<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                                           7
<LEGEND>
This  schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
consolidated  financial  statements  of  Protective  Life and Annuity  Insurance
Company  and is  qualified  in its  entirety  by  reference  to  such  financial
statements.
</LEGEND>

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-2000
<DEBT-HELD-FOR-SALE>                           406,097,795
<DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE>                          0
<DEBT-MARKET-VALUE>                            0
<EQUITIES>                                     0
<MORTGAGE>                                     3,329,959
<REAL-ESTATE>                                  0
<TOTAL-INVEST>                                 478,527,406
<CASH>                                         2,195,580
<RECOVER-REINSURE>                             22,361,745
<DEFERRED-ACQUISITION>                         130,686,033
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 653,825,512
<POLICY-LOSSES>                                450,273,037
<UNEARNED-PREMIUMS>                            8,230,999
<POLICY-OTHER>                                 0
<POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS>                          5,684,096
<NOTES-PAYABLE>                                0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          2,000
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       2,500,000
<OTHER-SE>                                     125,845,728
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   653,825,512
<PREMIUMS>                                     24,714,539
<INVESTMENT-INCOME>                            23,596,785
<INVESTMENT-GAINS>                             0
<OTHER-INCOME>                                 7,412
<BENEFITS>                                     25,393,819
<UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION>                    5,156,776
<UNDERWRITING-OTHER>                           7,553,368
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                10,186,703
<INCOME-TAX>                                   3,514,412
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            6,672,291
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   6,672,291
<EPS-BASIC>                                    0<F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0<F1>
<RESERVE-OPEN>                                 0
<PROVISION-CURRENT>                            0
<PROVISION-PRIOR>                              0
<PAYMENTS-CURRENT>                             0
<PAYMENTS-PRIOR>                               0
<RESERVE-CLOSE>                                0
<CUMULATIVE-DEFICIENCY>                        0
<FN>
<F1>Protective  Life and Annuity Insurance Company is a wholly-owned  subsidiary
of  Protective  Life  Insurance  Company,  which  is a  wholly-owned  subsidiary
of Corporation (NYSE:PL) and is not required to present EPS information.
</FN>


</TABLE>