Chief Investment Officer and Treasurer. Mr. Bielen has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 1991.

Mr. Briggs has been Executive Vice President, Life and Annuity, of the Company since January 2003. From October 1993 to January 2003, he served as Executive Vice President, Individual Life Division. Mr. Briggs has been associated with the Company and its subsidiaries since 1971.

Mr. Corsi has been Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company since September 2006. From June 2003 to September 2006, Mr. Corsi was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Sun Life Financial U.S. From 2002 to June 2003, he held the interim position of Chief Internal Auditor for Sun Life Financial’s worldwide operations. From 1998 to 2002, Mr. Corsi was President and Chief Executive Officer of Spectrum Investment Management, Inc.

Mr. Adams has been Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of the Company since April 2006. From May 2005 to March 2006, he served as an Executive Search Consultant for the wealth and investment management business sector with Anderson & Associates in Charlotte, NC. From 1996 to 2004, Mr. Adams was Senior Vice President and Human Resource Executive for the Wealth and Investment Management business of Bank of America.

Mr. Griggs has been Senior Vice President, Asset Protection, of the Company since February 2003. He served as Vice President, Operations of the Asset Protection Division of Protective Life Insurance Company from January 1998 to February 2003. Mr. Griggs has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 1997.

Mr. Howard has been Senior Vice President and Chief Product Actuary, Life and Annuity of the Company since November 2006. Mr. Howard served as Vice President and Chief Product Actuary, Life and Annuity of the Company from April 2005 to November 2006. From April 2000 to April 2005, he served as Vice President, Product Development of Empire General Life Assurance Corporation, a subsidiary of the Company.

Ms. King has been Senior Vice President, Acquisitions of the Company since December 2003. Ms. King served as Senior Vice President, Life and Annuity of the Company from January 2003 until December 2003. From April 1995 to January 2003, she served as Senior Vice President, Investment Products Division.

Ms. Johnson has been Senior Vice President, Chief Operations and Technology Officer of the Company since November 2006. Ms. Johnson served as Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, Life and Annuity of the Company from August 2004 to November 2006. From 2003 to 2004, she served as Senior Vice President, Bankers Life and Casualty. Ms. Johnson was Senior Vice President of AEGON’s Western Reserve Life from 2000 to 2003.

Ms. Long has been Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of the Company since November 1996. Ms. Long has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 1994.

Mr. Stuenkel has been Senior Vice President and Chief Actuary of the Company since March 1987. Mr. Stuenkel has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 1978.

Mr. Thigpen has been Senior Vice President and Chief Mortgage and Real Estate Officer of the Company since January 2002. From March 2001 to January 2002, he was Senior Vice President, Investments. Mr. Thigpen has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 1984.

Mr. Walker has been Senior Vice President, Controller, and Chief Accounting Officer of the Company since March 2004. From September 2003 through March 2004, he served as Vice President, Controller, and Chief Accounting Officer of the Company. From August 2002 to September 2003, he served as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Asset Protection Division of the Company. From November 1998 through July 2002, Mr. Walker served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Aon Integramark.

Ms. Wilson has been Senior Vice President, Stable Value Products of the Company since January 1995. Ms. Wilson has been employed by the Company and its subsidiaries since 1991.

Certain of these executive officers also serve as executive officers and/or directors of various other Company subsidiaries.

Item 1A. Risk Factors and Cautionary Factors that may Affect Future Results

The operating results of companies in the insurance industry have historically been subject to significant fluctuations. The factors which could affect the Company’s future results include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions and the known trends and uncertainties which are discussed more fully below.

The Company is exposed to the risks of natural disasters, pandemics, malicious and terrorist acts that could adversely affect the Company’s operations.

While the Company has obtained insurance, implemented risk management and contingency plans, and taken preventive measures and other precautions, no predictions of specific scenarios can be made nor can assurance be given that there are not scenarios that could have an adverse effect on the Company. A natural disaster, pandemic, or an outbreak of an easily communicable disease could adversely affect the mortality or morbidity experience of the Company or its reinsurers. A pandemic could also have an adverse effect on lapses and surrenders of existing policies, as well as sales of new policies. In addition, a pandemic could result in large areas being subject to quarantine, with the result that economic activity slows or ceases, adversely affecting the marketing or administration of the Company’s business within such area and/or the general economic climate, which in turn could have an adverse affect on the Company. The possible macroeconomic effects of a pandemic could also adversely affect the Company’s asset portfolio, as well as many other variables.

The Company operates in a mature, highly competitive industry, which could limit its ability to gain or maintain its position in the industry and negatively affect profitability.

The Company’s move away from relying on reinsurance for newly written traditional life products results in a net reduction of current taxes (but an increase in deferred taxes.) The Company allocates the benefits of reduced current taxes to the life marketing segment and the profitability and competitive position of certain products is dependent on the continuation of existing tax rules and interpretations and the Company’s ability to generate taxable income.

A ratings downgrade could adversely affect the Company’s ability to compete.

Rating organizations periodically review the financial performance and condition of insurers, including the Company’s subsidiaries. In recent years, downgrades of insurance companies have occurred with increasing frequency. A downgrade in the rating of the Company’s subsidiaries could adversely affect the Company’s ability to sell its products, retain existing business, and compete for attractive acquisition opportunities. Specifically, a ratings downgrade would materially harm the Company’s ability to sell certain products, including guaranteed investment products and funding agreements.

Rating organizations assign ratings based upon several factors. While most of the factors relate to the rated company, some of the factors relate to the views of the rating organization, general economic conditions and circumstances outside the rated company’s control. In addition, rating organizations use various models and formulas to assess the strength of a rated company, and from time to time rating organizations have, in their discretion, altered the models. Changes to the models could impact the rating organizations’ judgment of the rating to be assigned to the rated company. The Company cannot predict what actions the rating organizations may take, or what actions the Company may be required to take in response to the actions of the rating organizations, which could adversely affect the Company.

The Company’s policy claims fluctuate from period to period resulting in earnings volatility.

The Company’s results may fluctuate from period to period due to fluctuations in policy claims received by the Company. Certain of the Company’s businesses may experience higher claims if the economy is growing slowly or in recession, or equity markets decline. Additionally, beginning in the second quarter of 2005, the Company increased its retained amounts on newly written traditional life products. This change will cause greater variability in financial results due to fluctuations in mortality results.

The Company’s results may be negatively affected should actual experience differ from management’s assumptions and estimates.

In the conduct of business, the Company makes certain assumptions regarding the mortality, persistency, expenses and interest rates, tax liability, business mix, frequency of claims, or other factors appropriate to the type of business it expects to experience in future periods. These assumptions are also used to estimate the amounts of deferred policy acquisition costs, policy liabilities and accruals, future earnings, and various components of the Company’s balance sheet. These assumptions are used in the operations of the Company’s business in making decisions crucial to the success of the Company, including the pricing of products and expense structures relating to products. The Company’s actual experience, as well as changes in estimates, are used to prepare the Company’s statements of income. To the extent the Company’s actual experience and changes in estimates differ from original estimates, the Company’s financial condition is affected.

Mortality, morbidity, and casualty expectations incorporate assumptions about many factors, including for example, how a product is distributed, for what purpose the product is purchased, the mix of customers purchasing the products, persistency and lapses, future progress in the fields of health and medicine, and the projected level of used vehicle values. Actual mortality, morbidity, and/or casualty experience will differ from expectations if actual results differ from those assumptions. In addition, continued activity in the viatical, stranger-owned and/or life settlement industry, in which some companies attempt to arbitrage the difference in lapse assumptions used in pricing and actual lapse performance that they can control, could have an adverse impact on the Company’s level of persistency and lapses, and thus negatively impact the Company’s performance.

The calculations the Company uses to estimate various components of its balance sheet and statements of income are necessarily complex and involve analyzing and interpreting large quantities of data. The Company currently employs various techniques for such calculations and it from time to time will develop and implement more sophisticated administrative systems and procedures capable of facilitating the calculation of more precise estimates.

Assumptions and estimates involve judgment, and by their nature are imprecise and subject to changes and revision over time. Accordingly, the Company’s results may be affected, positively or negatively, from time to time, by actual results differing from assumptions, by changes in estimates, and by changes resulting from implementing more sophisticated administrative systems and procedures that facilitate the calculation of more precise estimates.

The use of reinsurance introduces variability in the Company’s statements of income.

The timing of premium payments to and receipt of expense allowances from reinsurers may differ from the Company’s receipt of customer premium payments and incurrence of expenses. These timing differences introduce variability in certain components of the Company’s statements of income, and may also introduce variability in the Company’s quarterly results.

The Company could be forced to sell investments at a loss to cover policyholder withdrawals.

Many of the products offered by the Company and its insurance subsidiaries allow policyholders and contract holders to withdraw their funds under defined circumstances. The Company and its insurance subsidiaries manage their liabilities and configure their investment portfolios so as to provide and maintain sufficient liquidity to support anticipated withdrawal demands and contract benefits and maturities. While the Company and its life insurance subsidiaries own a significant amount of liquid assets, a certain portion of their assets are relatively illiquid. If the Company or its subsidiaries experience unanticipated withdrawal or surrender activity, the Company or its subsidiaries could exhaust their liquid assets and be forced to liquidate other assets, perhaps on unfavorable terms. If the Company or its subsidiaries are forced to dispose of assets on unfavorable terms, it could have an adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition.

Interest-rate fluctuations could negatively affect the Company’s spread income or otherwise impact its business.

