<PAGE> 1
SUPPLEMENT DATED DECEMBER 27, 1996 TO
PROSPECTUS DATED MAY 1, 1996 FOR
INDIVIDUAL DEFERRED VARIABLE ANNUITY CONTRACTS
ISSUED BY
NATIONWIDE LIFE AND ANNUITY INSURANCE COMPANY
THROUGH ITS
NATIONWIDE VA SEPARATE ACCOUNT - C
This Supplement updates certain information contained in your Prospectus.
Please read it and keep it with your Prospectus for future reference.
Effective January 1, 1997, all references in the prospectus to the Contract
Maintenance Charge are hereby eliminated to the extent permitted by state law.
Specifically, the following provisions are amended due to the elimination of the
Contract Maintenance Charge:
1. The "Summary of Contract Expenses" on page 5 of the prospectus
is hereby amended to change the Maximum Contract Maintenance Charge
from $30 to $0 and to eliminate Footnote 2.
2. The "Example" located on page 6 of the prospectus is hereby amended as
follows:
EXAMPLE
The following charge depicts the dollar amount of expenses that would be
incurred under this Contract assuming a $1000 initial Purchase Payment and 5%
annual return. These dollar figures are illustrative only and should not be
considered a representation of past or future expenses. Actual expenses may be
greater or less than those shown below.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you surrender your If you surrender your Contract If you annuitize your Contract
Contract at the end of the at the end of the applicable at the end of the applicable
applicable time period time period time period
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Yr. 3 Yrs. 5 Yrs. 10 Yrs. 1 Yr. 3 Yrs. 5 Yrs. 10 Yrs. 1 Yr. 3 Yrs. 5 Yrs. 10 Yrs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Fidelity VIP Fund-
Equity Income 90 107 133 230 20 62 106 230 * 62 106 230
Portfolio
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fidelity VIP Fund-
Overseas Portfolio 93 116 149 262 23 71 122 262 * 71 122 262
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NSAT-Money Market
Fund 89 104 129 220 19 59 102 220 * 59 102 220
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NSAT-Total Return
Fund 89 104 128 219 19 59 101 219 * 59 101 219
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The One(R) Group
Investment Trust 94 119 154 272 24 74 127 272 * 74 127 272
-Asset Allocation Fund
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The One(R) Group
Investment Trust 92 111 141 245 22 66 114 245 * 66 114 245
-Government Bond Fund
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The One(R) Group
Investment Trust 93 116 149 261 23 71 122 261 * 71 122 261
-Large Company Growth
Fund
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The One(R) Group
Investment Trust 93 116 149 261 23 71 122 261 * 71 122 261
-Growth
Opportunities Fund
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>
* The Contracts sold under this prospectus do not permit annuitizations during
the first two Contract Years.
2
3 of 85
<PAGE> 2
3. All references to the Contract Maintenance Charge in the second
paragraph of the "Synopsis" located on page 7 of the prospectus are
eliminated. The second paragraph of the "Synopsis" is amended to read
as follows:
The Company will assess an Administration Charge equal to an annual
rate of 0.05% of the daily net asset value of the Variable Account.
This charge is used to reimburse the Company for administrative
expenses related to the issuance and maintenance of the Contracts. The
Company does not expect to recover from this charge an amount in excess
of accumulated administrative expenses (see "Administrative Charge").
4. All references to the Contract Maintenance Charge are eliminated from
the "Contract Maintenance Charge and Administration Charge" provision
located on page 13 of the prospectus. The provision now reads as
follows:
Administration Charge
The Company assesses an Administration Charge equal on an annual basis to 0.05%
of the daily net asset value of the Variable Account. The deduction of the
Administration Charge is made from each Sub-Account in the same proportion that
the Contract Value in each Sub-Account bears to the total Contract Value in
the Variable Account. This charge is designed only to reimburse the Company
for administrative expenses related to the issuance and maintenance of the
Contracts. The Company will monitor this charge to ensure that it does not
exceed annual administration expense.
3
3 of 85