CONSECO INC ET AL
S-3/A, 1996-01-11
LIFE INSURANCE
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    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 11, 1996

                            Registration No. 33-53095

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



   
                               Amendment No. 4 to
                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
    


                                  CONSECO, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 
      Indiana                                           35-1468632
 (State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
  incorporation or organization)


                          11825 N. Pennsylvania Street
                                Carmel, IN 46032
                                 (317) 817-6100
               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                 including area code, of Registrant's principal
                               executive offices)



                              Mr. Lawrence W. Inlow
                          11825 N. Pennsylvania Street
                                Carmel, IN 46032
                                 (317) 817-6163
            (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)



         Approximate  date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:  From
time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

         If the only securities  being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest  reinvestment plans, please check the following
box. |_|

         If any of the  securities  being  registered  on  this  Form  are to be
offered  on a  delayed  or  continuous  basis  pursuant  to Rule 415  under  the
Securities Act of 1933,  other than  securities  offered only in connection with
dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. [x]

         If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list  the  Securities  Act  registration  statement  number  of the  earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. |_|

         If this  Form is a  post-effective  amendment  filed  pursuant  to Rule
462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities
Act  registration   statement  number  of  the  earlier  effective  registration
statement for the same offering. |_|

If delivery  of the  prospectus  is  expected  to be made  pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. |_|



<PAGE>





         The Registrant hereby amends this  Registration  Statement on such date
or dates as may be necessary to delay its  effective  date until the  Registrant
shall file a further amendment which specifically  states that this Registration
Statement shall  thereafter  become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of
the  Securities  Act of 1933 or until the  Registration  Statement  shall become
effective  on such  date  as the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  acting
pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

<PAGE>



                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14.  Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

         The expenses in connection  with the issuance and  distribution  of the
securities being registered, other than underwriting compensation, are:
<TABLE>

                  <S>                                                                   <C>    
                  SEC registration fee.........................................         $   137,932
                  NASD filing fee..............................................              50,000
                  Accounting fees and expenses.................................             150,000
                  Blue sky fees and expenses...................................              90,000
                  Legal fees and expenses......................................             200,000
                  Printing and engraving fees..................................             400,000
                  Rating agency fees...........................................             150,000
                  Miscellaneous................................................             222,068
                                                                                        -----------
                            TOTAL..............................................          $1,400,000
                                                                                         ==========
</TABLE>


         All expenses except SEC registration fee are estimated.


Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

         The IBCL grants  authorization  to Indiana  corporations  to  indemnify
officers and  directors  for their conduct if such conduct was in good faith and
was in the  corporation's  best interests or, in the case of directors,  was not
opposed to such best  interests,  and permits the  purchase of insurance in this
regard. In addition, the shareholders of a corporation may approve the inclusion
of  other  or   additional   indemnification   provisions  in  the  articles  of
incorporation and by-laws.

         The Code of By-laws of Conseco provides for the  indemnification of any
person made a party to any action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that
he is a director,  officer or employee of the Registrant,  unless it is adjudged
in such action,  suit or proceeding that such person is liable for negligence or
misconduct  in the  performance  of his duties.  Such  indemnification  shall be
against the reasonable  expenses,  including  attorneys' fees,  incurred by such
person in connection  with the defense of such action,  suit or  proceeding.  In
some  circumstances,  Conseco may reimburse  any such person for the  reasonable
costs of settlement of any such action,  suit or proceeding if a majority of the
members  of the  Board  of  Directors  not  involved  in the  controversy  shall
determine  that it was in the interests of Conseco that such  settlement be made
and that such person was not guilty of negligence or misconduct.

         Reference is made to the proposed forms of  underwriting  agreements to
be filed as Exhibits 1.1 and 1.2 hereto, pursuant to which the underwriters will
agree to indemnify  Conseco's  directors and officers who sign the  Registration
Statement against certain liabilities which might arise under the Securities Act
from information furnished to Conseco by such underwriters.




<PAGE>




Item 16.  Exhibits.

   
     1.1     Form of Purchase Agreement - Debt Securities.  ((i) An Underwriting
             Agreement  relating to  Securities  to be  distributed  outside the
             United States or for Securities  denominated in foreign  currencies
             or  foreign   currency   units  or  (ii)  any  Selling   Agency  or
             Distribution  Agreement  with any Agent will be filed as an exhibit
             to a  Current  Report  of  Form  8-K  and  incorporated  herein  by
             reference.)

     1.2     Form of Purchase Agreement - Equity
    

     3.1     Amended and  Restated  Articles of  Incorporation  of Conseco  were
             filed  with  the  Commission  as  Exhibit  3.1 to the  Registration
             Statement on Form S-2, No. 33-8498;  Articles of Amendment thereto,
             as filed  September  9, 1988 with the Indiana  Secretary  of State,
             were filed with the Commission as Exhibit 3.1.1 to Conseco's Annual
             Report on Form 10-K for 1988;  Articles of  Amendment  thereto,  as
             filed June 13, 1989 with the Indiana Secretary of State, were filed
             with the  Commission as Exhibit  3.1.2 to Conseco's  Report on Form
             10- Q for  the  quarter  ended  June  30,  1989;  and  Articles  of
             Amendment  thereto,  as  filed  June  29,  1993  with  the  Indiana
             Secretary of State, were filed with the Commission as Exhibit 3.1.3
             to  Conseco's  Report on Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended June 30,
             1993, and are incorporated herein by this reference.

     3.2     Amended and Restated By-Laws of Conseco effective February 10, 1986
             were filed with the Commission as Exhibit 3.2 to its  Registration
             Statement on Form S-1, No. 33-4367, and an Amendment thereto was 
             filed with the Commission as Exhibit 3.2.1 to Amendment No. 2 to 
             its Registration  Statement on Form S-1, No.33-4367; and are 
             incorporated herein by this reference.

   
** 3.3       Form of  Articles  of  Amendment  to the  Articles  of  
             Incorporation  of Conseco, Inc. relating to the PRIDES.
    

**   4.1     Form of Senior Indenture.

**   4.2     Form of Subordinated Indenture.

             The form or forms of such  Debt  Securities  with  respect  to each
             particular offering will be filed as an exhibit to a Current Report
             on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

     4.3     Form of Deposit Agreement.

   
             The form of such Deposit Agreement will be filed as an exhibit to 
             a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

     4.4     Form of Warrant Agreement.

             The form of such Warrant Agreement will be filed as an exhibit to 
             a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

             Any   amendment  to  the   Company's   Articles  of   Incorporation
             authorizing  the  creation  of any  series  of  Preferred  Stock or
             Depositary  Shares  representing such shares of Preferred Stock and
             setting forth the rights, preferences and designations thereof will
             be  filed  as an  exhibit  to a  Current  Report  on  Form  8-K and
             incorporated herein by reference.
    

     4.5     Form of PRIDES stock certificate.


**   5.1     Opinion of Lawrence W. Inlow, Executive Vice President, Secretary 
             and General Counsel of Conseco.

   
     8.1     Opinion  of Krieg  DeVault  Alexander  & Capehart  with  respect to
             certain federal income tax consequences.
    

                                     II - 2



<PAGE>



**  12.1     Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Preferred 
             Stock Dividends.

   
    23.1     Consent of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.
    

**  23.2     Consent of Lawrence W. Inlow (included in Exhibit 5.1).

   
    23.3     Consent of Kreig DeVault Alexander & Capehart (included in 
             Exhibit 8.1).
    

**  24.1.2   Power of Attorney of Donald F. Gongaware.

**  24.1.3   Powers of Attorney of Stephen C. Hilbert, Rollin M. Dick, Louis P. 
             Ferrero and Dennis E. Murray, Sr.

**  24.1.4   Power of Attorney of Ngaire E. Cuneo.

**  25.1     Form T-1, Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the
             Trust  Indenture  Act of 1939,  of the  Trustee  under  the  Senior
             Indenture.

**  25.2     Form T-1, Statement of Eligibility and Qualification under the
             Trust Indenture Act of 1939, of the Trustee under the  Subordinated
             Indenture.
- ----------------------
** Previously filed.

       Item 17.  Undertakings.

         (a) Rule 415 Offering

         The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

                  (1) To file,  during any  period in which  offers or sales are
          being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                           (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10
          (a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

                           (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                  arising after the effective date of the registration statement
                  (or the most recent  post-effective  amendment thereof) which,
                  individually  or in the  aggregate,  represent  a  fundamental
                  change  in the  information  set  forth  in  the  registration
                  statement.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  any  increase or
                  decrease in volume of securities  offered (if the total dollar
                  value of  securities  offered  would not exceed that which was
                  registered)  and any deviation from the low or high end of the
                  estimated  maximum offering range may be reflected in the form
                  of  prospectus  filed  with the  Commission  pursuant  to Rule
                  424(b) if, in the  aggregate,  the changes in volume and price
                  represent  no more than a 20% change in the maximum  aggregate
                  offering price set forth in the  "Calculation  of Registration
                  Fee" table in the effective registration statement;

                           (iii)  To  include  any  material   information  with
                  respect to the plan of distribution  not previously  disclosed
                  in the  registration  statement or any material change to such
                  information in the registration statement;


                                     II - 3



<PAGE>



                           Provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (a)(1)(i)  and
                  (a)(1)(ii)  do not  apply if the  information  required  to be
                  included in a post-effective  amendment by those paragraphs is
                  contained in periodic reports filed by the Company pursuant to
                  Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of
                  1934 that are  incorporated  by reference in the  registration
                  statement.

                  (2) That, for the purpose of determining  any liability  under
          the Securities Act of 1933, each such  post-effective  amendment shall
          be  deemed  to  be  a  new  registration  statement  relating  to  the
          securities  offered  therein,  and the offering of such  securities at
          that  time  shall be  deemed  to be the  initial  bona  fide  offering
          thereof.

                  (3) To remove from  registration by means of a  post-effective
          amendment any of the securities  being  registered which remain unsold
          at the termination of the offering.

       (b) Filings Incorporating Subsequent Exchange Act Documents by Reference.

         The  undersigned  registrant  hereby  undertakes  that, for purposes of
determining  any liability  under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's  annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable,  each filing of an employee benefit
plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934) that is incorporated by reference in the  registration  statement shall be
deemed to be a new  registration  statement  relating to the securities  offered
therein,  and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (c) Acceleration of Effectiveness

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons of
the  registrant  pursuant  to  the  foregoing  provisions,   or  otherwise,  the
registrant  has been advised that in the opinion of the  Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such  liabilities  (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling person of the registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of
such issue.

          (d) Qualification of Trust Indenture Act of 1939 for Delayed Offerings

         The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for
the  purpose  of  determining  the  eligibility  of the  trustee  to  act  under
subsection (a) of section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act, as amended (the "Trust
Indenture Act"), in accordance with the rules and regulations  prescribed by the
Commission under section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.







                                     II - 4



<PAGE>




          (e)     Rule 430A

         The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

         (1) For purposes of determining  any liability under the Securities Act
of 1933, the  information  omitted from the form of prospectus  filed as part of
this  registration  statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form
of  prospectus  filed by the  registrant  pursuant to Rule  424(b)(1)  or (4) or
497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this  registration
statement as of the time it was declared effective.

         (2) For the purpose of determining  any liability  under the Securities
Act of 1933,  each  post-effective  amendment that contains a form of prospectus
shall be deemed to be a new  registration  statement  relating to the securities
offered  therein,  and the  offering  of such  securities  at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.



                                     II - 5


<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES

   
         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities Act of 1933,  Conseco,
Inc.  certifies that it has  reasonable  grounds to believe that it meets all of
the  requirements  for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this  Amendment to
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto
duly  authorized,  in the City of Carmel,  State of Indiana,  on the 11th day of
January, 1996.

                                  CONSECO, INC.

                                  By:/s/ Lawrence W. Inlow
                                  -------------------------------------------
                                  Lawrence W. Inlow, Executive Vice President

         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
Amendment  to  Registration  Statement  has been signed  below by the  following
persons in the capacities indicated on January 11, 1996.
    

          Signature                         Title (Capacity)
          ---------                         ----------------


           *              
- -----------------------           Chairman of the Board, President and Chief
Stephen C. Hilbert                   Executive Officer (Principal Executive
                                     Officer)

           *     
- ----------------------            Executive Vice President and Chief Financial 
Rollin M. Dick                       Officer and Director (Principal Financial
                                     Officer and  Principal Accounting Officer)
           *    
- ----------------------            Director                      
Ngaire E. Cuneo                    

           *
- ----------------------            Director
David R. Decatur                  

           *
- ----------------------            Director
Louis P. Ferrero

           *  
- ----------------------     
Donald F. Gongaware               Director 


- ---------------------  
M. Phil Hathaway                  Director


- ---------------------        
James D. Massey                   Director


                                     II - 6



<PAGE>


           *
- ---------------------                    
Dennis E. Murray, Sr.            Director


*By:/s/ Karl W. Kindig
    ---------------------------   
    Karl W. Kindig, Attorney-in-fact


                                     II - 7



                                                                    EXHIBIT 1.1


                                   $---------

                                  CONSECO, INC.
                            (an Indiana corporation)

                    [Title of Debt Securities to be Offered]


                               PURCHASE AGREEMENT



                                                                ----------, ----



[Name(s) of Representative(s) of Underwriter(s)]
  As Representatives of the several Underwriters

Dear Sirs:

         Conseco,  Inc., an Indiana  corporation (the  "Company"),  confirms its
agreement with [insert name(s) of underwriter(s)]  as  representatives  (in such
capacity, collectively, the "Representatives") of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule A hereto  (collectively,  the "Underwriters",  which term shall also
include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10), with
respect to the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters,  acting
severally  and not jointly,  of the  respective  principal  amounts set forth in
Schedule A of $_________  aggregate  principal amount of the Company's [Title of
Debt  Security to be Offered] (the "Debt  Securities"),  and with respect to the
grant by the Company to the Underwriters,  acting severally and not jointly,  of
the option  described  in Section  2(b)  hereof to  purchase  all or any part of
$__________  aggregate  principal  amount of additional Debt Securities to cover
over-allotments, in each case except as may otherwise be provided in the Pricing
Agreement,  as hereinafter  defined. The aforesaid $________ aggregate principal
amount of Debt  Securities  (the  "Initial  Securities")  to be purchased by the
Underwriters and all or any part of the $_________ aggregate principal amount of
additional Debt Securities  subject to the  over-allotment  option  described in
Section  2(b) hereof (the  "Option  Securities")  are  collectively  referred to
herein as the  "Securities".  The  Securities  are to be issued  pursuant  to an
Indenture dated as of ______________  (the "Indenture")  between the Company and
__________, as trustee (the "Trustee").


         The Company understands that the Underwriters  propose to make a public
offering of the Securities as soon as the  Representative(s)  deem(s)  advisable
after this Agreement has been



<PAGE>



executed and  delivered and the  Indenture  has been  qualified  under the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "1939 Act").

         Prior to the  purchase  and public  offering of the  Securities  by the
several Underwriters,  the Company and the Representatives,  acting on behalf of
the several  Underwriters,  shall enter into an agreement  substantially  in the
form of Exhibit A hereto (the "Pricing  Agreement").  The Pricing  Agreement may
take the form of an exchange of any standard  form of written  telecommunication
between the Company and the  Representatives  and shall specify such  applicable
information as is indicated in Exhibit A hereto.  The offering of the Securities
will be governed by this Agreement,  as  supplemented by the Pricing  Agreement.
From and after the date of the execution and delivery of the Pricing  Agreement,
this Agreement shall be deemed to incorporate the Pricing Agreement.

         The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the
"Commission") a registration  statement on Form S-3 (No.  33-53095) covering the
registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), including the related preliminary  prospectus or prospectuses,  and
the offering  thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 of the rules
and   regulations  of  the  Commission   under  the  1933  Act  (the  "1933  Act
Regulations") and the Company has filed such  post-effective  amendments thereto
as may be  required  prior  to the  execution  of the  Pricing  Agreement.  Such
registration  statement,  as so  amended,  has been  declared  effective  by the
Commission.  Such registration statement, as so amended,  including the exhibits
and schedules thereto, if any, and the information,  if any, deemed to be a part
thereof  pursuant to Rule  430A(b) of the 1933 Act  Regulations  (the "Rule 430A
Information")  or Rule  434(d)  of the  1933  Act  Regulations  (the  "Rule  434
Information"),  is referred to herein as the "Registration  Statement";  and the
final prospectus and the prospectus  supplement  relating to the offering of the
Securities,  in the form first furnished to the  Underwriters by the Company for
use in connection with the offering of the Securities, are collectively referred
to herein as the  "Prospectus";  provided,  however,  that all references to the
"Registration  Statement"  and the  "Prospectus"  shall be deemed to include all
documents  incorporated therein by reference pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of  1934,  as  amended  (the  "1934  Act"),  prior to the  execution  of the
applicable Pricing  Agreement;  provided,  further,  that if the Company files a
registration  statement  with the  Commission  pursuant to Section 462(b) of the
1933 Act Regulations (the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), then after such
filing,  all references to  "Registration  Statement" shall be deemed to include
the Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement;  and  provided,  further,  that if the
Company  elects  to rely  upon  Rule 434 of the 1933 Act  Regulations,  then all
references to  "Prospectus"  shall be deemed to include the final or preliminary
prospectus  and the applicable  term sheet or abbreviated  term sheet (the "Term
Sheet"),  as the case may be, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters by
the Company in reliance upon


                                                         2

<PAGE>



Rule  434 of the 1933  Act  Regulations,  and all  references  in this  Purchase
Agreement to the date of the Prospectus shall mean the date of the Term Sheet. A
"preliminary  prospectus" shall be deemed to refer to any prospectus used before
the registration  statement became effective and any prospectus that omitted, as
applicable,  the  Rule  430A  Information,  the Rule  434  Information  or other
information  to be included upon pricing in a form of prospectus  filed with the
Commission  pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act  Regulations,  that was used
after  such  effectiveness  and  prior  to the  execution  and  delivery  of the
applicable Pricing Agreement.  For purposes of this Agreement, all references to
the Registration Statement,  any preliminary  prospectus,  the Prospectus or any
Term Sheet or any  amendment  or  supplement  to any of the  foregoing  shall be
deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission  pursuant to its Electronic
Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR").

         All references in this Agreement to financial  statements and schedules
and other  information  which is  "contained,"  "included"  or  "stated"  in the
Registration  Statement,  any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other
references  of like  import)  shall  be  deemed  to mean  and  include  all such
financial  statements and schedules and other  information which is incorporated
by reference in the Registration  Statement,  any preliminary  prospectus or the
Prospectus,  as the  case  may be;  and all  references  in  this  Agreement  to
amendments  or  supplements  to  the  Registration  Statement,  any  preliminary
prospectus or the  Prospectus  shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of
any  document  under  the 1934 Act which is  incorporated  by  reference  in the
Registration  Statement,  such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus,  as the
case may be.

         Section 1.  Representations and Warranties of the Company.

         (a) The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter,  as of the
date hereof and as of the date of the Pricing  Agreement  (such later date being
hereinafter referred to as the "Representation Date"), that:

                   (i) The Company  meets the  requirements  for use of Form S-3
under the 1933  Act.  Each of the  Registration  Statement  and any Rule  462(b)
Registration  Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act, and at the time
of effectiveness and at the Representation Date, the Registration  Statement and
any  Rule  462(b)  Registration  Statement,  the  Prospectus  and the  Indenture
conformed and will conform in all material  respects to the  requirements of the
1933 Act and the  1933  Act  Regulations  and the  1939  Act and the  rules  and
regulations  of the  Commission  under  the 1939  Act,  and did not and will not
contain an untrue  statement of a material fact and did not and will not omit to
state a material  fact  required to be stated  therein or  necessary to make the
statements  therein  not  misleading;  and  the  Prospectus,  at  the  time  the
Registration  Statement became effective (unless the term "Prospectus" refers to
a prospectus which has been provided to the Underwriters by the Company for


                                                         3

<PAGE>



use in  connection  with the offering of the  Securities  which differs from the
Prospectus  on file at the  Commission  at the time the  Registration  Statement
became  effective,  in  which  case at the  time  it is  first  provided  to the
Underwriters  for such use) and at the  Representation  Date and at the  Closing
Time referred to in Section 2, did not and will not include an untrue  statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material  fact  necessary in order to make
the statements  therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading; provided, however, that the representations and warranties
in this  subsection  shall not apply to statements  contained in or omitted from
the  Registration  Statement or the  Prospectus  made in reliance  upon,  and in
conformity  with,  information  furnished  to  the  Company  in  writing  by any
Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

                  (ii) The documents  incorporated  or deemed to be incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus pursuant to Item 12
of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, at the time they were or hereafter  are filed or
last amended, as the case may be, with the Commission,  complied and will comply
in all material  respects with the  requirements  of the 1934 Act, and the rules
and regulations of the Commission  thereunder (the "1934 Act Regulations"),  and
at the time of filing  or as of the time of any  subsequent  amendment,  did not
contain an untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements  therein,  in
the  light  of  the  circumstances  under  which  they  were  or are  made,  not
misleading;  and any additional documents deemed to be incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will, if and when they are filed
with the Commission,  or when amended,  as  appropriate,  comply in all material
respects with the  requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and
will not  contain  an untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading after the date hereof;  provided,  however,  (x) that the
representations  and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements
contained in or omitted from the  Registration  Statement or the Prospectus made
in reliance upon, and in conformity with,  information  furnished to the Company
in writing by any Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus and (y) for purposes of this subsection,  there shall be excluded
any statements in such documents incorporated or to be incorporated by reference
deemed not to be  incorporated  by  reference  as provided in Rule 412 under the
1933 Act.