Significant changes in interest rates expose insurance companies to the risk of not earning anticipated spreads between the interest rate earned on investments and the credited interest rates paid on outstanding policies and contracts. Both rising and declining interest rates can negatively affect the Company’s spread income. While the Company develops and maintains asset/liability management programs and procedures designed to mitigate the effect on spread income in rising or falling interest rate environments, no assurance can be given that changes in interest rates will not affect such spreads.

From time to time, the Company has participated in securities repurchase transactions that have contributed to the Company’s investment income. No assurance can be given that such transactions will continue to be entered into and contribute to the Company’s investment income in the future.

Changes in interest rates may also impact its business in other ways. Lower interest rates may result in lower sales of certain of the Company’s insurance and investment products. In addition, certain of the Company’s insurance and investment products guarantee a minimum credited interest rate, and the Company could become unable to earn its spread income should interest rates decrease significantly.

Higher interest rates may create a less favorable environment for the origination of mortgage loans and decrease the investment income the Company receives in the form of prepayment fees, make-whole payments, and mortgage participation income. Higher interest rates may also increase the cost of debt and other obligations having floating rate or rate reset provisions and may result in lower sales of variable products.

Additionally, the Company’s asset/liability management programs and procedures incorporate assumptions about the relationship between short-term and long-term interest rates (i.e., the slope of the yield curve) and relationships between risk-adjusted and risk-free interest rates, market liquidity, and other factors. The effectiveness of the Company’s asset/liability management programs and procedures may be negatively affected whenever actual results differ from these assumptions.

In general, the Company’s results are improved when the yield curve is positively sloped (i.e., when long-term interest rates are higher than short-term interest rates), and will be adversely affected by a flat or negatively sloped curve.

Equity market volatility could negatively impact the Company’s business.

The amount of policy fees received from variable products is affected by the performance of the equity markets, increasing or decreasing as markets rise or fall. Equity market volatility can also affect the profitability of variable products in other ways, in particular as a result of options embedded in these products.

The amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs relating to variable products and the estimated cost of providing guaranteed minimum death benefits incorporate various assumptions about the overall performance of equity markets over certain time periods. The rate of amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and the estimated cost of providing guaranteed minimum death benefits could increase if equity market performance is worse than assumed.

Insurance companies are highly regulated and subject to numerous legal restrictions and regulations.

The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to government regulation in each of the states in which they conduct business. Such regulation is vested in state agencies having broad administrative and in some instances discretionary power dealing with many aspects of the Company’s business, which may include, among other things, premium rates and increases thereto, reserve requirements, marketing practices, advertising, privacy, policy forms, reinsurance reserve requirements, acquisitions, mergers, and capital adequacy, and is concerned primarily with the protection of policyholders and other customers rather than share owners. At any given time, a number of financial and/or market conduct examinations of the Company’s subsidiaries may be ongoing. The Company’s insurance subsidiaries are required to obtain state regulatory approval for rate increases for certain health insurance products, and the Company’s profits may be adversely affected if the requested rate increases are not approved in full by regulators in a timely fashion. From time to time, regulators raise issues during examinations or audits of the Company’s subsidiaries that could, if determined adversely, have a material impact on the Company.

The purchase of life insurance products is limited by state insurable interest laws, which generally require that the purchaser of life insurance have some interest in the sustained life of the insured. To some extent, the insurable interest laws present a barrier to the life settlement, or “stranger-owned” industry, in which a financial entity acquires an interest in life insurance proceeds, and efforts have been made in some states to liberalize the insurable interest laws. To the extent these laws are relaxed, the Company’s lapse assumptions may prove to be unduly optimistic.

The Company cannot predict whether or when regulatory actions may be taken that could adversely affect the Company or its operations. Interpretations of regulations by regulators may change and statutes, regulations and interpretations may be applied with retroactive impact, particularly in areas such as accounting or reserve requirements. Although the Company and its subsidiaries are subject to state regulation, in many instances the state regulatory models emanate from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”). Some of the NAIC pronouncements, particularly as they affect accounting issues, take effect automatically in the various states without affirmative action by the states. Also, regulatory actions with prospective impact can potentially have a significant impact on currently sold products. As an example of both retroactive and prospective impacts, in late 2005, the NAIC approved an amendment to Actuarial Guideline 38, which interprets the reserve requirements for universal life insurance with secondary guarantees. This amendment retroactively increased the reserve requirements for universal life insurance with secondary guarantee products issued after July 1, 2005. This change to Actuarial Guideline 38 (“AG38”) also affected the profitability of universal life products sold after the adoption date. The NAIC is continuing to study reserving methodology and has issued additional changes to AG38 and Regulation XXX, which may have the effect of modestly decreasing the reserves required for term and universal life policies that are issued on January 1, 2007 and later. In addition, accounting and actuarial groups within the NAIC are studying whether to change the accounting standards that relate to certain reinsurance credits, and whether, if changes are made, they are to be applied retrospectively, prospectively only, or in a phased-in manner. A requirement to reduce the reserve credit on ceded business, if applied retroactively, would have a negative impact on the statutory capital of the Company. The NAIC is also currently working to reform state regulation in various areas, including comprehensive reforms relating to life insurance reserves. At the federal level, bills have been introduced in the U. S. Senate and the U. S. House of Representatives that would provide for an optional federal charter for life and property and casualty insurers, and another bill has been introduced in the U. S. House of Representatives that would pre-empt state law in certain respects with regard to the regulation of reinsurance. Still another bill has been introduced in the House and Senate that would remove the federal antitrust exemption from the insurance industry. The Company cannot predict whether or in what form reforms will be enacted and, if so, whether the enacted reforms will positively or negatively affect the Company or whether any effects will be material. Moreover, although with respect to some financial regulations and guidelines, states defer to the interpretation of the insurance department of the state of domicile, neither the action of the domiciliary state nor action of the NAIC is binding on a state. Accordingly, a state could choose to follow a different interpretation.

The Company’s subsidiaries may be subject to regulation by the United States Department of Labor when providing a variety of products and services to employee benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”). Severe penalties are imposed for breach of duties under ERISA.

Certain policies, contracts, and annuities offered by the Company’s subsidiaries are subject to regulation under the federal securities laws administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The federal securities laws contain regulatory restrictions and criminal, administrative, and private remedial provisions.

Other types of regulation that could affect the Company and its subsidiaries include insurance company investment laws and regulations, state statutory accounting practices, anti-trust laws, minimum solvency requirements, state securities laws, federal privacy laws, insurable interest laws, federal money laundering and anti-terrorism laws, and because the Company owns and operates real property, state, federal, and local environmental laws. The Company cannot predict what form any future changes in these or other areas of regulation affecting the insurance industry might take or what effect, if any, such proposals might have on the Company if enacted into law.

Changes to tax law or interpretations of existing tax law could adversely affect the Company and its ability to compete with non-insurance products or reduce the demand for certain insurance products.

Under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), income tax payable by policyholders on investment earnings is deferred during the accumulation period of certain life insurance and annuity products. This favorable tax treatment may give certain of the Company’s products a competitive advantage over other non-insurance products. To the extent that the Code is revised to reduce the tax-deferred status of life insurance and annuity products, or to increase the tax-deferred status of competing products, all life insurance companies, including the Company and its subsidiaries, would be adversely affected with respect to their ability to sell such products, and, depending upon grandfathering provisions, would be affected by the surrenders of existing annuity contracts and life insurance policies. For example, changes in laws or regulations could restrict or eliminate the advantages of certain corporate or bank-owned life insurance products. Changes in tax law, which have reduced the federal income tax rates on corporate dividends in certain circumstances, could make the tax advantages of investing in certain life insurance or annuity products less attractive. Additionally, changes in tax law based on proposals to establish new tax advantaged retirement and life savings plans, if enacted, could reduce the tax advantage of investing in certain life insurance or annuity products. In addition, life insurance products are often used to fund estate tax obligations. Legislation has been enacted that would, over time, reduce and eventually eliminate the federal estate tax. Under the legislation that has been enacted, the estate tax will be reinstated, in its entirety, in 2011 and thereafter. President Bush and members of Congress have expressed a desire to modify the existing legislation, which modification could result in faster or more complete reduction or repeal of the estate tax. If the estate tax is significantly reduced or eliminated, the demand for certain life insurance products could be adversely affected. Additionally, the Company is subject to the federal corporation income tax. The Company cannot predict what changes to tax law or interpretations of existing tax law may ultimately be enacted or adopted or whether such changes could adversely affect the Company.

The Company’s move away from relying on reinsurance for newly written traditional life products results in a net reduction of current taxes (but an increase in deferred taxes.) The resulting benefit of reduced current taxes is attributed to the applicable life products and is an important component of the profitability of these products. The profitability and competitive position of these products is dependent on the continuation of current tax law and the ability to generate taxable income.

Financial services companies are frequently the targets of litigation, including class action litigation, which could result in substantial judgments.

A number of civil jury verdicts have been returned against insurers, broker-dealers, and other providers of financial services involving sales, refund or claims practices, alleged agent misconduct, failure to properly supervise representatives, relationships with agents or other persons with whom the insurer does business, and other matters. Often these lawsuits have resulted in the award of substantial judgments that are disproportionate to the actual damages, including material amounts of punitive non-economic compensatory damages. In some states, juries, judges, and arbitrators have substantial discretion in awarding punitive and non-economic compensatory damages, which creates the potential for unpredictable material adverse judgments or awards in any given lawsuit or arbitration. Arbitration awards are subject to very limited appellate review. In addition, in some class action and other lawsuits, companies have made material settlement payments.

