~~Table~~UNITED ofSTATES SECURITIES ~~Contents~~AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

~~UNITED~~Washington, ~~STATES SECURITIES~~D.C. ~~AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION~~20549

~~Washington,~~FORM ~~D.C. 20549~~8-K

~~FORM~~CURRENT ~~8-K~~REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

~~CURRENT~~Date ~~REPORT Pursuant~~of toReport ~~Section 13 OR 15~~(d)Date of ~~The~~ ~~Securities~~earliest ~~Exchange~~event ~~Act~~reported) ofJanuary 3, ~~1934~~2006

~~Date~~Principal ofLife ~~Report~~Insurance ~~(Date~~Company on behalf of ~~earliest~~Principal ~~event~~Life ~~reported)~~Income ~~October 3,~~Fundings Trust 2005-17

~~Principal~~(Exact ~~Life~~name ~~Insurance~~of ~~Company~~ registrant as specified in its charter)

onIowa ~~behalf~~(State or other jurisdiction of ~~Principal~~incorporation) ~~Life~~333-110499-109 ~~Income~~(Commission ~~Fundings~~File ~~Trust~~Number) ~~2005~~42-170127290 (IRS Employer Identification No.)

~~(Exact~~711 ~~name~~High Street, Des Moines, Iowa (Address of ~~registrant~~principal asexecutive ~~specified~~offices) in50392-0001 ~~its~~(Zip ~~charter~~Code)

Iowa	333-110499-109	42-0127290
(State or other jurisdiction	(Commission	(IRS Employer
of incorporation)	File Number)	Identification No.)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (515) 247-1111

711 High Street, Des Moines, Iowa		50392-0001
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

~~Registrant’s~~Check ~~telephone~~the ~~number,~~appropriate ~~including~~box ~~area~~below ~~code:~~if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (~~515~~see General Instruction A.2. below) ~~247-1111~~:

~~Not~~o ~~Applicable~~ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (~~Former~~17 ~~name~~CFR or230.425) ~~former~~o ~~address,~~Soliciting ifmaterial ~~changed~~pursuant ~~since~~to ~~last~~Rule ~~report~~14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

~~Check the appropriate box below if the Form~~ Item 8-K.01 ~~filing~~Other ~~is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A~~Events.~~2. below):~~

oOn ~~Written~~January 3, ~~communications~~2006, ~~pursuant~~a payment was made to ~~Rule~~the ~~425~~holders ~~under~~of the ~~Securities~~notes ~~Act~~issued (by the Principal Life Income Fundings Trust 2005-17 ~~CFR~~(the ~~230.425~~“Trust”). Specific information with respect to the payment is filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto. No other reportable transactions or matters have occurred during the current reporting period.

oThe ~~Soliciting~~Trust’s ~~material~~assets ~~pursuant~~consist toof ~~Rule~~a ~~14a-12~~Funding Agreement issued by Principal Life Insurance Company (“Principal Life”) and a Guarantee issued by Principal Financial Group, Inc. (“PFG”) which fully and unconditionally guarantees the payment obligations of Principal Life under the Funding ~~Exchange~~Agreement. PFG is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Act of 1934, and in accordance with those requirements files periodic and current reports and other information (17including ~~CFR~~financial ~~240~~information) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).~~14a~~ You can read and copy any reports or other information PFG files at the SEC public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can also request copies of PFG’s documents upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing the SEC’s public reference room. You can obtain information regarding the public reference room by calling the SEC at 1-~~12)~~800-SEC-0330. PFG’s filings are available to the public from commercial document retrieval services or over the internet at http://www/sec/gov.

oItem 9.01 ~~Pre-commencement~~Financial ~~communications~~Statements ~~pursuant~~and ~~to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240~~Exhibits.~~14d-2(b))~~

~~o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4~~ (c) ~~under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))~~ Exhibits

~~TABLE~~Exhibit OF99.1 ~~CONTENTS~~Indenture Trustee’s report in respect of the January 3, 2006 payment to holders of the notes issued by the Principal Life Income Fundings Trust 2005-17.

	Item 8.01 Other Events.
	Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
SIGNATURES
EXHIBIT INDEX
Indenture Trustee's Report

SIGNATURES

~~Table~~ Pursuant to the requirements of ~~Contents~~the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Item 8.01 Other Events.


	PRINCIPAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (Registrant)

Date: January 3, 2006	By:	/s/ KAREN A. PEARSTON

	Name: Title:	Karen A. Pearston Second Vice President and Counsel

OnEXHIBIT October 3, 2005, a payment was made to the holders of the notes issued by the Principal Life Income Fundings Trust 2005-17 (the “Trust”). Specific information with respect to the payment is filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto. No other reportable transactions or matters have occurred during the current reporting period. The Trust’s assets consist of a Funding Agreement issued by Principal Life Insurance Company (“Principal Life”) and a Guarantee issued by Principal Financial Group, Inc. (“PFG”) which fully and unconditionally guarantees the payment obligations of Principal Life under the Funding Agreement. PFG is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Act of 1934, and in accordance with those requirements files periodic and current reports and other information (including financial information) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). You can read and copy any reports or other information PFG files at the SEC public reference room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can also request copies of PFG’s documents upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing the SEC’s public reference room. You can obtain information regarding the public reference room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. PFG’s filings are available to the public from commercial document retrieval services or over the internet at http://www/sec/gov.INDEX

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.


Exhibit
Number		Description
Exhibit 99.1		Indenture Trustee’s report in respect of the January 3, 2006 payment to holders of the notes issued by the Principal Life Income Fundings Trust 2005-17.

Exhibit 99.1 Indenture Trustee’s report in respect of the October 3, 2005 payment to holders of the notes issued by the Principal Life Income Fundings Trust 2005-17.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	PRINCIPAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (Registrant)
Date: October 3, 2005	By:	/s/ KAREN A. PEARSTON
		Name:	Karen A. Pearston
		Title:	Second Vice President and Counsel

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Number		Description
Exhibit 99.1		Indenture Trustee’s report in respect of the October 3, 2005 payment to holders of the notes issued by the Principal Life Income Fundings Trust 2005-17.

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Filing Compare · PRINCIPAL LIFE INCOME FUNDINGS TRUST 2005-17