1






                                  EXHIBIT NO. 4
                                  -------------

                          FORM OF 7.30% NOTES DUE 2006,

                    ISSUED IN THE AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT

                   OF $100,000,000 UNDER THE SENIOR INDENTURE

                        DATED SEPTEMBER 15, 1993 BETWEEN

                      THE COMPANY AND STATE STREET BANK AND

                       TRUST, AS AMENDED AND SUPPLEMENTED


   2


                               (FACE OF SECURITY)

Unless this certificate is presented by an authorized representative of The
Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation ("DTC") to the Issuer or its
agent for registration of transfer, exchange or payment, and such certificate is
registered in the name of Cede & Co., or in such other name as requested by an
authorized representative of DTC, ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR
VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL, inasmuch as the registered
owner hereof, Cede & Co., has an interest herein.

REGISTERED                                                           REGISTERED
NO. R-001                                                          $100,000,000

                              CUSIP No. 743315 AH 6

                       SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

                           THE PROGRESSIVE CORPORATION

                               7.30% NOTE DUE 2006

                  THE PROGRESSIVE CORPORATION, an Ohio corporation (the
"Issuer"), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & Co., c/o The
Depository Trust Company, 55 Water Street, New York, New York 10041 or
registered assigns, at the office or agency of the Issuer at the office of the
Trustee in Boston, Massachusetts, the principal sum of ONE HUNDRED MILLION
DOLLARS ($100,000,000) on June 1, 2006, in such coin or currency of the United
States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the
payment of public and private debts, and to pay interest semiannually on June 1
and December 1 of each year, commencing on December 1, 1996, on said principal
sum at said office or agency, in like coin or currency, at the rate per annum
specified in the title of this Note, from the June 1 or the December 1, as the
case may be, next preceding the date of this Note to which interest has been
paid, unless the date hereof is a date to which interest has been paid, in which
case from the date of this Note, or unless no interest has been paid on the
Notes, in which case from May 28, 1996, until payment of said principal sum has
been made or duly provided for; provided, that payment of interest may be made
at the option of the Issuer by check mailed to the address of the person
entitled thereto as such address shall appear on the Security Register.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the date hereof is after the fifteenth day of
May or November, as the case may be, and before the following June 1 or December
1, this Note shall bear interest from such June 1 or December 1; provided, that
if the Issuer shall default in the payment of interest due on such June 1 or
December 1, then this Note shall bear interest from the next preceding June 1 or
December 1, to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid on
this Note, from May 28, 1996. The interest so payable on any June 1 or December
1 will, subject to certain exceptions provided in the Indenture referred to on
the reverse hereof, be paid to the person in whose name this Note is registered
at the close of business on May 15 or November 15, as the case may be, next
preceding such June 1 or December 1.



   3

                  Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note set
forth on the reverse hereof. Such further provisions shall for all purposes have
the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

                  This Note shall not be valid or become obligatory for any
purpose until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been signed by
the Trustee under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, The Progressive Corporation has caused this
instrument to be signed by its duly authorized officers and has caused its
corporate seal to be affixed hereto or imprinted hereon.

                                   THE PROGRESSIVE CORPORATION
[CORPORATE SEAL]

                                   By: /s/ Charles B. Chokel
                                      -----------------------------
                                       Charles B. Chokel
                                       Treasurer

Attest: /s/David M. Schneider
       -------------------------------
          David M. Schneider
          Secretary

Dated:  May 28, 1996

                     TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

         This is one of the Securities, of the series designated herein,
referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

                                  STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
                                  as Trustee

                                  By:
                                     ----------------------------
                                       Authorized Signatory


   4


                               (BACK OF SECURITY)

                           THE PROGRESSIVE CORPORATION

                               7.30% NOTE DUE 2006

         This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of debentures, notes, bonds
or other evidences of indebtedness of the Issuer (hereinafter called the
"Securities") of the series hereinafter specified, all issued or to be issued
under and pursuant to an indenture dated as of September 15, 1993, as heretofore
supplemented and amended (herein called the "Indenture"), between the Issuer and
State Street Bank and Trust Company, as Trustee (herein called the "Trustee"),
to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby
made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties
and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Issuer and the Holders of the
Securities. The Securities may be issued in one or more series, which different
series may be issued in various aggregate principal amounts, may mature at
different times, may bear interest (if any) at different rates, may be subject
to different redemption provisions (if any), may be subject to different
sinking, purchase or analogous funds (if any) and may otherwise vary as in the
Indenture provided. This Note is one of a series designated as the 7.30% Notes
Due 2006 of the Issuer, limited in aggregate principal amount to $100,000,000.