Group health coverage issued through associations and credit insurance coverages have received some negative coverage in the media as well as increased regulatory consideration and review and litigation. The Company has a small closed block of group health insurance coverage that was issued to members of an association; a lawsuit is currently pending against the Company in connection with this business. The Company is also defending litigation challenging its practices relating to issuing refunds of unearned premiums upon termination of credit insurance.

The Company, like other financial services companies, in the ordinary course of business is involved in litigation and arbitration. Although the Company cannot predict the outcome of any litigation or arbitration, the Company does not believe that any such outcome will have a material impact on the financial condition or results of operations of the Company.

Publicly held companies in general and the financial services industry in particular are sometimes the target of law enforcement investigations and the focus of increased regulatory scrutiny.

Publicly held companies in general and the financial services industry in particular are sometimes the target of law enforcement investigations relating to the numerous laws that govern publicly held companies and the financial services and insurance business. The Company cannot predict the impact of any such investigations on the Company or the industry.

The financial services industry has become the focus of increased scrutiny by regulatory and law enforcement authorities relating to allegations of improper special payments, price-fixing, bid-rigging and other alleged misconduct, including payments made by insurers and other financial services providers to brokers and the practices surrounding the placement of insurance business and sales of other financial products as well as practices related to finite reinsurance. Some publicly held companies have been the subject of enforcement or other actions relating to corporate governance and the integrity of financial statements, most recently relating to the issuance of stock options. Such publicity may generate inquiries to or litigation against publicly held companies and/or financial service providers, even those who do not engage in the business lines or practices currently at issue. It is impossible to predict the outcome of these investigations or proceedings, whether they will expand into other areas not yet contemplated, whether they will result in changes in insurance regulation, whether activities currently thought to be lawful will be characterized as unlawful, or the impact, if any, of this increased regulatory and law enforcement scrutiny of the financial services industry on the Company. As some inquiries appear to encompass a large segment of the financial services industry, it would not be unusual for large numbers of companies in the financial services industry to receive subpoenas, requests for information from regulatory authorities or other inquiries relating to these and similar matters. From time to time, the Company receives subpoenas, requests or other inquires and responds to them in the ordinary course of business.

The Company’s ability to maintain competitive unit costs is dependent upon the level of new sales and persistency of existing business.

The Company’s ability to maintain competitive unit costs is dependent upon a number of factors, such as the level of new sales, persistency (continuation or renewal) of existing business, and expense management. A decrease in sales or persistency without a corresponding reduction in expenses may result in higher unit costs.

Additionally, a decrease in persistency may result in higher or more rapid amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and thus higher unit costs, and lower reported earnings. Although many of the Company’s products contain surrender charges, the charges decrease over time and may not be sufficient to cover the unamortized deferred policy acquisition costs with respect to the insurance policy or annuity contract being surrendered. Some of the Company’s products do not contain surrender charge features and such products can be surrendered or exchanged without penalty. A decrease in persistency may also result in higher claims.

The Company’s investments are subject to market and credit risks.

The Company’s invested assets and derivative financial instruments are subject to customary risks of credit defaults and changes in market values. The value of the Company’s commercial mortgage loan portfolio depends in part on the financial condition of the tenants occupying the properties which the Company has financed. Factors that may affect the overall default rate on, and market value of, the Company’s invested assets, derivative financial instruments, and mortgage loans include interest rate levels, financial market performance, and general economic conditions as well as particular circumstances affecting the businesses of individual borrowers and tenants.

The Company may not realize its anticipated financial results from its acquisitions strategy.

The Company’s acquisitions have increased its earnings in part by allowing the Company to enter new markets and to position itself to realize certain operating efficiencies. There can be no assurance, however, that suitable acquisitions, presenting opportunities for continued growth and operating efficiencies, or capital to fund acquisitions will continue to be available to the Company, or that the Company will realize the anticipated financial results from its acquisitions.

The Company may be unable to complete an acquisition, or completion of an acquisition may be more costly or take longer than expected or may have a different financing structure than initially contemplated. The Company may be unable to obtain regulatory approvals that may be required to complete an acquisition. There may be unforeseen liabilities that arise in connection with businesses that the Company acquires.

Additionally, in connection with its acquisitions, the Company assumes or otherwise becomes responsible for the obligations of policies and other liabilities of other insurers. Any regulatory, legal, financial, or other adverse development affecting the other insurer could also have an adverse effect on the Company.

The Company may not be able to achieve the expected results from its recent acquisition.

On July 3, 2006, the Company completed its acquisition from JP Morgan Chase & Co. of the stock of five life insurance companies and the stock of four related non-insurance companies. Integration of the acquisition may be more expensive, more difficult, or take longer than expected. In addition, the Company may not achieve the returns projected from its analysis of the acquisition opportunity, and the effects of purchase U.S. GAAP accounting on the Company’s financial statements may be different than originally contemplated.

The Company is dependent on the performance of others.

The Company’s results may be affected by the performance of others because the Company has entered into various arrangements involving other parties. For example, most of the Company’s products are sold through independent distribution channels, and variable annuity deposits are invested in funds managed by third parties. Also, a substantial portion of the business of the recently acquired Chase Insurance Group will be administered by third party administrators. Additionally, the Company’s operations are dependent on various technologies, some of which are provided and/or maintained by other parties.

Certain of these other parties may act on behalf of the Company or represent the Company in various capacities. Consequently, the Company may be held responsible for obligations that arise from the acts or omissions of these other parties.

As with all financial services companies, its ability to conduct business is dependent upon consumer confidence in the industry and its products. Actions of competitors and financial difficulties of other companies in the industry could undermine consumer confidence and adversely affect retention of existing business and future sales of the Company’s insurance and investment products.

The Company’s reinsurers could fail to meet assumed obligations, increase rates or be subject to adverse developments that could affect the Company.

The Company and its insurance subsidiaries cede material amounts of insurance and transfer related assets to other insurance companies through reinsurance. The Company may enter into third-party reinsurance arrangements under which the Company will rely on the third party to collect premiums, pay claims, and/or perform customer service functions. However, notwithstanding the transfer of related assets or other issues, the Company remains liable with respect to ceded insurance should any reinsurer fail to meet the obligations assumed by it. Therefore, the failure of one or more of the Company’s reinsurers could negatively impact the Company’s earnings and financial position.

The Company’s ability to compete is dependent on the availability of reinsurance or other substitute capital market solutions. Premium rates charged by the Company are based, in part, on the assumption that reinsurance will be available at a certain cost. Under certain reinsurance agreements, the reinsurer may increase the rate it charges the Company for the reinsurance. Therefore, if the cost of reinsurance were to increase or if reinsurance were to become unavailable or if alternatives to reinsurance were not available to the Company, or if a reinsurer should fail to meet its obligations, the Company could be adversely affected.

Recently, access to reinsurance has become more costly for the Company as well as the insurance industry in general. This could have a negative effect on the Company’s ability to compete. In recent years, the number of life reinsurers has decreased as the reinsurance industry has consolidated. The decreased number of participants in the life reinsurance market results in increased concentration risk for insurers, including the Company. If the reinsurance market further contracts, the Company’s ability to continue to offer its products on terms favorable to the Company could be adversely impacted.

The Company recently has implemented and plans to continue to implement a reinsurance program through the use of a captive reinsurer. Under these arrangements, an insurer owned by the Company serves as the reinsurer, and the consolidated books and tax returns of the Company reflects a liability consisting of the full reserve amount attributable to the reinsured business. The success of the Company’s captive reinsurance program and related marketing efforts is dependent on a number of factors outside the control of the Company, including continued access to capital markets, a favorable regulatory environment, and the overall tax position of the Company. If the captive reinsurance program is not successful the Company’s ability to continue to offer its products on terms favorable to the Company would be adversely impacted.

Computer viruses or network security breaches could affect the data processing systems of the Company or its business partners and could damage our business and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

A computer virus could affect the data processing systems of the Company or its business partners, destroying valuable data or making it difficult to conduct business. In addition, despite the Company’s implementation of network security measures, its servers could be subject to physical and electronic break-ins, and similar disruptions from unauthorized tampering with its computer systems.

The Company retains confidential information in its computer systems, and relies on sophisticated commercial technologies to maintain the security of those systems. Anyone who is able to circumvent the Company’s security measures and penetrate the Company’s computer systems could access, view, misappropriate, alter, or delete any information in the systems, including personally identifiable customer information and proprietary business information. In addition, an increasing number of states require that customers be notified if a security breach results in the disclosure of personally identifiable customer information. Any compromise of the security of the Company’s computer systems that result in inappropriate disclosure of personally identifiable customer information could damage the Company’s reputation in the marketplace, deter people from purchasing the Company’s products, subject the Company to significant civil and criminal liability and require the Company to incur significant technical, legal and other expenses.

The Company’s ability to grow depends in large part upon the continued availability of capital.

