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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType Other
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Dec. 31, 2013
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName JOHN HANCOCK VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST
Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0000756913
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Document Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Jun. 26, 2014
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Jun. 27, 2014
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Apr. 30, 2014
Supplement [Text Block] jhvit-20140626_SupplementTextBlock

 

John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust

Supplement dated June 26, 2014

to the Prospectus dated April 30, 2014

 

 

International Small Company Trust

 

The primary benchmark for the International Small Company Trust has been changed to the MSCI World ex U.S. Small Cap Index replacing the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index. The table of "Average Annual Total Returns for Period Ended 12/31/2013" is amended and restated to reflect this change.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for Period Ended 12/31/2013

 

 

Average annual total returns (%)

1 Year

5 Years

Inception

Date of Inception

Series I

 26.34 16.61 3.64 11/16/2009
Series II 26.02 16.41 3.52 11/16/2009
Series NAV 26.29 16.63 3.66 04/28/2006
MSCI World ex U.S. Small Cap Index* 25.99 18.88 3.75 04/28/2006
MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index 29.69 18.89 3.81 04/28/2006

 

*The primary benchmark of the fund has changed from the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index to the MSCI World ex U.S. Small Cap Index in order to better reflect the universe of investment opportunities based on the fund's investment strategy. The fund has retained the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index as the secondary benchmark to which the fund compares its performance.

 
­ | (International Small Company Trust)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns for Period Ended 12/31/2013
Performance Table Market Index Changed rr_PerformanceTableMarketIndexChanged The primary benchmark of the fund has changed from the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index to the MSCI World ex U.S. Small Cap Index in order to better reflect the universe of investment opportunities based on the fund's investment strategy. The fund has retained the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index as the secondary benchmark to which the fund compares its performance.
­ | (International Small Company Trust) | MSCI World ex U.S. Small Cap Index
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 25.99% [1]
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 18.88% [1]
Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.75% [1]
Date of Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 28, 2006 [1]
­ | (International Small Company Trust) | MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 29.69%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 18.89%
Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.81%
Date of Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 28, 2006
­ | (International Small Company Trust) | Series I
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 26.34%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 16.61%
Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.64%
Date of Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 16, 2009
­ | (International Small Company Trust) | Series II
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 26.02%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 16.41%
Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.52%
Date of Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 16, 2009
­ | (International Small Company Trust) | NAV
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 26.29%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 16.63%
Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.66%
Date of Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 28, 2006
[1] The primary benchmark of the fund has changed from the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index to the MSCI World ex U.S. Small Cap Index in order to better reflect the universe of investment opportunities based on the fund's investment strategy. The fund has retained the MSCI EAFE Small Cap Index as the secondary benchmark to which the fund compares its performance.