SUPPLEMENT DATED DECEMBER 1, 2003 TO

                        PROSPECTUS DATED MAY 1, 2003 FOR

           FLEXIBLE PREMIUM VARIABLE UNIVERSAL LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES

                   ISSUED BY NATIONWIDE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                 THROUGH ITS NATIONWIDE VLI SEPARATE ACCOUNT - 4

THIS SUPPLEMENT UPDATES CERTAIN INFORMATION CONTAINED IN YOUR PROSPECTUS. PLEASE
READ IT AND KEEP IT WITH YOUR PROSPECTUS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

1. The second paragraph of "Sub-Account Portfolio Transfers" under "The Policy"
   is amended as follows:

   You will be able to submit transfer requests among the Sub-Account
   portfolios in writing by U.S. mail. On a daily basis, we will group
   transfer requests into transfer events. A "transfer event" is any Valuation
   Period on which allocations are moved between investment options,
   regardless of the quantity of reallocations. For example, if you move the
   Policy's Cash Value between 20 Sub-Account portfolios in one day, the
   entire reallocation only counts as one transfer event. Transfer events
   include transfers made pursuant to any asset rebalancing program you have
   elected. For more information, see "Asset Rebalancing," beginning on page
   31. With the first 20 transfer events of a calendar year, you may choose to
   submit transfer requests over the telephone, or via the Internet.
   Afterwards, you must submit all transfer requests in writing by U.S. mail.
   We will process a transfer at the end of the Valuation Period on which we
   receive your request.

2. "Dollar Cost Averaging" under "To Allocate Net Premium And Sub-Account
   Valuation" is amended as follows:

   You may elect to participate in a dollar cost averaging program. Dollar
   cost averaging is an investment strategy designed to reduce the investment
   risks associated with market fluctuations, which will promote a more stable
   Cash Value and Death Benefit over time. The strategy spreads the allocation
   of your Premium among the Sub-Account portfolios and the fixed investment
   option over a period of time to allow you to potentially reduce the risk of
   investing most of your Premium into the Sub-Accounts at a time when prices
   are high. There is no charge for dollar cost averaging.

3. "Loan Amount And Interest" under "Policy Loans" is amended as follows:

   The minimum policy loan you may take is $200. You may take no more than the
   maximum loan value. The maximum loan value is based on your cash surrender
   value less 10% of your cash value allocated to the Sub-Accounts. For more
   information, see "Full Surrender," beginning on page 33. We charge
   interest, at the maximum guaranteed rate of 4.5% per annum, on the amount
   of an outstanding loan, which will accrue daily and be payable at the end
   of each policy year. If left unpaid, we will add the interest to the loan
   amount.