The Company has recently deployed significant amounts of capital to support its sales and acquisitions efforts. A recent amendment to Actuarial Guideline 38 increased the reserve requirements for universal life insurance with secondary guarantees for products issued after July 1, 2005. This amendment, along with the continued reserve requirements of Regulation XXX for traditional life insurance products, has caused the sale of these products to consume additional capital. Future marketing plans are dependent on access to the capital markets through securitization. A disruption in the securitization marketplace, or the Company’s inability to access capital through these transactions, could have a negative impact on the Company’s ability to grow. Capital has also been consumed as the Company increased its reserves on the residual value and lenders indemnity product lines. Although positive performance in the equity markets has recently allowed the Company to decrease its guaranteed minimum death benefit related policy liabilities and accruals, deterioration in these markets could lead to further capital consumption. Although the Company believes it has sufficient capital to fund its immediate growth and capital needs, the amount of capital available can vary significantly from period to period due to a variety of circumstances, some of which are neither predictable nor foreseeable, nor within the Company’s control. A lack of sufficient capital could impair the Company’s ability to grow.

New accounting rules or changes to existing accounting rules could negatively impact the Company.

Like all publicly traded companies, the Company is required to comply with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). A number of organizations are instrumental in the development and interpretation of U.S. GAAP such as the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”), and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”). U.S. GAAP is subject to constant review by these organizations and others in an effort to address emerging accounting rules and issue interpretative accounting guidance on a continual basis. The Company can give no assurance that future changes to U.S. GAAP will not have a negative impact on the Company.

In addition, the Company’s insurance subsidiaries are required to comply with statutory accounting principles (“SAP”). SAP and various components of SAP (such as actuarial reserving methodology) are subject to constant review by the NAIC and its taskforces and committees as well as state insurance departments in an effort to address emerging issues and otherwise improve or alter financial reporting. Various proposals are currently pending before committees and taskforces of the NAIC, some of which, if enacted, would negatively affect the Company, including one that relates to certain reinsurance credits, and some of which could positively impact the Company. The NAIC is also currently working to reform state regulation in various areas, including comprehensive reforms relating to life insurance reserves and the accounting for such reserves. The Company cannot predict whether or in what form reforms will be enacted and, if so, whether the enacted reforms will positively or negatively affect the Company. Moreover, although in general with respect to regulations and guidelines, states defer to the interpretation of the insurance department of the state of domicile, neither the action of the domiciliary state nor action of the NAIC is binding on a state. Accordingly, a state could choose to follow a different interpretation. The Company can give no assurance that future changes to SAP or components of SAP will not have a negative impact on the Company.

The Company’s risk management policies and procedures may leave it exposed to unidentified or unanticipated risk, which could negatively affect our business or result in losses.

The Company has developed risk management policies and procedures and expects to continue to do so in the future. Nonetheless, the Company’s policies and procedures to identify, monitor and manage both internal and external risks may not predict future exposures, which could be different or significantly greater than expected.

These may not be the only risks facing the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us, or that we currently deem to be immaterial, may adversely affect our business, financial condition and/or operating results.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments

None.

Item 2. Properties

The Company's Home Office is located at 2801 Highway 280 South, Birmingham, Alabama. The original 142,000 square-foot building was completed in 1976 and a second 220,000 square-foot building was completed in 1985. Additionally, the Company leases a third 315,000 square-foot building. Parking is provided for approximately 2,760 vehicles.

The Company leases administrative and marketing office space in 24 cities, including 11,428 square feet in Birmingham (excluding the home office building), with most leases being for periods of three to ten years. The aggregate annualized rent is approximately $7.7 million.

The Company believes its properties are adequate and suitable for its business as currently conducted and are adequately maintained. The above properties do not include properties the Company owns for investment only.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings

To the knowledge and in the opinion of management, there are no material pending legal proceedings, other than ordinary routine litigation incidental to the business of the Company, to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which any of the Company's properties is the subject. For additional information regarding legal proceedings see “Risk Factors and Cautionary Factors that may Affect Future Results” included herein.

Item 4. Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

No matter was submitted during the fourth quarter of 2006 to a vote of security holders of the Company.

Table of Contents

PART II

Item 5.

Market for the Registrant's Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities

The Company's Common Stock is listed and principally traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE symbol: PL). The following table sets forth the highest and lowest closing prices of the Company's Common Stock, $0.50 par value, as reported by the New York Stock Exchange during the periods indicated, along with the dividends paid per share of Common Stock during the same periods.


	Range
		High		Low		Dividends
2005
First Quarter	$	43.33	$	38.99	$	.175
Second Quarter		42.27		37.39		.195
Third Quarter		44.44		39.80		.195
Fourth Quarter		44.83		41.07		.195
2006
First Quarter	$	49.74	$	44.20	$	.195
Second Quarter		50.40		43.44		.215
Third Quarter		47.16		43.04		.215
Fourth Quarter		47.55		43.97		.215

On February 15, 2007, there were approximately 1,773 owners of record of Company Common Stock.

The Company (or its predecessor) has paid cash dividends each year since 1926 and each quarter since 1934. The Company expects to continue to pay cash dividends, subject to the earnings and financial condition of the Company and other relevant factors. The ability of the Company to pay cash dividends is dependent in part on cash dividends received by the Company from its life insurance subsidiaries. See Item 7 - “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations -Liquidity and Capital Resources” included herein. Such subsidiary dividends are restricted by the various insurance laws of the states in which the subsidiaries are incorporated. See Item 1 - “Business - Regulation”.

The following table provides information regarding the common stock of the Company that is authorized for issuance under various equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2006.

Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
Plan category		Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights (a)	Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights (b)	Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) (c)
Equity compensation plans approved by share owners		1,872,856⁽¹⁾	$29.33⁽²⁾	3,362,925⁽³⁾
Equity compensation plans not approved by share owners		1,044,444⁽⁴⁾	Not Applicable	Not Applicable⁽⁵⁾
Total		2,917,300⁽¹⁾⁽⁴⁾	$29.33⁽²⁾	3,362,925⁽³⁾⁽⁶⁾
(1)	Includes (a) 1,155,946 shares of common stock issuable with respect to outstanding stock appreciation rights ("SARs") granted under the Long-Term Incentive Plan, (assuming for this purpose that one share of common stock will be issued with respect to each outstanding SAR); and (b) 716,910 shares of common stock issuable with respect to outstanding performance share awards granted under the Long-Term Incentive Plan (assuming maximum earn-out of the awards).
(2)	Based on exercise prices of outstanding SARs.
(3)	Represents (a) 3,270,686 shares of common stock available for future issuance under the Long-Term Incentive Plan; and (b) 92,239 shares of common stock available for future issuance under the Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors.
(4)	Includes (a) 100,050 shares of common stock issuable with respect to stock equivalents pursuant to the Company's Deferred Compensation Plan for Directors Who Are Not Employees of the Company; (b) 768,960 shares of common stock issuable with respect to stock equivalents pursuant to the Company's Deferred Compensation Plan for Officers; and (c) 175,434 shares of common stock issuable with respect to stock equivalents pursuant to the Company's Deferred Compensation Plan for Sales Managers, Agents and Representatives.
(5)	The plans listed in (4) above do not currently have limits on the number of shares of common stock issuable thereunder. The total number of shares of common stock that may be issuable thereunder will depend upon, among other factors, the deferral elections made by participants in such plans.
(6)	Plus any shares that become issuable under the plans listed in (4) above.

Item 6. Selected Financial Data

Table of Contents

	Year Ended December 31
		2006			2005			2004			2003			2002
	(Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
INCOME STATEMENT DATA Premiums and policy fees	$	2,317,337		$	1,955,780		$	1,821,094		$	1,667,725		$	1,561,717
Reinsurance ceded		(1,371,215	)		(1,226,857	)		(1,125,646	)		(934,435	)		(751,396	)
Net of reinsurance ceded		946,122			728,923			695,448			733,290			810,321
Net investment income		1,419,778			1,180,502			1,084,217			1,030,752			1,022,953
Realized investment gains (losses) Derivative financial instruments		(21,516	)		(30,881	)		19,591			12,550			28,308
All other investments		104,084			49,393			28,305			58,064			910
Other income		230,665			181,267			161,014			122,869			100,196
Total revenues		2,679,133			2,109,204			1,988,575			1,957,525			1,962,688
Benefits and expenses		2,247,225			1,732,191			1,603,374			1,632,113			1,697,645
Income tax expense		150,347			130,446			134,820			108,362			87,688
Change in accounting principle⁽¹⁾		0			0			(15,801	)		0			0
Net income	$	281,561		$	246,567		$	234,580		$	217,050		$	177,355
PER SHARE DATA Net income from continuing operations⁽²⁾- basic	$	3.98		$	3.49		$	3.56		$	3.10		$	2.54
Net income - basic	$	3.98		$	3.49		$	3.34		$	3.10		$	2.54
Average shares outstanding - basic		70,795,453			70,562,186			70,299,470			70,033,288			69,923,955
Net income from continuing operations⁽²⁾- diluted	$	3.94		$	3.46		$	3.52		$	3.07		$	2.52
Net income - diluted	$	3.94		$	3.46		$	3.30		$	3.07		$	2.52
Average shares outstanding - diluted		71,390,513			71,350,541			71,064,539			70,644,642			70,462,797
Cash dividends	$	0.84		$	0.76		$	0.685		$	0.63		$	0.59
Share-owners’ equity	$	33.06		$	31.33		$	31.19		$	29.02		$	25.06
(1) Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle, net of income tax - amount in 2004 relates to SOP 03-1. (2) Net income excluding change in accounting principle.