                 (iii)  Coopers & Lybrand,  the  accountants  who  certified the
financial  statements  and  supporting  schedules  of the  Company  included  or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement,  are independent public
accountants  with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries as required by the
1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.


                                                      4

<PAGE>



                  (iv) The  financial  statements  of the  Company  included  or
incorporated  by reference in the  Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus,
together  with the related  schedules  and notes,  present  fairly the financial
position of the Company and its  subsidiaries  as of the dates indicated and the
results of their  operations  for the  periods  specified.  Except as  otherwise
stated  in the  Registration  Statement,  said  financial  statements  have been
prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting  principles applied on
a  consistent  basis.  The  supporting  schedules  included or  incorporated  by
reference in the Registration  Statement present fairly the information required
to be  included  therein.  The ratios of earnings  to fixed  charges  (including
preferred  stock  dividends)  included in the Prospectus have been calculated in
compliance,  in all material respects, with Item 503(d) of Regulation S-K of the
Commission.  The selected  financial data and the summary financial  information
included in the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have
been  compiled  on a  basis  consistent  with  that  of  the  audited  financial
statements  included  in the  Registration  Statement.  [Include  the  following
sentence if pro forma  financials are contained or  incorporated by reference in
the Registration  Statement -- The pro forma financial statements of the Company
and its  subsidiaries and the related notes thereto included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein,  have
been prepared in accordance  with the  Commission's  rules and  guidelines  with
respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the
bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are
reasonable and the  adjustments  used therein are  appropriate to give effect to
the transactions and circumstances referred to therein.]

                   (v)  The  statutory  financial  statements  of  each  of  the
Company's   insurance   subsidiaries,   from  which  certain  ratios  and  other
statistical data contained in the Registration Statement have been derived, have
for each relevant period been prepared in accordance  with accounting  practices
prescribed or permitted by the National Association of Insurance  Commissioners,
and  with  respect  to each  insurance  subsidiary,  the  appropriate  Insurance
Department  of the state of  domicile  of such  insurance  subsidiary,  and such
accounting  practices  have been applied on a consistent  basis  throughout  the
periods involved, except as disclosed therein.

                  (vi) Since the  respective  dates as of which  information  is
given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,  and except as otherwise
stated or contemplated  therein,  (A) there has been no material  adverse change
and no development which will result in a prospective material adverse change in
the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings or business affairs of
the Company and its subsidiaries,  considered as one enterprise,  whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business,  (B) there have been no transactions
entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries which are material to the
Company and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, other than those


                                                         5

<PAGE>



entered  into in the  ordinary  course of  business,  and (C) except for regular
quarterly  dividends,  there has been no  dividend or  distribution  of any kind
declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

                 (vii) The  Company  has been duly  incorporated  and is validly
existing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Indiana, with corporate
power and authority to own,  lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
business as presently  conducted  and as described in the  Prospectus  or in the
Company's Annual Report filed on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, ____;
and the Company is duly qualified as a foreign  corporation to transact business
and is in good  standing in each  jurisdiction  in which such  qualification  is
required,  whether by reason of the  ownership  or leasing  of  property  or the
conduct  of  business,  except  where the  failure  to so  qualify or be in good
standing would not have a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or
otherwise,  or  the  earnings  or  business  affairs  of  the  Company  and  its
subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise.

                (viii) Each of the subsidiaries  has been duly  incorporated and
is validly  existing as a  corporation  in good  standing  under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own,
lease and  operate its  properties  and to conduct  its  business  as  presently
conducted and as described in the  Prospectus or in the Company's  Annual Report
filed on Form 10-K for the year ended  December 31, ____;  and is duly qualified
as a foreign  corporation  to transact  business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which such  qualification is required,  whether by reason of the
ownership  or leasing of property or the conduct of  business,  except where the
failure to so qualify or be in good standing  would not have a material  adverse
effect on the  condition,  financial or  otherwise,  or the earnings or business
affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries,  considered as one enterprise;  and
the  outstanding  shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have
been duly authorized and validly issued,  are fully paid and  nonassessable  and
all such  shares are owned by the  Company or by a  subsidiary  of the  Company,
except as set forth in a letter previously delivered by the Company to you.

                  (ix)  The  Company  and  each  of its  subsidiaries  hold  all
material  licenses,  certificates  and  permits  from  governmental  authorities
(including,   without   limitation,   insurance   licenses  from  the  insurance
departments  of the  various  states  where  the  subsidiaries  write  insurance
business (the "Insurance Licenses")) which are necessary to the conduct of their
businesses;  the Company and its  subsidiaries  have fulfilled and performed all
material obligations  necessary to maintain their respective Insurance Licenses,
and no event or events have occurred which may be reasonably  expected to result
in the  impairment,  modification,  termination  or revocation of such Insurance
Licenses.



                                                         6

<PAGE>



                   (x) The authorized,  issued and outstanding  capital stock of
the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus under "Capitalization" (except for
subsequent  issuances,  if any,  pursuant to stock option agreements or employee
benefit plans); all of the issued and outstanding shares of the Common Stock, no
par value,  of the Company (the "Common  Stock") have been duly  authorized  and
validly issued, and are fully paid and  nonassessable;  the Securities have been
duly  authorized  for  issuance  and sale to the  Underwriters  pursuant to this
Agreement  and,  when  issued and  delivered  by the  Company  pursuant  to this
Agreement  against  payment  of the  consideration  set  forth  in  the  Pricing
Agreement,  will be  validly  issued  and  fully  paid  and  nonassessable;  the
Securities  conform to the  provisions of the Articles of  Incorporation  of the
Company,   as  amended  on  the   Closing   Date  (the   "Amended   Articles  of
Incorporation") related thereto; the relative rights, preferences, interests and
powers  of  the  Securities  are  as  set  forth  in  the  Amended  Articles  of
Incorporation,  and all such  provisions  are valid under the  Indiana  Business
Corporation Law; each of the Securities  [Include the following  language if the
Debt Securities to be offered are  convertible  into or redeemable for shares of
Common  Stock of the Company -- and the Common  Stock into which the  Securities
are  convertible or for which the Securities may be redeemed]  conform(s) to all
statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus; and the issuance of the
Securities is not subject to preemptive or other similar rights.

                  (xi)  Neither the Company  nor any of its  subsidiaries  is in
violation  of its  charter  or  by-laws  or in  default  in the  performance  or
observance of any obligation,  agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
material contract,  indenture,  mortgage,  loan agreement,  note, lease or other
instrument  to which the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  is a party or by
which it or any of them may be bound,  or to which any of the property or assets
of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is subject,  or in  violation of any
applicable law,  administrative  regulation or  administrative or court order or
decree,  which  violation or default would,  singly or in the aggregate,  have a
material  adverse  effect  on the  condition,  financial  or  otherwise,  or the
earnings or business affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries,  considered as
one  enterprise;  and the execution,  delivery and performance of this Agreement
and the Pricing Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
herein and  therein,  will not  conflict  with or  constitute  a breach of, or a
default  under,  or result in the creation or imposition of any lien,  charge or
encumbrance  upon  any  property  or  assets  of  the  Company  or  any  of  its
subsidiaries  pursuant to, any contract,  indenture,  mortgage,  loan agreement,
note,  lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is a party or by which it or any of them may be  bound,  or to which  any of the
property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject,  except
for a conflict,  breach,  default,  lien,  charge or encumbrance which would not
have a material adverse effect on the condition,  financial or otherwise, or the
earnings or business affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries

                                                        7

<PAGE>



considered  as one  enterprise,  nor will such action result in any violation or
the  provisions  of  the  charter  or  by-laws  of  the  Company  or  any of its
subsidiaries or any applicable law, administrative  regulation or administrative
or court decree.

                 (xii) There is no action,  suit or proceeding  before or by any
court or governmental agency or body,  domestic or foreign  (including,  without
limitation, any proceeding to revoke or deny renewal of any Insurance Licenses),
now pending,  or, to the best knowledge of the Company,  threatened,  against or
affecting  the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  which  is  required  to be
disclosed  in  the  Registration  Statement  or  the  Prospectus,  or  which  is
reasonably  likely to result in any material  adverse  change in the  condition,
financial or  otherwise,  or in the earnings or business  affairs of the Company
and its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, or which would be reasonably
likely to materially and adversely  affect a material  portion of the properties
or assets  thereof or which is  reasonably  likely to  materially  and adversely
affect the  consummation  of this  Agreement;  all pending legal or governmental
proceedings  to which the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is a party or of
which any of their  respective  property or assets is the subject  which are not
described in the Registration  Statement or the Prospectus,  including  ordinary
routine  litigation  incidental  to the  business  of the  Company or any of its
subsidiaries,  are, considered in the aggregate,  not material; and there are no
contracts  or  documents  of the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries  which are
required  to be  filed  as  exhibits  to the  Registration  Statement,  or to be
incorporated by reference  therein,  by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act  Regulations,
the  1934  Act or the  1934  Act  Regulations,  which  have not been so filed or
incorporated by reference.

                (xiii) No  authorization,  approval  or  consent of any court or
governmental  authority or agency is necessary in  connection  with the issuance
and sale of the  Securities  hereunder,  [Include the following  language if the
Debt Securities to be offered are  convertible  into or redeemable for shares of
Common  Stock  of the  Company  -- or the  issuance  of the  Common  Stock  upon
conversion or redemption of the  Securities,] or the consummation by the Company
of any other transactions contemplated hereby, except such as have been obtained
and made under the federal  securities  laws or state insurance laws and such as
may be required under state or foreign securities laws.

         [Include the  following  two  paragraphs  if the Debt  Securities to be
offered are  convertible  into or  redeemable  for shares of Common Stock of the
Company -- (xiv) The  shares of Common  Stock  issuable  upon  conversion  or at
redemption of the Securities have been duly and validly  authorized and reserved
for issuance upon such  conversion or redemption;  such shares,  when issued and
delivered upon such  conversion or redemption in the manner  provided for in the
Amended  Articles  of  Incorporation  governing  the  Securities,  will  be duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of any lien or
adverse claim; and


                                                         8

<PAGE>



the  issuance of such  shares upon such  conversion  or  redemption  will not be
subject to preemptive or other similar rights.

                  (xv)  The  Securities  and  the  Common  Stock  issuable  upon
conversion or at redemption of the Securities  conform in all material  respects
to the respective  statements  relating thereto  contained in the Prospectus and
the Registration Statement.]

                 (xvi) There are no holders of  securities  of the Company  with
currently  exercisable  registration rights to have any securities registered as
part of the Registration  Statement or included in the offering  contemplated by
this Agreement.

                (xvii)  No  order  preventing  or  suspending  the  use  of  any
preliminary  prospectus has been issued and no proceedings  for that purpose are
pending,  threatened,  or, to the knowledge of the Company,  contemplated by the
Commission; to the knowledge of the Company, no order suspending the offering of
the Securities in any jurisdiction  designated by the  Underwriters  pursuant to
Section  3(f) of this  Agreement  has been issued and, to the  knowledge  of the
Company,  no proceedings  for that purpose have been instituted or threatened or
are contemplated,  and any request of the Commission for additional  information
(to be included in the  Registration  Statement or Prospectus or otherwise)  has
been complied with.

               (xviii) The Company has full  corporate  power and  authority  to
execute,  deliver and  perform  its  obligations  under this  Agreement  and the
Pricing  Agreement  and the Company has full  corporate  power and  authority to
issue, sell and deliver the Securities.

                 (xix) The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the
Securities  as  herein  contemplated  and the  application  of the net  proceeds
therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be, an "investment company" or
an entity  "controlled" by an "investment  company" as such terms are defined in
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").

         (b) Any  certificate  signed by an officer of the Company and delivered
to the  Underwriters  or to  counsel  for the  Underwriters  shall  be  deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters
covered thereby.

         Section 2.  Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

         (a)  On  the  basis  of  the   representations  and  warranties  herein
contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees  to  sell to each  Underwriter  severally,  and  not  jointly,  and  each
Underwriter  agrees to purchase from the Company,  at the price set forth in the
Pricing Agreement,  the aggregate principal amount of the Initial Securities set
forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such  Underwriter  (except as otherwise
provided  in the  Pricing  Agreement),  plus any  additional  number of  Initial
Securities


                                                         9

<PAGE>



which  such  Underwriter  may  become  obligated  to  purchase  pursuant  to the
provisions of Section 10 hereof.

                  (1) If the  Company  has  elected  not to rely  upon Rule 430A
         under the 1933 Act  Regulations,  the initial public offering price per
         Security, the dividend rate, the call price (including related premium)
         payable upon redemption, in each case, in respect of each Security, and
         the purchase price per Security to be paid by the several  Underwriters
         for the Securities  (collectively,  the "Pricing Terms") have each been
         determined  and set  forth in the  Pricing  Agreement,  dated  the date
         hereof,  and  an  amendment  to  the  Registration  Statement  and  the
         Prospectus  will be filed  before the  Registration  Statement  becomes
         effective.

                  (2) If the  Company  has  elected to rely upon Rule 430A under
         the 1933 Act Regulations, the purchase price per Security to be paid by
         the several Underwriters shall be an amount equal to the initial public
         offering  price  per  Security,  less  an  amount  per  Security  to be
         determined by agreement  between the Underwriters and the Company.  The
         Pricing Terms  likewise  shall be  determined by agreement  between the
         Underwriters  and the Company.  The Pricing Terms,  when so determined,
         shall be set forth in the  Pricing  Agreement.  In the event  that such
         Pricing  Terms have not been agreed upon and the Pricing  Agreement has
         not been executed and delivered by the parties  thereto by the close of
         business  on the  fourth  business  day  following  the  date  of  this
         Agreement, this Agreement shall terminate forthwith,  without liability
         of any  party to any other  party,  unless  otherwise  agreed to by the
         Company and the Underwriters.

         (b) In addition,  on the basis of the  representations  and  warranties
herein  contained and subject to the terms and conditions  herein set forth, the
Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters,  severally and not jointly,
to purchase from it up to an additional $_________ aggregate principal amount of
the  Securities at the price per share set forth in the Pricing  Agreement.  The
option hereby granted will expire  automatically at the close of business on the
30th calendar day after (i) later of the date the Registration Statement and any
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective, if the Company has elected
not to rely  upon  Rule  430A  under  the  1933  Act  Regulations,  or (ii)  the
Representation Date, if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 430A under the
1933 Act Regulations, and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time
only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made in connection
with the offering and distribution of the Initial  Securities upon notice by the
Underwriters to the Company setting forth the number of Option  Securities as to
which the several  Underwriters  are then exercising the option and the time and
date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities.  Any such time and date
of delivery (a "Date of Delivery")  shall be determined by the  Underwriters but
shall not be later than  seven full  business  days after the  exercise  of such
option, nor in any


                                                        10

<PAGE>



event before the Closing Time, as hereinafter  defined,  unless otherwise agreed
upon by the Underwriters  and the Company.  If the option is exercised as to all
or any  portion  of the  Option  Securities,  each of the  Underwriters,  acting
severally and not jointly,  will purchase that proportion of the total number of
Option  Securities  then being purchased which the number of Debt Securities set
forth in  Schedule A opposite  the name of such  Underwriter  bears to the total
number of  Initial  Securities  (except as  otherwise  provided  in the  Pricing
Agreement),  subject in each case to such  adjustments  as the  Underwriters  in
their  discretion  shall make to eliminate  any sales or purchases of fractional
shares.

         (c) Delivery of certificates  for the Initial  Securities shall be made
at the offices of the  Underwriters  in New York,  and  payment of the  purchase
price  for the  Initial  Securities  shall be made at the  offices  of [Name and
address  of counsel  for the  Underwriters]  or at such other  place as shall be
agreed upon by the Underwriters  and the Company,  at 10:00 a.m. (New York time)
on the third  business  day after the date the  Registration  Statement  becomes
effective (or, if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 430A, the third full
business  day after  execution of the Pricing  Agreement  (or, if pricing of the
Securities  occurs after 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, on the fourth full business day
thereafter)),  or such other time not later  than ten  business  days after such
date as shall be agreed upon by the  Underwriters and the Company (such time and
date of payment  and  delivery  being  herein  called the  "Closing  Time").  In
addition,  if the  Underwriters  purchase  any or all of the Option  Securities,
payment of the  purchase  price and  delivery  of  certificates  for such Option
Securities  shall be made at the offices of [Name and address of counsel for the
Underwriters] set forth above, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by
the Underwriters  and the Company,  on each Date of Delivery as specified in the
relevant notice from the Underwriters to the Company. Payment for the Securities
purchased  by the  Underwriters  shall be made to the  Company by  certified  or
official bank check or checks, drawn in New York Clearing House funds or similar
next day funds,  payable to the order of the  Company,  against  delivery to the
respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be
purchased  by it.  Certificates  for  the  Initial  Securities  and  the  Option
Securities  shall be in such  denominations  and registered in such names as the
Underwriters  may request in writing at least two full  business days before the
Closing  Time or any  Date of  Delivery,  as the  case  may  be.  [Name  of lead
Underwriter],  individually and not as representative  of the Underwriters,  may
(but  shall not be  obligated  to) make  payment of the  purchase  price for the
Initial  Securities  or the Option  Securities,  if any, to be  purchased by any
Underwriter  whose  check  has not  been  received  by the  Closing  Time or the
relevant  Date of  Delivery,  as the case may be,  but such  payment  shall  not
relieve such  Underwriter from its obligations  hereunder.  The certificates for
the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, will be made available
for examination and packaging by the Underwriters no later than 10:00 a.m. (New


                                                        11

<PAGE>



York City time) on the last  business  day prior to the Closing Time or the Date
of Delivery, as the case may be.

         Section 3.  Covenants of the Company.

         The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

         (a) The Company will comply with the  requirements  of Rule 430A of the
1933 Act  Regulations  and/or  Rule 434 of the  1933 Act  Regulations  if and as
applicable, and will notify the Underwriters immediately, and confirm the notice
in writing,  (i) of the  effectiveness  of any  post-effective  amendment to the
Registration  Statement  or the filing of any  supplement  or  amendment  to the
Prospectus,  (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the  Commission,  (iii) of
any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or
any  amendment or supplement to the  Prospectus or for  additional  information,
(iv)  of the  issuance  by the  Commission  of any  stop  order  suspending  the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings
for that purpose and (v) of the issuance by any state  securities  commission or
other  regulatory  authority of any order  suspending the  qualification  or the
exemption from qualification of the Securities or the Common Stock issuable upon
conversion or redemption of the  Securities  under state  securities or Blue Sky
laws or the  initiation of any  proceedings  for that purpose.  The Company will
promptly  effect the filings  necessary  pursuant to Rule 424 and will take such
steps as it  deems  necessary  to  ascertain  promptly  whether  the  Prospectus
transmitted  for filing under Rule 424 was received for filing by the Commission
and, in the event that it was not, it will  promptly  file the  Prospectus.  The
Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order and,
if any stop  order is  issued,  to obtain the  lifting  thereof at the  earliest
possible moment.

         (b) The Company will give the  Underwriters  notice of its intention to
file or prepare any  amendment  to the  Registration  Statement  (including  any
post-effective  amendment  and any  filing  under  Rule  462(b)  of the 1933 Act
Regulations), any Term Sheet or any amendment,  supplement or revision to either
the  prospectus  included in the  Registration  Statement  at the time it became
effective or to the Prospectus  (including any revised  prospectus or Term Sheet
and  preliminary   prospectus   which  the  Company  proposes  for  use  by  the
Underwriters  in connection  with the offering of the  Securities  which differs
from the  prospectus  on file at the  Commission  at the  time the  Registration
Statement  becomes  effective,  whether or not such revised  prospectus  or Term
Sheet and preliminary prospectus is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the 1933 Act Regulations),  whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act
or otherwise;  will furnish the Underwriters with copies of any such Rule 462(b)
Registration  Statement,  Term  Sheet,  amendment,   supplement  or  revision  a
reasonable  amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may
be; and will not file or use any such Rule 462(b) Registration  Statement,  Term
Sheet, amendment, supplement or

                                                       12

<PAGE>



revision to which the Underwriters or counsel for the
Underwriters shall object.

