<PAGE>   1
                                                                   Exhibit 10.8


                            1997 HARTFORD LIFE, INC.
                       DEFERRED RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT PLAN



                                    ARTICLE I
                              CREATION AND PURPOSE

1.1 CREATION OF THE PLAN. The 1997 Hartford Life, Inc. Deferred Restricted Stock
Unit Plan (the "Plan") is created pursuant to the terms of the 1997 Hartford
Life, Inc. Incentive Stock Plan (the "Incentive Stock Plan") relating to
restricted stock, which terms are incorporated herein by reference. Capitalized
terms used in this Plan and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned
to such terms by the Incentive Stock Plan.

1.2 PURPOSE OF THE PLAN. The purpose of the Plan is to motivate and reward
superior performance on the part of employees of the Company and Participating
Companies and thereby to attract and retain employees of superior ability. In
addition, the Plan is intended to further the opportunities for stock ownership
by such employees in order to increase their proprietary interest in the
Company, and as a result, their interest in the success of the Company. Awards
consisting of contractual rights to receive shares of class A common Stock of
Hartford Life, Inc. ("Units") may be made under the Plan, in the discretion of
the Committee, to Key Employees of Participating Companies who properly elect to
participate in the Plan provided, however, that notwithstanding anything herein
to the contrary, and to the extent permitted by applicable law, no award of
Units shall be made hereunder and no Stock or certificates for shares of Stock
shall be issued hereunder, and the Company shall have no obligation to make any
award of Units hereunder or to issue any Stock or certificates for shares of
Stock hereunder, if such award or issuance would cause the direct or indirect
percentage ownership by The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. of the
combined voting power or the value of the capital stock of the Company to fall
below 80%. Participation in the Plan shall require a Key Employee's irrevocable
election to receive in the form of Units a portion of certain bonuses that may
become payable to such Key Employee, such Units entitling the Key Employee to
receive certain Stock at the end of a three year restriction period to the
extent provided herein.


                                   ARTICLE II
                                   DEFINITIONS

2.1 "ACCOUNT" means an account maintained on behalf of a Participant on the
books of the Company in accordance with the terms hereof.

2.2 "ACCELERATION EVENT" shall have the meaning assigned by the Incentive Stock
Plan.



                                        1
<PAGE>   2
2.3 "AWARD DATE" means the date designated by the Committee for the award of
Units pursuant to the Plan.

2.4 "BOARD OF DIRECTORS" means the Board of Directors of Hartford Life, Inc.

2.5 "BENEFICIARY" shall have the meaning assigned by the Incentive Stock Plan.

2.6 "COMMITTEE" means the Compensation and Personnel Committee of the Board of
Directors, or such other Committee as the Board may designate to administer the
Plan pursuant to Article VIII.

2.7 "COMPANY" means Hartford Life, Inc. and its subsidiaries, and their
successors and assigns.

2.8 "DIVIDEND AMOUNT" means the per share cash dividend amount paid on the Stock
on a particular dividend payment date. 

2.9 "DIVIDEND CONVERSION PRICE" means the Fair Market Value of one share of the
Stock on the date that a dividend is paid on such Stock.

2.10 "DIVIDEND RECORD DATE" means the date fixed by the Board of Directors as
the date for determining those holders of Stock who are entitled to receive
payment of any dividend declared by the Board of Directors.

2.11 "ELECTIVE UNITS" shall have the meaning assigned by Article III of the
Plan.

2.12 "FAIR MARKET VALUE" shall have the meaning assigned by the Incentive Stock
Plan.

2.13 "INCENTIVE STOCK PLAN" means the 1997 Hartford Life, Inc. Incentive Stock
Plan, as amended from time to time.

2.14 "KEY EMPLOYEE" shall have the meaning assigned by the Incentive Stock Plan.

2.15 "NORMAL VESTING DATE" means the third anniversary of the Award Date.

2.16 "PARTICIPANT" means a Key Employee who properly elects to participate in
the Plan pursuant to Article V of the Plan.

2.17 "PARTICIPATING COMPANY" shall have the meaning assigned by the Incentive
Stock Plan.

2.18 "PLAN" means this 1997 Hartford Life, Inc. Deferred Restricted Stock Unit
Plan.

2.19 "PREMIUM UNITS" shall have the meaning assigned by Article IV of the Plan.