	December 31
	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002
	(Dollars in thousands)
BALANCE SHEET DATA
Total assets	$39,795,294	$28,966,993	$27,211,378	$24,517,615	$21,893,403
Total stable value contract and annuity account balances⁽³⁾	14,330,909	9,490,007	8,342,334	7,336,341	6,789,557
Non-recourse funding obligations	425,000	125,000	0	0	0
Liabilities related to variable interest entities	420,395	448,093	482,434	400,000	0
Long-term debt	479,132	482,532	451,433	461,329	406,110
Subordinated debt securities	524,743	324,743	324,743	221,650	215,000
Shares-owners’ equity	2,313,075	2,183,660	2,166,327	2,002,144	1,720,702
(3) Includes stable value contract account balances and annuity account balances which do not pose significant mortality risk. Note: Certain reclassifications have been made in the previously reported financial information to make the prior period amounts comparable to those of the current period. Such reclassifications had no effect on previously reported net income or share-owners’ equity.

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

This Management’s Discussion and Analysis should be read in its entirety, since it contains detailed information that is important to understanding the Company’s results and financial condition. The Overview below is qualified in its entirety by the full Management’s Discussion and Analysis.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS - CAUTIONARY LANGUAGE

This report reviews the Company’s financial condition and results of operations including its liquidity and capital resources. Historical information is presented and discussed. Where appropriate, factors that may affect future financial performance are also identified and discussed. Certain statements made in this report include “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results, performance or achievements instead of historical facts and may contain words like “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “will,” “shall,” “may,” and other words, phrases, or expressions with similar meaning. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ materially from the results contained in the forward-looking statements, and the Company cannot give assurances that such statements will prove to be correct. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Please refer to “Risk Factors and Cautionary Factors that may Affect Future Results” herein for more information about factors which could affect future results.

OVERVIEW

Protective Life Corporation (the “Company”) is a holding company whose subsidiaries provide financial services through the production, distribution, and administration of insurance and investment products. Founded in 1907, Protective Life Insurance Company is the Company’s largest operating subsidiary. Unless the context otherwise requires, the “Company” refers to the consolidated group of Protective Life Corporation and its subsidiaries.

The Company operates several business segments, each having a strategic focus. An operating segment is generally distinguished by products and or distribution channels. The Company’s operating segments are Life Marketing, Acquisitions, Annuities, Stable Value Products, and Asset Protection. The Company has an additional segment referred to as Corporate and Other which consists of net investment income on unallocated capital, interest on debt, earnings from various investment-related transactions, and the operations of several non-strategic lines of business. The Company periodically evaluates its operating segments in light of the segment reporting requirements prescribed by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 131, “Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information,” and makes adjustments to its segment reporting as needed.

In the following discussion, segment operating income is defined as income before income tax excluding net realized investment gains and losses (net of the related amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”) and value of business acquired (“VOBA”) and participating income from real estate ventures), and the cumulative effect of change in accounting principle. Periodic settlements of derivatives associated with corporate debt and certain investments and annuity products are included in realized gains and losses but are considered part of segment operating income because the derivatives are used to mitigate risk in items affecting segment operating income. Management believes that segment operating income provides relevant and useful information to investors, as it represents the basis on which the performance of the Company’s business is internally assessed. Although the items excluded from segment operating income may be significant components in understanding and assessing the Company’s overall financial performance, management believes that segment operating income enhances an investor’s understanding of the Company’s results of operations by highlighting the income (loss) attributable to the normal, recurring operations of the Company’s business. Note that the Company’s segment operating income measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

The Company achieved growth in operating earnings in 2006 in its Life Marketing and Acquisitions segments. The completion of the Chase Insurance Group acquisition in July 2006 represents the most significant acquisition in the Company’s history. Operating earnings were down in 2006 compared to the prior year in the Company’s other segments primarily due to a bad debt charge in the Asset Protection segment, favorable DAC unlocking in 2005 which increased earnings in 2005 in the Annuities segment, and lower investment income and higher interest expense (both related to the Chase Insurance Group acquisition) in the Corporate and Other segment. Historically low interest rates continued to create a challenge for the Company’s products that generate investment spread profits, such as fixed annuities and stable value contracts. However, active management of crediting rates on these products allowed the Company to minimize spread compression effects. Strong competitive pressures on pricing, particularly in the Company’s life insurance business, continued to present a challenge from a new sales perspective. However, the Company’s continued focus on delivering value to consumers and broadening its base of distribution allowed for solid product sales during the year. Increasing costs of reinsurance continues to present the Company with challenges from both a new product pricing and capital management perspective. In response to these challenges, during 2005 the Company reduced its reliance on reinsurance by changing from coinsurance to yearly renewable term reinsurance arrangements and increasing the maximum amount retained on any one life on certain of its newly written traditional life products. Through December 31, 2006, the Company has issued $425 million of non-recourse funding obligations to fund the additional statutory reserves required as a result of the overall increase in retention levels.

Operating earnings from the Life Marketing segment increased in 2006 due to growth in business in-force as a result of strong sales in prior periods and favorable DAC unlocking results in 2006 versus 2005. The segment continued to focus on strengthening its relationships with high quality distributors of life insurance products. An increase in retention levels on certain newly written traditional life products during 2005 allowed the segment to improve its competitive position with respect to these products, resulting in increased sales of traditional life products during the second half of 2005, and continuing into 2006. Sales of universal life products declined in 2006 as expected, as the Company responded to the higher reserve levels required under Actuarial Guideline 38 (“AG38”) by implementing pricing adjustments on certain universal life (“UL”) products.

Operating earnings increased 30% in the Acquisitions segment due to the completion of the Chase Insurance Group acquisition effective July 3, 2006. This transaction consisted of the acquisition from JP Morgan Chase & Co. of the stock of five life insurance companies that manufacture and distribute traditional life insurance and annuities and the stock of four related non-insurance companies. The Company’s acquisition capabilities have historically given the Company a unique competitive advantage. Policies acquired through the Acquisitions segment are typically “closed” blocks of business, so unless new acquisitions are made, earnings are expected to decline as a result of lapses, deaths, and other terminations in the closed blocks.

The Annuities segment operating income declined in 2006 as the result of favorable unlocking of DAC in the market value adjusted annuity and variable annuity lines during 2005. Excluding the impact of DAC unlocking, segment operating income increased 58% in 2006 compared to the prior year. Increasing account values, improvement in the equity markets, and higher interest spreads combined to generate this increase in earnings in 2006 (excluding the aforementioned DAC unlocking.) Growth in equity markets generally translates into improved earnings in this segment, as fee income based on variable account values increases and claims expense for variable annuity guaranteed minimum death benefits decline in a rising equity market environment.

Spread compression due to increasing short term interest rates combined with a decline in average account values caused operating income to decline 14% in 2006 in the Stable Value Products segment compared to 2005. The segment continues to proactively manage its investment portfolio to minimize spread compression caused by higher credited rates on floating rate contracts. The Company chose not to participate in the institutional funding agreement-backed note market during 2006, resulting in the decline in average account balances.

Operating earnings from the Asset Protection segment declined 61% in 2006 as a result of the impact of bad debt charges of $27.1 million in the Lender’s Indemnity product line. Additional discussion of this event is provided in the results by business segment. Excluding the impact of these charges, operating income for the Asset Protection Segment increased 48% in 2006. The service contract line continues to drive segment results, accounting for 52% and 80%, respectively, of the segment’s sales and earnings (exclusive of the bad debt charge) in 2006. Improved loss ratios and proactive expense management resulted in increased earnings from the segment’s service contract lines and other products lines. Price increases implemented over the last several years and improvements in the underwriting process have paid off by reducing loss ratios. Lower volume and higher expenses caused earnings to decline in the credit insurance line.

Corporate and Other operating income declined 75% from 2005, due to decreased investment income resulting from lower levels of unallocated capital, lower participating income and prepayment fees from mortgages and real estate, and higher interest expense. Prepayment fee income was particularly strong in 2005 reflecting increased transaction activity within the Company’s mortgage portfolio. The overall performance of the Company’s investment portfolio continued to be strong, with no significant credit issues in either the securities or mortgage portfolio. Impairment losses declined 52% in 2006 compared to the prior year, reflecting a general improvement in the corporate credit environment.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES

The Company’s accounting policies inherently require the use of judgments relating to a variety of assumptions and estimates, in particular expectations of current and future mortality, morbidity, persistency, expenses, and interest rates. Because of the inherent uncertainty when using the assumptions and estimates, the effect of certain accounting policies under different conditions or assumptions could be materially different from those reported in the consolidated financial statements. A discussion of the various critical accounting policies is presented below.

The Company incurs significant costs in connection with acquiring new insurance business. These costs, which vary with and are primarily related to the production of new business and coinsurance of blocks of policies, are deferred. The recovery of such costs is dependent on the future profitability of the related policies. The amount of future profit is dependent principally on investment returns, mortality, morbidity, persistency, and expenses to administer the business and certain economic variables, such as inflation. These costs are amortized over the expected lives of the contracts, based on the level and timing of either gross profits or gross premiums, depending on the type of contract. Accounting for other intangible assets such as goodwill also requires an estimate of the future profitability of the associated lines of business. Revisions to estimates result in changes to the amounts expensed in the reporting period in which the revisions are made and could result in the impairment of the asset and a charge to income if estimated future profits are less than the unamortized deferred amounts. At December 31, 2006, the Company had DAC/VOBA and goodwill assets of $3.2 billion and $100.5 million, respectively.

