Venture III Variable Annuity Prospectus

1 Venture III Variable Annuity ProspectusPREVIOUSLY ISSUED CONTRACTSA pril 29, 2019 Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, you may nolonger receive paper copies of the shareholder reports for the Portfolios offered through your John Hancock Variable annuitycontract unless you specifically request paper copies from John Hancock. Instead, the shareholder reports will be madeavailable on a website, and you will be notified by mail each time reports are posted and be provided with a website link toaccess those reports. If you have already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by thischange, and you do not need to take any , you may request to receive reports in paper, free of charge, at any time, by calling John Hancock at 800-344-1029.

2 Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all Portfolios offered within your Variable Annuity :120322 Venture III Variable Annuity Prospectus PREVIOUSLY ISSUED CONTRACTS April 29, 2019 This Prospectus describes interests in Venture III flexible Purchase Payment deferred combination Fixed and Variable Annuity contracts (singly, a Contract and collectively, the Contracts ) issued by John Hancock Life Insurance Company ( ) ( John Hancock USA ) in all jurisdictions except New York, or by John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York ( John Hancock New York ) in New York. Unless otherwise specified, we, us, our, or a Company refers to the applicable issuing company of a Contract.

3 You, the Contract Owner, should refer to the first page of your Venture III Variable Annuity Contract for the name of your issuing Company. Effective April 4, 2009, the Contracts are no longer offered for sale. Variable Investment Options. You may allocate Contract Values or Additional Purchase Payments (to the extent permitted under your Contract) to Variable Investment Options. If you do, we will measure your Contract Value (other than amounts allocated to a Fixed Investment Option) and Variable Annuity payments according to the investment performance of applicable Subaccounts of John Hancock Life Insurance Company ( ) Separate Account H or, in the case of John Hancock New York, applicable Subaccounts of John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York Separate Account A (singly, a Separate Account and collectively, the Separate Accounts ).

4 Each Subaccount invests in one of the following Portfolios that corresponds to one of the Variable Investment Options that we make available on the date of this Prospectus : JOHN HANCOCK Variable INSURANCE TRUST JOHN HANCOCK Variable INSURANCE TRUST JOHN HANCOCK Variable INSURANCE TRUST 500 Index Trust International Equity Index Trust Short Term Government Income Trust Active Bond Trust International Growth Stock Trust Small Cap Index Trust American Asset Allocation Trust International Small Company Trust Small Cap Opportunities Trust American Global Growth Trust International Value Trust Small Cap Stock Trust American Growth Trust Investment Quality Bond Trust Small Cap Value Trust American Growth-Income Trust Lifestyle Aggressive Portfolio Small Company Value Trust American International Trust

5 Lifestyle Balanced Portfolio Strategic Income Opportunities Trust Blue Chip Growth Trust Lifestyle Conservative Portfolio Total Bond Market Trust Capital Appreciation Trust Lifestyle Growth Portfolio Total Stock Market Index Trust Capital Appreciation Value Trust Lifestyle Moderate Portfolio Ultra Short Term Bond Trust Core Bond Trust Managed Volatility Aggressive Portfolio Utilities Trust Emerging Markets Value Trust Managed Volatility Balanced Portfolio Value Trust Equity Income Trust Managed Volatility Conservative Portfolio Financial Industries Trust Managed Volatility Growth Portfolio BLACKROCK Variable SERIES Fundamental All Cap Core Trust Managed Volatility Moderate Portfolio FUNDS, INC.

6 Fundamental Large Cap Value Trust Mid Cap Index Trust BlackRock Advantage Total Market V. I. Fund1,2 Global Bond Trust Mid Cap Stock Trust BlackRock Basic Value Fund1,2 Global Trust Mid Value Trust BlackRock Global Allocation Fund1,2 Health Sciences Trust Money Market Trust1 High Yield Trust Real Estate Securities Trust PIMCO Variable INSURANCE TRUST Science & Technology Trust PIMCO VIT All Asset Portfolio1 Select Bond Trust 1 Subject to restrictions (see V. Description of the Contract Accumulation Period Purchase Payments ). 2 Not available with John Hancock USA Contracts issued on or after January 28, 2002 or with any John Hancock New York Contract.

7 Contracts are not deposits or obligations of, or insured, guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency. Please read this Prospectus carefully and keep it for future reference. It contains information about the Separate Accounts and the Variable Investment Options that you should know before investing. The Contracts have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission ( SEC ). Neither the SEC nor any state has determined whether this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

8 JOHN HANCOCK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY ( ) JOHN HANCOCK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK Annuities Service Center Annuities Service Center Mailing Address Overnight Mail Address Mailing Address Overnight Mail Address Box 55444 Boston, MA 02205-5444 30 Dan Road Suite 55444 Canton, MA 02021-2809 (800) 344-1029 Box 55445 Boston, MA 02205-5445 30 Dan Road Suite 55444 Canton, MA 02021-2809 (800) 344-1029 ii Table of Contents I. GLOSSARY .. 1 II. OVERVIEW .. 5 III. FEE TABLES .. 10 Examples .. 12 IV. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT US, THE SEPARATE ACCOUNTS AND THE PORTFOLIOS .. 15 The Companies .. 15 The Separate Accounts .. 15 The 16 Voting 23 V.

9 DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTRACT .. 24 Eligible Plans .. 24 Eligibility Restrictions .. 24 Accumulation Period Provisions .. 24 Purchase Payments .. 24 Accumulation Units .. 26 Value of Accumulation Units .. 26 Net Investment Factor .. 27 Transfers You May Make Among Investment 27 Maximum Number of Investment Options .. 28 Telephone and Electronic Transactions .. 28 Special Transfer Services Dollar Cost Averaging Program .. 29 Special Transfer Services Asset Rebalancing Program .. 29 Withdrawals .. 29 Signature Guarantee Requirements for Surrenders and Withdrawals .. 30 Special Withdrawal Services The Income Plan .. 30 Special Withdrawal Services The Income Made Easy Program.

10 31 Optional Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefits .. 31 Death Benefit During the Accumulation 31 Optional Enhanced Death Benefits .. 33 Pay-out Period Provisions .. 33 General .. 33 Annuity Options .. 34 Determination of Amount of the First Variable Annuity Payment .. 37 Annuity Units and the Determination of Subsequent Variable Annuity Payments .. 37 Transfers During the Pay-out Period .. 37 Death Benefit During the Pay-out Period .. 37 Optional Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefits .. 38 Other Contract Provisions .. 38 Ownership .. 38 Annuitant .. 38 Beneficiary .. 39 Modification .. 39 Misstatement and Proof of Age, Sex or Survival.