         (c) The Company will deliver to the  Underwriters and to counsel to the
Underwriters,  without charge,  signed copies of the  Registration  Statement as
originally  filed  and of  each  amendment  thereto  (including  exhibits  filed
therewith or  incorporated  by reference  therein and documents  incorporated or
deemed  to be  incorporated  by  reference  therein)  and  signed  copies of all
consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Underwriters,
without  charge,  as many  conformed  copies of the  Registration  Statement  as
originally  filed  and of  each  amendment  thereto  (without  exhibits)  as the
Underwriters  may  reasonably  request.   If  applicable,   the  copies  of  the
Registration  Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters
will be identical to the  electronically  transmitted  copies thereof filed with
the Commission  pursuant to EDGAR,  except to the extent permitted by Regulation
S-T.

         (d) The Company will deliver to each  Underwriter,  without charge,  as
many copies of each  preliminary  prospectus as such  Underwriter may reasonably
request,  and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes
permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company  will furnish to each  Underwriter,  from
time to time without charge during the period when the Prospectus is required to
be  delivered  under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act,  such number of copies of the
Prospectus  (as amended or  supplemented)  as such  Underwriter  reasonably  may
request. If applicable, the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto
furnished  to  the  Underwriters   will  be  identical  to  the   electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission  pursuant to EDGAR,  except
to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

         (e) If any event shall occur as a result of which it is  necessary,  in
the reasonable  opinion of counsel for the Underwriters,  to amend or supplement
the  Prospectus in order to make the  Prospectus  not misleading in the light of
the  circumstances  existing at the time it is  delivered  to a  purchaser,  the
Company will forthwith amend or supplement the Prospectus (in form and substance
reasonably  satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters) so that, as so amended
or  supplemented,  the  Prospectus  will not  include an untrue  statement  of a
material  fact or omit to state a material  fact  necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is
delivered to a purchaser,  not  misleading,  and the Company will furnish to the
Underwriters as many copies of such amendment or supplement as the  Underwriters
may reasonably request.

         (f) The Company will endeavor, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to
qualify the Securities  [Including the following  language if Debt Securities to
be offered are convertible  into or redeemable for shares of Common Stock of the
Company -- and the Common Stock issuable upon conversion and redemption of the

                                                        13

<PAGE>



Securities]  for offering and sale under the applicable  securities laws of such
states and other  jurisdictions  of the United  States as the  Underwriters  may
designate  (with a good  faith  intent  at that  time to  offer or sell any such
securities in such jurisdiction);  provided, however, that the Company shall not
be obligated to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent
as to service of process in any  jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or
to make any undertakings with respect to the conduct of its business therein. In
each  jurisdiction  in which the  Securities or such shares of Common Stock have
been so qualified,  the Company will file such  statements and reports as may be
required by the laws of such  jurisdiction  to continue  such  qualification  in
effect for so long as may be required in connection with the distribution of the
Securities and such Common Stock.

         (g) The Company will make generally  available to its security  holders
as soon as practicable, but not later than 45 days after the close of the period
covered thereby,  an earnings  statement for the purposes of, and to provide the
benefits  contemplated  by, the last  paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act
(in form and in a manner  complying  with the  provisions  of Rule 158 under the
1933 Act  Regulations)  covering a twelve-month  period beginning not later than
the first day of the Company's  fiscal  quarter next  following  the  "effective
date" (as defined in said Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

         (h) The Company will use the net proceeds received by it
from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the
Prospectus under "Use of Proceeds."

         (i) If, at the time that the Registration  Statement becomes effective,
any information  shall have been omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A or
Rule 434 under the 1933 Act Regulations,  then promptly  following the execution
of the Pricing  Agreement,  the Company will  prepare,  and file or transmit for
filing with the  Commission  in  accordance  with such Rule 430A or Rule 434 and
Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act Regulations,  copies of an amended Prospectus, or
Term Sheet, or, if required by such Rule 430A, a post-effective amendment to the
Registration  Statement  (including  an  amended  Prospectus),   containing  all
information so omitted.

         (j) If the Company  elects to rely upon Rule 462(b),  the Company shall
both file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance
with Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable  fees in accordance with Rule 111 of the
1933 Act  Regulations by the earlier of (i) 10:00 p.m.  Eastern time on the date
of the Pricing  Agreement and (ii) the time  confirmations are sent or given, as
specified by Rule 462(b)(2).

         (k) The Company,  during the period when the  Prospectus is required to
be delivered under the 1933 Act, will promptly file all documents required to be
filed with the Commission  pursuant to Section 13(a),  13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the
1934 Act.


                                                        14

<PAGE>




         (l) For a period of one year after the Closing  Time,  the Company will
furnish to the Underwriters  copies of all reports and communications  delivered
to the  Company's  stockholders  or to holders of the  Securities as a class and
will also  furnish  copies of all reports  (including  exhibits)  filed with the
Commission  on Forms 8-K, 10-Q and 10-K,  and all other reports and  information
furnished to its  stockholders  generally,  not later than the time such reports
are first furnished to such holders generally.

         [Include the following  paragraph if the Debt  Securities to be offered
are to be listed on the New York Stock  Exchange -- (m) The Company will use its
best  efforts to effect the listing of the  Securities  [Include  the  following
language if the Debt Securities to be offered are convertible into or redeemable
for shares of Common  Stock of the  Company  -- and the  shares of Common  Stock
issuable upon  conversion or  redemption]  on the New York Stock Exchange and to
cause the Securities to be registered under the 1934 Act.]

         [Include the following  paragraph if the Debt  Securities to be offered
are convertible  into or redeemable for shares of Common Stock of the Company --
(n) The Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive
or other  similar  rights and liens and  adverse  claims,  sufficient  shares of
Common  Stock to satisfy any  obligations  to issue  shares of Common Stock upon
conversion  or  redemption  of all of the  Securities  outstanding  from time to
time.]

         (o) The  Company  will  supply  the  Underwriters  with  copies  of all
correspondence  to and from, and all documents  issued to and by, the Commission
in connection with the registration of the Securities under the 1933 Act.

         Section 4.  Payment of Expenses.

         The Company will pay all expenses  incident to the  performance  of its
obligations under this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement,  including,  without
limitation, expenses related to the following, if incurred: (i) the preparation,
delivery,  printing and filing of the  Registration  Statement and Prospectus as
originally  filed  (including  financial  statements  and  exhibits) and of each
amendment  thereto;   (ii)  the  preparation,   printing  and  delivery  to  the
Underwriters  of this  Agreement,  the Pricing  Agreement,  any Agreement  among
Underwriters  and such other documents as may be required in connection with the
offering,  purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) the preparation,
issuance  and  delivery  of  the   certificates   for  the   Securities  to  the
Underwriters;  (iv)  the  fees  and  disbursements  of  the  Company's  counsel,
accountants  and  other  advisors  or  agents  (including  transfer  agents  and
registrars);  (v) the  qualification  of the  Securities  [Include the following
language if the Debt Securities to be offered are convertible into or redeemable
for shares of Common  Stock of the  Company  -- and the  shares of Common  Stock
issuable upon conversion or redemption of the Securities] under securities laws


                                                        15

<PAGE>



in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f), including filing fees and the
fees and  disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection  therewith
and in connection  with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any amendment
thereto;  (vi) the printing and  delivery to the  Underwriters  of copies of the
Registration  Statement as originally  filed and of each amendment  thereto,  of
each  preliminary  prospectus,  any Term  Sheet  and of the  Prospectus  and any
amendments  or  supplements  thereto;  (vii) the  printing  and  delivery to the
Underwriters  of copies  of the Blue Sky  Survey;  (viii)  any fees  payable  in
connection   with  the  rating  of  the  Securities  by  nationally   recognized
statistical rating organizations; (ix) the filing fees incident to, and the fees
and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review,
if any, by the National Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc. (the "NASD") of
the terms of the sale of the Securities; (x) any fees payable to the Commission;
and (xi) the fees and expenses  incurred in  connection  with the listing on the
New York Stock Exchange of the Securities [Include the following language if the
Debt Securities to be offered are  convertible  into or redeemable for shares of
Common  Stock of the  Company -- and the shares of Common  Stock  issuable  upon
conversion or redemption of the Securities.]

         If this  Agreement is terminated by the  Representatives  in accordance
with the provisions of Section 5 or Section  9(a)(i)  hereof,  the Company shall
reimburse the Underwriters for all of their  out-of-pocket  expenses,  including
the fees and  disbursements of  ______________________________,  counsel for the
Underwriters.

         Section 5.  Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations.

         The  obligations  of the  Underwriters  hereunder  are  subject  to the
accuracy of the  representations  and warranties of the Company herein contained
or in  certificates  of any officer of the Company or any  subsidiary  delivered
pursuant to the  provisions  hereof,  to the  performance  by the Company of its
obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

         (a) The Registration Statement,  including any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement,  shall have become  effective not later than 5:30 p.m., New York City
time, on the date hereof, and on the date hereof and at the Closing Time and any
Date of Delivery no stop order suspending the  effectiveness of the Registration
Statement  shall have been  issued  under the 1933 Act or  proceedings  therefor
initiated or  threatened  by the  Commission  and any request on the part of the
Commission  for  additional  information  shall have been  complied  with to the
satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing information
relating  to  the  description  of  the  Securities,   the  specific  method  of
distribution  and similar  matters shall have been filed with the  Commission in
accordance  with Rule  424(b)(1),  (2), (3), (4) or (5), as  applicable  (or any
required  post-effective  amendment  providing such information  shall have been
filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule

                                                        16

<PAGE>



430A),  or, if the  Company  has  elected  to rely upon Rule 434 of the 1933 Act
Regulations,  a Term Sheet  including the Rule 434  Information  shall have been
filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b)(7).

         (b)      At the Closing Time the Underwriters shall have
received:

                  (1) The favorable opinion,  dated as of the Closing Time, of ,
         General Counsel to the Company,  in form and substance  satisfactory to
         counsel for the Underwriters, to the effect that:

                             (i) The Company has been duly  incorporated  and is
                  validly  existing as a corporation  in good standing under the
                  laws  of the  State  of  Indiana;  and  the  Company  has  the
                  corporate  power  under the laws of the State of  Indiana  and
                  under its charter to own, lease and operate its properties and
                  to conduct  its  business  as  described  in the  Registration
                  Statement and the Prospectus or in the Company's Annual Report
                  filed on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, ____.

                            (ii) The  Securities  delivered at the Closing Time,
                  and all other outstanding  securities of the Company have been
                  duly  authorized  and  validly  issued,  are  fully  paid  and
                  nonassessable  and  conform in all  material  respects  to the
                  description  thereof  contained in the Prospectus;  the Common
                  Stock and the  Securities are each  registered  under the 1934
                  Act, and the Securities [Include the following language if the
                  Debt  Securities  to  be  offered  are  convertible   into  or
                  redeemable  for shares of Common  Stock of the  Company -- and
                  the Common Stock issuable upon conversion or redemption of the
                  Securities]  at the  Closing  Time  have been  authorized  for
                  listing on the NYSE, upon official notice of issuance.

                           (iii) The issuance of the  Securities  is not subject
                  to preemptive or other similar rights arising by law. [Include
                  the following  paragraph if the Debt  Securities to be offered
                  are convertible  into or redeemable for shares of Common Stock
                  of the  Company  -- (iv) The shares of Common  Stock  issuable
                  upon conversion or redemption of the Securities have been duly
                  authorized  and  validly   reserved  for  issuance  upon  such
                  conversion  or  redemption,  and such shares,  when issued and
                  delivered  upon such  conversion  or  redemption in the manner
                  provided in the Amended  Articles  of  Incorporation,  will be
                  validly issued,  fully paid and nonassessable and the issuance
                  of such shares upon such  conversion or redemption will not be
                  subject to preemptive or other similar rights arising by law.]



                                                        17

<PAGE>



                             (v)  The   Purchase   Agreement   and  the  Pricing
                  Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
                  the Company and  constitute  valid and binding  obligations of
                  the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms (except
                  (1) as may be limited by  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent
                  conveyance,   reorganization   or   similar   laws   affecting
                  creditors'  rights  generally  and except that the remedies of
                  specific   performance  and  injunctive  and  other  forms  of
                  equitable relief are subject to certain equitable defenses and
                  to the  discretion  of the court before  which any  proceeding
                  therefor may be brought and (2) that no opinion is given as to
                  the   enforceability   of  the  indemnity   and   contribution
                  provisions  under  the  Purchase  Agreement  and  the  Pricing
                  Agreement).

                            (vi) The  Securities and the Common Stock conform in
                  all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in
                  the Prospectus and the Registration Statement.

                           (vii) The forms of certificates  used to evidence the
                  Securities  and the Common  Stock  comply with all  applicable
                  statutory  requirements,  with any applicable  requirements of
                  the  Company's  charter  and  by-laws,  including  the Amended
                  Articles of  Incorporation,  and with the  requirements of the
                  New York Stock Exchange.

                          (viii) Each subsidiary has been duly  incorporated and
                  is validly  existing as a corporation  in good standing  under
                  the laws of the jurisdiction of its  incorporation and has the
                  corporate  power and  authority to own,  lease and operate its
                  properties and to conduct its business as presently  conducted
                  and  as  described  in  the  Registration  Statement  and  the
                  Prospectus  or in the  Company's  Annual  Report filed on Form
                  10-K for the year ended December 31, ____. Nothing has come to
                  the  attention of such counsel to lead such counsel to believe
                  that  any  subsidiary  in  not  duly  qualified  as a  foreign
                  corporation to transact business or is not in good standing in
                  each  jurisdiction  in which such  qualification  is required,
                  except where the failure to so qualify or be in good  standing
                  would not have a  material  adverse  effect on the  condition,
                  financial or otherwise, or the earnings or business affairs of
                  the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
                  All of the  issued  and  outstanding  capital  stock  of  each
                  subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly
                  issued, is fully paid and  nonassessable,  and all such shares
                  are owned by the Company or by a  subsidiary  of the  Company,
                  except as set forth in a letter  previously  delivered  by the
                  Company to you.



                                                        18

<PAGE>



                            (ix) The Registration Statement,  including any Rule
                  462(b)  Registration  Statement,  is effective  under the 1933
                  Act; any required  filing of the  Prospectus  pursuant to Rule
                  424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time  period
                  required  by Rule  424(b);  and no stop order  suspending  the
                  effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement has been issued
                  under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated,  to such
                  counsel's best knowledge, or threatened by the Commission.

                             (x) The Registration Statement,  including any Rule
                  462(b)  Registration  Statement,   each  of  the  incorporated
                  documents and the Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement
                  thereto   (other  than  the  financial   statements  or  other
                  financial information or statistical data included therein and
                  each  Trustee's  Statement of  Eligibility  on Form T-1, as to
                  which no opinion  need be  rendered),  as of their  respective
                  effective or issue dates,  or when  amended,  as  appropriate,
                  complied  as  to  form  in  all  material  respects  with  the
                  requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act and the Rules and
                  Regulations thereunder.

                            (xi) Each  document  filed  pursuant to the 1934 Act
                  and  incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,  at the time
                  it was filed or last amended (other than financial  statements
                  or other  financial  information or statistical  data included
                  therein, as to which no opinion need be rendered), complied as
                  to form in all material  respects to the  requirements  of the
                  1934 Act and the 1934 Regulations.

                           (xii) The  information  in the  Prospectus  under the
                  captions  "Description  of  Securities"  and "Certain  Federal
                  Income  Tax   Considerations",   to  the   extent   that  such
                  information  involves  matters  of  law,  summaries  of  legal
                  matters,   the   Company's   charter   and   bylaws  or  legal
                  proceedings,  or legal conclusions, is correct in all material
                  respects.

                          (xiii) No  authorization,  approval  or consent of any
                  court or  governmental  authority  or agency is  necessary  in
                  connection  with  the  issuance  and  sale  of the  Securities
                  hereunder [or the issuance of the Common Stock upon conversion
                  or redemption of the  Securities] or the  consummation  by the
                  Company of any other transactions  contemplated hereby, except
                  such  as  have  been  obtained  and  made  under  the  federal
                  securities  laws or  state  insurance  laws and such as may be
                  required under the state or foreign securities laws.

                           (xiv) To the best  knowledge of such  counsel,  there
                  are no statutes or  regulations  required to be  described  or
                  incorporated by reference in the Registration


                                                        19

<PAGE>



                  Statement which are not described or incorporated by reference
                  as required and there are no legal or governmental proceedings
                  pending or  threatened  which are  required to be disclosed or
                  incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, other
                  than those disclosed or incorporated by reference therein.

                            (xv) To the best  knowledge of such  counsel,  there
                  are no  contracts,  indentures,  mortgages,  loan  agreements,
                  notes, leases or other instruments required to be described or
                  referred to or incorporated  by reference in the  Registration
                  Statement or to be filed as exhibits  thereto other than those
                  described or referred to or incorporated by reference  therein
                  or filed as  exhibits  thereto;  the  descriptions  thereof or
                  references  thereto  are  true  and  correct  in all  material
                  respects  and,  to the  best  knowledge  of such  counsel,  no
                  default  exists in the due  performance  or  observance of any
                  material   obligation,   agreement,   covenant  or   condition
                  contained  in  any   contract,   indenture,   mortgage,   loan
                  agreement,  note,  lease or  other  instrument  so  described,
                  referred  to or  incorporated  by  reference  or filed,  which
                  default  could have a material  adverse  effect on the Company
                  and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

                           (xvi)  To the best  knowledge  of such  counsel,  the
                  issuance and delivery of the Securities [Include the following
                  language if the Debt  Securities to be offered are convertible
                  into or  redeemable  for shares of Common Stock of the Company
                  --and the Common Stock issuable upon  conversion or redemption
                  of the Securities,] the execution and delivery of the Purchase
                  Agreement and the Pricing  Agreement and the  consummation  of
                  the transactions  contemplated therein, will not conflict with
                  or constitute a breach of, or default under,  or result in the
                  creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon
                  any   property  or  assets  of  the  Company  or  any  of  its
                  subsidiaries  pursuant to, any material  contract,  indenture,
                  mortgage,  loan agreement,  note, lease or other instrument to
                  which the Company or any of its  subsidiaries is a party or by
                  which it or any of them may be  bound,  or to which any of the
                  property or assets of the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries
                  is subject,  except for a  conflict,  breach,  default,  lien,
                  charge or encumbrance  which would not have a material adverse
                  effect  on  the  condition,  financial  or  otherwise,  or the
                  earnings   or   business   affairs  of  the  Company  and  its
                  subsidiaries considered as one enterprise nor will such action
                  result in any  violation of the  provisions  of the charter or
                  by-laws  of the  Company,  or  any  material  applicable  law,
                  administrative regulation or administrative or court decree.


                                                       20

<PAGE>



                          (xvii)  The  Company  and its  subsidiaries  hold  all
                  material   licenses,   certificates   and  permits   from  all
                  governmental authorities (including,  without limitation,  the
                  Insurance  Licenses)  which are  necessary  to the  conduct of
                  their  businesses;  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  have
                  fulfilled and performed all material obligations  necessary to
                  maintain their respective Insurance Licenses,  and no event or
                  events  have  occurred  which may be  reasonably  expected  to
                  result in the material impairment,  modification,  termination
                  or revocation of such Insurance Licenses.

                         (xviii) The Indenture  has been duly  authorized by the
                  Company  and,  at  the  Closing  Time,  will  have  been  duly
                  qualified  under the 1939 Act and duly  executed and delivered
                  by the  Company  and  will  constitute  a  valid  and  binding
                  agreement of the Company,  enforceable  against the Company in
                  accordance with its terms,  except as the enforcement  thereof
                  may be  limited  by  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization,
                  moratorium  or other  similar  laws  relating to or  affecting
                  creditor's   rights   generally   or  by   general   equitable
                  principles.

                           (xix) The Securities  have been duly  authorized and,
                  at the  Closing  Time,  will have been  duly  executed  by the
                  Company and, when  authenticated in the manner provided for in
                  the Indenture and  delivered  against  payment of the purchase
                  price therefor,  will constitute valid and binding obligations
                  of the Company,  enforceable against the Company in accordance
                  with their  terms,  except as the  enforcement  thereof may be
                  limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,  moratorium
                  or other  similar  laws  relating to or  affecting  creditor's
                  rights generally or by general equitable principles,  and will
                  be in the form  contemplated  by, and entitled to the benefits
                  of, the Indenture.

                            (xx) The  Securities  and the Indenture will conform
                  in all material respects to the respective statements relating
                  thereto   contained   in  the   Prospectus   and  will  be  in
                  substantially  the respective  forms filed or  incorporated by
                  reference, as the case may be, as exhibits to the Registration
                  Statement.

