<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.

<MULTIPLIER>                                   1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                   SEP-30-2000
<DEBT-HELD-FOR-SALE>                           7,245,912
<DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE>                          0
<DEBT-MARKET-VALUE>                            0
<EQUITIES>                                     58,319
<MORTGAGE>                                     2,146,972
<REAL-ESTATE>                                  12,713
<TOTAL-INVEST>                                 9,919,584
<CASH>                                         77,010
<RECOVER-REINSURE>                             914,493
<DEFERRED-ACQUISITION>                         1,194,634
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 14,650,971
<POLICY-LOSSES>                                5,650,940
<UNEARNED-PREMIUMS>                            0
<POLICY-OTHER>                                 0
<POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS>                          117,453
<NOTES-PAYABLE>                                276,198
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       34,667
<OTHER-SE>                                     988,451
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   14,650,971
<PREMIUMS>                                     638,738
<INVESTMENT-INCOME>                            545,416
<INVESTMENT-GAINS>                             (5,056)
<OTHER-INCOME>                                 134,374
<BENEFITS>                                     755,768
<UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION>                    111,866
<UNDERWRITING-OTHER>                           247,750
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                192,222
<INCOME-TAX>                                   68,815
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                            116,316
<DISCONTINUED>                                 0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   116,316
<EPS-BASIC>                                    1.77
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  1.76
<RESERVE-OPEN>                                 0
<PROVISION-CURRENT>                            0
<PROVISION-PRIOR>                              0
<PAYMENTS-CURRENT>                             0
<PAYMENTS-PRIOR>                               0
<RESERVE-CLOSE>                                0
<CUMULATIVE-DEFICIENCY>                        0

<F1>Net of minority interest income of consolidated subsidiaries of $7,091