OHIO CASUALTY CORP
10-K, 1998-03-27
FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE
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<PAGE>   1
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D. C. 20549

                                    FORM 10-K

[x]  Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange
     Act of 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997
                                           -----------------

[ ]  Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities 
     Exchange Act of 1934

     For the transition period from  _________________  to  ____________________


Commission File Number 0-5544

                            OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

              OHIO                                       31-0783294
  (State or other jurisdiction              (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
of incorporation or organization)

 136 NORTH THIRD STREET, HAMILTON, OHIO                    45025
(Address of principal executive offices)                 (Zip Code)


                                 (513) 867-3000
                         (Registrant's telephone number)

           SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(g) OF THE ACT:

                       Common Shares, Par Value $.125 Each
                                (Title of Class)

                          Common Share Purchase Rights
                                (Title of Class)

      Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15 (d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.

                                                    Yes    X    No
                                                          ---       ---

      Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item
405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the
best of registrant's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements
incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this
Form 10-K [ ].

      The aggregate market value as of March 1, 1998 of the voting stock held by
non-affiliates of the registrant was $1,416,224,864.

      On March 1, 1998 there were 33,629,908 shares outstanding.



                                  Page 1 of 102
                        INDEX TO EXHIBITS ON PAGES 31-32

================================================================================



<PAGE>   2


                       DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

Annual Report to Shareholders for the registrant's fiscal year ended December
31, 1997 is incorporated herein by reference for the following items:



                                     PART I

Item 1.    Business.



                                     PART II

Item 5.    Market for the Registrant's Common Equity and Related Stockholder 
           Matters.

Item 6.    Selected Financial Data.

Item 7.    Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and 
           Results of Operations.

Item 8.    Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.



The Proxy Statement of the Board of Directors for the fiscal year ended December
31, 1997 for the Annual Shareholders meeting to be held April 15, 1998 is
incorporated herein by reference for the following items:



                                    PART III

Item 10.   Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant.

Item 11.   Executive Compensation.

Item 12.   Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management.

Item 13.   Certain Relationships and Related Transactions.




                                        2


<PAGE>   3


                                     PART I

ITEM 1.   BUSINESS

(a)   GENERAL DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS

Ohio Casualty Corporation (the Corporation) was incorporated under the laws of
Ohio in August, 1969. The Corporation operates primarily as a holding company
and is principally engaged, through its direct and indirect subsidiaries, in the
business of property and casualty insurance and insurance premium finance.

The Corporation has two industry segments: property and casualty insurance and
insurance premium finance. The Corporation conducts its property and casualty
insurance business through The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company ("Ohio
Casualty"), an Ohio corporation organized in 1919, the Ohio Casualty's four
operating property and casualty insurance subsidiaries: West American Insurance
Company ("West American"), an Indiana corporation (originally incorporated under
the laws of the State of California) acquired in 1945; Ohio Security Insurance
Company ("Ohio Security"), an Ohio corporation acquired in 1962; American Fire
and Casualty Company ("American Fire"), an Ohio corporation (originally
incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida) acquired in 1969; and
Avomark Insurance Company ("Avomark"), an Indiana corporation created in 1997.
This group of companies presently underwrites most forms of property and
casualty insurance. The Corporation conducts its premium finance business
through Ocasco Budget, Inc. ("Ocasco"), an Ohio corporation (originally
incorporated under the laws of the State of California) organized in 1960.
Ocasco is a direct subsidiary of Ohio Casualty. On May 31, 1995 the states of
domicile of West American and Ocasco changed to Indiana and Ohio, respectively,
in connection with the withdrawal from property and casualty insurance
operations in California as previously announced and as discussed elsewhere
herein.

