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                  GENWORTH LIFE AND ANNUITY INSURANCE COMPANY
                    EARNINGS PROTECTOR DEATH BENEFIT RIDER

This rider provides for an optional death benefit, which is added to the Death
Benefit payable under your Contract.

Earnings Protector Death Benefit

Earnings Protector Death Benefit if all Annuitant(s) are age 70 or younger at
issue: The Earnings Protector Death Benefit is equal to 40% of earnings defined
as (a) minus (b), where:

     (a) is the Contract Value as of the first Valuation Day as of which we
         have receipt of due proof of death and all required forms at our Home
         Office; and

     (b) is the sum of premiums paid and not previously withdrawn.

The Earnings Protector Death Benefit cannot exceed 70% of premiums paid as
adjusted for withdrawals. Premiums, other than the initial premium, paid within
12 months of death are not included in this calculation. The Earnings Protector
Death Benefit will never be less than zero.

Earnings Protector Death Benefit if any Annuitant(s) is older than age 70 at
issue: The Earnings Protector Death Benefit is equal to 25% of earnings defined
as (a) minus (b), where:

     (a) is the Contract Value as of the first Valuation Day as of which we
         have receipt of due proof of death and all required forms at our Home
         Office; and

     (b) is the sum of premiums paid and not previously withdrawn.

The Earnings Protector Death Benefit cannot exceed 40% of premiums paid as
adjusted for withdrawals. Premiums, other than the initial premium, paid within
12 months of death are not included in this calculation. The Earnings Protector
Death Benefit will never be less than zero.

Under both age scenarios listed above, withdrawals are considered to have been
taken first from gain and then from premiums paid. For purposes of this rider,
gain is calculated as (a) plus (b) minus (c) minus (d), but not less than zero
where:

     (a) is the Contract Value on the Valuation Date we receive your withdrawal
         request and all required forms at our Home Office;

     (b) is the total of any withdrawals, excluding surrender charges,
         previously taken;

     (c) is the total of premiums paid; and

     (d) is the total of any gain previously withdrawn.

When the Earnings Protector Death Benefit will be calculated: The Earnings
Protector Death Benefit will be calculated as of the first Valuation Day as of
which we have receipt of due proof of death and all required forms at our Home
Office.

Rider Charge

There will be a charge made for this rider while it is in effect. This charge
is made in arrears at the beginning of each Contract year after the first, and
at surrender. The charge is made against the Contract Value. The maximum charge
will be the rate shown on the Contract data pages times the Contract Value at
the time of deduction. The actual charge will never be greater than the maximum
annual charge. The charge at surrender will be a proportional share of the
annual charge.

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This annual charge will be deducted proportionally from the Subaccounts in
which you are invested. If the assets in the Subaccounts are insufficient to
cover the annual charge, then the excess of the charges over the assets in the
Separate Account will then be deducted from the assets in the Guarantee
Account. Deductions from the Guarantee Account will be taken first from the
amounts which have been in the Guarantee Account for the longest period of time.

When this Rider is Effective

This rider becomes effective on the Contract Date unless another effective date
is shown on the Contract data pages. If will remain in effect while this
Contract is in force and before Income Payments begin. This rider may not be
terminated prior to the Annuity Commencement Date. On the Annuity Commencement
Date, this rider and its corresponding charge will terminate. If the Contract
is terminated and later reinstated, this rider cannot be reinstated without our
approval.

Change of Ownership

In the event that the underlying Contract is assigned or sold, unless under a
court ordered assignment, this rider will terminate on such date of sale or
assignment.

Issue Age

This rider is only available if all Annuitants are age 75 or younger on the
Contract Date.

Spousal Continuation

If the spouse of the deceased elects to continue the Contract as provided under
the terms of the Contract, this rider is automatically continued provided that
the spouse's attained age on the election date is age 75 or younger. All
references at age at issue will mean age on the date of election to continue
the Contract. For purposes of spousal continuation, all references to "sum of
premiums paid", "premiums paid" and "total of premiums paid" will mean the
Contract Value on the same Valuation Day after all benefits are paid under the
Contract and any riders due to the death of the first Annuitant.

For Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company,

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