Document:

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                                                                   Exhibit 10.23

Mr. Harry P. Kamen
910 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10021

Dear Mr. Kamen

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company ("MetLife") wishes to retain you as a
consultant for a period of one year beginning July 1, 1998. This letter sets
forth the terms and conditions upon which we offer to retain you and, if it is
acceptable by you, shall constitute our agreement with respect to such period.

During the period of this retainer, you will act as a consultant and undertake
special assignments with respect to such matters as shall be designated by the
Chief Executive Officer of MetLife ("CEO"). It is expected that your
assignments will include assisting the CEO in connection with:

-   MetLife's efforts to access the public equity markets (including MetLife's
    Mutual Holding Company initiative).

-   Promoting the interests of MetLife and the life insurance industry with
    government and industry entities and officials, including interfacing
    with officials, maintaining various civic and industry relationships
    (including serving as Chairman of the "Mutual Tax Committee") and
    facilitating the transition of those relationships to the CEO and his
    designees.

-   Enhancing the value of MetLife's international insurance activities by,
    among other things, fostering MetLife's relationships with its joint
    venture partners and pursuing licenses for MetLife in selected countries.

-   Such other assignments as the CEO and you may mutually agree upon.

It is also understood that you will continue to serve as a director of Banco
Santander and of the New England Investment Companies (now named Nvest), for as
long as you, the CEO and such companies mutually agree.
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Your relationship with MetLife will be that of an independent contractor and not
that of an employee and you will be free to control your own time and method of
work within the framework of your obligation to MetLife to provide in a timely
manner the services requested of you by this letter.

It is understood that you will not be entitled to or be eligible for any
benefits or privileges given or extended by Metlife to its employees other than
those to which you are entitled by virtue of your prior employment with MetLife.

For service under this agreement, we will pay you monthly at the annual rate of
$500,000 for the first twelve months or such shorter period this agreement is
in effect. This amount shall not be reduced because of any fees you receive as
a director of MetLife or as a director of any publicly-traded affiliate of
MetLife. The amounts payable hereunder shall be earned in equal monthly
installments during the period of this agreement.

We will provide you, at no charge to you, with an office and secretarial
support at 200 Park Avenue, as well as a car for use in connection with your
consulting assignment, primarily for use within Manhattan and to area airports.
In addition, we will reimburse you for your reasonable and necessary
out-of-pocket expenses incurred on our behalf during the period. You will
submit appropriate documentation with respect to such expenses in accordance
with MetLife's customary procedures.

It is expected that this agreement will require a substantial amount of your
business time. Nonetheless, this agreement shall not prevent you from
undertaking consultative or other work for other clients provided that such
matters will not interfere with the performance of your services hereunder nor
involve possible conflicts with the interests of MetLife. You will consult with
the CEO before undertaking any such other work and will abide by our judgment
as to whether it would violate the spirit of this agreement. None of your
present directorships or other positions (see attached list) now constitute
such a conflict.

This agreement may be terminated by MetLife or by you at any time upon ten
days' notice to the other party and shall be automatically terminated in the
event of your death or a disability preventing you from carrying out your
assignments hereunder for a period of 30 days.

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If the foregoing terms are agreeable to you, please sign the enclosed copy
hereof and return it to me.

Sincerely

/s/ Robert H. Benmosche            6/30/98

    Robert H. Benmosche
    President and Chief Operating Officer

I accept the foregoing offer:

/s/ Harry P. Kamen                 6/30/98
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    Harry P. Kamen

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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.24
                      METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                   LONG TERM PERFORMANCE COMPENSATION PLAN
        (FOR PERFORMANCE PERIODS STARTING ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2000)

I.    PURPOSE OF THE PLAN

      -     Align management with policyholders' interests

      -     Provide competitive levels of total pay for senior executives for
            competitive levels of performance

      -     Encourage a long term strategic perspective

      -     Encourage/reward performance that supports the Company's long term
            performance results

      -     Attract and promote retention of key executives with long term
            business perspective

II.   PARTICIPATION

      The Board of Directors will determine the levels of Officers and others
      eligible to participate in the Plan for each performance period. An
      individual who becomes a participant in the Plan will participate prorata
      in any performance period then in progress from the effective date of
      participation. Upon the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer, the
      Board of Directors may determine participation on a basis other than
      proration. Participants' incentive opportunities under the Plan shall not
      be vested or assignable in any respect.