2.20 "PLAN ADMINISTRATOR" shall have the meaning assigned by Article VIII of the
Plan.


                                        2
<PAGE>   3
2.21 "RETIREMENT" shall have the meaning assigned by the Incentive Stock Plan.

2.22 "STOCK" shall mean the Class A common stock ($.01 par value) of Hartford
Life, Inc.

2.23 "TOTAL DISABILITY" shall have the meaning assigned by the Incentive Stock
Plan.

2.24 "UNITS" shall have the meaning assigned by Article I of the Plan.


                                   ARTICLE III
                                 ELECTIVE UNITS

3.1 AWARD OF ELECTIVE UNITS. On the Award Date, the Committee may, in its
discretion, award to each Participant a number of whole and/or fractional
contractual rights to receive in accordance with the Plan shares of Stock (the
"Elective Units") equal to (a) the portion of bonus elected by the Participant
in accordance with Article V, divided by (b) the Fair Market Value of the Stock
on the Award Date. If the Committee does not make an award to a Participant
pursuant to this Section, any election made by the Participant pursuant to
Article V shall be null and void.

3.2 CREDITING OF ELECTIVE UNITS TO ACCOUNT. The number of whole and/or
fractional Elective Units awarded to a Participant pursuant to this Article III
shall be credited, as of the Award Date, to the Participant's Account.

3.3 VESTING OF ELECTIVE UNITS. The rights of a Participant with respect to
Elective Units awarded hereunder shall be fully vested and nonforfeitable at all
times. To the extent provided in Article VII, the Participant shall become
entitled to receive certificates for shares of Stock corresponding to such
Elective Units credited to the Participant's Account on the applicable date
identified in Article VII.


                                   ARTICLE IV
                                  PREMIUM UNITS

4.1 AWARD OF PREMIUM UNITS. On the Award Date, the Committee shall award to each
Participant a number of additional whole and/or fractional contractual rights to
receive in accordance with the Plan shares of Stock (the "Premium Units") equal
to 10% of the Elective Units awarded to the Participant pursuant to Article III.

4.2 CREDITING OF PREMIUM UNITS TO ACCOUNT. The number of whole and/or fractional
Premium Units awarded to a Participant pursuant to this Article IV shall be
credited, as of the Award Date, to the Participant's Account.


                                        3
<PAGE>   4
4.3 VESTING OF PREMIUM UNITS. Except as otherwise provided herein, a
Participant's rights with respect to Premium Units shall vest on the Normal
Vesting Date. To the extent provided in Article VII, the Participant shall
become entitled to receive certificates for shares of Stock corresponding to
vested Premium Units credited to the Participant's Account on the applicable
date identified in Article VII.

      A. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. In the event of a Participant's termination
      of employment with all Participating Companies prior to the Normal Vesting
      Date due to (i) death, (ii) Total Disability, or (iii) Retirement, the
      Premium Units credited to the Participant's Account as of the date of such
      termination shall become immediately vested and nonforfeitable. In the
      event of a Participant's termination of employment with all Participating
      Companies for any other reason, any Premium Units credited to the
      Participant's Account that have not become vested on or before the date of
      such termination shall be forfeited, unless the Committee determines
      otherwise in its sole discretion in accordance with the Incentive Stock
      Plan. Premium Units forfeited by a Participant pursuant to this Section
      shall immediately be deducted from the Participant's Account.


                                    ARTICLE V
                                  PARTICIPATION

5.1 ELECTION TO PARTICIPATE. A Key Employee may participate in the Plan by
filing a properly completed election agreement, or such other authorization as
the Plan Administrator may require, with the party and by the date designated by
the Plan Administrator. The election of a Key Employee hereunder shall only
apply to the bonus as to which the election is made, and shall be irrevocable,
unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its sole discretion. The
election of a Key Employee shall be deemed null and void if no award pursuant to
Article III hereof is made to the Key Employee with respect to such election.

5.2 ELECTION FORM. The election agreement completed by a Participant pursuant to
this Article V shall (a) identify a portion of the Participant's bonus that may
become payable with respect to the Participant's services, (b) contain the
Participant's election to receive such portion of such bonus (which would
otherwise become payable in cash) in the form of Elective Units in accordance
with the Plan, and (c) contain such other information as the Plan Administrator
may require.