During 1995, the Corporation's third industry segment, life operations, was
discontinued. We found it increasingly difficult to achieve our targeted 16%
rate of return in this segment of our business. After extensive analysis, it was
determined that a 16% return could not be achieved without substantial capital
contributions and a dramatic overhaul of the life operations. Since this was a
small segment of our overall business, it was decided that this would not be a
prudent use of our capital. Therefore, on October 2, 1995, the Corporation
signed the final documents to reinsure the existing blocks of business and enter
a marketing agreement with Great Southern Life Insurance Company. The existing
blocks of business were reinsured through a 100% coinsurance arrangement with
Employer's Reassurance Corporation. During the fourth quarter of 1997, Great
Southern Life Insurance Company legally replaced Ohio Life as the primary
insurer for approximately 76% of the life insurance policies subject to the 1995
agreement. As a result of this assumption, fourth quarter net income was
positively impacted by a partial recognition of unamortized ceding commission.
The after-tax impact was an increase to net income of $5.3 million. There
remains approximately $2.2 million in unamortized ceding commission. This will
continue to be amortized over the remaining life of the underlying policies. Net
income from discontinued operations amounted to $8.7 million or $.25 per share
in 1997 compared with $5.3 million or $.15 per share in 1996 and $4.4 million or
$.12 per share in 1995.

(b)   FINANCIAL INFORMATION ABOUT INDUSTRY SEGMENTS

The revenues, operating profit and identifiable assets of each industry segment
for the three years ended December 31, 1997 are set forth in Note 12, Industry
Segment Information, in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements on
page 29 of the Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December
31, 1997.

                                        3


<PAGE>   4


ITEM 1.   CONTINUED


      PREMIUMS

The following table shows the total net premiums written (gross premiums less
premiums ceded pursuant to reinsurance treaties) by line of business by Ohio
Casualty, West American, American Fire, Avomark, Ohio Security and Ohio Life as
a group (collectively, the "Ohio Casualty Group") for the periods indicated.

                               Ohio Casualty Group
                              Net Premiums Written
                               By Line of Business
                                 (in thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                  1997             1996             1995              1994              1993
                              -----------      -----------      -----------       -----------       -----------
<S>                           <C>              <C>              <C>               <C>               <C>        
Auto liability                $   384,358      $   386,121      $   403,781       $   420,031       $   430,852
Auto physical damage              219,870          208,541          207,534           212,005           210,987
Homeowners
    multiple peril                168,168          166,457          160,444           160,089           156,797
Workers' compensation              97,176          115,398          140,558           145,641           165,577
Commercial
    multiple peril                141,931          132,808          131,553           135,595           136,559
Other liability                    96,610          101,688          108,483           112,906           107,983
All other lines                    98,708           97,059           96,842            98,714            95,562
                              -----------      -----------      -----------       -----------       -----------
Property and casualty
    premiums                  $ 1,206,821      $ 1,208,072      $ 1,249,195       $ 1,284,981       $ 1,304,317
                              ===========      ===========      ===========       ===========       ===========

Premium finance
    revenues                  $     1,511      $     1,981      $     2,314       $     2,528       $     2,887
                              ===========      ===========      ===========       ===========       ===========

Discontinued operations-
Statutory premiums:
    Individual life           $         0      $         0      $  (126,979)      $    22,238       $    38,409
    Annuity                             0                0         (195,870)           18,104            19,530
    Other                               6              215          (22,012)            8,606             6,716
                              -----------      -----------      -----------       -----------       -----------
       Total                            6              215         (344,861)           48,948            64,655
FAS 97 adjustments                      0                0           (1,533)          (26,173)          (44,748)
                              -----------      -----------      -----------       -----------       -----------
Discontinued operations
    revenues                  $         6      $       215      $  (346,394)      $    22,775       $    19,907
                              ===========      ===========      ===========       ===========       ===========
</TABLE>


Property and casualty net premiums written decreased 0.1% in 1997. New Jersey
net premiums written decreased 2.3%, primarily due to a decline in the workers'
compensation, general liability and auto lines of business. Premiums written in
Pennsylvania declined 12.0% during 1997. This decline has primarily been driven
by competitive pricing conditions in commercial lines during 1997. The
Corporation is currently developing strategies to help counteract this decline.
Net premiums written increased in both Ohio and Kentucky during 1997. In Ohio,
premiums grew 4.8% in 1997. The growth has occurred in the auto and CMP lines of
business. In Kentucky, premiums grew 14.6% in 1997. This growth is seen in our
auto, homeowners and CMP lines of business.



                                        4

<PAGE>   5


ITEM 1.   CONTINUED


(c)   NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS

The Ohio Casualty Group is represented on a commission basis by approximately
4,442 independent insurance agents. In most cases, these agents also represent
other unaffiliated companies which may compete with the Ohio Casualty Group. The
34 claim and 13 underwriting and service offices operated by the Ohio Casualty
Group assist these independent agents in producing and servicing the Group's
business.

