- Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (4)

FORM 4 [ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: November 30, 2011 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * THIGPEN CARL S	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol PROTECTIVE LIFE CORP [ PL ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director                      _____ 10% Owner __ X __ Officer (give title below)      _____ Other (specify below) EVP and CIO
(Last)          (First)          (Middle) 2801 HIGHWAY 280, SOUTH	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 3/6/2012
(Street) BIRMINGHAM, AL 35223 (City)        (State)        (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	3/6/2012		A		22209.0000	A	$27.25	42060.0000	D
Common Stock   (1)	3/6/2012		A		22209.0000	A	$ 0	64269.0000	D
Common Stock   (1)	3/6/2012		A		17909.0000	A	$ 0	82178.0000	D
Common Stock   (1)	3/6/2012		A		8500.0000	A	$ 0	90678.0000	D
Common Stock   (1)	3/6/2012		A		6300.0000	A	$ 0	96978.0000	D
Common Stock	3/6/2012		F		8727.0000	D	$27.25	88251.0000	D
Common Stock								25301.0790	I	By 401(k)   (2)
Common Stock								4218.2299	I	Deferred Compensation   (3)

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
SAR   (4)	$18.36							2/26/2011	2/26/2020	Common Stock	5784.0000		5784.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$18.36							2/26/2012	2/26/2020	Common Stock	5783.0000		5783.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$18.36							2/26/2013	2/26/2020	Common Stock	5783.0000		5783.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$38.59							2/28/2009	2/28/2018	Common Stock	3325.0000		3325.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$38.59							2/28/2010	2/28/2018	Common Stock	3325.0000		3325.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$38.59							2/28/2011	2/28/2018	Common Stock	3325.0000		3325.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$38.59							2/29/2012	2/28/2018	Common Stock	3325.0000		3325.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$41.05							3/4/2010	3/4/2015	Common Stock	35000.0000		35000.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$3.5							3/4/2012	3/4/2020	Common Stock	16666.0000		16666.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$43.46							3/5/2008	3/5/2017	Common Stock	1850.0000		1850.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$43.46							3/5/2009	3/5/2017	Common Stock	1850.0000		1850.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$43.46							3/5/2010	3/5/2017	Common Stock	1850.0000		1850.0000	D
SAR   (4)	$43.46							3/5/2011	3/5/2017	Common Stock	1850.0000		1850.0000	D

Explanation of Responses:
( 1)	Previously granted RSU formally reported in Table II.
( 2)	Total shares held by reporting person in PLC's 401(k) and Stock Ownership Plan.
( 3)	Shares acquired through PLC Deferred Compensation Plan for Officers of the Corporation (exempt under Rule 16b-3).
( 4)	Previously reported Stock Appreciation Right (SAR).

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
THIGPEN CARL S 2801 HIGHWAY 280, SOUTH BIRMINGHAM, AL 35223			EVP and CIO

Signatures
by Alfred F. Delchamps, III, Attorney-in-Fact for Carl S. Thigpen		3/8/2012
** Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.