The Company has a DAC/VOBA asset of approximately $193.1 million related to its variable annuity product line with an account balance of $4.3 billion at December 31, 2006. These amounts include $128.6 million and $1.4 billion, respectively, of DAC/VOBA asset and account balances associated with the variable annuity business of the Chase insurance Group which has been 100% reinsured to Commonwealth Annuity and Life Insurance Company (formerly known as Allmerica Financial Life Insurance and Annuity Company) (“CALIC”), under a modified coinsurance agreement. The Company monitors the rate of amortization of DAC/VOBA associated with its variable annuity product line. The Company’s monitoring methodologies employ varying assumptions about how much and how quickly the stock markets will appreciate. The primary assumptions used to project future profits as part of the analysis include: a long-term equity market growth rate of 8%, reversion to the mean methodology with a reversion to the mean with no cap, reversion to the mean period of 6 years, and an amortization period of 25 years. A recovery in equity markets, or the use of methodologies and assumptions that anticipate a recovery, result in lower amounts of amortization, and a worsening of equity markets results in higher amounts of amortization. The Company periodically reviews and updates as appropriate its key assumptions including future mortality, expenses, lapses, premium persistency, investment yields and interest spreads. Changes to these assumptions result in adjustments which increase or decrease DAC amortization. The periodic review and updating of assumptions is referred to as “unlocking”.

The Company also establishes liabilities for guaranteed minimum death benefits (“GMDB”) on its variable annuity products. The methods used to estimate the liabilities employ assumptions about mortality and the performance of equity markets. The Company assumes mortality of 65% of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners 1994 Variable Annuity GMDB Mortality Table. Future declines in the equity market would increase the Company’s GMDB liability. Differences between the actual experience and the assumptions used result in variances in profit and could result in losses. The Company’s GMDB at December 31, 2006 are subject to a dollar-for-dollar reduction upon withdrawal of related annuity deposits on contracts issued prior to January 1, 2003. At December 31, 2006, the total GMDB liability held by the Company was $2.2 million.

Establishing an adequate liability for the Company’s obligations to its policyholders requires the use of assumptions. Estimating liabilities for future policy benefits on life and health insurance products requires the use of assumptions relative to future investment yields, mortality, morbidity, persistency and other assumptions based on the Company’s historical experience, modified as necessary to reflect anticipated trends and to include provisions for possible adverse deviation. Determining liabilities for the Company’s property and casualty insurance products also requires the use of assumptions, including the projected levels of used vehicle prices, the frequency and severity of claims, and the effectiveness of internal processes designed to reduce the level of claims. At December 31, 2006, the Company had total policy liabilities and accruals of $16.1 billion.

Determining whether a decline in the current fair value of invested assets is an other-than-temporary decline in value can involve a variety of assumptions and estimates, particularly for investments that are not actively traded in established markets. For example, assessing the value of certain investments requires the Company to perform an analysis of expected future cash flows or rates of prepayments. Other investments, such as collateralized mortgage or bond obligations, represent selected tranches of a structured transaction, supported overall by underlying investments in a wide variety of issuers. The Company’s specific accounting policies related to its invested assets are discussed in Notes 2 and 4 to Consolidated Financial Statements. At December 31, 2006, the Company held $18.6 billion of available-for-sale investments, including $8.6 billion in investments with a gross unrealized loss of $195.8 million.

The Company utilizes derivative transactions primarily in order to reduce its exposure to interest rate risk, inflation risk, equity market risk, and currency exchange risk. Assessing the effectiveness of the hedging programs and evaluating the carrying values of the related derivatives often involve a variety of assumptions and estimates. The Company employs a variety of methods for determining the fair value of its derivative instruments. The fair values of swaps, interest rate swaptions, and options are based upon industry standard models which calculate the present-value of the projected cash flows of the derivatives using current and implied future market conditions. At December 31, 2006, the fair value of derivatives reported on the Company’s balance sheet in “other long-term investments” and “other liabilities” was $169.3 million and $116.9 million, respectively.

Determining the Company’s obligations to employees under its defined benefit pension plan and stock-based compensation plans requires the use of estimates. The calculation of the liability related to the Company’s defined benefit pension plan requires assumptions regarding the appropriate weighted average discount rate, estimated rate of increase in the compensation of its employees and the expected long-term rate of return on the plan’s assets. Accounting for other stock-based compensation plans may require the use of option pricing models to estimate the Company’s obligations. Assumptions used in such models relate to equity market volatility, the risk-free interest rate at the date of grant, expected dividend rates, as well as expected exercise dates. See Notes 11 and 12 to Consolidated Financial Statements for further information on these plans.

The assessment of potential obligations for tax, regulatory, and litigation matters inherently involve a variety of estimates of potential future outcomes. The Company makes such estimates after consultation with its advisors and a review of available facts.

Table of Contents

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following table presents a summary of results and reconciles segment operating income (loss) to consolidated net income:

										Change
		2006			2005			2004			2006		2005
	(Dollars in thousands)
Segment Operating Income
Life Marketing	$	174,189		$	163,661		$	165,897			6.4	%	(1.3)	%
Acquisitions		104,534			80,611			87,300			29.7		(7.7	)
Annuities		24,645			31,933			16,467			(22.8	)	93.9
Stable Value Products		47,073			54,798			53,159			(14.1	)	3.1
Asset Protection		9,811			24,901			19,079			(60.6	)	30.5
Corporate and Other		11,776			47,229			21,560			(75.1	)	119.1
Total segment operating income		372,028			403,133			363,462			(7.7	)	10.9

Realized investment gains (losses) - investments⁽¹⁾		81,386			15,803			21,370
Realized investment gains (losses) - derivatives⁽²⁾		(21,506	)		(41,923	)		369
Income tax expense		(150,347	)		(130,446	)		(134,820	)

Net income before cumulative effect of change in accounting principle		281,561			246,567			250,381			14.2		(1.5	)
Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle, net of income tax		0			0			(15,801	)

Net income	$	281,561		$	246,567		$	234,580			14.2		5.1

(1) Realized investment gains (losses) - investments	$	104,084		$	49,393		$	28,305
Less participating income from real estate ventures		13,494			8,684			0
Less related amortization of DAC		9,204			24,906			6,935
	$	81,386		$	15,803		$	21,370

(2) Realized investment gains (losses) - derivatives	$	(21,516	)	$	(30,881	)	$	19,591
Less settlements on certain interest rate swaps		2,737			11,393			19,222
Less derivative losses related to certain annuities		(2,747	)		(351	)		0
	$	(21,506	)	$	(41,923	)	$	369

Net income for 2006 reflects net realized investment gains (compared to net losses in 2005), partially offset by lower overall segment operating income. Net realized investment gains were $59.9 million in 2006, compared to net realized investment losses of $26.1 million in 2005, a favorable change of $86.0 million. Following the acquisition of the Chase Insurance Group, the investment portfolio associated with that acquisition was rebalanced to conform to the Company’s overall investment and asset/liability matching strategies, resulting in an increase in realized investment gains in 2006. Life Marketing’s operating income increased due to growth in business in-force and favorable DAC unlocking. Earnings in the Acquisitions segment increased 30% compared to the prior year, as a result of the Chase Insurance Group acquisition which was completed effective July 3, 2006, and contributed $29.0 million to the segment’s operating income in 2006. The increase resulting from this acquisition was partially offset by the normal runoff of the segment’s previously acquired closed blocks of business. Earnings in the Annuities segment were down in 2006 due to favorable DAC unlocking in 2005 that increased prior year earnings by $16.2 million. Excluding the DAC unlocking, Annuities segment earnings increased 57.8%, due to increasing account values, higher interest spreads, and improvement in the equity markets. Spread compression caused by higher short term interest rates combined with slightly lower average account values resulted in a decline in earnings in the Stable Value Products segment. The Asset Protection segment’s continued focus on pricing and underwriting initiatives continue to yield steady reductions in loss ratios in all core product lines. Excluding the $27.1 million impact of bad debt charges in the Lender’s Indemnity product the segment is no longer marketing, operating income for the Asset Protection Segment increased 48.2% in 2006 due to these improved loss ratios and continued expense management. Lower investment income resulting from a decrease in unallocated capital, lower participating income and prepayment fees from mortgages and real estate, and higher interest expense caused the decline in operating income for the Corporate and Other segment in 2006.

Net income for 2005 reflected moderate growth in segment operating income compared to 2004, offset by net realized investment losses. Net realized investment losses were $26.1 million in 2005, compared to net realized investment gains of $21.7 million in 2004, a change of $47.8 million. Partially offsetting the change in realized investment gains and losses is the cumulative effect charge of $15.8 million recorded in 2004 arising from the Company’s adoption of SOP 03-1 (see Note 7 to Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion of SOP 03-1). Life Marketing’s operating income decreased slightly in 2005 primarily due to favorable expense adjustments that increased earnings in 2004, while the 2005 decline in earnings in the Acquisitions segment was caused by the normal runoff of the segment’s previously acquired blocks of business. Favorable unlocking of DAC in the market value adjusted annuity and variable annuity lines, increasing account values, and improvement in the equity markets resulted in earnings that nearly doubled in the Annuities segment in 2005 compared to 2004. Increased average account values and reductions in operating expenses enabled the Stable Value Products segment to increase earnings in 2005 despite tightening spreads. The Asset Protection segment’s focus on pricing and underwriting initiatives resulted in steady reductions in 2005 in loss ratios in all core product lines. These improved loss ratios along with continued expense management resulted in an increase to operating income in 2005 in the Asset Protection segment as compared to 2004. Increased investment income resulting from an increase in unallocated capital and higher participating income and prepayment fees from mortgages and real estate generated the increase in operating income for the Corporate and Other segment in 2005.

