SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report: July 15, 1996 Date of Earliest Event Reported: July 15, 1996
EQUITABLE OF IOWA COMPANIES
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
Iowa
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)
0-8590 42-1083593
(Commission File Number) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
604 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1635, Des Moines, IA 50306
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(515) 245-6911
(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
ITEM 5. Other Events.
As previously reported, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries are
defendants in class action lawsuits filed in the Iowa District Court for Polk
County in May, 1995 and in the United States District Court for the Middle
District of Florida, Tampa Division, in February, 1996. A similar law class
action suit has recently been filed against a subsidiary of the Company in
the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The three suits
claim unspecified damages as a result of alleged improper life insurance
sales practices. The Company believes the allegations are without merit.
The Company is awaiting an order of dismissal in the Iowa suit. The Iowa
Court has agreed to dismiss that action pursuant to the application of the
Plaintiff and as agreed to by the Company. The remaining suits are in the
early discovery and procedural stages and have not yet been certified as
class actions. The Company intends to defend the suits vigorously. The
amount of any liability which may arise as a result of these suits, if any,
cannot be reasonably estimated and no provision for loss has been made in the
Company's financial statements.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
EQUITABLE OF IOWA COMPANIES
Date: July 15, 1996 By /s/ John A. Merriman
______________________
John A. Merriman,
General Counsel and Secretary
