This  Preferred  Security is a Global  Certificate  within the
meaning of the Declaration hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name
of  The  Depository  Trust  Company  (the  "Depository")  or a  nominee  of  the
Depository.  This Preferred  Security is exchangeable  for Preferred  Securities
registered in the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only
in the limited  circumstances  described in the  Declaration  and no transfer of
this Preferred  Security (other than a transfer of this Preferred  Security as a
whole by the  Depository  to a nominee of the  Depository or by a nominee of the
Depository  to the  Depository  or  another  nominee of the  Depository)  may be
registered except in limited circumstances.

                  Unless this Preferred Security  Certificate is presented by an
authorized  representative  of the  Depository  to the  Trust or its  agent  for
registration  of  transfer,  exchange or  payment,  and any  Preferred  Security
Certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as
requested by an authorized  representative  of the  Depository  (and any payment
hereon  is made to Cede & Co. or to such  other  entity  as is  requested  by an
authorized representative of the Depository),  ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE
HEREOF  FOR  VALUE OR  OTHERWISE  BY OR TO ANY  PERSON  IS  WRONGFUL  since  the
registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

Certificate Number                                Number of Preferred Securities
         -1-                                                  -8,000,000-

                                                  CUSIP NO.  20846M206


                   Certificate Evidencing Preferred Securities
                                       of
                           CONSECO FINANCING TRUST VI

            9.00% Trust Originated Preferred SecuritiesSM ("TOPrS"SM)
                 (liquidation amount $25 per Preferred Security)

         CONSECO FINANCING TRUST VI, a statutory business trust formed under the
laws of the State of Delaware (the  "Trust"),  hereby  certifies that Cede & Co.
(the "Holder") is the registered  owner of Eight Million  (8,000,000)  preferred
securities  of the Trust  representing  undivided  beneficial  interests  in the
assets of the Trust designated the 9.00% Trust Originated Preferred SecuritiesSM
(liquidation  amount $25 per Preferred  Security) (the "Preferred  Securities").
The Preferred Securities are transferable on the books and records of the Trust,
in person or by a duly authorized  attorney,  upon surrender of this certificate
duly  endorsed  and in  proper  form  for  transfer.  The  designation,  rights,
privileges,  restrictions,  preferences  and other terms and  provisions  of the
Preferred Securities  represented hereby are issued and shall in all respects be
subject to the  provisions of the Amended and Restated  Declaration  of Trust of
the Trust dated as of October 14, 1998,  as the same may be amended from time to
time  (the  "Declaration"),  including  the  designation  of  the  terms  of the
Preferred  Securities  as set forth in Annex I to the  Declaration.  Capitalized
terms used  herein but not  defined  shall  have the  meaning  given them in the
Declaration.  The Holder is entitled to the benefits of the Preferred Securities
Guarantee to the extent provided therein. The Sponsor will provide a copy of


                                        1





the  Declaration,  the  Preferred  Securities  Guarantee  and the Indenture to a
Holder without charge upon written request to the Sponsor at its principal place
of business.

         Upon  receipt  of  this  certificate,   the  Holder  is  bound  by  the
Declaration and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.

         By  acceptance,  the Holder agrees to treat,  for United States federal
income tax purposes, the Debentures as indebtedness and the Preferred Securities
as evidence of indirect beneficial ownership in the Debentures.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the Trust has executed this certificate this 14th
day of October, 1998.


                                                CONSECO FINANCING TRUST VI



                                                By: /s/ Rollin M. Dick
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                Name: Rollin M. Dick
                                                Title:  Regular Trustee



                                        2





         Distributions  payable on each  Preferred  Security  will be fixed at a
rate per annum of 9.00% (the "Coupon Rate") of the stated  liquidation amount of
$25 per Preferred Security,  such rate being the rate of interest payable on the
Debentures to be held by the Property Trustee. Distributions in arrears for more
than one quarter will bear interest thereon  compounded  quarterly at the Coupon
Rate (to the extent  permitted by applicable law). The term  "Distributions"  as
used herein  includes  such cash  distributions  and any such  interest  payable
unless  otherwise  stated.  A  Distribution  is payable  only to the extent that
payments are made in respect of the Debentures held by the Property  Trustee and
to the extent the Property Trustee has funds available  therefor.  The amount of
Distributions  payable for any period will be  computed  for any full  quarterly
Distribution  period on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months, and
for any  period  shorter  than a full  quarterly  Distribution  period for which
Distributions are computed,  Distributions  will be computed on the basis of the
actual number of days elapsed per 90-day quarter.