                           (xxi)  Nothing has come to such  counsel's  attention
                  that would lead such counsel to believe that the  Registration
                  Statement, including any information provided pursuant to Rule
                  430A or Rule 434 (except  for  financial  statements  or other
                  financial   information  or   statistical   data  included  or
                  incorporated  by  reference  therein),  at the time it  became
                  effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
                  omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein
                  or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading


                                                        21

<PAGE>



                  or that the Prospectus at the Representation  Date (except for
                  financial  statements  and other  financial  data  included or
                  incorporated by reference therein), at the Representation Date
                  (unless the term "Prospectus" refers to a prospectus which has
                  been  provided to the  Underwriters  by the Company for use in
                  connection  with the offering of the Securities  which differs
                  from the  Prospectus on file at the Commission at the time the
                  Registration Statement becomes effective, in which case at the
                  time it is first provided to the Underwriters for such use) or
                  at  the  Closing  Time,  included  an  untrue  statement  of a
                  material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in
                  order  to make the  statements  therein,  in the  light of the
                  circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

                          (xxii) The Company is not an  "investment  company" or
                  an entity  "controlled"  by an  "investment  company," as such
                  terms are defined in the 1940 Act.

                  (3) The  favorable  opinion,  dated as of the Closing Time, of
         ____________________, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to the
         validity of the Securities,  the Registration Statement, the Prospectus
         and other  related  matters as you may require,  and the Company  shall
         have  furnished to such counsel such  documents as they request for the
         purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.  In rendering  such
         opinion, [Name of counsel for the Underwriters], may rely as to matters
         governed by the laws of the State of Indiana upon the opinion  referred
         to in subsection (b)(1) above.

         (c) At the  Closing  Time,  there  shall not have been,  since the date
hereof or since the  respective  dates as of which  information  is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus,  other than as stated or contemplated
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,  any material adverse change or
any development which would result in any prospective material adverse change in
the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings or business affairs of
the Company and its subsidiaries,  considered as one enterprise,  whether or not
arising in the ordinary  course of  business,  and the  Underwriters  shall have
received a certificate  of the president or a vice  president of the Company and
of the chief financial or chief accounting  officer of the Company,  dated as of
the Closing Time, to the effect that (i) there has been no such material adverse
change,  (ii) the  representations  and  warranties  in  Section  1 are true and
correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the
Closing Time,  (iii) the Company has complied with all  agreements and satisfied
all  conditions  on its part to be  performed  or  satisfied  at or prior to the
Closing  Time,  and  (iv) no stop  order  suspending  the  effectiveness  of the
Registration  Statement has been issued and, to the best of each such  officer's
knowledge and  information,  no proceedings for that purpose have been initiated
or threatened by the Commission.


                                                        22

<PAGE>




         (d) At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives
shall have  received from [Name of  independent  public  accountants]  a letter,
dated such date, in form and substance  satisfactory to the Representatives,  to
the effect that (i) they are independent  public accountants with respect to the
Company and its  subsidiaries  within the meaning of the 1933 Act,  the 1933 Act
Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations; (ii) it is their opinion
that the financial  statements and supporting schedules included or incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement and covered by their opinions therein
comply with the applicable accounting  requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933
Act Regulations and the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations;  (iii) based upon
limited procedures set forth in detail in such letter, nothing has come to their
attention  which  causes  them  to  believe  that  (A) the  unaudited  financial
information  of the Company and its  subsidiaries  included or  incorporated  by
reference in the Registration Statement do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable  accounting  requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933
Act Regulations,  the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations or are not presented
in conformity with generally accepted  accounting  principles applied on a basis
substantially  consistent with that of the audited financial statements included
in the  Registration  Statement,  or (B) at the  date  of the  latest  available
balance sheet read by such  accountants,  or at a subsequent  specified date not
more than five days prior to the date of this Agreement,  there was any increase
in long-term debt for which the Company is directly  liable or notes payable not
direct  obligations  of the  Company  or,  at the date of the  latest  available
balance sheet read by such  accountants,  there was any decrease in total assets
or  shareholders'  equity,  as compared with amounts shown on the latest balance
sheet included in the Prospectus, or (C) for the period from the closing date of
the latest income  statement  included in the  Prospectus to the closing date of
the latest available income statement read by such  accountants,  there were any
decreases,  as compared with the  corresponding  period of the previous year and
with the period of  corresponding  length  ended the date of the  latest  income
statement  included  in  the  Prospectus,  in  the  total  amounts  of  premiums
collected,  net  investment  income,  total  revenues or earnings  applicable to
common stock or net income, fully diluted, per common share except, in all cases
set forth in this clause (iii),  for changes,  increases or decreases  which the
Prospectus  discloses  have occurred or may occur or which are described in such
letter;  (iv) they have examined the statutory  financial  statements of each of
the  Company's  insurance  subsidiaries,  from  which  certain  ratios and other
statistical data contained in the Registration  Statement have been derived, and
in their opinion such  statements,  with respect to each  insurance  subsidiary,
have for each  relevant  period been  prepared  in  accordance  with  accounting
practices prescribed or permitted by the appropriate Insurance Department of the
state of domicile of such  subsidiary,  and such accounting  practices have been
applied  on a  consistent  basis  throughout  the  periods  involved,  except as
disclosed therein; and (v) in addition to the

                                                        23

<PAGE>



examination referred to in their opinions and the limited procedures refereed to
in clause (iii) above, they have carried out certain specified  procedures,  not
constituting an audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages,  ratios and
financial  information  that has been derived from the  accounting and financial
records of the Company that are subject to internal  accounting  controls  which
are included or  incorporated  by reference in the  Registration  Statement  and
Prospectus  and which are  specified  by the  Underwriters,  and have found such
amounts,  percentages,  ratios and financial information to be in agreement with
the  relevant   accounting  and  financial   records  of  the  Company  and  its
subsidiaries identified in such letter.

         (e) At the Closing  Time,  the  Underwriters  shall have  received from
[Name of independent public accountants] a letter, dated as of the Closing Time,
to the effect that they  reaffirm the  statements  made in the letter  furnished
pursuant to  subsection  (d) of this  Section,  except that the  specified  date
referred  to shall be a date not more than five days prior to the  Closing  Time
and,  if the  Company  has  elected  to rely on Rule  430A  under  the  1933 Act
Regulations,  to the further  effect that they have  carried out  procedures  as
specified  in clause (iv) of  subsection  (d) of this  Section  with  respect to
certain  amounts,   percentages  and  financial  information  specified  by  the
Underwriters and deemed to be a part of the Registration  Statement  pursuant to
Rule  430(A)(b)  and  have  found  such  amounts,   percentages   and  financial
information to be in agreement with the records specified in such clause (iv).

         [Include the following  paragraph if the Debt  Securities to be offered
are to be listed on the New York Stock  Exchange -- (f) At the Closing Time, the
Securities  [Include the following language if the Debt Securities to be offered
are  convertible  into or redeemable for shares of Common Stock of the Company--
and the Common Stock issuable upon  conversion or redemption of the  Securities]
shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock  Exchange upon notice
of issuance.

         (g) At the Closing Time, and at each Date of Delivery,  if any, counsel
for the Underwriters  shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions
as they may  reasonably  require with respect to unforeseen  materially  changed
circumstances  since the date of this Agreement for the purpose of enabling them
to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated; and
all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of
the Securities as herein  contemplated shall be reasonably  satisfactory in form
and substance to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters.

         (h)      The NASD shall not have raised any objection with
respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting
terms and arrangements.

         (i)      In the event that the Underwriters exercise their
option provided in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any


                                                        24

<PAGE>



portion of the Option  Securities,  the  representations  and  warranties of the
Company contained herein and the statements in any certificates furnished by the
Company  hereunder shall be true and correct as of, and as if made on, each Date
of Delivery,  and at the relevant Date of Delivery,  the Underwriters shall have
received:

                  (1) A  certificate,  dated  such  Date  of  Delivery,  of  the
         president or a vice president of the Company and the chief financial or
         chief accounting officer of the Company confirming that the certificate
         delivered at the Closing  Time  pursuant to Section 5(c) hereof is true
         and correct as of, and as if made on, such Date of Delivery.

                  (2) The favorable opinion of
                  , General Counsel for the Company, in form and
         substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, dated such Date
         of Delivery,  relating to the Option  Securities  and  otherwise to the
         same effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b)(1) hereof.

                  [(3) The favorable opinion of  [_______________],  counsel for
         the  Company,  in form and  substance  satisfactory  to counsel for the
         Underwriters,  dated  such Date of  Delivery,  relating  to the  Option
         Securities and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion  required by
         Section 5(b)(2) hereof.]

                  (4) The favorable opinion of ___________________,  counsel for
         the Underwriters,  dated such Date of Delivery,  relating to the Option
         Securities and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion  required by
         Section 5(b)(3) hereof.

                  (5) A letter from [Name of independent public  accountants] in
         form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters and dated such Date
         of Delivery, substantially the same in form and substance as the letter
         furnished to the Underwriters  pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof,  except
         that the  "specified  date" in the letter  furnished  pursuant  to this
         Section  5(j)(5)  shall be a date not more than five days prior to such
         Date of Delivery.

         If any  condition  specified  in this  Section  5 shall  not have  been
fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated
by the  Underwriters  by  notice to the  Company  at any time at or prior to the
Closing Time, and such  termination  shall be without  liability of any party to
any other party except as provided in Section 4.

         Section 6.  Indemnification.

         (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each  Underwriter
and each person,  if any, who  controls  any  Underwriter  within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:


                                                        25

<PAGE>




                    (i) against any and all loss,  liability,  claim, damage and
         expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or
         alleged   untrue   statement  of  a  material  fact  contained  in  the
         Registration  Statement (or any amendment thereto),  including any Rule
         430(A) Information or Rule 434 Information,  or the omission or alleged
         omission  therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or
         necessary to make the statements  therein not misleading or arising out
         of any untrue  statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
         contained  in any  preliminary  prospectus  or the  Prospectus  (or any
         amendment or  supplement  thereto) or the omission or alleged  omission
         therefrom of a material fact  necessary in order to make the statements
         therein,  in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
         not misleading;

                   (ii) against any and all loss,  liability,  claim, damage and
         expense whatsoever,  as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount
         paid  in  settlement  of  any  litigation,   or  any  investigation  or
         proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened,
         or of any claim  whatsoever  based upon any such  untrue  statement  or
         omission,  or any such alleged  untrue  statement or omission,  if such
         settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and

                  (iii)  against  any and all  expense  whatsoever,  as incurred
         (including,  subject to Section 6(c) hereof,  the  reasonable  fees and
         disbursements  of  counsel  chosen  by  the  underwriters),  reasonably
         incurred  in   investigating,   preparing  or  defending   against  any
         litigation,  or any  investigation  or proceeding  by any  governmental
         agency or body, commenced or threatened,  or any claim whatsoever based
         upon any such untrue statement or omission,  or any such alleged untrue
         statement or omission,  to the extent that any such expense is not paid
         under (i) or (ii) above;

provided, however, that (A) the foregoing indemnity shall not apply to any loss,
liability,  claim,  damage or expense to the  extent  arising  out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged  untrue  statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information  furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter  expressly for use in the  Registration  Statement (or any amendment
thereto) or any  preliminary  prospectus or the  Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement  thereto);  and (B) the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to
any  preliminary  prospectus  shall not inure to the benefit of the  Underwriter
from whom the person asserting any such losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities
purchased Securities, or any person controlling any Underwriter if a copy of the
Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented, if the Company shall have furnished
any amendments or supplements  thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of
the  Underwriters  to such  person if such is required by law at or prior to the
written  confirmation  of the sale of such  Securities to such person and if the
Prospectus (as so amended or


                                                        26

<PAGE>



supplemented)  would  have  cured the defect  giving  rise to such loss,  claim,
damage or liability.

         (b) Each  Underwriter  severally  agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company,  its  directors,  each of its officers who signed the  Registration
Statement,  and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act  against any and all
loss, liability,  claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained
in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred,  but only with respect to untrue
statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions,  made in the
Registration  Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any preliminary prospectus
or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement  thereto) in reliance upon and
in  conformity  with  written  information  furnished  to the  Company  by  such
Underwriter  expressly for use in the  Registration  Statement (or any amendment
thereto) or such  preliminary  prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto).

         (c) Each indemnified  party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably
practicable to each  indemnifying  party of any action  commenced  against it in
respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder,  but failure to so notify an
indemnifying  party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability
which it may have  otherwise  than on account of this  indemnity  agreement.  An
indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such
action.  If it so elects within a reasonable  time after receipt of such notice,
an indemnifying  party,  jointly with any other  indemnifying  parties receiving
such notice, may assume the defense of such action with counsel chosen by it and
approved by the  indemnified  parties  defendant in such action (which  approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld),  unless such indemnified parties reasonably
object  to such  assumption  on the  ground  that  there  may be legal  defenses
available to them which are different from or in addition to those  available to
such  indemnifying  party. If an indemnifying  party assumes the defense of such
action,  the indemnifying  parties shall not be liable for any fees and expenses
of counsel for the indemnified  parties  incurred  thereafter in connection with
such action. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for reasonable
fees and  expenses of more than one counsel (in  addition to any local  counsel)
separate from their own counsel for all  indemnified  parties in connection with
any  one  action  or  separate  but  similar  or  related  actions  in the  same
jurisdiction  arising out of the same general  allegations or circumstances.  An
indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement or any action or claim
effected without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.


                                                       27

<PAGE>



         Section 7.  Contribution.

         In  order  to  provide   for  just  and   equitable   contribution   in
circumstances in which the indemnity  agreement provided for in Section 6 is for
any  reason  held  to be  unenforceable  by  the  indemnified  parties  although
applicable in accordance with its terms, the Company and the Underwriters  shall
contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of
the nature  contemplated by said indemnity agreement incurred by the Company and
one or more of the  Underwriters,  as  incurred,  in such  proportions  that the
Underwriters are responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that
the underwriting discount appearing on the cover page of the Prospectus bears to
the initial public  offering price of the Securities  appearing  thereon and the
Company is responsible for the balance; provided, however, that no person guilty
of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933
Act) shall be  entitled  to  contribution  from any person who was not guilty of
such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section, each person, if
any,  who controls an  Underwriter  within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933
Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to  contribution as
such Underwriter,  and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company
who signed the Registration  Statement and each person, if any, who controls the
Company  within  the  meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the
1934  Act  shall  have the same  rights  to  contribution  as the  Company.  The
Underwriters'  respective  obligations to contribute  pursuant to this Section 7
are several,  and not joint, in proportion to the number or aggregate  principal
amount,  as the case may be, of  Initial  Securities  set forth  opposite  their
respective names in the applicable Pricing Agreement.

         Section 8.  Representations, Warranties and Agreements to
Survive Delivery.

         All  representations,  warranties  and  agreements  contained  in  this
Agreement and the Pricing Agreement, or contained in certificates of officers of
the Company submitted pursuant hereto,  shall remain operative and in full force
and  effect,  regardless  of  any  investigation  made  by or on  behalf  of any
Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company,  and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Securities to the Underwriters.

         Section 9.  Termination of Agreement.

         (a) The  Representatives  may terminate  this Agreement and the Pricing
Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time
(i) if there has been,  since the date of this Agreement or since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Registration  Statement (except as
otherwise stated or contemplated  therein at the date of the Pricing Agreement),
any  material  adverse  change  or  any  development  which  will  result  in  a
prospective material adverse


                                                        28

<PAGE>



change in the condition,  financial or otherwise, or in the earnings or business
affairs  of the  Company  and its  subsidiaries  considered  as one  enterprise,
whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business,  or (ii) if there has
occurred  any  outbreak  of  hostilities  or other  calamity  or crisis,  or any
material worsening thereof, or any change or development involving a prospective
change in national or international political, financial or economic conditions,
the effect of which on the financial  markets of the United States is such as to
make it, in the  judgment  of the  Underwriters,  impracticable  to  market  the
Securities or to enforce  contracts for the sale of the Securities,  or (iii) if
trading  in the  Common  Stock or any other  security  of the  Company  has been
suspended or limited by the  Commission  or the New York Stock  Exchange,  or if
trading  generally on either the American  Stock  Exchange or the New York Stock
Exchange has been suspended or limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading
have been fixed,  or maximum ranges of prices for securities have been required,
by either of said Exchanges or by order of the Commission, the NASD or any other
governmental  authority,  or (iv) if a banking  moratorium  has been declared by
Federal, New York or California authorities.

         (b) If this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement are terminated pursuant
to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any
other  party  except as  provided  in Section  4, and  provided,  further,  that
Sections 1, 6 and 7 shall survive such  termination and remain in full force and
effect.

         Section 10.  Default by One or More of the Underwriters.

         If one or more  of the  Underwriters  shall  fail  at  Closing  Time to
purchase the Initial Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under
this  Agreement and the Pricing  Agreement  (the  "Defaulted  Securities"),  the
Representatives  shall  have the  right,  within  24 hours  thereafter,  to make
arrangements for one or more of the  non-defaulting  Underwriters,  or any other
underwriters,  to  purchase  all,  but  not  less  than  all,  of the  Defaulted
Securities  in such  amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set
forth;  if,  however,   the  Representatives   shall  not  have  completed  such
arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:

                  (a) if the number of Defaulted  Securities does not exceed 10%
         of the number of Initial  Securities,  the non-defaulting  Underwriters
         shall  be  obligated  to  purchase  the  full  amount  thereof  in  the
         proportions that their respective  underwriting  obligations  hereunder
         bear   to  the   underwriting   obligations   of   all   non-defaulting
         Underwriters, or

                  (b) if the number of Defaulted  Securities  exceeds 10% of the
         number of Initial  Securities,  this Agreement shall terminate  without
         liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.



                                                        29

<PAGE>



         No action taken  pursuant to this Section shall relieve any  defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

         In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination
of this  Agreement,  either the  Representatives  or the Company  shall have the
right to postpone  the  Closing  Time for a period not  exceeding  seven days in
order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus
or in any other documents or arrangements.

         Section 11.  Notices.

         All notices and other communications  hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard
form of telecommunication.  Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the
Representatives c/o [name and address of lead Underwriter], with a copy to [Name
of  counsel  for the  Underwriters],  Attention:  _____________;  notices to the
Company  shall be  directed to it at 11825 North  Pennsylvania  Street,  Carmel,
Indiana 46032, Attention: General Counsel.

         Section 12.  Parties.

         This  Agreement  and the  Pricing  Agreement  shall  each  inure to the
benefit  of and be  binding  upon the  Underwriters  and the  Company  and their
respective  successors.  Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement or the
Pricing Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person,  firm or
corporation,  other than the  Underwriters  and the Company and their respective
successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in
Sections  6 and 7 and  their  heirs  and  legal  representatives,  any  legal or
equitable  right,  remedy or claim under or in respect of this  Agreement or the
Pricing Agreement or any provision herein or therein  contained.  This Agreement
and the Pricing  Agreement and all conditions and provisions  hereof and thereof
are intended to be for the sole and exclusive  benefit of the  Underwriters  and
the Company and their respective  successors,  and said controlling  persons and
officers and  directors and their heirs and legal  representatives,  and for the
benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from
any  Underwriter  shall be deemed  to be a  successor  by reason  merely of such
purchase.

         Section 13.  Governing Law and Time.

         This  Agreement  and the  Pricing  Agreement  shall be  governed by and
construed in  accordance  with the laws of the State of New York  applicable  to
agreements  made and to be performed in said State.  Unless  otherwise set forth
herein, specified times of day refer to New York City time.



                                                        30

<PAGE>



         If the  foregoing  is in  accordance  with  your  understanding  of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument,  along with all counterparts,  shall become a binding agreement
between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.

                                                     Very truly yours,

                                                     CONSECO, INC.


                                                     By ________________________
                                                        Name:
                                                        Title:

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written:


[Names of Representative(s) of Underwriter(s)]

By:


By  _______________________________
    Name:
    Title:

For  themselves  and as  Representatives  of the  other  Underwriters  named  in
Schedule A hereto.



                                                        31

<PAGE>



                                                    SCHEDULE A


                                                                Aggregate
                                                                Principal
                                                                Amount of
                                                                Debt Securities
         Name                                                   to be Purchased
         ----                                                   ---------------

               . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


[Name(s) of Underwriter(s)]












                                                                     ---------

         Total....................................                   =========


                                                        32

<PAGE>



                                                                      EXHIBIT A

                                    $--------

                                  CONSECO, INC.
                            (an Indiana corporation)

                    [Title of Debt Securities to be Offered]


                                PRICING AGREEMENT



                                                               ----------, ----




[Names of Representative(s) of Underwriter(s)]





Dear Sirs:

                  Reference is made to the Purchase Agreement dated ___________,
____ (the "Purchase  Agreement")  relating to the purchase by [insert name(s) of
other lead  underwriter(s)],  as  representatives  of the Underwriters  named in
Schedule  A  thereto  (the  "Underwriters"),  of the above  $________  aggregate
principal amount of the Company's  [title of Debt Security] (the  "Securities"),
of Conseco, Inc., an Indiana corporation (the "Company").