The following table shows consolidated direct premiums written for the Ohio
Casualty Group's ten largest states:

                               Ohio Casualty Group
                               Ten Largest States
                             Direct Premiums Written
                           From Continuing Operations
                                 (in thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                            Percent                                 Percent                                Percent
                   1997     of Total                       1996    of Total                       1995     of Total
                   ----     --------                       ----    --------                       ----     --------
<S>               <C>          <C>      <C>              <C>           <C>      <C>              <C>          <C>
New Jersey        $220,588     18.0     New Jersey       $218,553      18.0     New Jersey       $220,373     17.6
Ohio               132,325     10.8     Ohio              125,675      10.3     Pennsylvania      128,603     10.3
Kentucky           101,341      8.3     Pennsylvania      114,998       9.5     Ohio              126,622     10.1
Pennsylvania       101,074      8.2     Kentucky           87,002       7.2     Kentucky           80,498      6.4
Illinois            63,347      5.2     Illinois           60,311       5.0     Illinois           64,352      5.1
Indiana             54,415      4.4     Maryland           52,204       4.3     Maryland           56,741      4.5
Maryland            46,660      3.8     Indiana            50,560       4.2     Indiana            49,353      3.9
Texas               42,005      3.4     Texas              37,678       3.1     Texas              43,036      3.4
North Carolina      37,383      3.0     Florida            36,995       3.0     Florida            42,061      3.4
Florida             34,570      2.8     North Carolina     34,108       2.8     North Carolina     33,955      2.7
                 ---------    -----                     ---------    ------                     ---------   ------
                  $833,708     67.9                      $818,084      67.4                      $845,594     67.4
                  ========     ====                      ========      ====                      ========     ====
</TABLE>


      INVESTMENT OPERATIONS

Each of the companies in the Ohio Casualty Group must comply with the insurance
laws of its domiciliary state and of the other states in which it is licensed
for business. Among other things, these laws prescribe the kind, quality and
concentration of investments which may be made by insurance companies. In
general, these laws permit investments, within specified limits and subject to
certain qualifications, in federal, state and municipal obligations, corporate
bonds, preferred and common stocks, real estate mortgages and real estate.

The distribution of invested assets of the Ohio Casualty Group is determined by
a number of factors, including insurance law requirements, the Corporation's
liquidity needs, tax position, and general market conditions. In addition, our
business mix and liability payout patterns are considered. Adjustments are made
to the asset allocation from time to time. The Corporation has no real estate
investments. Assets relating to property and casualty operations are invested to
maximize after-tax returns with appropriate diversification of risk.





                                        5

<PAGE>   6


ITEM 1.   CONTINUED

The following table sets forth the carrying values and other data of the
consolidated invested assets of the Ohio Casualty Group as of the end of the
years indicated:

                               Ohio Casualty Group
                         Distribution of Invested Assets
                                  (in millions)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 1997
                                Average                         % of                       % of                     % of
                                Rating           1997           Total        1996         Total         1995        Total
                                -------        --------         -----       --------      -----      --------      -----

<S>                              <C>         <C>                 <C>      <C>              <C>      <C>             <C>
U.S. government                  AAA         $     69.8           2.2     $     82.5        2.7     $   116.5        3.8
Tax exempt bonds
    and notes                    AA+              875.7          27.8          794.5       25.8         898.5       29.1
Debt securities
    issued by foreign
    governments                  A+                 3.5           0.1            3.3        0.1           3.4        0.1
Corporate securities             BBB+             929.9          29.5          983.7       32.0         986.4       32.0
Mortgage backed
    securities
       U.S. government           AAA               17.6           0.6          176.9        5.8         170.2        5.5
       Other                     AA+              329.5          10.4          270.0        8.8         232.9        7.6
                                               --------         -----       --------      -----      --------      -----
Total bonds                      A+             2,226.0          70.6        2,310.9       75.2       2,407.9       78.1

Common stocks                                     853.9          27.1          713.4       23.2         627.4       20.3
Preferred stocks                                    5.6           0.2            7.8        0.2          33.7        1.1
                                               --------         -----       --------      -----      --------      -----
Total stocks                                      859.5          27.3          721.2       23.4         661.1       21.4