                                        4
<PAGE>   5
5.3 MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM AMOUNTS REQUIRED FOR PARTICIPATION. The Committee may
designate a maximum and a minimum portion of a Key Employee's bonus, in terms of
a percentage or other amount of such bonus, as to which an election may be made
hereunder.

                                   ARTICLE VI
                              DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS

6.1 DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS ON ELECTIVE UNITS. As soon as practicable after any
dividend is paid on the Stock, a Participant's Account shall be credited with
additional Elective Units equal to (a) the product of (i) the Dividend Amount,
and (ii) the number of whole and fractional Elective Units credited to the
Participant's Account as of the Dividend Record Date, divided by (b) the
Dividend Conversion Price.

6.2 DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS ON PREMIUM UNITS. As soon as practicable after any
dividend is paid on the Stock, the Participant's Account shall be credited with
additional Premium Units equal to (a) the product of (i) the Dividend Amount,
and (ii) the number of whole and fractional Premium Units credited to the
Participant's Account as of the Dividend Record Date, divided by (b) the
Dividend Conversion Price.

6.3 TREATMENT OF UNITS CREDITED IN RESPECT OF DIVIDEND EQUIVALENTS. Any
additional Units credited to the Account of a Participant pursuant to this
Article VI shall, as of the date so credited, be treated for all purposes of
this Plan (including, without limitation, the provisions hereof pertaining to
the crediting of future dividend equivalents and the vesting of Premium Units)
as though part of the Elective Units and Premium Units in relation to which such
additional Units were credited, respectively.

6.4 NON-CASH DIVIDENDS. In the event that a stock dividend is paid on the
Company's Stock, the appropriate Dividend Amount for purposes of this Article VI
shall be determined in accordance with Section 9.3 hereof.


                                   ARTICLE VII
                      RECEIPT OF SHARES IN RESPECT OF UNITS

7.1 GENERAL RULE. Except as otherwise provided herein, as soon as practicable
after the earlier to occur of (a) the Normal Vesting Date, or (b) the date a
Participant's employment with all Participating Companies terminates, the
Company shall issue to such Participant certificates for shares of Stock
corresponding to the number of whole Elective Units and whole vested Premium
Units credited to the Participant's Account as of the earlier of such dates.


                                        5
<PAGE>   6
7.2 FRACTIONAL UNITS. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if any
vested fractional Units are credited to a Participant's Account (after adding
together all fractional Elective and vested Premium Units then credited to the
Participant's Account) on the earlier of the dates identified in Section 7.1,
such fractional Units shall be paid to the Participant in cash, based on the
Fair Market Value of the Stock on such date.

7.3 VOLUNTARY DEFERRAL. Upon such terms and conditions as the Committee may
determine, a Participant may be permitted to elect, by written notice to the
Plan Administrator filed by the date and on such form or other authorization as
the Plan Administrator may require, to defer the issuance hereunder of
certificates for shares of Stock pursuant to the Plan, or such other arrangement
maintained by a Participating Company, if any, in which the Participant is
eligible to participate as of such date. Such election shall have the effect of
deferring such issuance until the date permitted by the Plan Administrator,
and/or such other effect as permitted by the Committee.

7.4 ACCELERATION EVENT. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, upon
the occurrence of an Acceleration Event, any Premium Units then credited to the
Account of a Participant shall immediately become fully vested, and certificates
for shares of Stock corresponding to the Participant's Elective Units and vested
Premium Units shall be issued to the Participant as soon as practicable
thereafter.


                                  ARTICLE VIII
                                 ADMINISTRATION

8.1 ADMINISTRATION BY COMMITTEE. Except as otherwise delegated by the Committee
pursuant to this Plan or the Incentive Stock Plan, (a) this Plan shall be
administered by the Committee, (b) the Committee shall have full authority to
administer and interpret this Plan in any manner it deems appropriate in its
sole discretion, and (c) the determinations of the Committee shall be binding on
and conclusive as to all parties.

8.2 DELEGATION OF CERTAIN AUTHORITY TO PLAN ADMINISTRATOR. Except as otherwise
provided by the Committee in accordance with this Plan or the Incentive Stock
Plan, the Plan Administrator shall be the Senior Vice President, Human
Resources, of ITT Hartford Group, Inc. Except as otherwise provided in this Plan
or the Incentive Stock Plan, required by applicable law, or determined by the
Committee, (a) the Plan Administrator shall be responsible for the performance
of such administrative duties under this Plan that are not otherwise reserved to
the Committee by this Plan or the Incentive Stock Plan, (b) the Plan
Administrator shall have full authority to administer and interpret this Plan in
any manner it deems appropriate in its sole discretion, and (c) the
determinations of the Plan Administrator shall be binding and conclusive as to
all parties.