         Except as otherwise  described  below,  distributions  on the Preferred
Securities  will be cumulative,  will accrue from the date of original  issuance
and will be payable quarterly in arrears, on March 31, June 30, September 30 and
December 31 of each year,  commencing on December 31, 1998,  which payment dates
shall correspond to the interest payment dates on the Debentures.  The Debenture
Issuer has the right  under the  Indenture  to defer  payments  of  interest  by
extending the interest  payment period from time to time on the Debentures for a
period not exceeding 20 consecutive  quarters (each an "Extension  Period") and,
as a consequence of such deferral,  Distributions will also be deferred. Despite
such  deferral,  quarterly  Distributions  will continue to accrue with interest
thereon  (to  the  extent  permitted  by  applicable  law)  at the  Coupon  Rate
compounded  quarterly during any such Extension Period. Prior to the termination
of any such  Extension  Period,  the  Debenture  Issuer may further  extend such
Extension  Period;  provided that such Extension  Period  together with all such
previous and further extensions thereof may not exceed 20 consecutive  quarters.
Payments of accrued  Distributions  will be payable to Holders as they appear on
the books and records of the Trust on the first record date after the end of the
Extension  Period.  Upon the termination of any Extension Period and the payment
of all amounts  then due,  the  Debenture  Issuer may  commence a new  Extension
Period, subject to the above requirements.

         The  Preferred  Securities  shall  be  redeemable  as  provided  in the
Declaration.




                                        3




                                   ASSIGNMENT

         FOR  VALUE  RECEIVED,   the  undersigned  assigns  and  transfers  this
Preferred Security Certificate to:

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
(Insert assignee's social security or tax identification number)

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
                    (Insert address and zip code of assignee)

and irrevocably appoints
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________  agent to  transfer  this  Preferred
Security Certificate on the books of the Trust. The agent may substitute another
to act for him or her.

Date: __________________

Signature: _____________________________
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Preferred Security 
Certificate)



                                        4





                  This  Preferred  Security is a Global  Certificate  within the
meaning of the Declaration hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name
of  The  Depository  Trust  Company  (the  "Depository")  or a  nominee  of  the
Depository.  This Preferred  Security is exchangeable  for Preferred  Securities
registered in the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only
in the limited  circumstances  described in the  Declaration  and no transfer of
this Preferred  Security (other than a transfer of this Preferred  Security as a
whole by the  Depository  to a nominee of the  Depository or by a nominee of the
Depository  to the  Depository  or  another  nominee of the  Depository)  may be
registered except in limited circumstances.

                  Unless this Preferred Security  Certificate is presented by an
authorized  representative  of the  Depository  to the  Trust or its  agent  for
registration  of  transfer,  exchange or  payment,  and any  Preferred  Security
Certificate issued is registered in the name of Cede & Co. or such other name as
requested by an authorized  representative  of the  Depository  (and any payment
hereon  is made to Cede & Co. or to such  other  entity  as is  requested  by an
authorized representative of the Depository),  ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE
HEREOF  FOR  VALUE OR  OTHERWISE  BY OR TO ANY  PERSON  IS  WRONGFUL  since  the
registered owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

Certificate Number                                Number of Preferred Securities
         -2-                                              -1,200,000-
                                                    
                                                  CUSIP NO.  20846M206


                   Certificate Evidencing Preferred Securities
                                       of
                           CONSECO FINANCING TRUST VI

            9.00% Trust Originated Preferred SecuritiesSM ("TOPrS"SM)
                 (liquidation amount $25 per Preferred Security)

         CONSECO FINANCING TRUST VI, a statutory business trust formed under the
laws of the State of Delaware (the  "Trust"),  hereby  certifies that Cede & Co.
(the  "Holder")  is the  registered  owner of One Million  Two Hundred  Thousand
(1,200,000) preferred securities of the Trust representing  undivided beneficial
interests  in the  assets of the Trust  designated  the 9.00%  Trust  Originated
Preferred  SecuritiesSM  (liquidation  amount $25 per Preferred  Security)  (the
"Preferred Securities").  The Preferred Securities are transferable on the books
and  records  of the Trust,  in person or by a duly  authorized  attorney,  upon
surrender of this certificate duly endorsed and in proper form for transfer. The
designation, rights, privileges,  restrictions,  preferences and other terms and
provisions of the Preferred  Securities  represented hereby are issued and shall
in all  respects  be subject  to the  provisions  of the  Amended  and  Restated
Declaration  of Trust of the Trust dated as of October 14, 1998, as the same may
be amended from time to time (the  "Declaration"),  including the designation of
the  terms  of  the  Preferred  Securities  as  set  forth  in  Annex  I to  the
Declaration.  Capitalized  terms  used  herein  but not  defined  shall have the
meaning given them in the Declaration. The Holder is entitled to the benefits of
the Preferred  Securities  Guarantee to the extent provided therein. The Sponsor
will provide a copy of the Declaration, the Preferred Securities Guarantee and


