<Page>

             ALLMERICA FINANCIAL LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITY COMPANY

                         GUARANTEED DEATH BENEFIT RIDER

This endorsement is a part of the contract if it is attached to it and shown in
the Specifications Page.

REQUIRED GUARANTEED DEATH BENEFIT PAYMENT - This endorsement will take effect
upon receipt by the Company of the Guaranteed Death Benefit payment shown on
Specifications Page.

GUARANTEED DEATH BENEFIT - The contract will not lapse while this endorsement is
in force. The monthly deduction will be made from the Contract Value, if any,
until the Final Payment Date.

NET DEATH BENEFIT - While this endorsement is in force, the death benefit
provision of the contract is amended by the addition of the following:

If this endorsement is in effect on the Final Payment Date, a death benefit will
be provided thereafter unless the endorsement terminates. The net death benefit
will be the Face amount as of the Final Payment Date or the Contract Value as
of the date due proof of death is received by the company, whichever is greater,
reduced by Outstanding Loan through the contract month in which the insured
dies. The monthly deduction will not be deducted after the Final Payment Date.

Termination - This endorsement will terminate and may not be reinstated on the
first to occur of the following:

foreclosure for Outstanding Loan; or
a request is made for partial withdrawal or preferred loan after the Final
Payment Date; or
upon your request.

It is possible that the surrender value will not be sufficient to keep the
contract in force on the first Monthly Processing Date following the date this
endorsement terminates. The net amount payable to keep the contract in force
will never exceed the surrender charge plus the amount required to pay the
monthly deductions for three months as of the day the grace period began.



                   Signed for the Company at Dover, Delaware.



/s/ Richard M. Reilly                        /s/ Abigail M. Armstrong


       President                                    Secretary









Form 10490