RESULTS BY BUSINESS SEGMENT

In the following segment discussions, various statistics and other key data the Company uses to evaluate its segments are presented. Sales statistics are used by the Company to measure the relative progress in its marketing efforts, but may or may not have an immediate impact on reported segment operating income. Sales data for traditional life insurance are based on annualized premiums, while universal life sales are based on annualized planned (target) premiums plus 6% of amounts received in excess of target premiums. Sales of annuities are measured based on the amount of deposits received. Stable value contract sales are measured at the time that the funding commitment is made based on the amount of deposit to be received. Sales within the Asset Protection segment are generally based on the amount of single premium and fees received.

Sales and life insurance in-force amounts are derived from the Company’s various sales tracking and administrative systems, and are not derived from the Company’s financial reporting systems or financial statements. Mortality variances are derived from actual claims compared to expected claims. These variances do not represent the net impact to earnings due to the interplay of reserves and DAC amortization.

Life Marketing

The Life Marketing segment markets level premium term insurance (“traditional life”), universal life (“UL”), variable universal life, and bank owned life insurance (“BOLI”) products on a national basis primarily through networks of independent insurance agents and brokers, stockbrokers, direct marketing channels, and independent marketing organizations. Segment results were as follows:

										Change
		2006			2005			2004			2006		2005
	(Dollars in thousands)
REVENUES
Gross premiums and policy fees	$	1,327,865		$	1,190,623		$	1,026,889			11.5	%	15.9	%
Reinsurance ceded		(906,590	)		(902,055	)		(818,207	)		0.5		10.2
Net premiums and policy fees		421,275			288,568			208,682			46.0		38.3
Net investment income		308,497			261,859			238,193			17.8		9.9
Other income		137,891			111,202			94,695			24.0		17.4
Total operating revenues		867,663			661,629			541,570			31.1		22.2

BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Benefits and settlement expenses		535,940			392,448			274,584			36.6		42.9
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		60,227			55,688			58,970			8.2		(5.6	)
Other operating expenses		97,307			49,832			42,119			95.3		18.3
Total benefits and expenses		693,474			497,968			375,673			39.3		32.6

OPERATING INCOME		174,189			163,661			165,897			6.4		(1.3	)

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX	$	174,189		$	163,661		$	165,897			6.4		(1.3	)

The following table summarizes key data for the Life Marketing segment:

							Change
		2006		2005		2004		2006		2005
	(Dollars in thousands)
Sales By Product
Traditional	$	145,380	$	123,882	$	171,883		17.4	%	(27.9)	%
Universal life		75,715		165,368		84,539		(54.2	)	95.6
Variable universal life		6,524		5,465		5,236		19.4		4.4
	$	227,619	$	294,715	$	261,658		(22.8	)	12.6

Sales By Distribution Channel
Brokerage general agents	$	133,995	$	140,575	$	161,145		(4.7	)	(12.8	)
Independent agents		40,762		75,564		55,929		(46.1	)	35.1
Stockbrokers/banks		35,748		65,967		31,711		(45.8	)	108.0
BOLI / other		17,114		12,609		12,873		35.7		(2.1	)
	$	227,619	$	294,715	$	261,658		(22.8	)	12.6

Average Life Insurance In-Force⁽¹⁾
Traditional	$	380,212,243	$	340,799,613	$	296,399,244		11.6		15.0
Universal life		50,296,333		45,366,295		40,416,769		10.9		12.2
	$	430,508,576	$	386,165,908	$	336,816,013		11.5		14.7

Average Account Values
Universal life	$	4,744,606	$	4,110,434	$	3,614,026		15.4		15.6
Variable universal life		277,988		230,412		190,522		20.6		20.9
	$	5,022,594	$	4,340,846	$	3,804,548		15.7		15.8


Mortality Experience⁽²⁾	$	6,254	$	10,557	$	3,821

(1) Amounts are not adjusted for reinsurance ceded. (2) Represents a favorable (unfavorable) variance as compared to pricing assumptions. Excludes results related to the Chase Insurance Group which was acquired in the third quarter of 2006.

Operating income increased 6.4% in 2006 compared to 2005 primarily due to growth in business in-force as a result of strong sales in prior periods and favorable DAC unlocking of approximately $14.1 million (see additional discussion of this item below.) The favorable DAC unlocking was partially offset by less favorable estimated mortality impact on earnings of $3.2 million. Operating income decreased slightly in 2005 from 2004 reflecting higher overall benefits and expenses, offset by increased total revenue.

The 31.1% and 22.2% increases in total revenues in 2006 and 2005, respectively, compared to the prior years, are the result of growth of life insurance in-force and average account values, and were partially offset by higher overall benefits and expenses (39.3% and 32.6% higher in 2006 and 2005, respectively, compared to the prior years.) Additionally, during 2005 the Company reduced its reliance on reinsurance (see additional comments below) and entered into a securitization structure to fund the additional statutory reserves required as a result of these changes in the Company’s reinsurance arrangements. The securitization structure results in a reduction of current taxes and a corresponding increase in deferred taxes as compared to the previous result obtained in using traditional reinsurance. The benefit of reduced current taxes is attributed to the applicable life products and is an important component of the profitability of these products. In addition to the fluctuations in premiums and benefits and settlement expenses discussed below, earnings emerge more slowly under a securitization structure relative to the previous reinsurance structure utilized by the Company.

Net premiums and policy fees grew by 46.0% and 38.3% in 2006 and 2005, respectively, due in part to the growth in life insurance in-force achieved over the last several quarters combined with an increase in retention levels on certain newly written traditional life products. Beginning in the second quarter of 2005, the Company reduced its reliance on reinsurance by changing from coinsurance to yearly renewable term reinsurance agreements and increased the maximum amount retained on any one life from $500,000 to $1,000,000 on certain of its newly written traditional life products. The Company’s maximum retention for newly issued universal life products is $1,000,000. In addition to increasing net premiums, this change will result in higher benefits and settlement expenses, and will cause greater variability in financial results due to fluctuations in mortality results.

Net investment income in the segment increased 17.8% in 2006 and 9.9% in 2005, reflecting the growth of the segment’s assets caused by the increase in life reserves, while other income increased 24.0% and 17.4% for 2006 and 2005, respectively, primarily due to additional income from the segment’s broker-dealer subsidiary and higher fees generated by a direct marketing subsidiary. The increase in income from the broker-dealer subsidiary is the result of increased fees related to variable annuity managed accounts and higher investment advisory fees. This increase in income was primarily offset by an increase in commission expenses and other operating expenses.

Benefits and settlement expenses were 36.6% and 42.9% higher in 2006 and 2005, respectively, than the prior years due to growth in life insurance in-force, increased retention levels on certain newly written traditional life products and higher credited interest on UL products resulting from increases in account values. Less favorable mortality experience contributed to the increase in 2006 compared to 2005. The gross mortality variance (actual results compared to pricing) for 2006 was $4.3 million less favorable than 2005. The estimated mortality impact on earnings for 2006 was a favorable $1.4 million, which is $3.2 million less favorable than estimated mortality impact on earnings for 2005. During 2005, favorable DAC unlocking on UL products (see below) resulted in an increase to the SOP 03-1 liability and a corresponding increase to benefits and settlement expenses, contributing to the increase in these expenses in 2005 as compared to the prior year.

Amortization of DAC was 8.2% higher in 2006 compared to 2005 primarily due the growth in life insurance in-force, partially offset by DAC unlocking. An evaluation of DAC, including a review of the underlying assumptions of future mortality, expenses, lapses, premium persistency, investment yields, and interest spreads is performed by the Company regularly. The Company adjusted DAC on its West Coast Life UL product during the second quarter of 2006, and for its other UL products during the third quarter of 2006 and the fourth quarter of 2005. As a result of these reviews, assumptions were updated based on actual experience and/or expectations for the future. These changes in assumptions, and resulting adjustments to DAC, referred to as “unlocking,” resulted in favorable adjustments of approximately $12.6 million during 2006 and unfavorable adjustments of approximately $1.5 million during 2005.

Other operating expenses for the segment were as follows:

										Change
		2006			2005			2004			2006		2005
	(Dollars in thousands)
Insurance Companies:
First year commissions	$	325,722		$	346,635		$	288,991			(6.0)	%	19.9	%
Renewal commissions		38,303			33,219			32,985			15.3		0.7
First year ceding allowances		(114,387	)		(125,828	)		(167,197	)		(9.1	)	(24.7	)
Renewal ceding allowances		(222,083	)		(187,002	)		(159,383	)		18.8		17.3
General & administrative		165,386			175,523			187,892			(5.8	)	(6.6	)
Taxes, licenses and fees		30,829			31,640			22,852			(2.6	)	38.5
Other operating expenses incurred		223,770			274,187			206,140			(18.4	)	33.0

Less commissions, allowances & expenses capitalized		(265,533	)		(332,495	)		(256,336	)		(20.1	)	29.7

Other operating expenses		(41,763	)		(58,308	)		(50,196	)		(28.4	)	16.2

Marketing Companies:
Commissions		84,143			70,771			62,755			18.9		12.8
Other		54,927			37,369			29,560			47.0		26.4
Other operating expenses		139,070			108,140			92,315			28.6		17.1

Other operating expenses	$	97,307		$	49,832		$	42,119			95.3		18.3

The Company utilizes reinsurance for most of its products, with the terms of the reinsurance agreed upon before products are made available for sale. The Company determines its pricing, and analyzes its financial performance, on a net of reinsurance basis with the objective of achieving an attractive return on investment for its shareholders. Generally, the Company's profits emerge as a level percentage of premium for Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 60 (“SFAS 60”) products and as a level percentage of estimated gross profits for Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 97 (“SFAS 97”) products. Under both SFAS 60 and 97, the amount of earnings and investment will vary with the utilization of reinsurance. In addition, the utilization of reinsurance can cause fluctuations in individual income and expense line items from year to year. Consideration of all components of the segment’s income statement, including amortization of deferred acquisition costs (“DAC”), is required to assess the impact of reinsurance on segment operating income.