                                        1





the Indenture to a Holder without charge upon written  request to the Sponsor at
its principal place of business.

         Upon  receipt  of  this  certificate,   the  Holder  is  bound  by  the
Declaration and is entitled to the benefits thereunder.

         By  acceptance,  the Holder agrees to treat,  for United States federal
income tax purposes, the Debentures as indebtedness and the Preferred Securities
as evidence of indirect beneficial ownership in the Debentures.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the Trust has executed this certificate this 14th
day of October, 1998.


                                       CONSECO FINANCING TRUST VI



                                       By: /s/ Rollin M. Dick
                                           -------------------------------------
                                       Name: Rollin M. Dick
                                       Title:  Regular Trustee



                                        2





         Distributions  payable on each  Preferred  Security  will be fixed at a
rate per annum of 9.00% (the "Coupon Rate") of the stated  liquidation amount of
$25 per Preferred Security,  such rate being the rate of interest payable on the
Debentures to be held by the Property Trustee. Distributions in arrears for more
than one quarter will bear interest thereon  compounded  quarterly at the Coupon
Rate (to the extent  permitted by applicable law). The term  "Distributions"  as
used herein  includes  such cash  distributions  and any such  interest  payable
unless  otherwise  stated.  A  Distribution  is payable  only to the extent that
payments are made in respect of the Debentures held by the Property  Trustee and
to the extent the Property Trustee has funds available  therefor.  The amount of
Distributions  payable for any period will be  computed  for any full  quarterly
Distribution  period on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months, and
for any  period  shorter  than a full  quarterly  Distribution  period for which
Distributions are computed,  Distributions  will be computed on the basis of the
actual number of days elapsed per 90-day quarter.

         Except as otherwise  described  below,  distributions  on the Preferred
Securities  will be cumulative,  will accrue from the date of original  issuance
and will be payable quarterly in arrears, on March 31, June 30, September 30 and
December 31 of each year,  commencing on December 31, 1998,  which payment dates
shall correspond to the interest payment dates on the Debentures.  The Debenture
Issuer has the right  under the  Indenture  to defer  payments  of  interest  by
extending the interest  payment period from time to time on the Debentures for a
period not exceeding 20 consecutive  quarters (each an "Extension  Period") and,
as a consequence of such deferral,  Distributions will also be deferred. Despite
such  deferral,  quarterly  Distributions  will continue to accrue with interest
thereon  (to  the  extent  permitted  by  applicable  law)  at the  Coupon  Rate
compounded  quarterly during any such Extension Period. Prior to the termination
of any such  Extension  Period,  the  Debenture  Issuer may further  extend such
Extension  Period;  provided that such Extension  Period  together with all such
previous and further extensions thereof may not exceed 20 consecutive  quarters.
Payments of accrued  Distributions  will be payable to Holders as they appear on
the books and records of the Trust on the first record date after the end of the
Extension  Period.  Upon the termination of any Extension Period and the payment
of all amounts  then due,  the  Debenture  Issuer may  commence a new  Extension
Period, subject to the above requirements.

         The  Preferred  Securities  shall  be  redeemable  as  provided  in the
Declaration.




                                        3




                                   ASSIGNMENT

         FOR  VALUE  RECEIVED,   the  undersigned  assigns  and  transfers  this
Preferred Security Certificate to:

_______________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
(Insert assignee's social security or tax identification number)

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
                    (Insert address and zip code of assignee)

and irrevocably appoints

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________  agent to  transfer  this  Preferred
Security Certificate on the books of the Trust. The agent may substitute another
to act for him or her.

Date: __________________

Signature: _____________________________
(Sign exactly  s your name appears on the other side of this Preferred  Security
Certificate)



                                        4