                  Pursuant to Section 2 of the Purchase  Agreement,  the Company
agrees with each Underwriter as follows:

                  1. The initial public  offering price of the Securities  shall
         be __% of the principal amount thereof,  plus accrued interest, if any,
         from the date of issuance.

                  2.       The purchase price to be paid by the Underwriters
         for the Securities shall be __% of the principal amount
         thereof.

                  3.       The interest rate on the Securities shall be __%
         per annum.

                  4.       [Include the terms of any optional or mandatory
redemption and other price-related terms.]

                  If the foregoing is in accordance with your  understanding  of
our  agreement,  please  sign and return to the  Company a  counterpart  hereof,
whereupon this instrument, along


<PAGE>



with all counterparts,  will become a binding agreement between the Underwriters
and the Company in accordance with its terms.

                                                              Very truly yours,

                                                              CONSECO, INC.



                                                  By: __________________________
                                                      Name:
                                                      Title:


CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
         as of the date first above written:


[Name(s) of Co-Representative(s) of Underwriter(s)]

BY

By_____________________________________
           Authorized Signature

For themselves and as Representatives
of the other Underwriters



                                                        A-2

                                                                 

                                                                     EXHIBIT 1.2


                              ______________ SHARES

                                  CONSECO, INC.
                            (AN INDIANA CORPORATION)

                    [TITLE OF EQUITY SECURITY TO BE OFFERED]




                               PURCHASE AGREEMENT



                                                  ----------, -----
[NAME(S) OF REPRESENTATIVE(S) OF UNDERWRITER(S)]



Dear Sirs:

         Conseco,  Inc., an Indiana  corporation (the  "Company"),  confirms its
agreement with [INSERT NAME(S) OF UNDERWRITER(S)]  as  representatives  (in such
capacity, collectively, the "Representatives") of the several Underwriters named
in Schedule A hereto  (collectively,  the "Underwriters",  which term shall also
include any underwriter substituted as hereinafter provided in Section 10), with
respect to the sale by the Company and the purchase by the Underwriters,  acting
severally  and not  jointly,  of the  respective  numbers of shares of [TITLE OF
EQUITY  SECURITY] (the "Equity  Securities"),  set forth in Schedule A, and with
respect to the grant by the Company to the  Underwriters,  acting  severally and
not jointly,  of the option  described in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or
any part of _______  additional  shares of additional Equity Securities to cover
over-allotments, in each case except as may otherwise be provided in the Pricing
Agreement,  as  hereinafter  defined.  The aforesaid  ________  shares of Equity
Securities (the "Initial  Securities") to be purchased by the  Underwriters  and
all or any part of the  _______  shares  of  Equity  Securities  subject  to the
over-allotment option described in Section 2(b) hereof (the "Option Securities")
are collectively referred to herein as the "Securities".

         Prior to the  purchase  and public  offering of the  Securities  by the
several Underwriters,  the Company and the Representatives,  acting on behalf of
the several  Underwriters,  shall enter into an agreement  substantially  in the
form of Exhibit A hereto (the "Pricing  Agreement").  The Pricing  Agreement may
take the form of an exchange of any standard  form of written  telecommunication
between the Company and the  Representatives  and shall specify such  applicable
information as is indicated in Exhibit A hereto.  The offering of the Securities
will be governed by this



<PAGE>



Agreement, as supplemented by the Pricing Agreement.  From and after the date of
the execution and delivery of the Pricing  Agreement,  this  Agreement  shall be
deemed to incorporate the Pricing Agreement.

         The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the
"Commission") a registration  statement on Form S-3 (No.  33-53095) covering the
registration of the Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), including the related preliminary  prospectus or prospectuses,  and
the offering  thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 of the rules
and   regulations  of  the  Commission   under  the  1933  Act  (the  "1933  Act
Regulations") and the Company has filed such  post-effective  amendments thereto
as may be  required  prior  to the  execution  of the  Pricing  Agreement.  Such
registration  statement,  as so  amended,  has been  declared  effective  by the
Commission.  Such registration statement, as so amended,  including the exhibits
and schedules thereto, if any, and the information,  if any, deemed to be a part
thereof  pursuant to Rule  430A(b) of the 1933 Act  Regulations  (the "Rule 430A
Information")  or Rule  434(d)  of the  1933  Act  Regulations  (the  "Rule  434
Information"),  is referred to herein as the "Registration  Statement";  and the
final prospectus and the prospectus  supplement  relating to the offering of the
Securities,  in the form first furnished to the  Underwriters by the Company for
use in connection with the offering of the Securities, are collectively referred
to herein as the  "Prospectus";  provided,  however,  that all references to the
"Registration  Statement"  and the  "Prospectus"  shall be deemed to include all
documents  incorporated therein by reference pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of  1934,  as  amended  (the  "1934  Act"),  prior to the  execution  of the
applicable Pricing  Agreement;  provided,  further,  that if the Company files a
registration  statement  with the  Commission  pursuant to Section 462(b) of the
1933 Act Regulations (the "Rule 462(b) Registration Statement"), then after such
filing,  all references to  "Registration  Statement" shall be deemed to include
the Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement;  and  provided,  further,  that if the
Company  elects  to rely  upon  Rule 434 of the 1933 Act  Regulations,  then all
references to  "Prospectus"  shall be deemed to include the final or preliminary
prospectus  and the applicable  term sheet or abbreviated  term sheet (the "Term
Sheet"),  as the case may be, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters by
the  Company  in  reliance  upon Rule 434 of the 1933 Act  Regulations,  and all
references in this Purchase  Agreement to the date of the Prospectus  shall mean
the date of the Term Sheet. A "preliminary  prospectus" shall be deemed to refer
to any prospectus used before the  registration  statement  became effective and
any prospectus that omitted, as applicable, the Rule 430A Information,  the Rule
434  Information  or other  information to be included upon pricing in a form of
prospectus  filed with the  Commission  pursuant  to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act
Regulations,  that was used after such  effectiveness and prior to the execution
and  delivery  of  the  applicable  Pricing  Agreement.  For  purposes  of  this
Agreement,  all  references  to  the  Registration  Statement,  any  preliminary
prospectus, the


                                                         2

<PAGE>



Prospectus  or any  Term  Sheet or any  amendment  or  supplement  to any of the
foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant
to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system ("EDGAR").

         All references in this Agreement to financial  statements and schedules
and other  information  which is  "contained,"  "included"  or  "stated"  in the
Registration  Statement,  any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or other
references  of like  import)  shall  be  deemed  to mean  and  include  all such
financial  statements and schedules and other  information which is incorporated
by reference in the Registration  Statement,  any preliminary  prospectus or the
Prospectus,  as the  case  may be;  and all  references  in  this  Agreement  to
amendments  or  supplements  to  the  Registration  Statement,  any  preliminary
prospectus or the  Prospectus  shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of
any  document  under  the 1934 Act which is  incorporated  by  reference  in the
Registration  Statement,  such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus,  as the
case may be.

         Section 1.  Representations and Warranties of the Company.

         (a) The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter,  as of the
date hereof and as of the date of the Pricing  Agreement  (such later date being
hereinafter referred to as the "Representation Date"), that:

                   (i) The Company  meets the  requirements  for use of Form S-3
under the 1933  Act.  Each of the  Registration  Statement  and any Rule  462(b)
Registration  Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act, and at the time
of effectiveness and at the Representation Date, the Registration  Statement and
any Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement and the  Prospectus  conformed and will
conform in all  material  respects to the  requirements  of the 1933 Act and the
1933 Act Regulations  and did not and will not contain an untrue  statement of a
material fact and did not and will not omit to state a material fact required to
be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements  therein not  misleading;
and the Prospectus,  at the time the  Registration  Statement  became  effective
(unless the term "Prospectus"  refers to a prospectus which has been provided to
the  Underwriters  by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the
Securities  which differs from the  Prospectus on file at the  Commission at the
time the Registration  Statement became effective,  in which case at the time it
is first provided to the  Underwriters  for such use) and at the  Representation
Date and at the  Closing  Time  referred  to in  Section 2, did not and will not
include an untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary  in  order  to  make  the  statements  therein,  in the  light  of the
circumstances  under which they were made, not  misleading;  provided,  however,
that the  representations  and warranties in this subsection  shall not apply to
statements  contained  in or  omitted  from the  Registration  Statement  or the
Prospectus made in reliance upon, and in conformity with,  information furnished
to the Company in writing by any


                                                         3

<PAGE>



Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

                  (ii) The documents  incorporated  or deemed to be incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus pursuant to Item 12
of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, at the time they were or hereafter  are filed or
last amended, as the case may be, with the Commission,  complied and will comply
in all material  respects with the  requirements  of the 1934 Act, and the rules
and regulations of the Commission  thereunder (the "1934 Act Regulations"),  and
at the time of filing  or as of the time of any  subsequent  amendment,  did not
contain an untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements  therein,  in
the  light  of  the  circumstances  under  which  they  were  or are  made,  not
misleading;  and any additional documents deemed to be incorporated by reference
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will, if and when they are filed
with the Commission,  or when amended,  as  appropriate,  comply in all material
respects with the  requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and
will not  contain  an untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to state a
material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading after the date hereof;  provided,  however,  (x) that the
representations  and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements
contained in or omitted from the  Registration  Statement or the Prospectus made
in reliance upon, and in conformity with,  information  furnished to the Company
in writing by any Underwriter expressly for use in the Registration Statement or
the Prospectus and (y) for purposes of this subsection,  there shall be excluded
any statements in such documents incorporated or to be incorporated by reference
deemed not to be  incorporated  by  reference  as provided in Rule 412 under the
1933 Act.

                 (iii)  Coopers & Lybrand,  the  accountants  who  certified the
financial  statements  and  supporting  schedules  of the  Company  included  or
incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement,  are independent public
accountants  with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries as required by the
1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

                  (iv) The  financial  statements  of the  Company  included  or
incorporated  by reference in the  Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus,
together  with the related  schedules  and notes,  present  fairly the financial
position of the Company and its  subsidiaries  as of the dates indicated and the
results of their  operations  for the  periods  specified.  Except as  otherwise
stated  in the  Registration  Statement,  said  financial  statements  have been
prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting  principles applied on
a  consistent  basis.  The  supporting  schedules  included or  incorporated  by
reference in the Registration  Statement present fairly the information required
to be included  therein.  [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING  LANGUAGE IF PREFERRED STOCK OR
ANY SIMILAR TYPE EQUITY SECURITY IS TO BE


                                                         4

<PAGE>



ISSUED -- The ratios of earnings to fixed  charges  (including  preferred  stock
dividends) included in the Prospectus have been calculated in compliance, in all
material  respects,  with Item 503(d) of Regulation S-K of the  Commission.] The
selected  financial data and the summary financial  information  included in the
Prospectus  present fairly the information  shown therein and have been compiled
on a basis consistent with that of the audited financial  statements included in
the  Registration  Statement.  [INCLUDE  THE  FOLLOWING  SENTENCE  IF PRO  FORMA
FINANCIALS  ARE  CONTAINED OR  INCORPORATED  BY  REFERENCE  IN THE  REGISTRATION
STATEMENT  -- The  pro  forma  financial  statements  of  the  Company  and  its
subsidiaries  and  the  related  notes  thereto  included  in  the  Registration
Statement and the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein,  have
been prepared in accordance  with the  Commission's  rules and  guidelines  with
respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the
bases described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are
reasonable and the  adjustments  used therein are  appropriate to give effect to
the transactions and circumstances referred to therein.]

                   (v)  The  statutory  financial  statements  of  each  of  the
Company's   insurance   subsidiaries,   from  which  certain  ratios  and  other
statistical data contained in the Registration Statement have been derived, have
for each relevant period been prepared in accordance  with accounting  practices
prescribed or permitted by the National Association of Insurance  Commissioners,
and  with  respect  to each  insurance  subsidiary,  the  appropriate  Insurance
Department  of the state of  domicile  of such  insurance  subsidiary,  and such
accounting  practices  have been applied on a consistent  basis  throughout  the
periods involved, except as disclosed therein.

                  (vi) Since the  respective  dates as of which  information  is
given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus,  and except as otherwise
stated or contemplated  therein,  (A) there has been no material  adverse change
and no development which will result in a prospective material adverse change in
the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings or business affairs of
the Company and its subsidiaries,  considered as one enterprise,  whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business,  (B) there have been no transactions
entered into by the Company or any of its subsidiaries which are material to the
Company and its  subsidiaries,  considered as one  enterprise,  other than those
entered  into in the  ordinary  course of  business,  and (C) except for regular
quarterly  dividends,  there has been no  dividend or  distribution  of any kind
declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock.

                 (vii) The  Company  has been duly  incorporated  and is validly
existing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Indiana, with corporate
power and authority to own,  lease and operate its properties and to conduct its
business as presently  conducted  and as described in the  Prospectus  or in the
Company's Annual Report filed on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,


                                                         5

<PAGE>



_____;  and the Company is duly  qualified as a foreign  corporation to transact
business  and  is  in  good  standing  in  each   jurisdiction   in  which  such
qualification  is  required,  whether by reason of the  ownership  or leasing of
property or the conduct of  business,  except where the failure to so qualify or
be in good standing  would not have a material  adverse effect on the condition,
financial or otherwise,  or the earnings or business  affairs of the Company and
its subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise.

                (viii) Each of the subsidiaries  has been duly  incorporated and
is validly  existing as a  corporation  in good  standing  under the laws of the
jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and authority to own,
lease and  operate its  properties  and to conduct  its  business  as  presently
conducted and as described in the  Prospectus or in the Company's  Annual Report
filed on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, _____;  and is duly qualified
as a foreign  corporation  to transact  business and is in good standing in each
jurisdiction in which such  qualification is required,  whether by reason of the
ownership  or leasing of property or the conduct of  business,  except where the
failure to so qualify or be in good standing  would not have a material  adverse
effect on the  condition,  financial or  otherwise,  or the earnings or business
affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries,  considered as one enterprise;  and
the  outstanding  shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have
been duly authorized and validly issued,  are fully paid and  nonassessable  and
all such  shares are owned by the  Company or by a  subsidiary  of the  Company,
except as set forth in a letter previously delivered by the Company to you.

                  (ix)  The  Company  and  each  of its  subsidiaries  hold  all
material  licenses,  certificates  and  permits  from  governmental  authorities
(including,   without   limitation,   insurance   licenses  from  the  insurance
departments  of the  various  states  where  the  subsidiaries  write  insurance
business (the "Insurance Licenses")) which are necessary to the conduct of their
businesses;  the Company and its  subsidiaries  have fulfilled and performed all
material obligations  necessary to maintain their respective Insurance Licenses,
and no event or events have occurred which may be reasonably  expected to result
in the  impairment,  modification,  termination  or revocation of such Insurance
Licenses.

                   (x) The authorized,  issued and outstanding  capital stock of
the Company is as set forth in the Prospectus under "Capitalization" (except for
subsequent  issuances,  if any,  pursuant to stock option agreements or employee
benefit plans); all of the issued and outstanding shares of the Common Stock, no
par value,  of the Company (the "Common  Stock") have been duly  authorized  and
validly issued, and are fully paid and  nonassessable;  the Securities have been
duly  authorized  for  issuance  and sale to the  Underwriters  pursuant to this
Agreement  and,  when  issued and  delivered  by the  Company  pursuant  to this
Agreement  against  payment  of the  consideration  set  forth  in  the  Pricing
Agreement, will be validly issued and fully paid and


                                                         6

<PAGE>



nonassessable;  the  Securities  conform to the  provisions  of the  Articles of
Incorporation  of the  Company,  as amended on the  Closing  Date (the  "Amended
Articles of Incorporation")  related thereto; the relative rights,  preferences,
interests and powers of the Securities are as set forth in the Amended  Articles
of  Incorporation,  and all such provisions are valid under the Indiana Business
Corporation Law; each of the Securities  [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING  LANGUAGE IF THE
EQUITY SECURITIES TO BE OFFERED ARE CONVERTIBLE INTO OR REDEEMABLE FOR SHARES OF
COMMON  STOCK OF THE COMPANY -- and the Common  Stock into which the  Securities
are  convertible or for which the  Securities  may be redeemed]  conforms to all
statements relating thereto contained in the Prospectus; and the issuance of the
Securities is not subject to preemptive or other similar rights.

                  (xi)  Neither the Company  nor any of its  subsidiaries  is in
violation  of its  charter  or  by-laws  or in  default  in the  performance  or
observance of any obligation,  agreement, covenant or condition contained in any
material contract,  indenture,  mortgage,  loan agreement,  note, lease or other
instrument  to which the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  is a party or by
which it or any of them may be bound,  or to which any of the property or assets
of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is subject,  or in  violation of any
applicable law,  administrative  regulation or  administrative or court order or
decree,  which  violation or default would,  singly or in the aggregate,  have a
material  adverse  effect  on the  condition,  financial  or  otherwise,  or the
earnings or business affairs of the Company and its subsidiaries,  considered as
one  enterprise;  and the execution,  delivery and performance of this Agreement
and the Pricing Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
herein and  therein,  will not  conflict  with or  constitute  a breach of, or a
default  under,  or result in the creation or imposition of any lien,  charge or
encumbrance  upon  any  property  or  assets  of  the  Company  or  any  of  its
subsidiaries  pursuant to, any contract,  indenture,  mortgage,  loan agreement,
note,  lease or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
is a party or by which it or any of them may be  bound,  or to which  any of the
property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject,  except
for a conflict,  breach,  default,  lien,  charge or encumbrance which would not
have a material adverse effect on the condition,  financial or otherwise, or the
earnings or business affairs of the Company and its  subsidiaries  considered as
one  enterprise,  nor will such action result in any violation or the provisions
of the  charter  or by-laws of the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  or any
applicable law, administrative regulation or administrative or court decree.

                 (xii) There is no action,  suit or proceeding  before or by any
court or governmental agency or body,  domestic or foreign  (including,  without
limitation, any proceeding to revoke or deny renewal of any Insurance Licenses),
now pending,  or, to the best knowledge of the Company,  threatened,  against or
affecting  the  Company  or any of its  subsidiaries  which  is  required  to be
disclosed in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or


                                                         7

<PAGE>



which is  reasonably  likely  to result in any  material  adverse  change in the
condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings or business affairs of the
Company and its  subsidiaries,  considered as one enterprise,  or which would be
reasonably  likely to materially and adversely  affect a material portion of the
properties  or assets  thereof or which is reasonably  likely to materially  and
adversely  affect the  consummation  of this  Agreement;  all  pending  legal or
governmental  proceedings to which the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is a
party or of which any of their  respective  property  or  assets is the  subject
which  are  not  described  in the  Registration  Statement  or the  Prospectus,
including ordinary routine litigation  incidental to the business of the Company
or any of its subsidiaries,  are, considered in the aggregate, not material; and
there are no contracts  or  documents of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries
which are required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration  Statement, or to
be incorporated by reference therein, by the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations,
the  1934  Act or the  1934  Act  Regulations,  which  have not been so filed or
incorporated by reference.

                (xiii) No  authorization,  approval  or  consent of any court or
governmental  authority or agency is necessary in  connection  with the issuance
and sale of the  Securities  hereunder,  [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING  LANGUAGE IF THE
EQUITY SECURITIES TO BE OFFERED ARE CONVERTIBLE INTO OR REDEEMABLE FOR SHARES OF
COMMON  STOCK  OF THE  COMPANY  -- OR THE  ISSUANCE  OF THE  COMMON  STOCK  UPON
CONVERSION OR REDEMPTION OF THE  SECURITIES,] or the consummation by the Company
of any other transactions contemplated hereby, except such as have been obtained
and made under the federal  securities  laws or state insurance laws and such as
may be required under state or foreign securities laws.

         [INCLUDE THE  FOLLOWING TWO  PARAGRAPHS IF THE EQUITY  SECURITIES TO BE
OFFERED ARE  CONVERTIBLE  INTO OR  REDEEMABLE  FOR SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF THE
COMPANY -- (xiv) The  shares of Common  Stock  issuable  upon  conversion  or at
redemption of the Securities have been duly and validly  authorized and reserved
for issuance upon such  conversion or redemption;  such shares,  when issued and
delivered upon such  conversion or redemption in the manner  provided for in the
Amended  Articles  of  Incorporation  governing  the  Securities,  will  be duly
authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free of any lien or
adverse  claim;  and the  issuance  of  such  shares  upon  such  conversion  or
redemption will not be subject to preemptive or other similar rights.

