0000756913 2011-05-01 2012-04-30 0000756913 jhvit2:S000017253Member jhvit2:ProspectusSeriesOneMember 2011-05-01 2012-04-30 0000756913 jhvit2:S000008320Member jhvit2:ProspectusSeriesOneMember 2011-05-01 2012-04-30 JOHN HANCOCK VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST Other 2011-12-31 0000756913 false 2012-09-21 2012-09-21 2012-04-30 John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust Supplement dated September 21, 2012 to the Prospectus dated April 30, 2012 Mutual Shares Trust The Annual Operating Expenses for the Mutual Shares trust are amended and restated as follows to reflect this change. Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)   <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" align="center"> <tr> <td width="18%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="1%"></td> <td width="18%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="19%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="19%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="18%"></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="bottom"> Share Class</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Management Fee (1)</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Other Expenses</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Total Fund Operating Expenses</td></tr> <tr bgcolor="#cceeff"> <td valign="top"> Series I</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.92%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.05%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.07%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">1.04%</td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> Series II (2)</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.92%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.25%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.07%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">1.24%</td></tr> <tr bgcolor="#cceeff"> <td valign="top"> Series NAV</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.92%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.00%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.07%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.99%</td></tr> </table> <table style="border-collapse:collapse" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td width="4%" valign="top" align="left">(1)</td> <td align="left" valign="top">The management fee has been restated to reflect contractual changes to the Advisory Agreement. </td></tr></table> <table style="border-collapse:collapse" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td width="4%" valign="top" align="left">(2)</td> <td align="left" valign="top">For funds and classes that have not commenced operations or have an inception date of less than six months as of December 31, 2011, expenses are estimated. </td></tr></table> Examples.    The examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The examples assume that $10,000 is invested in the fund for the periods indicated and then all shares are redeemed at the end of those periods. The examples also assume that the investment has a 5% return each year and that the funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on the these assumptions your costs would be:   <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" align="center"> <tr> <td width="18%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="1%"></td> <td width="18%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="19%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="19%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="18%"></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Year 1</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Year 3</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Year 5</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Year 10</td></tr> <tr bgcolor="#cceeff"> <td valign="top"> Series I</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$106</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$331</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$574</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$1,271</td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> Series II</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$126</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$393</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$681</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$1,500</td></tr> <tr bgcolor="#cceeff"> <td valign="top"> Series NAV</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$101</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$315</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$547</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$1,213</td></tr> </table>Strategic Income Opportunities Trust The last sentence in the penultimate paragraph in the section entitled Principal Investment Strategies is amended and restated as follows: In addition, the fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in domestic or foreign common stocks. John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust Supplement dated September 21, 2012 to the Prospectus dated April 30, 2012 Mutual Shares Trust The Annual Operating Expenses for the Mutual Shares trust are amended and restated as follows to reflect this change. Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)   <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" align="center"> <tr> <td width="18%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="1%"></td> <td width="18%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="19%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="19%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="18%"></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="bottom"> Share Class</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Management Fee (1)</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Other Expenses</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Total Fund Operating Expenses</td></tr> <tr bgcolor="#cceeff"> <td valign="top"> Series I</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.92%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.05%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.07%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">1.04%</td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> Series II (2)</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.92%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.25%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.07%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">1.24%</td></tr> <tr bgcolor="#cceeff"> <td valign="top"> Series NAV</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.92%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.00%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.07%</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">0.99%</td></tr> </table> <table style="border-collapse:collapse" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td width="4%" valign="top" align="left">(1)</td> <td align="left" valign="top">The management fee has been restated to reflect contractual changes to the Advisory Agreement. </td></tr></table> <table style="border-collapse:collapse" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td width="4%" valign="top" align="left">(2)</td> <td align="left" valign="top">For funds and classes that have not commenced operations or have an inception date of less than six months as of December 31, 2011, expenses are estimated. </td></tr></table> Examples.    The examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The examples assume that $10,000 is invested in the fund for the periods indicated and then all shares are redeemed at the end of those periods. The examples also assume that the investment has a 5% return each year and that the funds operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on the these assumptions your costs would be:   <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" border="0" style="border-collapse:collapse" align="center"> <tr> <td width="18%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="1%"></td> <td width="18%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="19%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="19%"></td> <td valign="bottom" width="2%"></td> <td width="18%"></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Year 1</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Year 3</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Year 5</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td valign="bottom" align="center" style="border-bottom:1px solid #000000"> Year 10</td></tr> <tr bgcolor="#cceeff"> <td valign="top"> Series I</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$106</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$331</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$574</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$1,271</td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> Series II</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$126</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$393</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$681</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$1,500</td></tr> <tr bgcolor="#cceeff"> <td valign="top"> Series NAV</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$101</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$315</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$547</td> <td valign="bottom">  </td> <td align="center">$1,213</td></tr> </table> John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust Supplement dated September 21, 2012 to the Prospectus dated April 30, 2012 Strategic Income Opportunities Trust The last sentence in the penultimate paragraph in the section entitled Principal Investment Strategies is amended and restated as follows: In addition, the fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in domestic or foreign common stocks.