Reinsurance allowances represent the amount the reinsurer is willing to pay for reimbursement of acquisition and other costs incurred by the direct writer of the business. The amount and timing of these allowances are negotiated by the Company and each reinsurer. The Company receives allowances according to the prescribed schedules in the reinsurance contracts, which may or may not bear a relationship to actual operating expenses incurred by the Company. First year commissions paid by the Company may be higher than first year allowances paid by the reinsurer, and reinsurance allowances may be higher in later years than renewal commissions paid by the Company. However the pattern of reinsurance allowances does not impact the pattern of earnings from year to year. While the recognition of reinsurance allowances is consistent with U.S. GAAP, non-deferred allowances often exceed the segment’s non-deferred direct costs, causing net other operating expenses to be negative. However, consistent with SFAS 60 and SFAS 97, fluctuations in non-deferred allowances tend to be offset by changes in DAC amortization with the resulting profits emerging as a level percentage of premiums for SFAS 60 products and as a level percentage of estimated gross profits for SFAS 97 products.

Reinsurance allowances tend to be highest in the first year of a policy and subsequently decline. Ultimate reinsurance allowances are defined as the level of allowances at the end of a policy’s term. The Company's practice is to defer as a component of DAC, reinsurance allowances in excess of the ultimate allowance. This practice is consistent with the Company's practice of deferring direct commissions.

The following table summarizes reinsurance allowances for each period presented, including the portion deferred as a part of DAC and the portion recognized immediately as a reduction of other operating expenses. As the non-deferred portion of reinsurance allowances reduce operating expenses in the period received, these amounts represent a net increase to operating income during that period. The amounts capitalized and earned during 2006, 2005, and 2004 are quantified below:

										Change
		2006			2005			2004			2006		2005
	(Dollars in thousands)
Allowances received	$	336,470		$	312,830		$	326,580			7.6	%	(4.2	)%
Less amount deferred		(203,695	)		(175,205	)		(198,358	)		16.3		11.7
Allowances recognized (reduction in other operating expenses)	$	132,775		$	137,625		$	128,222			(3.5	)	7.3

Non-deferred reinsurance allowances of $132.8 million, $137.6 million, and $128.2 million were recognized in 2006, 2005, and 2004, respectively, resulting in reductions in operating expenses by these amounts in the same periods. Non-deferred reinsurance allowances decreased 3.5% in 2006 and increased 7.3% in 2005, compared to the prior years. The decrease in 2006 was caused by lower allowances associated with recent reinsurance treaties. In general, allowances negotiated with reinsurers have been declining over the past several quarters as a result of the consolidating reinsurance market. The 2005 increase was primarily the result of increases in the Company’s life insurance in-force.

Reinsurance allowances do not affect the methodology used to amortize DAC or the period over which such DAC is amortized. However, they do affect the amounts recognized as DAC amortization. DAC on SFAS 97 products is amortized based on the estimated gross profits of the policies in force. Reinsurance allowances are considered in the determination of estimated gross profits, and therefore impact SFAS 97 DAC amortization. Deferred reinsurance allowances on SFAS 60 policies are recorded as ceded DAC, which is amortized over estimated ceded premiums of the policies in force. Thus, deferred reinsurance allowances on SFAS 60 policies impact SFAS 60 DAC amortization.

The amounts of ceded premium paid by the Company and allowances reimbursed by the reinsurer are reflected in the table below:

							Change
		2006		2005		2004		2006		2005
	(Dollars in thousands)
Ceded premiums	$	906,590	$	902,055	$	818,207		0.5	%	10.2	%
Allowances received		336,470		312,830		326,580		7.6		(4.2	)
Net ceded premium	$	570,120	$	589,255	$	491,627		(3.2	)%	19.9	%

The net ceded premium declined 3.2% in 2006, reflecting the Company’s reduced reliance on reinsurance that began in the second quarter of 2005. (See discussion above related to the Company’s change in its reinsurance strategy, including its increase in retention levels.) The increase in the net ceded premium in 2005 compared to the prior year is the result of the segment’s growth in life insurance in-force. The segment’s average life insurance in-force increased 14.7% in 2005 compared to the prior year.

Claim liabilities and policy benefits are calculated consistently for all policies in accordance with U.S. GAAP, regardless of whether or not the policy is reinsured. Once the claim liabilities and policy benefits for the underlying policies are estimated, the amounts recoverable from the reinsurers are estimated based on a number of factors including the terms of the reinsurance contracts, historical payment patterns of reinsurance partners, and the financial strength and credit worthiness of its reinsurance partners.

Liabilities for unpaid reinsurance claims are produced from claims and reinsurance system records, which contain the relevant terms of the individual reinsurance contracts. The Company monitors claims due from reinsurers to ensure that balances are settled on a timely basis. Incurred but not reported (“IBNR”) claims are reviewed by the Company’s actuarial staff to ensure that appropriate amounts are ceded.

Ceded policy reserves are calculated by various administrative systems based on the nature of the specific reinsurance transactions and terms of the contracts.

The Company analyzes and monitors the credit worthiness of each of its reinsurance partners to ensure collectibility and minimize collection issues. For reinsurance companies that do not meet predetermined standards, the Company requires collateral such as assets held in trusts or letters of credit.

Other operating expenses for the insurance companies increased in 2006 from the prior year as a result of higher incurred non-deferrable expenses. Other operating expenses decreased in 2005 as a result of lower expenses incurred per policy issued, combined with higher DAC capitalization driven by the significant growth in UL sales in 2005 as compared to 2004. Amounts capitalized as DAC generally include first year commissions, reinsurance allowances, and other deferrable acquisition expenses. The changes in these amounts generally reflect the trends in sales. Additionally, the first quarter of 2006 included a $2.1 million true-up of field compensation expenses related to sales in prior periods that increased expense.

Other operating expenses for the segment’s marketing companies increased 28.6% and 17.1% for 2006 and 2005, respectively, compared to the prior years, primarily as a result of higher commissions and other expenses in the segment’s broker-dealer subsidiary associated with the higher revenue. The broker-dealer subsidiary also incurred additional expenses in 2006 related to new business initiatives.

Sales for the segment declined 22.8% in 2006 versus 2005, primarily due to sharp declines in UL sales. Traditional life sales increased 17.4% in 2006. Traditional life sales were negatively impacted during the first half of 2005 as a result of pricing adjustments on certain traditional life products in response to the rising cost of reinsurance. The Company was able to improve its competitive position with respect to these products in the third quarter of 2005 by reducing its reliance on reinsurance for certain newly written traditional life products. As a result, traditional life sales improved during the second half of 2005, and this upward trend in traditional life sales continued into 2006. The 54.2% decline in UL sales in 2006 is the expected result of pricing adjustments on certain UL products in response to the higher reserve levels required under Actuarial Guideline 38 (“AG38”). See additional discussion of AG38 and its impact on certain UL products in the “Recent Developments” section herein. Sales of BOLI business improved in 2006. BOLI sales can vary widely between periods as the segment responds to opportunities for these products only when required returns can be achieved.

The Company has reduced its reliance on reinsurance for newly written traditional life products by moving towards a securitization structure under which profitability is not expected to emerge immediately after the business is written. In addition, older, more profitable traditional life policies continue to run off in the ordinary course. These two factors combined with financing costs in connection with the securitization structure and the Company’s pricing actions to remain competitive in the market are expected to put pressure on the profitability of this segment.

Acquisitions

The Acquisitions segment focuses on acquiring, converting, and servicing policies acquired from other companies. The segment's primary focus is on life insurance policies and annuity products sold to individuals. On July 3, 2006, the Company completed its acquisition of the Chase Insurance Group, which consists of five insurance companies that manufacture and administer traditional life insurance and annuity products and four related non-insurance companies (which collectively are referred to as the “Chase Insurance Group”). The Chase Insurance Group’s results of operations are included in the Company’s consolidated results of operations beginning July 3, 2006.

Segment results were as follows:

										Change
	2006			2005			2004			2006			2005
	(Dollars in thousands)
REVENUES
Gross premiums and policy fees	$	514,571		$	261,003		$	276,394			97.2	%		(5.6)	%
Reinsurance ceded		(256,311	)		(74,199	)		(72,062	)		245.4			3.0
Net premiums and policy fees		258,260			186,804			204,332			38.3			(8.6	)
Net investment income		413,636			223,201			232,499			85.3			(4.0	)
Other income		6,038			1,605			2,272			276.2			(29.4	)
Total operating revenues		677,934			411,610			439,103			64.7			(6.3	)
Realized gains (losses) - investments		73,881			0			0
Realized gains (losses) - derivatives		(45,165	)		0			0
Total revenues		706,650			411,610			<