                  (xv)  The  Securities  and  the  Common  Stock  issuable  upon
conversion or at redemption of the Securities  conform in all material  respects
to the respective  statements  relating thereto  contained in the Prospectus and
the Registration Statement.]

                 (xvi) There are no holders of  securities  of the Company  with
currently  exercisable  registration rights to have any securities registered as
part of the Registration  Statement or included in the offering  contemplated by
this Agreement.


                                                         8

<PAGE>




                (xvii)  No  order  preventing  or  suspending  the  use  of  any
preliminary  prospectus has been issued and no proceedings  for that purpose are
pending,  threatened,  or, to the knowledge of the Company,  contemplated by the
Commission; to the knowledge of the Company, no order suspending the offering of
the Securities in any jurisdiction  designated by the  Underwriters  pursuant to
Section  3(f) of this  Agreement  has been issued and, to the  knowledge  of the
Company,  no proceedings  for that purpose have been instituted or threatened or
are contemplated,  and any request of the Commission for additional  information
(to be included in the  Registration  Statement or Prospectus or otherwise)  has
been complied with.

               (xviii) The Company has full  corporate  power and  authority  to
execute,  deliver and  perform  its  obligations  under this  Agreement  and the
Pricing  Agreement  and the Company has full  corporate  power and  authority to
issue, sell and deliver the Securities.

                 (xix) The Company is not, and upon the issuance and sale of the
Securities  as  herein  contemplated  and the  application  of the net  proceeds
therefrom as described in the Prospectus will not be, an "investment company" or
an entity  "controlled" by an "investment  company" as such terms are defined in
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").

         (b) Any  certificate  signed by an officer of the Company and delivered
to the  Underwriters  or to  counsel  for the  Underwriters  shall  be  deemed a
representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters
covered thereby.

         Section 2.  Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing.

         (a)  On  the  basis  of  the   representations  and  warranties  herein
contained, and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
agrees  to  sell to each  Underwriter  severally,  and  not  jointly,  and  each
Underwriter  agrees to  purchase  from the  Company,  at the price per share set
forth in the Pricing  Agreement,  the number of Initial  Securities set forth in
Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter  (except as otherwise  provided
in the Pricing  Agreement),  plus any  additional  number of Initial  Securities
which  such  Underwriter  may  become  obligated  to  purchase  pursuant  to the
provisions of Section 10 hereof.

                  (1) If the  Company  has  elected  not to rely  upon Rule 430A
         under the 1933 Act  Regulations,  the initial public offering price per
         Security, the dividend rate, the call price (including related premium)
         payable upon redemption, in each case, in respect of each Security, and
         the purchase price per Security to be paid by the several  Underwriters
         for the Securities  (collectively,  the "Pricing Terms") have each been
         determined  and set  forth in the  Pricing  Agreement,  dated  the date
         hereof, and an amendment to the Registration


                                                         9

<PAGE>



         Statement  and the  Prospectus  will be filed  before the  Registration
         Statement becomes effective.

                  (2) If the  Company  has  elected to rely upon Rule 430A under
         the 1933 Act Regulations, the purchase price per Security to be paid by
         the several Underwriters shall be an amount equal to the initial public
         offering  price  per  Security,  less  an  amount  per  Security  to be
         determined by agreement  between the Underwriters and the Company.  The
         Pricing Terms  likewise  shall be  determined by agreement  between the
         Underwriters  and the Company.  The Pricing Terms,  when so determined,
         shall be set forth in the  Pricing  Agreement.  In the event  that such
         Pricing  Terms have not been agreed upon and the Pricing  Agreement has
         not been executed and delivered by the parties  thereto by the close of
         business  on the  fourth  business  day  following  the  date  of  this
         Agreement, this Agreement shall terminate forthwith,  without liability
         of any  party to any other  party,  unless  otherwise  agreed to by the
         Company and the Underwriters.

         (b) In addition,  on the basis of the  representations  and  warranties
herein  contained and subject to the terms and conditions  herein set forth, the
Company hereby grants an option to the Underwriters,  severally and not jointly,
to purchase from it up to an additional  _________  shares of the  Securities at
the  price  per share set forth in the  Pricing  Agreement.  The  option  hereby
granted will expire  automatically at the close of business on the 30th calendar
day  after  (i) the later of the date the  Registration  Statement  and any Rule
462(b) Registration Statement becomes effective,  if the Company has elected not
to  rely  upon  Rule  430A  under  the  1933  Act   Regulations,   or  (ii)  the
Representation Date, if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 430A under the
1933 Act Regulations, and may be exercised in whole or in part from time to time
only for the purpose of covering over-allotments which may be made in connection
with the offering and distribution of the Initial  Securities upon notice by the
Underwriters to the Company setting forth the number of Option  Securities as to
which the several  Underwriters  are then exercising the option and the time and
date of payment and delivery for such Option Securities.  Any such time and date
of delivery (a "Date of Delivery")  shall be determined by the  Underwriters but
shall not be later than  seven full  business  days after the  exercise  of such
option, nor in any event before the Closing Time, as hereinafter defined, unless
otherwise  agreed upon by the  Underwriters  and the  Company.  If the option is
exercised  as to all or  any  portion  of the  Option  Securities,  each  of the
Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, will purchase that proportion of
the total number of Option  Securities  then being purchased which the number of
Initial Securities set forth in Schedule A opposite the name of such Underwriter
bears to the total number of Initial Securities (except as otherwise provided in
the  Pricing  Agreement),  subject  in  each  case to  such  adjustments  as the
Underwriters in their  discretion shall make to eliminate any sales or purchases
of fractional shares.



                                                        10

<PAGE>



         (c) Delivery of certificates  for the Initial  Securities shall be made
at the offices of the  Underwriters  in New York,  and  payment of the  purchase
price  for the  Initial  Securities  shall be made at the  offices  of [NAME AND
ADDRESS  OF COUNSEL  FOR THE  UNDERWRITERS]  or at such other  place as shall be
agreed upon by the Underwriters  and the Company,  at 10:00 a.m. (New York time)
on the third  business  day after the date the  Registration  Statement  becomes
effective (or, if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 430A, the third full
business  day after  execution of the Pricing  Agreement  (or, if pricing of the
Securities  occurs after 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, on the fourth full business day
thereafter)),  or such other time not later  than ten  business  days after such
date as shall be agreed upon by the  Underwriters and the Company (such time and
date of payment  and  delivery  being  herein  called the  "Closing  Time").  In
addition,  if the  Underwriters  purchase  any or all of the Option  Securities,
payment of the  purchase  price and  delivery  of  certificates  for such Option
Securities   shall  be  made  at  the  offices  of  [NAME  OF  COUNSEL  FOR  THE
UNDERWRITERS] set forth above, or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by
the Underwriters  and the Company,  on each Date of Delivery as specified in the
relevant notice from the Underwriters to the Company. Payment for the Securities
purchased  by the  Underwriters  shall be made to the  Company by  certified  or
official bank check or checks, drawn in New York Clearing House funds or similar
next day funds,  payable to the order of the  Company,  against  delivery to the
respective accounts of the Underwriters of certificates for the Securities to be
purchased  by it.  Certificates  for  the  Initial  Securities  and  the  Option
Securities  shall be in such  denominations  and registered in such names as the
Underwriters  may request in writing at least two full  business days before the
Closing  Time or any  Date of  Delivery,  as the  case  may  be.  [NAME  OF LEAD
UNDERWRITER],  individually and not as representative  of the Underwriters,  may
(but  shall not be  obligated  to) make  payment of the  purchase  price for the
Initial  Securities  or the Option  Securities,  if any, to be  purchased by any
Underwriter  whose  check  has not  been  received  by the  Closing  Time or the
relevant  Date of  Delivery,  as the case may be,  but such  payment  shall  not
relieve such  Underwriter from its obligations  hereunder.  The certificates for
the Initial Securities and the Option Securities, if any, will be made available
for examination and packaging by the  Underwriters no later than 10:00 a.m. (New
York City time) on the last  business  day prior to the Closing Time or the Date
of Delivery, as the case may be.

         Section 3.  Covenants of the Company.

         The Company covenants with each Underwriter as follows:

         (a) The Company will comply with the  requirements  of Rule 430A of the
1933 Act  Regulations  and/or  Rule 434 of the  1933 Act  Regulations  if and as
applicable, and will notify the Underwriters immediately, and confirm the notice
in writing,  (i) of the  effectiveness  of any  post-effective  amendment to the
Registration Statement or the filing of any supplement or


                                                        11

<PAGE>



amendment  to the  Prospectus,  (ii) of the  receipt  of any  comments  from the
Commission,  (iii) of any request by the  Commission  for any  amendment  to the
Registration  Statement or any amendment or supplement to the  Prospectus or for
additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order
suspending the effectiveness of the Registration  Statement or the initiation of
any proceedings for that purpose and (v) of the issuance by any state securities
commission  or  other   regulatory   authority  of  any  order   suspending  the
qualification  or the  exemption  from  qualification  of the  Securities or the
Common Stock  issuable upon  conversion or  redemption of the  Securities  under
state  securities or Blue Sky laws or the initiation of any proceedings for that
purpose. The Company will promptly effect the filings necessary pursuant to Rule
424 and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether
the Prospectus  transmitted for filing under Rule 424 was received for filing by
the  Commission  and,  in the event that it was not, it will  promptly  file the
Prospectus. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any
stop order and, if any stop order is issued,  to obtain the  lifting  thereof at
the earliest possible moment.

         (b) The Company will give the  Underwriters  notice of its intention to
file or prepare any  amendment  to the  Registration  Statement  (including  any
post-effective  amendment  and any  filing  under  Rule  462(b)  of the 1933 Act
Regulations), any Term Sheet or any amendment,  supplement or revision to either
the  prospectus  included in the  Registration  Statement  at the time it became
effective or to the Prospectus  (including any revised  prospectus or Term Sheet
and  preliminary   prospectus   which  the  Company  proposes  for  use  by  the
Underwriters  in connection  with the offering of the  Securities  which differs
from the  prospectus  on file at the  Commission  at the  time the  Registration
Statement  becomes  effective,  whether or not such revised  prospectus  or Term
Sheet and preliminary prospectus is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)
under the 1933 Act Regulations),  whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act
or otherwise;  will furnish the Underwriters with copies of any such Rule 462(b)
Registration  Statement,  Term  Sheet,  amendment,   supplement  or  revision  a
reasonable  amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may
be; and will not file or use any such Rule 462(b) Registration  Statement,  Term
Sheet,  amendment,  supplement or revision to which the  Underwriters or counsel
for the Underwriters shall object.

         (c) The Company will deliver to the  Underwriters and to counsel to the
Underwriters,  without charge,  signed copies of the  Registration  Statement as
originally  filed  and of  each  amendment  thereto  (including  exhibits  filed
therewith or  incorporated  by reference  therein and documents  incorporated or
deemed  to be  incorporated  by  reference  therein)  and  signed  copies of all
consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Underwriters,
without  charge,  as many  conformed  copies of the  Registration  Statement  as
originally  filed  and of  each  amendment  thereto  (without  exhibits)  as the
Underwriters may reasonably


                                                        12

<PAGE>



request.  If  applicable,  the  copies of the  Registration  Statement  and each
amendment  thereto  furnished  to the  Underwriters  will  be  identical  to the
electronically  transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to
EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

         (d) The Company will deliver to each  Underwriter,  without charge,  as
many copies of each  preliminary  prospectus as such  Underwriter may reasonably
request,  and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes
permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company  will furnish to each  Underwriter,  from
time to time without charge during the period when the Prospectus is required to
be  delivered  under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act,  such number of copies of the
Prospectus  (as amended or  supplemented)  as such  Underwriter  reasonably  may
request. If applicable, the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto
furnished  to  the  Underwriters   will  be  identical  to  the   electronically
transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission  pursuant to EDGAR,  except
to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

         (e) If any event shall occur as a result of which it is  necessary,  in
the reasonable  opinion of counsel for the Underwriters,  to amend or supplement
the  Prospectus in order to make the  Prospectus  not misleading in the light of
the  circumstances  existing at the time it is  delivered  to a  purchaser,  the
Company will forthwith amend or supplement the Prospectus (in form and substance
reasonably  satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters) so that, as so amended
or  supplemented,  the  Prospectus  will not  include an untrue  statement  of a
material  fact or omit to state a material  fact  necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is
delivered to a purchaser,  not  misleading,  and the Company will furnish to the
Underwriters as many copies of such amendment or supplement as the  Underwriters
may reasonably request.

         (f) The Company will endeavor, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to
qualify the Securities  [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE IF THE EQUITY SECURITIES
TO BE OFFERED ARE CONVERTIBLE INTO OR REDEEMABLE FOR COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY
- --  and  the  Common  Stock  issuable  upon  conversion  and  redemption  of the
Securities]  for offering and sale under the applicable  securities laws of such
states and other  jurisdictions  of the United  States as the  Underwriters  may
designate  (with a good  faith  intent  at that  time to  offer or sell any such
securities in such jurisdiction);  provided, however, that the Company shall not
be obligated to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent
as to service of process in any  jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or
to make any undertakings with respect to the conduct of its business therein. In
each  jurisdiction  in which the  Securities or such shares of Common Stock have
been so qualified,  the Company will file such  statements and reports as may be
required by the laws of such  jurisdiction  to continue  such  qualification  in
effect for so long


                                                        13

<PAGE>



as may be required in connection with the distribution of the
Securities and such Common Stock.

         (g) The Company will make generally  available to its security  holders
as soon as practicable, but not later than 45 days after the close of the period
covered thereby,  an earnings  statement for the purposes of, and to provide the
benefits  contemplated  by, the last  paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act
(in form and in a manner  complying  with the  provisions  of Rule 158 under the
1933 Act  Regulations)  covering a twelve-month  period beginning not later than
the first day of the Company's  fiscal  quarter next  following  the  "effective
date" (as defined in said Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

         (h)      The Company will use the net proceeds received by it
from the sale of the Securities in the manner  specified in the Prospectus under
"Use of Proceeds."

         (i) If, at the time that the Registration  Statement becomes effective,
any information  shall have been omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A or
Rule 434 under the 1933 Act Regulations,  then promptly  following the execution
of the Pricing  Agreement,  the Company will  prepare,  and file or transmit for
filing with the  Commission  in  accordance  with such Rule 430A or Rule 434 and
Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act Regulations,  copies of an amended Prospectus, or
Term Sheet, or, if required by such Rule 430A, a post-effective amendment to the
Registration  Statement  (including  an  amended  Prospectus),   containing  all
information so omitted.

         (j) If the Company  elects to rely upon Rule 462(b),  the Company shall
both file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance
with Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable  fees in accordance with Rule 111 of the
1933 Act  Regulations by the earlier of (i) 10:00 p.m.  Eastern time on the date
of the Pricing  Agreement and (ii) the time  confirmations are sent or given, as
specified by Rule 462(b)(2).

         (k) The Company,  during the period when the  Prospectus is required to
be delivered under the 1933 Act, will promptly file all documents required to be
filed with the Commission  pursuant to Section 13(a),  13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the
1934 Act.

         (l) For a period of one year after the Closing  Time,  the Company will
furnish to the Underwriters  copies of all reports and communications  delivered
to the  Company's  stockholders  or to holders of the  Securities as a class and
will also  furnish  copies of all reports  (including  exhibits)  filed with the
Commission  on Forms 8-K, 10-Q and 10-K,  and all other reports and  information
furnished to its  stockholders  generally,  not later than the time such reports
are first furnished to such holders generally.

         [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH IF THE EQUITY SECURITIES TO BE OFFERED
ARE TO BE LISTED ON THE NEW YORK STOCK  EXCHANGE -- (m) The Company will use its
best efforts to effect the listing


                                                        14

<PAGE>



of the Securities [Include the following language if the Equity Securities to be
offered are  convertible  into or  redeemable  for shares of Common Stock of the
Company  --  and  the  shares  of  Common  Stock  issuable  upon  conversion  or
redemption]  on the New York Stock  Exchange and to cause the  Securities  to be
registered under the 1934 Act.]

         [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH IF THE EQUITY SECURITIES TO BE OFFERED
ARE CONVERTIBLE  INTO OR REDEEMABLE FOR SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY --
(n) The Company will reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive
or other  similar  rights and liens and  adverse  claims,  sufficient  shares of
Common  Stock to satisfy any  obligations  to issue  shares of Common Stock upon
conversion  or  redemption  of all of the  Securities  outstanding  from time to
time.]

         (o) The  Company  will  supply  the  Underwriters  with  copies  of all
correspondence  to and from, and all documents  issued to and by, the Commission
in connection with the registration of the Securities under the 1933 Act.

         Section 4.  Payment of Expenses.

         The Company will pay all expenses  incident to the  performance  of its
obligations under this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement,  including,  without
limitation, expenses related to the following, if incurred: (i) the preparation,
delivery,  printing and filing of the  Registration  Statement and Prospectus as
originally  filed  (including  financial  statements  and  exhibits) and of each
amendment  thereto;   (ii)  the  preparation,   printing  and  delivery  to  the
Underwriters  of this  Agreement,  the Pricing  Agreement,  any Agreement  among
Underwriters  and such other documents as may be required in connection with the
offering,  purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) the preparation,
issuance  and  delivery  of  the   certificates   for  the   Securities  to  the
Underwriters;  (iv)  the  fees  and  disbursements  of  the  Company's  counsel,
accountants  and  other  advisors  or  agents  (including  transfer  agents  and
registrars);  (v) the  qualification  of the  Securities  [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
LANGUAGE  IF THE  EQUITY  SECURITIES  TO BE  OFFERED  ARE  CONVERTIBLE  INTO  OR
REDEEMABLE FOR SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY -- AND THE SHARES OF COMMON
STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OR REDEMPTION OF THE SECURITIES] under securities
laws in accordance  with the provisions of Section 3(f),  including  filing fees
and the fees and  disbursements  of counsel for the  Underwriters  in connection
therewith and in connection  with the preparation of the Blue Sky Survey and any
amendment thereto;  (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies
of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto,
of each  preliminary  prospectus,  any Term Sheet and of the  Prospectus and any
amendments  or  supplements  thereto;  (vii) the  printing  and  delivery to the
Underwriters  of copies  of the Blue Sky  Survey;  (viii)  any fees  payable  in
connection   with  the  rating  of  the  Securities  by  nationally   recognized
statistical rating organizations; (ix) the filing fees incident to, and the


                                                        15

<PAGE>



fees and  disbursements  of counsel to the  Underwriters in connection with, the
review,  if any, by the National  Association of Securities  Dealers,  Inc. (the
"NASD") of the terms of the sale of the Securities;  (x) any fees payable to the
Commission;  and (xi) the fees and  expenses  incurred  in  connection  with the
listing on the New York Stock Exchange of the Securities  [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
LANGUAGE  IF THE  EQUITY  SECURITIES  TO BE  OFFERED  ARE  CONVERTIBLE  INTO  OR
REDEEMABLE FOR SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY -- AND THE SHARES OF COMMON
STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OR REDEMPTION OF THE SECURITIES.]

         If this  Agreement is terminated by the  Representatives  in accordance
with the provisions of Section 5 or Section  9(a)(i)  hereof,  the Company shall
reimburse the Underwriters for all of their  out-of-pocket  expenses,  including
the fees and disbursements of ____________________________________,  counsel for
the Underwriters.

         Section 5.  Conditions of Underwriters' Obligations.

         The  obligations  of the  Underwriters  hereunder  are  subject  to the
accuracy of the  representations  and warranties of the Company herein contained
or in  certificates  of any officer of the Company or any  subsidiary  delivered
pursuant to the  provisions  hereof,  to the  performance  by the Company of its
obligations hereunder, and to the following further conditions:

         (a) The Registration Statement,  including any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement,  shall have become  effective not later than 5:30 p.m., New York City
time, on the date hereof, and on the date hereof and at the Closing Time and any
Date of Delivery no stop order suspending the  effectiveness of the Registration
Statement  shall have been  issued  under the 1933 Act or  proceedings  therefor
initiated or  threatened  by the  Commission  and any request on the part of the
Commission  for  additional  information  shall have been  complied  with to the
satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing information
relating  to  the  description  of  the  Securities,   the  specific  method  of
distribution  and similar  matters shall have been filed with the  Commission in
accordance  with Rule  424(b)(1),  (2), (3), (4) or (5), as  applicable  (or any
required  post-effective  amendment  providing such information  shall have been
filed and declared  effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A),
or,  if the  Company  has  elected  to  rely  upon  Rule  434 of  the  1933  Act
Regulations,  a Term Sheet  including the Rule 434  Information  shall have been
filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b)(7).