III.  PERFORMANCE PERIODS

      The period over which long term performance shall be measured is three
      years. Each performance period will begin on January 1.

IV.   TARGET INCENTIVE OPPORTUNITIES

      The Nominating and Compensation Committee (the "Committee") will establish
      the incentive opportunity for each level of Plan participant for each
      performance period.
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Long Term Performance Compensation Plan                             Page 2 of 4

The schedule of target percentage opportunities for the various levels of
participants is:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
GRADE LEVEL (CURRENT TITLE)                   TARGET PERCENTAGE OPPORTUNITY
---------------------------                   -----------------------------
<S>                                           <C>
41 (Chief Executive Officer)                          250%
40 (President)                                        200%
39 (Senior Executive Vice President)                  185%
38 (Executive Vice President                          150%
36/37 (Senior Vice President)                         95%
33-35 (Vice President/Sr. Vice President)             30%/65%/85%
</TABLE>

      At the beginning of each plan period, management recommends individual
      incentive opportunities for each participant. These incentive
      opportunities may be higher or lower than the above targets established
      for the various levels based on the individual's relative contribution to
      or impact on long term business results, the individual's potential and
      the individual's level of personal performance.

      The incentive opportunity ($) for each participant is determined by
      multiplying the applicable percentage for the individual by the
      individual's average base salary over the performance period. If the
      participant was not an employee of the Company at the beginning of the
      performance period, the Committee, at the Chief Executive Officer's
      recommendation, will determine in its discretion, the appropriate
      incentive opportunity.

      The total incentive opportunity for any performance period is equal to the
      total of the incentive opportunities of all individuals participating in
      that performance period.

      Where an individual changes participation levels or becomes a participant
      in the Plan for the first time during a performance period, incentive
      opportunities are prorated accordingly.

V.    GUIDELINES FOR DETERMINING CORPORATE PERFORMANCE

      At the beginning of each performance period, the Nominating and
      Compensation Committee will determine the measures and specific goals for
      that plan period. The measures for the Plan will include both financial
      and strategic business goals against which corporate performance will be
      measured.

      Performance assessment at the end of each period will consider achievement
      of established goals. In addition to performance as measured against these
      goals, the

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Long Term Performance Compensation Plan                             Page 3 of 4

      overall assessment will involve the broad discretion and judgment of the
      Committee and may take into account changes in corporate strategy and in
      the market, economic, tax and regulatory environment during the
      performance period. The Committee will determine a corporate performance
      percentage that may vary between 0% and 200%.

VI.   AWARDS

      Following the end of each performance period the Committee will determine
      the amount which may be awarded to the participants with respect to such
      period. Such amount will be the incentive opportunities multiplied by the
      corporate performance percentage. The Committee will recommend individual
      awards to the Board. These awards will generally be equal to the
      participant's incentive opportunity multiplied by the corporate
      performance percentage. However, line of business performance, changes in
      an individual's responsibilities, or individual performance may be taken
      into account when determining individual awards. The Committee has
      discretion in determining the amount of any recommended award, may decline
      to recommend an award, and may modify the time of payment of any award.

      The payment of any awards as a result of performance under the Plan for
      the 2000 - 2002 performance period will be paid out in 2003. It is
      anticipated that a portion of any individual award paid out in 2003 will
      be payable in MetLife, Inc. stock.

      No amount shall become payable unless it is approved by the Board in its
      discretion and no award may be made unless the participant was an employee
      of the Company or a subsidiary at the end of the performance period or
      died, retired or became totally disabled during such period while such an
      employee.

      A participant who retires, dies or becomes totally disabled while such an
      employee during the course of a performance period may be granted for such
      performance period, at the discretion of the Board, a pro rata portion of
      the full award that would have been payable if such event had not
      occurred, or at the recommendation of the Chief Executive Officer, an
      award may be recommended on other than a pro rata basis.

      Awards under the Plan will not be taken into account for purposes of
      determining the level of Insurance and Retirement benefits and
      contributions to the Savings and Investment Plan.

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Long Term Performance Compensation Plan                             Page 4 of 4

VII.  ROLE OF THE COMMITTEE

      The Committee exercises overall responsibility and has broad discretion
      with respect to all aspects of the Plan and for performance assessment.

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