<PAGE>

               Amendment to Schedule A to Participation Agreement
                                    Among
                      Variable Insurance Products Fund II,
                       Fidelity Distributors Corporation,
                                       and
             Allmerica Financial Life Insurance and Annuity Company

WHEREAS, Allmerica Financial Life Insurance and Annuity Company (formerly known
as SMA Life Assurance Company), Variable Insurance Products Fund II and Fidelity
Distributors Corporation entered into a Participation Agreement on March 1, 1994
("Participation Agreement"); and

WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Participation Agreement and restate in
its entirety Schedule A by mutual written consent;

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties do hereby agree to replace Schedule A to the
Participation Agreement and any amendments thereto with the attached Schedule A
dated as of August 1, 2000.

All terms and conditions of the Participation Agreement and Schedules thereto
shall continue in full force and effect except as modified hereby.

In witness whereof, each of the parties has caused this agreement to be executed
in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized representative as of the
date specified below.

ALLMERICA FINANCIAL LIFE INSURANCE
AND ANNUITY COMPANY

By:      _/s/ Richard M. Reilly___________

Name:    ___Richard M. Reilly __________

Title:   ___ President______________

Date:    ___July 19, 2000_______________
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
VARIABLE INSURANCE                                   FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS
PRODUCTS FUND II                                     CORPORATION
<S>                                                  <C>
By:      _/s/ Robert C. Pozen___________             By:      __/s/ Kevin J. Kelly____________

Name:    ___ Robert C. Pozen ___________             Name:    ____Kevin J. Kelly ____________

Title:   ____Senior Vice President_______            Title:   ____Vice President____________

Date:    ____July 25, 2000_____________              Date:    ____July 25, 2000      ___
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

                                   Schedule A

                   Separate Accounts and Associated Contracts
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Name of Separate Account            Contract Name and Form Numbers              Registration Numbers
and Date Established by Board       by Separate Account                         of Contracts
Of Directors                        -------------------                         ------------
------------
<S>                                 <C>                                         <C>
VEL                                         Vari-Exceptional Life '87                   33-14672
(Variable Life)                             Policy Form 1018-87                         811-5183
4/2/87

                                            Vari-Exceptional Life '91                   33-90320
                                            Policy Form 1018-91                         811-5183

                                            Vari-Exceptional Life Plus                  33-42687
                                            Policy Forms 1023-91; 1023-93               811-5183

VEL II                                      Vari-Exceptional Life '93                   33-57792
(Variable Life)                             Policy Form 1018-93                         811-7466
1/21/93

VEL III                                     Allmerica Estate Optimizer                  333-58385
(Variable Life)                             Policy Form 1030-96                         811-8857
6/13/96

Inheiritage                                 Inheiritage                                 33-70948
(Variable Life)                             Policy Form 1026-94                         811-8120
9/15/93

Group VEL                                   Group Vari-Exceptional Life                 33-82658
(Variable Life)                             Policy Form 1029-94                         811-8704
11/22/93

VA-K                                        Allmerica ExecAnnuityPlus                   33-39702
(Annuity)                                   Policy Form A3018-91; A3021-93              811-6293
11/1/90

                                            Allmerica Advantage                         33-39702
                                            Policy Form A3025-96                        811-6293

                                            Allmerica Immediate Advantage               333-81861
                                            Policy Form A3029-99                        811-6293

                                            Allmerica Accumulator                       333-87099
                                            Policy Form A3030-99                        811-6293

                                            Allmerica Ultimate Advantage                333-38274
                                            Policy Form A3033-00                        811-6293

                                                     2

<PAGE>

Allmerica Select                            Allmerica Select Resource                   33-47216
(Annuity)                                   Policy Form A3020-94GRC                     811-6632
3/5/92

                                            Allmerica Select Resource II                33-47216
                                            Policy Form A3025-96                        811-6632

                                            Allmerica Select Charter                    333-63093
                                            Policy Form A3027-98                        811-6632

                                            Allmerica Select Reward                     333-78245
                                            Policy Form A3028-99                        811-6632
</TABLE>














                                                       3