         (b)      At the Closing Time the Underwriters shall have received:

                  (1) The favorable opinion,  dated as of the Closing Time, of ,
         General Counsel to the Company,  in form and substance  satisfactory to
         counsel for the Underwriters, to the effect that:


                                                        16

<PAGE>




                             (i) The Company has been duly  incorporated  and is
                  validly  existing as a corporation  in good standing under the
                  laws  of the  State  of  Indiana;  and  the  Company  has  the
                  corporate  power  under the laws of the State of  Indiana  and
                  under its charter to own, lease and operate its properties and
                  to conduct  its  business  as  described  in the  Registration
                  Statement and the Prospectus or in the Company's Annual Report
                  filed on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,-------- .

                            (ii) The  Securities  delivered at the Closing Time,
                  and all other outstanding  securities of the Company have been
                  duly  authorized  and  validly  issued,  are  fully  paid  and
                  nonassessable  and  conform in all  material  respects  to the
                  description  thereof  contained in the Prospectus;  the Common
                  Stock and the  Securities are each  registered  under the 1934
                  Act, and the Securities [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE IF THE
                  EQUITY  SECURITIES  TO BE  OFFERED  ARE  CONVERTIBLE  INTO  OR
                  REDEEMABLE  FOR SHARES OF COMMON  STOCK OF THE  COMPANY -- and
                  the Common Stock issuable upon conversion or redemption of the
                  Securities]  at the  Closing  Time  have been  authorized  for
                  listing on the NYSE, upon official notice of issuance.

                           (iii) The issuance of the  Securities  is not subject
                  to preemptive or other similar rights arising by law.

                  [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING  PARAGRAPH IF THE EQUITY  SECURITIES TO
                  BE OFFERED ARE  CONVERTIBLE  INTO OR REDEEMABLE  FOR SHARES OF
                  COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY -- (iv) The shares of Common Stock
                  issuable upon  conversion or redemption of the Securities have
                  been duly  authorized  and validly  reserved for issuance upon
                  such  conversion or redemption,  and such shares,  when issued
                  and delivered upon such conversion or redemption in the manner
                  provided in the Amended  Articles  of  Incorporation,  will be
                  validly issued,  fully paid and nonassessable and the issuance
                  of such shares upon such  conversion or redemption will not be
                  subject to preemptive or other similar rights arising by law.]

                             (v)  The   Purchase   Agreement   and  the  Pricing
                  Agreement have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
                  the Company and  constitute  valid and binding  obligations of
                  the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms (except
                  (1) as may be limited by  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent
                  conveyance,   reorganization   or   similar   laws   affecting
                  creditors'  rights  generally  and except that the remedies of
                  specific   performance  and  injunctive  and  other  forms  of
                  equitable relief are subject to certain equitable defenses and
                  to the  discretion  of the court before  which any  proceeding
                  therefor may be brought and (2) that no opinion is given as to
                  the enforceability


                                                        17

<PAGE>



                  of the indemnity and contribution provisions under the
                  Purchase Agreement and the Pricing Agreement).

                            (vi) The  Securities and the Common Stock conform in
                  all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in
                  the Prospectus and the Registration Statement.

                           (vii) The forms of certificates  used to evidence the
                  Securities  and the Common  Stock  comply with all  applicable
                  statutory  requirements,  with any applicable  requirements of
                  the  Company's  charter  and  by-laws,  including  the Amended
                  Articles of  Incorporation,  and with the  requirements of the
                  New York Stock Exchange.

                          (viii) Each subsidiary has been duly  incorporated and
                  is validly  existing as a corporation  in good standing  under
                  the laws of the jurisdiction of its  incorporation and has the
                  corporate  power and  authority to own,  lease and operate its
                  properties and to conduct its business as presently  conducted
                  and  as  described  in  the  Registration  Statement  and  the
                  Prospectus  or in the  Company's  Annual  Report filed on Form
                  10-K for the year ended  December 31, _____.  Nothing has come
                  to the  attention  of such  counsel  to lead such  counsel  to
                  believe that any subsidiary in not duly qualified as a foreign
                  corporation to transact business or is not in good standing in
                  each  jurisdiction  in which such  qualification  is required,
                  except where the failure to so qualify or be in good  standing
                  would not have a  material  adverse  effect on the  condition,
                  financial or otherwise, or the earnings or business affairs of
                  the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.
                  All of the  issued  and  outstanding  capital  stock  of  each
                  subsidiary of the Company has been duly authorized and validly
                  issued, is fully paid and  nonassessable,  and all such shares
                  are owned by the Company or by a  subsidiary  of the  Company,
                  except as set forth in a letter  previously  delivered  by the
                  Company to you.

                            (ix) The Registration Statement,  including any Rule
                  462(b)  Registration  Statement,  is effective  under the 1933
                  Act; any required  filing of the  Prospectus  pursuant to Rule
                  424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time  period
                  required  by Rule  424(b);  and no stop order  suspending  the
                  effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement has been issued
                  under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor initiated,  to such
                  counsel's best knowledge, or threatened by the Commission.

                             (x)    The Registration Statement, including any
                  Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, each of the
                  incorporated documents and the Prospectus, and each


                                                        18

<PAGE>



                  amendment or  supplement  thereto [IF  APPLICABLE,  INCLUDE --
                  (OTHER  THAN  THE  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS  OR  OTHER  FINANCIAL
                  INFORMATION OR STATISTICAL DATA INCLUDED THEREIN,  AS TO WHICH
                  NO  OPINION  NEED  BE  RENDERED)],   as  of  their  respective
                  effective or issue dates,  or when  amended,  as  appropriate,
                  complied  as  to  form  in  all  material  respects  with  the
                  requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act and the Rules and
                  Regulations thereunder.

                            (xi) Each  document  filed  pursuant to the 1934 Act
                  and  incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,  at the time
                  it was filed or last amended (other than financial  statements
                  or other  financial  information or statistical  data included
                  therein, as to which no opinion need be rendered), complied as
                  to form in all material  respects to the  requirements  of the
                  1934 Act and the 1934 Regulations.

                           (xii) The  information  in the  Prospectus  under the
                  captions  "Description  of Equity  Securities" [IF APPLICABLE,
                  INCLUDE -- and "Certain  Federal Income Tax  Considerations",]
                  to the extent that such  information  involves matters of law,
                  summaries of legal matters,  the Company's  charter and bylaws
                  or legal proceedings,  or legal conclusions, is correct in all
                  material respects.

                          (xiii) No  authorization,  approval  or consent of any
                  court or  governmental  authority  or agency is  necessary  in
                  connection  with  the  issuance  and  sale  of the  Securities
                  hereunder or the issuance of the Common Stock upon  conversion
                  or redemption of the  Securities  or the  consummation  by the
                  Company of any other transactions  contemplated hereby, except
                  such  as  have  been  obtained  and  made  under  the  federal
                  securities  laws or  state  insurance  laws and such as may be
                  required under the state or foreign securities laws.

                           (xiv) To the best  knowledge of such  counsel,  there
                  are no statutes or  regulations  required to be  described  or
                  incorporated by reference in the Registration  Statement which
                  are not described or incorporated by reference as required and
                  there  are no legal or  governmental  proceedings  pending  or
                  threatened  which are required to be disclosed or incorporated
                  by reference in the Registration  Statement,  other than those
                  disclosed or incorporated by reference therein.

                            (xv) To the best  knowledge of such  counsel,  there
                  are no  contracts,  indentures,  mortgages,  loan  agreements,
                  notes, leases or other instruments required to be described or
                  referred to or incorporated  by reference in the  Registration
                  Statement or to be filed as exhibits  thereto other than those
                  described or


                                                        19

<PAGE>



                  referred to or incorporated  by reference  therein or filed as
                  exhibits  thereto;  the  descriptions  thereof  or  references
                  thereto are true and correct in all material  respects and, to
                  the best  knowledge of such counsel,  no default exists in the
                  due  performance  or  observance  of any material  obligation,
                  agreement,  covenant or condition  contained in any  contract,
                  indenture,  mortgage,  loan  agreement,  note,  lease or other
                  instrument  so  described,  referred  to  or  incorporated  by
                  reference  or  filed,  which  default  could  have a  material
                  adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries  considered
                  as one enterprise.

                           (xvi)  To the best  knowledge  of such  counsel,  the
                  issuance and delivery of the Securities [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING
                  LANGUAGE   IF  THE  EQUITY   SECURITIES   TO  BE  OFFERED  ARE
                  CONVERTIBLE  INTO OR REDEEMABLE  FOR SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF
                  THE COMPANY -- and the Common Stock  issuable upon  conversion
                  or redemption of the  Securities],  the execution and delivery
                  of the Purchase  Agreement  and the Pricing  Agreement and the
                  consummation of the transactions  contemplated  therein,  will
                  not conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default under,
                  or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or
                  encumbrance  upon any property or assets of the Company or any
                  of  its  subsidiaries  pursuant  to,  any  material  contract,
                  indenture,  mortgage,  loan  agreement,  note,  lease or other
                  instrument to which the Company or any of its  subsidiaries is
                  a party  or by which  it or any of them  may be  bound,  or to
                  which any of the  property  or assets of the Company or any of
                  its  subsidiaries is subject,  except for a conflict,  breach,
                  default,  lien,  charge or encumbrance  which would not have a
                  material  adverse  effect  on  the  condition,   financial  or
                  otherwise,  or the earnings or business affairs of the Company
                  and its  subsidiaries  considered as one  enterprise  nor will
                  such action result in any  violation of the  provisions of the
                  charter or by-laws of the Company,  or any material applicable
                  law,  administrative  regulation  or  administrative  or court
                  decree.

                          (xvii)  The  Company  and its  subsidiaries  hold  all
                  material   licenses,   certificates   and  permits   from  all
                  governmental authorities (including,  without limitation,  the
                  Insurance  Licenses)  which are  necessary  to the  conduct of
                  their  businesses;  the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries  have
                  fulfilled and performed all material obligations  necessary to
                  maintain their respective Insurance Licenses,  and no event or
                  events  have  occurred  which may be  reasonably  expected  to
                  result in the material impairment,  modification,  termination
                  or revocation of such Insurance Licenses.



                                                        20

<PAGE>



                         (xviii)  Nothing has come to such  counsel's  attention
                  that would lead such counsel to believe that the  Registration
                  Statement, including any information provided pursuant to Rule
                  430A or Rule 434 (except  for  financial  statements  or other
                  financial   information  or   statistical   data  included  or
                  incorporated  by  reference  therein),  at the time it  became
                  effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or
                  omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein
                  or necessary to make the statements  therein not misleading or
                  that the  Prospectus  at the  Representation  Date (except for
                  financial  statements  and other  financial  data  included or
                  incorporated by reference therein), at the Representation Date
                  (unless the term "Prospectus" refers to a prospectus which has
                  been  provided to the  Underwriters  by the Company for use in
                  connection  with the offering of the Securities  which differs
                  from the  Prospectus on file at the Commission at the time the
                  Registration Statement becomes effective, in which case at the
                  time it is first provided to the Underwriters for such use) or
                  at  the  Closing  Time,  included  an  untrue  statement  of a
                  material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in
                  order  to make the  statements  therein,  in the  light of the
                  circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

                           (xix) The Company is not an  "investment  company" or
                  an entity  "controlled"  by an  "investment  company," as such
                  terms are defined in the 1940 Act.

                             (3) The favorable opinion,  dated as of the Closing
                  Time,  of  _______________________________,  counsel  for  the
                  Underwriters,  with respect to the validity of the Securities,
                  the Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus and other related
                  matters  as you  may  require,  and  the  Company  shall  have
                  furnished to such  counsel such  documents as they request for
                  the purpose of  enabling  them to pass upon such  matters.  In
                  rendering   such   opinion,   [NAME   OF   COUNSEL   FOR   THE
                  UNDERWRITERS],  may rely as to matters governed by the laws of
                  the  State  of  Indiana  upon  the  opinion   referred  to  in
                  subsection (b)(1) above.

         (c) At the  Closing  Time,  there  shall not have been,  since the date
hereof or since the  respective  dates as of which  information  is given in the
Registration Statement and the Prospectus,  other than as stated or contemplated
in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus,  any material adverse change or
any development which would result in any prospective material adverse change in
the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings or business affairs of
the Company and its subsidiaries,  considered as one enterprise,  whether or not
arising in the ordinary  course of  business,  and the  Underwriters  shall have
received a certificate  of the president or a vice  president of the Company and
of the chief financial or chief


                                                        21

<PAGE>



accounting  officer of the Company,  dated as of the Closing Time, to the effect
that  (i)  there  has  been  no  such   material   adverse   change,   (ii)  the
representations  and  warranties in Section 1 are true and correct with the same
force and effect as though  expressly made at and as of the Closing Time,  (iii)
the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its
part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing  Time,  and (iv) no
stop order suspending the  effectiveness of the Registration  Statement has been
issued and, to the best of each such  officer's  knowledge and  information,  no
proceedings   for  that  purpose  have  been  initiated  or  threatened  by  the
Commission.

         (d) At the time of the execution of this Agreement, the Representatives
shall have  received from [NAME OF  INDEPENDENT  PUBLIC  ACCOUNTANTS]  a letter,
dated such date, in form and substance  satisfactory to the Representatives,  to
the effect that (i) they are independent  public accountants with respect to the
Company and its  subsidiaries  within the meaning of the 1933 Act,  the 1933 Act
Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations; (ii) it is their opinion
that the financial  statements and supporting schedules included or incorporated
by reference in the Registration Statement and covered by their opinions therein
comply with the applicable accounting  requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933
Act Regulations and the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations;  (iii) based upon
limited procedures set forth in detail in such letter, nothing has come to their
attention  which  causes  them  to  believe  that  (A) the  unaudited  financial
information  of the Company and its  subsidiaries  included or  incorporated  by
reference in the Registration Statement do not comply as to form in all material
respects with the applicable  accounting  requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933
Act Regulations,  the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations or are not presented
in conformity with generally accepted  accounting  principles applied on a basis
substantially  consistent with that of the audited financial statements included
in the  Registration  Statement,  or (B) at the  date  of the  latest  available
balance sheet read by such  accountants,  or at a subsequent  specified date not
more than five days prior to the date of this Agreement,  there was any increase
in long-term debt for which the Company is directly  liable or notes payable not
direct  obligations  of the  Company  or,  at the date of the  latest  available
balance sheet read by such  accountants,  there was any decrease in total assets
or  shareholders'  equity,  as compared with amounts shown on the latest balance
sheet included in the Prospectus, or (C) for the period from the closing date of
the latest income  statement  included in the  Prospectus to the closing date of
the latest available income statement read by such  accountants,  there were any
decreases,  as compared with the  corresponding  period of the previous year and
with the period of  corresponding  length  ended the date of the  latest  income
statement  included  in  the  Prospectus,  in  the  total  amounts  of  premiums
collected,  net  investment  income,  total  revenues or earnings  applicable to
common stock or net income, fully diluted, per common share except, in all cases
set forth in this clause (iii), for changes, increases or decreases which the


                                                        22

<PAGE>



Prospectus  discloses  have occurred or may occur or which are described in such
letter;  (iv) they have examined the statutory  financial  statements of each of
the  Company's  insurance  subsidiaries,  from  which  certain  ratios and other
statistical data contained in the Registration  Statement have been derived, and
in their opinion such  statements,  with respect to each  insurance  subsidiary,
have for each  relevant  period been  prepared  in  accordance  with  accounting
practices prescribed or permitted by the appropriate Insurance Department of the
state of domicile of such  subsidiary,  and such accounting  practices have been
applied  on a  consistent  basis  throughout  the  periods  involved,  except as
disclosed therein;  and (v) in addition to the examination  referred to in their
opinions and the limited procedures refereed to in clause (iii) above, they have
carried  out certain  specified  procedures,  not  constituting  an audit,  with
respect to certain amounts,  percentages,  ratios and financial information that
has been derived from the accounting  and financial  records of the Company that
are subject to internal  accounting  controls which are included or incorporated
by  reference  in the  Registration  Statement  and  Prospectus  and  which  are
specified by the Underwriters, and have found such amounts, percentages,  ratios
and financial  information to be in agreement  with the relevant  accounting and
financial records of the Company and its subsidiaries identified in such letter.

         (e) At the Closing  Time,  the  Underwriters  shall have  received from
[NAME OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS] a letter, dated as of the Closing Time,
to the effect that they  reaffirm the  statements  made in the letter  furnished
pursuant to  subsection  (d) of this  Section,  except that the  specified  date
referred  to shall be a date not more than five days prior to the  Closing  Time
and,  if the  Company  has  elected  to rely on Rule  430A  under  the  1933 Act
Regulations,  to the further  effect that they have  carried out  procedures  as
specified  in clause (iv) of  subsection  (d) of this  Section  with  respect to
certain  amounts,   percentages  and  financial  information  specified  by  the
Underwriters and deemed to be a part of the Registration  Statement  pursuant to
Rule  430(A)(b)  and  have  found  such  amounts,   percentages   and  financial
information to be in agreement with the records specified in such clause (iv).

         [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH IF THE EQUITY SECURITIES TO BE OFFERED
ARE TO BE LISTED ON THE NEW YORK STOCK  EXCHANGE  (f) At the Closing  Time,  the
Securities  [INCLUDE  THE  FOLLOWING  LANGUAGE  IF THE EQUITY  SECURITIES  TO BE
OFFERED ARE  CONVERTIBLE  INTO OR  REDEEMABLE  FOR SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF THE
COMPANY -- and the Common Stock  issuable  upon  conversion or redemption of the
Securities]  shall have been approved for listing on the New York Stock Exchange
upon notice of issuance.]

         (g) At the Closing Time, and at each Date of Delivery,  if any, counsel
for the Underwriters  shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions
as they may  reasonably  require with respect to unforeseen  materially  changed
circumstances  since the date of this Agreement for the purpose of enabling them
to pass


                                                        23

<PAGE>



upon the issuance and sale of the  Securities  as herein  contemplated;  and all
proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the
Securities as herein  contemplated shall be reasonably  satisfactory in form and
substance to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters.

         (h)      The NASD shall not have raised any objection with
respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting
terms and arrangements.

         (i) In the event that the  Underwriters  exercise their option provided
in Section 2(b) hereof to purchase all or any portion of the Option  Securities,
the  representations  and  warranties  of the Company  contained  herein and the
statements in any certificates  furnished by the Company hereunder shall be true
and correct as of, and as if made on, each Date of Delivery, and at the relevant
Date of Delivery, the Underwriters shall have received:

                             (1) A certificate,  dated such Date of Delivery, of
                  the president or a vice president of the Company and the chief
                  financial   or  chief   accounting   officer  of  the  Company
                  confirming that the certificate  delivered at the Closing Time
                  pursuant to Section 5(c) hereof is true and correct as of, and
                  as if made on, such Date of Delivery.

                             (2)    The favorable opinion of
                         , General Counsel for the Company, in form and
                  substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters,  dated
                  such Date of Delivery,  relating to the Option  Securities and
                  otherwise  to the  same  effect  as the  opinion  required  by
                  Section 5(b)(1) hereof.

                            [(3) THE  FAVORABLE  OPINION  OF  [_______________],
                  COUNSEL FOR THE COMPANY, IN FORM AND SUBSTANCE SATISFACTORY TO
                  COUNSEL  FOR THE  UNDERWRITERS,  DATED SUCH DATE OF  DELIVERY,
                  RELATING TO THE OPTION  SECURITIES  AND  OTHERWISE TO THE SAME
                  EFFECT AS THE OPINION REQUIRED BY SECTION 5(B)(2) HEREOF.]

                             (4) The  favorable  opinion of  __________________,
                  counsel  for the  Underwriters,  dated such Date of  Delivery,
                  relating to the Option  Securities  and  otherwise to the same
                  effect as the opinion required by Section 5(b)(3) hereof.

                             (5) A  letter  from  [NAME  OF  INDEPENDENT  PUBLIC
                  ACCOUNTANTS]  in  form  and  substance   satisfactory  to  the
                  Underwriters  and dated such Date of  Delivery,  substantially
                  the same in form and substance as the letter  furnished to the
                  Underwriters  pursuant to Section 5(d) hereof, except that the
                  "specified date" in the letter furnished pursuant to this


                                                        24

<PAGE>



                  Section  5(j)(5) shall be a date not more than five days prior
                  to such Date of Delivery.

         If any  condition  specified  in this  Section  5 shall  not have  been
fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, this Agreement may be terminated
by the  Underwriters  by  notice to the  Company  at any time at or prior to the
Closing Time, and such  termination  shall be without  liability of any party to
any other party except as provided in Section 4.

         Section 6.  Indemnification.