         In case an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, with respect
to the 7.30% Notes Due 2006 shall have occurred and be continuing, the principal
hereof may be declared, and upon such declaration shall become, due and payable,
in the manner, with the effect and subject to the conditions provided in the
Indenture.

         The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Issuer and the
Trustee, with the consent of the Holders of not less than 66-2/3% in aggregate
principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding (as defined in the
Indenture) of all series to be affected (voting as one class), evidenced as in
the Indenture provided, to execute supplemental indentures adding any provisions
to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of the
Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or modifying in any manner the rights
of the Holders of the Securities of each such series; provided, however, that no
such supplemental indenture shall (i) extend the final maturity of any Security,
or reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time of
payment of any interest thereon, or impair or affect the rights of any Holder to
institute suit for the payment thereof, without the consent of the Holder of
each Security so affected or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Securities,
the Holders of which are required to consent to any such supplemental indenture,
without the consent of the Holder of each Security so affected. It is also
provided in the Indenture that, with respect to certain defaults or Events of
Default regarding the Securities of any series, prior to any declaration
accelerating the maturity of such Securities, the Holders of a majority in
aggregate principal amount Outstanding of the Securities of such series may on
behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any such past
default or Event of Default and its consequences. The preceding sentence shall
not, however, apply to a default in the payment of the principal of or premium,
if any, or interest on any of the Securities. Any such consent or waiver by the
Holder of this Note (unless revoked as provided in the Indenture) shall be
conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners
of this Note and any Note which may be issued in exchange or substitution
herefor, irrespective of whether or not any notation thereof is made upon this
Note or such other Note.


   5

         No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or
of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Issuer, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Note in
the manner, at the respective times, at the rate and in the coin or currency
herein prescribed.

         The Notes are issuable in registered form without coupons in
denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 at the office or
agency of the Issuer at the office of the Trustee in Boston, Massachusetts, and
in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture, but
without the payment of any service charge. Notes may be exchanged for a like
aggregate principal amount of Notes of other authorized denominations.

         The Notes are not subject to redemption at the option of the Issuer or
through the operation of a sinking fund.

         Upon due presentment for registration of transfer of this Note at the
office or agency of the Issuer at the office of the Trustee in Boston,
Massachusetts, a new Note or Notes of authorized denominations for an equal
aggregate principal amount will be issued to the transferee in exchange
therefor, subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture, without charge
except for any tax or other governmental charge imposed in connection therewith.

         The Issuer, the Trustee and any authorized agent of the Issuer or the
Trustee may deem and treat the registered Holder hereof as the absolute owner of
this Note (whether or not this Note shall be overdue and notwithstanding any
notation of ownership or other writing hereon), for the purpose of receiving
payment of, or on account of, the principal hereof and, subject to the
provisions on the face hereof, interest hereon, and for all other purposes, and
neither the Issuer nor the Trustee nor any authorized agent of the Issuer or the
Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

         No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the
Issuer in the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto or in any Note, or
because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had
against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, of the
Issuer or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the Issuer or
any successor corporation, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional
provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable
proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released
by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof.

         Terms used herein which are defined in the Indenture shall have the
respective meanings assigned thereto in the Indenture.


   6


                                  ABBREVIATIONS

                  The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on
the face of this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out
in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

TEN COM  -   as tenants in common
TEN ENT  -   as tenants by the entireties               CUST - Custodian
JT TEN   -   as joint tenants with right of
             survivorship and not as
             tenants in common           UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - Uniform Gifts
                                                             to Minors Act

                                                                 ---------------
                                                                      (State)

     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

                      -------------------------------------

FOR VALUE RECEIVED the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s)
unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
  IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE


- ----------------------------------     ---------------------------------------

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Please print or typewrite name and address including
                           postal zip code of assignee

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and
appointing

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

attorney to transfer said Note on the books of the Issuer, with full power of
substitution in the premises.

Dated:
      -----------------------------------   -----------------------------------
                                            NOTICE: The signature to this
                                            assignment must correspond with the
                                            name as written upon the face of the
                                            within instrument in every
                                            particular, without alteration or
                                            enlargement or any change whatever.