8.3 APPLICABILITY OF INCENTIVE STOCK PLAN. In the event of a conflict between
the terms of this Plan and the terms of the Incentive Stock Plan, the terms of
the Incentive Stock Plan shall control.


                                        6
<PAGE>   7
                                   ARTICLE IX
                                  MISCELLANEOUS


9.1 WITHHOLDING. The Plan Administrator shall have the right to make such
provisions as it deems appropriate to satisfy any obligation of the Company to
withhold federal, state or local income or other taxes incurred by reason of the
operation of the Plan, including but not limited to at any time requiring a
Participant to submit payment to the Company for such taxes, or withholding such
taxes from a Participant's wages (or other amounts) due to the Participant.

9.2 NO EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS. The Plan shall not, directly or indirectly, create in
any Participant any right with respect to continuation of employment with any of
the Participating Companies or to the receipt of any bonus. The Plan shall not
interfere in any way with the rights of the applicable Participating Company to
terminate, or otherwise modify, the employment of any Participant or its bonus
policies at any time.

9.3 CAPITAL ADJUSTMENTS FOR CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS. Upon the occurrence of an
event described in Section 13 of the Incentive Stock Plan, the Committee may
adjust the number of Units credited to the Account of a Participant in
accordance with the terms of that Section.

9.4 DELIVERY OF SHARES OF STOCK IN THE EVENT OF DEATH. In the event of the death
of a Participant, certificates for shares of Stock and/or cash corresponding to
the Elective Units and vested Premium Units then credited to the Account of the
Participant shall be transferred (in the same form as would have been
transferred to the Participant pursuant to Article VII) as soon as practicable
thereafter to such Beneficiary or Beneficiaries as properly designated by the
Participant in accordance with Section 10 of the Incentive Stock Plan. If no
such designation is in effect at the time of the Participant's death, or if no
designated Beneficiary survives the Participant or if any Beneficiary
designation conflicts with applicable law, such certificates and/or cash shall
be transferred to the Participant's estate as provided in Section 10 of the
Incentive Stock Plan.

9.5 RIGHTS NOT TRANSFERABLE. The rights of a Participant under the Plan shall
not be sold, exchanged, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise disposed
of, other than (a) by will, (b) by the laws of descent or distribution, or (c)
pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as defined in the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, provided that the rights of any transferee of
a Participant shall not be greater than the rights of the Participant hereunder.
The foregoing restriction shall be in addition to any restrictions imposed by
applicable law on a Participant's ability to dispose of Units awarded under the
Plan.

9.6 EFFECT OF PLAN. The provisions of the Plan shall be binding upon all
successors and assigns of a Participant, including without limitation the
Participant's estate and the executors, administrators or trustees thereof,
heirs and legatees, and any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy or representative of
creditors of the Participant.


                                        7
<PAGE>   8
9.7 USE OF FUNDS AND ASSETS. All funds and assets received or held by the
Company pursuant to or in connection with the Plan may be used by the Company
for any corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate
such amounts from its general assets. The Company may establish a trust or other
entity to aid in meeting its obligations under the Plan.

9.8 SOURCE OF SHARES FOR THE PLAN. Except as otherwise provided in the Incentive
Stock Plan, shares of Stock to be issued hereunder may be made available from
authorized but unissued stock, shares held by the Company in treasury or shares
purchased in the open market.

9.9 AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF THE PLAN. Subject to the provisions of the
Incentive Stock Plan, the Board of Directors may amend or terminate this Plan at
any time. Amendments to the Plan may be made by the Committee or the Plan
Administrator to the extent (a) required by applicable law, or (b) required to
maintain a favorable tax status for the Plan.

9.10 GOVERNING LAW. The laws of the State of Connecticut shall govern all
matters relating to the Plan, except to the extent such laws are superseded by
the laws of the United States.

9.11 SEVERABILITY OF PROVISIONS. If any provision of the Plan shall be held
invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect
any other provisions hereof, and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if
such invalid or unenforceable provisions had not been included herein.


                                        8