         (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each  Underwriter
and each person,  if any, who  controls  any  Underwriter  within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as follows:

                    (i) against any and all loss,  liability,  claim, damage and
         expense whatsoever, as incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or
         alleged   untrue   statement  of  a  material  fact  contained  in  the
         Registration  Statement (or any amendment thereto),  including any Rule
         430(A) Information or Rule 434 Information,  or the omission or alleged
         omission  therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or
         necessary to make the statements  therein not misleading or arising out
         of any untrue  statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
         contained  in any  preliminary  prospectus  or the  Prospectus  (or any
         amendment or  supplement  thereto) or the omission or alleged  omission
         therefrom of a material fact  necessary in order to make the statements
         therein,  in the light of the circumstances under which they were made,
         not misleading;

                   (ii) against any and all loss,  liability,  claim, damage and
         expense whatsoever,  as incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount
         paid  in  settlement  of  any  litigation,   or  any  investigation  or
         proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened,
         or of any claim  whatsoever  based upon any such  untrue  statement  or
         omission,  or any such alleged  untrue  statement or omission,  if such
         settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company; and

                  (iii)  against  any and all  expense  whatsoever,  as incurred
         (including,  subject to Section 6(c) hereof,  the  reasonable  fees and
         disbursements  of  counsel  chosen  by  the  Underwriters),  reasonably
         incurred  in   investigating,   preparing  or  defending   against  any
         litigation,  or any  investigation  or proceeding  by any  governmental
         agency or body, commenced or threatened,  or any claim whatsoever based
         upon any such untrue statement or omission,  or any such alleged untrue
         statement or omission,  to the extent that any such expense is not paid
         under (i) or (ii) above;



                                                        25

<PAGE>



provided, however, that (A) the foregoing indemnity shall not apply to any loss,
liability,  claim,  damage or expense to the  extent  arising  out of any untrue
statement or omission or alleged  untrue  statement or omission made in reliance
upon and in conformity with written information  furnished to the Company by any
Underwriter  expressly for use in the  Registration  Statement (or any amendment
thereto) or any  preliminary  prospectus or the  Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement  thereto);  and (B) the foregoing indemnity agreement with respect to
any  preliminary  prospectus  shall not inure to the benefit of the  Underwriter
from whom the person asserting any such losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities
purchased Securities, or any person controlling any Underwriter if a copy of the
Prospectus (as then amended or supplemented, if the Company shall have furnished
any amendments or supplements  thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of
the  Underwriters  to such  person if such is required by law at or prior to the
written  confirmation  of the sale of such  Securities to such person and if the
Prospectus  (as so amended or  supplemented)  would have cured the defect giving
rise to such loss, claim, damage or liability.

         (b) Each  Underwriter  severally  agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company,  its  directors,  each of its officers who signed the  Registration
Statement,  and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning
of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act  against any and all
loss, liability,  claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained
in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred,  but only with respect to untrue
statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions,  made in the
Registration  Statement (or any amendment thereto) or any preliminary prospectus
or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement  thereto) in reliance upon and
in  conformity  with  written  information  furnished  to the  Company  by  such
Underwriter  expressly for use in the  Registration  Statement (or any amendment
thereto) or such  preliminary  prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto).

         (c) Each indemnified  party shall give notice as promptly as reasonably
practicable to each  indemnifying  party of any action  commenced  against it in
respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder,  but failure to so notify an
indemnifying  party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability
which it may have  otherwise  than on account of this  indemnity  agreement.  An
indemnifying party may participate at its own expense in the defense of any such
action.  If it so elects within a reasonable  time after receipt of such notice,
an indemnifying  party,  jointly with any other  indemnifying  parties receiving
such notice, may assume the defense of such action with counsel chosen by it and
approved by the  indemnified  parties  defendant in such action (which  approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld),  unless such indemnified parties reasonably
object  to such  assumption  on the  ground  that  there  may be legal  defenses
available to them which are different from or in addition to those  available to
such indemnifying party. If an indemnifying party assumes the defense


                                                        26

<PAGE>



of such action,  the  indemnifying  parties shall not be liable for any fees and
expenses  of  counsel  for  the  indemnified   parties  incurred  thereafter  in
connection  with such  action.  In no event  shall the  indemnifying  parties be
liable for reasonable fees and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to
any local counsel)  separate from their own counsel for all indemnified  parties
in connection  with any one action or separate but similar or related actions in
the  same  jurisdiction   arising  out  of  the  same  general   allegations  or
circumstances.  An indemnifying  party shall not be liable for any settlement or
any action or claim  effected  without its consent,  which  consent shall not be
unreasonably withheld.

         Section 7.  Contribution.

         In  order  to  provide   for  just  and   equitable   contribution   in
circumstances in which the indemnity  agreement provided for in Section 6 is for
any  reason  held  to be  unenforceable  by  the  indemnified  parties  although
applicable in accordance with its terms, the Company and the Underwriters  shall
contribute to the aggregate losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses of
the nature  contemplated by said indemnity agreement incurred by the Company and
one or more of the  Underwriters,  as  incurred,  in such  proportions  that the
Underwriters are responsible for that portion represented by the percentage that
the underwriting discount appearing on the cover page of the Prospectus bears to
the initial public  offering price of the Securities  appearing  thereon and the
Company is responsible for the balance; provided, however, that no person guilty
of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the 1933
Act) shall be  entitled  to  contribution  from any person who was not guilty of
such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section, each person, if
any,  who controls an  Underwriter  within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933
Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to  contribution as
such Underwriter,  and each director of the Company, each officer of the Company
who signed the Registration  Statement and each person, if any, who controls the
Company  within  the  meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the
1934  Act  shall  have the same  rights  to  contribution  as the  Company.  The
Underwriters'  respective  obligations to contribute  pursuant to this Section 7
are several,  and not joint, in proportion to the number or aggregate  principal
amount,  as the case may be, of  Initial  Securities  set forth  opposite  their
respective names in the applicable Pricing Agreement.

         Section 8.  Representations, Warranties and Agreements to 
Survive Delivery.

         All  representations,  warranties  and  agreements  contained  in  this
Agreement and the Pricing Agreement, or contained in certificates of officers of
the Company submitted pursuant hereto,  shall remain operative and in full force
and  effect,  regardless  of  any  investigation  made  by or on  behalf  of any
Underwriter or controlling person, or by or on behalf of the


                                                        27

<PAGE>



Company,  and shall  survive  delivery of and payment for the  Securities to the
Underwriters.

         Section 9.  Termination of Agreement.

         (a) The  Representatives  may terminate  this Agreement and the Pricing
Agreement, by notice to the Company, at any time at or prior to the Closing Time
(i) if there has been,  since the date of this Agreement or since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Registration  Statement (except as
otherwise stated or contemplated  therein at the date of the Pricing Agreement),
any  material  adverse  change  or  any  development  which  will  result  in  a
prospective material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or
in the  earnings  or  business  affairs  of the  Company  and  its  subsidiaries
considered as one  enterprise,  whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business,  or (ii) if there has occurred any  outbreak of  hostilities  or other
calamity  or  crisis,  or any  material  worsening  thereof,  or any  change  or
development   involving  a  prospective  change  in  national  or  international
political,  financial  or  economic  conditions,  the  effect  of  which  on the
financial markets of the United States is such as to make it, in the judgment of
the Underwriters, impracticable to market the Securities or to enforce contracts
for the sale of the  Securities,  or (iii) if trading in the Common Stock or any
other security of the Company has been suspended or limited by the Commission or
the New York Stock  Exchange,  or if trading  generally  on either the  American
Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange has been suspended or limited,  or
minimum or maximum  prices for  trading  have been fixed,  or maximum  ranges of
prices for  securities  have been  required,  by either of said  Exchanges or by
order of the Commission,  the NASD or any other governmental  authority, or (iv)
if a banking  moratorium  has been  declared by Federal,  New York or California
authorities.

         (b) If this Agreement and the Pricing Agreement are terminated pursuant
to this Section, such termination shall be without liability of any party to any
other  party  except as  provided  in Section  4, and  provided,  further,  that
Sections 1, 6 and 7 shall survive such  termination and remain in full force and
effect.

         Section 10.  Default by One or More of the Underwriters.

         If one or more  of the  Underwriters  shall  fail  at  Closing  Time to
purchase the Initial Securities which it or they are obligated to purchase under
this  Agreement and the Pricing  Agreement  (the  "Defaulted  Securities"),  the
Representatives  shall  have the  right,  within  24 hours  thereafter,  to make
arrangements for one or more of the  non-defaulting  Underwriters,  or any other
underwriters,  to  purchase  all,  but  not  less  than  all,  of the  Defaulted
Securities  in such  amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms herein set
forth;  if,  however,   the  Representatives   shall  not  have  completed  such
arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:


                                                        28

<PAGE>




                  (a) if the number of Defaulted  Securities does not exceed 10%
         of the number of Initial  Securities,  the non-defaulting  Underwriters
         shall  be  obligated  to  purchase  the  full  amount  thereof  in  the
         proportions that their respective  underwriting  obligations  hereunder
         bear   to  the   underwriting   obligations   of   all   non-defaulting
         Underwriters, or

                  (b) if the number of Defaulted  Securities  exceeds 10% of the
         number of Initial  Securities,  this Agreement shall terminate  without
         liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter.

         No action taken  pursuant to this Section shall relieve any  defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of its default.

         In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination
of this  Agreement,  either the  Representatives  or the Company  shall have the
right to postpone  the  Closing  Time for a period not  exceeding  seven days in
order to effect any required changes in the Registration Statement or Prospectus
or in any other documents or arrangements.

         Section 11.  Notices.

         All notices and other communications  hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard
form of telecommunication.  Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the
Representatives  c/o [NAME AND  ADDRESS  OF LEAD  UNDERWRITER];  notices  to the
Company  shall be  directed to it at 11825 North  Pennsylvania  Street,  Carmel,
Indiana 46032, Attention: General Counsel.

         Section 12.  Parties.

         This  Agreement  and the  Pricing  Agreement  shall  each  inure to the
benefit  of and be  binding  upon the  Underwriters  and the  Company  and their
respective  successors.  Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement or the
Pricing Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any person,  firm or
corporation,  other than the  Underwriters  and the Company and their respective
successors and the controlling persons and officers and directors referred to in
Sections  6 and 7 and  their  heirs  and  legal  representatives,  any  legal or
equitable  right,  remedy or claim under or in respect of this  Agreement or the
Pricing Agreement or any provision herein or therein  contained.  This Agreement
and the Pricing  Agreement and all conditions and provisions  hereof and thereof
are intended to be for the sole and exclusive  benefit of the  Underwriters  and
the Company and their respective  successors,  and said controlling  persons and
officers and  directors and their heirs and legal  representatives,  and for the
benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Securities from
any  Underwriter  shall be deemed  to be a  successor  by reason  merely of such
purchase.

         Section 13.  Governing Law and Time.


                                                        29

<PAGE>




         This  Agreement  and the  Pricing  Agreement  shall be  governed by and
construed in  accordance  with the laws of the State of New York  applicable  to
agreements  made and to be performed in said State.  Unless  otherwise set forth
herein, specified times of day refer to New York City time.

         If the  foregoing  is in  accordance  with  your  understanding  of our
agreement, please sign and return to the Company a counterpart hereof, whereupon
this instrument,  along with all counterparts,  shall become a binding agreement
between the Underwriters and the Company in accordance with its terms.

                                                     Very truly yours,

                                                     CONSECO, INC.


                                                     By ________________________
                                                        Name:
                                                        Title:

CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED, as of the date first above written:

[NAME(S) OF REPRESENTATIVE(S) OF UNDERWRITER(S)]




By  _______________________________
    Name:
    Title:

For  themselves  and as  Representatives  of the  other  Underwriters  named  in
Schedule A hereto.



                                                        30

<PAGE>



                                                    SCHEDULE A


                                                                       Number of
                                                                       Shares of
                                                                          Equity
                                                                      Securities
                                                                           to be
                        Name                                           Purchased

                          . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Name(s) of Underwriter(s)]














                                                                       --------

                               Total.................................   ========


                                                        31

<PAGE>



                                                                    EXHIBIT A

                              ______________ Shares

                                  CONSECO, INC.
                            (an Indiana corporation)

                   [Title of Equity Securities to be Offered]


                                PRICING AGREEMENT



                                                         ----------, ----

[Name(s) of Representative(s) of Underwriter(s)]
         the Underwriters



Dear Sirs:

                  Reference is made to the Purchase Agreement dated ___________,
_____ (the "Purchase  Agreement") relating to the purchase by [INSERT NAME(S) OF
REPRESENTATIVE(S)  OF  UNDERWRITER(S)],  as  representatives of the Underwriters
named in Schedule A thereto (the "Underwriters"),  of the above shares of [TITLE
OF EQUITY  SECURITY TO BE OFFERED]  (the  "Securities"),  of Conseco,  Inc.,  an
Indiana corporation (the "Company").

                  Pursuant to Section 2 of the Purchase  Agreement,  the Company
agrees with each Underwriter as follows:

                  1.  The  initial  public  offering  price  per  share  for the
         Securities,  determined  as provided in Section 2, shall be $______ per
         share,  being an amount equal to the initial public  offering price set
         forth above less $______ per share [IF PREFERRED STOCK OR OTHER SIMILAR
         TYPE EQUITY SECURITIES ARE TO BE OFFERED INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE
         --,  PLUS ALL ACCRUED AND UNPAID  DIVIDENDS,  IF ANY,  FROM THE DATE OF
         ORIGINAL  ISSUE OF SUCH  SECURITIES];  provided that the purchase price
         per  share  for any  Option  Securities  (as  defined  in the  Purchase
         Agreement)  purchased  upon the exercise of the  over-allotment  option
         described in Section 2(b) of the Purchase Agreement shall be reduced by
         an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by
         the Company and  payable on the Initial  Securities  (as defined in the
         Purchase Agreement) but not payable on the Option Securities.

                  [INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH IF PREFERRED STOCK OR
         OTHER SIMILAR TYPE EQUITY SECURITIES ARE TO BE OFFERED --

         2.       The dividend shall be $______ per share per annum.]

                  If the foregoing is in accordance with your 
understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to the


<PAGE>



Company  a  counterpart  hereof,  whereupon  this  instrument,  along  with  all
counterparts,  will become a binding  agreement between the Underwriters and the
Company in accordance with its terms.

                                Very truly yours,

                                  CONSECO, INC.



                                        By: __________________________
                                            Name:
                                            Title:


CONFIRMED AND ACCEPTED,
         as of the date first above written:
[NAME(S) OF REPRESENTATIVE(S) OF UNDERWRITER(S)]




By_____________________________________
                  Authorized Signature

For themselves and as Representatives
of the other Underwriters

                                                        A-2



                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.5

CERTIFICATE                                     NUMBER OF
  NUMBER                                        SHARES

- --------% PRIDES(SM), CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK,
LIQUIDATION PREFERENCE $----------------PER SHARE
                                               CUSIP 208464


Incorporated Under the Laws of the State of Indiana
This Certificate is transferable in the City of New York
or in Charlotte, North Carolina

                                  CONSECO, INC.


                                                                 See reverse for
                                                             certain definitions

         This certifies that-----------------------------------is the owner of
- ------------------ fully paid and non-assessable shares of-------------------%
PRIDES,  Convertible  Preferred  Stock,  of Conseco,  Inc. (the  "Corporation"),
transferable on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof,  in person or
by  duly  authorized  attorney,  upon  surrender  of this  Certificate  properly
endorsed.  This Certificate is not valid until  countersigned  and registered by
the Transfer Agent and Registrar.

         WITNESS the facsimile signatures of its duly authorized officers.

Dated:-----------------------
                                                 -------------------------
                                                            President


                                                 -------------------------
                                                            Secretary

Countersigned and Registered:

FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK OF NORTH CAROLINA
as Transfer Agent and Registrar

By: -----------------------------------
         Authorized Signature





[SEAL]



(SM) Service mark of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.


<PAGE>


                                  CONSECO, INC.

         INFORMATION  REGARDING THE DESIGNATIONS,  RELATIVE RIGHTS,  PREFERENCES
AND  LIMITATIONS  APPLICABLE TO EACH CLASS OF STOCK AND SERIES  THEREOF (AND THE
AUTHORITY OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO DETERMINE  VARIATIONS  FOR FUTURE SERIES)
WILL BE  FURNISHED  WITHOUT  CHARGE UPON WRITTEN  REQUEST  ADDRESSED TO CONSECO,
INC., INVESTOR RELATIONS, 11825 N. PENNSYLVANIA ST., CARMEL, INDIANA 46032.

         The following  abbreviations,  when used in the inscription on the face
of this certificate,  shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

TEN COMM -        as tenants in common

TEN ENT  -        as tenants by the entireties

JT TEN   -        as joint tenants with right of survivorship
                  and not as tenants in common

UNIF GIFT MIN ACT - . . . . .Custodian. . . . . .
                                    (Cust)                      (Minor)
                                    under Uniform Gifts to Minors
                                    Act . . . . . . . . . . . . .
                                             (State)

         Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

FOR VALUE RECEIVED,--------------------------------------hereby sell, assign
and transfer unto ----------------------------------------------------------
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------(please
print or typewrite name and address including postal zip code of
assignee)-------------------------------------Shares represented by the within
Certificate, and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint-----------------
- ----------------------------------------Attorney to transfer the said stock on
the books of the  within-named  Corporation with such full power of substitution
in the premises.

Dated --------------------


                                                --------------------------

NOTICE:  The  signature  to this  assignment  must  correspond  with the name as
written  upon  the  face  of  the  Certificate,  in  every  particular,  without
alteration or enlargement, or any change whatever.

Signature(s) Guaranteed:

By








                                                             Exhibit 8.1


                             KRIEG DEVAULT ALEXANDER
                                   & CAPEHART

                                ATTORNEYS AT LAW

           One Indiana Square, Suite 2800, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204



January 11, 1996


Conseco, Inc.
11825 N. Pennsylvania Street
Carmel, Indiana 46032

         Re:      CONSECO, INC
                  REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-3
                  (REGISTRATION NO. 33-53095)

Gentlemen:

         We have  acted  as  special  counsel  for  Conseco,  Inc.,  an  Indiana
corporation  (the  "Company"),  in connection with the proposed  issuance by the
Company of its ____% PRIDES, Convertible Preferred Stock, no par value per share
(the  "PRIDES").  A  Registration  Statement  on Form S-3,  No.  33-53095,  (the
"Registration Statement") and an Amendment No.3 thereto, containing a Prospectus
Supplement  dated  January  3,  1996  describing  the  PRIDES ( the  "Prospectus
Supplement"),  has been filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission  (the
"Commission")  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as amended (the  "Securities
Act") but has not yet been declared effective.

         We  have  examined  the  Preliminary   Prospectus  and  the  Prospectus
Supplement  included in  Amendment  Number Three to the  Registration  Statement
(collectively,  the  "Prospectus")  and such other  documents,  instruments  and
representations  as we  have  considered  necessary  for  the  purposes  of this
opinion.

         On the basis of and subject to the foregoing (including the accuracy of
all facts set forth in the Prospectus and such other documents,  instruments and
representations as we have examined), and the offering of shares of PRIDES being
consummated  in the manner  described in the  Prospectus,  the discussion in the
Prospectus, under the heading "Certain Federal Income Tax Considerations," while
not  purporting  to address all  possible  federal  income tax  consequences  to
persons who purchase shares of PRIDES,  expresses our opinion as to the material
federal income tax considerations believed to be applicable to such persons. The
discussion, however, does not


<PAGE>


Conseco, Inc.
January 11, 1996
Page 2


address the federal income tax consequences  applicable to particular categories
of investors which may be subject to special rules.

         We hereby  consent to the  filing of this  opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration  Statement,  to the  reference  to us in the  Prospectus  under the
captions "Certain Federal Income Tax  Considerations" and "Legal Matters" and to
the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to any application made by or on behalf
of the Company or any dealer in connection  with the  registration of the PRIDES
under the  securities or blue sky laws of any state or  jurisdiction.  In giving
such  permission,  we do not admit  hereby that we come  within the  category of
persons whose consent is required  under Section 7 of the  Securities Act or the
rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

                                             Very truly yours,



                                             KRIEG DEVAULT ALEXANDER & CAPEHART




                    

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

                      ------------------------------------



We consent to the incorporation by reference in this  registration  statement on
Form S-3  (Registration  No. 33-53095) of our reports dated March 6, 1995 on our
audits  of  the  consolidated   financial  statements  and  financial  statement
schedules of Conseco, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 1994 and 1993 and
for the years ended  December  31, 1994,  1993 and 1992.  We also consent to the
reference to our firm under the caption "Experts."





                                                   COOPERS & LYBRAND L.L.P.




Indianapolis, Indiana
January 11, 1996



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