Short-term                                         65.9           2.1           41.5        1.4          14.4        0.5
                                               --------         -----       --------      -----      --------      -----
Total investments                              $3,151.4         100.0       $3,073.6      100.0      $3,083.4      100.0
                                               ========         =====       ========      =====      ========      =====

Total market value
    of investments                             $3,151.4                     $3,073.6                 $3,083.4
                                               ========                     ========                 ========

Total amortized cost
    of investments                             $2,453.8                     $2,573.9                 $2,617.5
                                               ========                     ========                 ========
</TABLE>


The consolidated fixed income portfolio (identified as "Total Bonds" in the
foregoing table) of the Ohio Casualty Group had a weighted average rating of
"A+" and an average stated maturity of twelve years as of December 31, 1997.

Investments in below investment grade securities (Standard and Poor's rating
below BBB-) and unrated securities are summarized as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           1997                 1996                 1995
                                                           ----                 ----                 ----
<S>                                                        <C>                  <C>                  <C>   
Below investment grade securities:
      Carrying value                                       $141.4               $184.6               $203.9
      Amortized cost                                        135.6                180.0                203.7

Unrated securities:
      Carrying value                                       $242.8               $315.4               $286.3
      Amortized cost                                        228.6                308.3                271.2
</TABLE>



                                        6


<PAGE>   7


ITEM 1.   CONTINUED

Utilizing ratings provided by other agencies, such as the NAIC, categorizes
additional unrated securities into below investment grade ratings. The following
summarizes the additional unrated securities that are rated in the below
investment grade category by other rating agencies:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           1997                 1996                 1995
                                                           ----                 ----                 ----
<S>                                                        <C>                  <C>                  <C>   
Below investment grade securities at
      carrying value                                       $141.4               $184.6               $203.9

Other rating agencies categorizing
      unrated securities as below
      investment grade                                        8.1                 27.3                 28.9
                                                        ---------             --------             --------

Below investment grade securities at
      carrying value                                       $149.5               $211.9               $232.8
</TABLE>

All of the Corporation's below investment grade investments (based on carrying
value) are performing in accordance with contractual terms and are making
principal and interest payments as required. The securities in the Corporation's
below investment grade portfolio have been issued by 51 corporate borrowers in
approximately 36 industries. At December 31, 1997, the market value of the
Corporation's five largest investments in below investment grade securities
totaled $44.4 million, and had an approximate amortized cost of $41.2 million.
None of these holdings individually exceeded $15.9 million.

At December 31, 1997, the fixed income portfolio relating to property and
casualty operations totaled $2.2 billion which consisted of 89.1% investment
grade securities and 10.9% below investment grade and/or unrated securities. At
December 31, 1997, the fixed income portfolio relating to discontinued
operations totaled $18.2 million, all of which are classified as investment
grade securities.

Investments in below investment grade securities have greater risks than
investments in investment grade securities. The risk of default by borrowers
which issue securities rated below investment grade is significantly greater
because these securities are generally unsecured and often subordinated to other
debt and these borrowers are often highly leveraged and are more sensitive to
adverse economic conditions such as a recession or a sharp increase in interest
rates. Investment grade securities are also subject to significant adverse risks
including the risks of re-leveraging and changes in control of the issuer. In
most instances, investors are unprotected with respect to such risks, the
effects of which can be substantial.

Yield (based on cost of investments) for the taxable fixed income portfolio was
8.6% and 8.4% at December 31, 1997 and 1996, respectively. Below investment
grade securities were yielding 9.3% and 9.2% at December 31, 1997 and 1996,
respectively, while investment grade securities were yielding 8.5% in 1997 and
8.2% in 1996. Yield for tax exempt securities was 6.2% at December 31, 1997 and
1996, however, this yield is not directly comparable to taxable yield due to the
complexity of federal taxation of insurance companies.

The Corporation remains committed to a diversified common stock portfolio. As of
December 31, 1997, the portfolio consisted of 74 separate issues, diversified
across 53 different industries; and the largest single position was 10.2% of the
portfolio. The portfolio strategy with respect to common stocks has been to
invest in companies whose stocks have below average valuations, yet above
average growth prospects.



                                        7


<PAGE>   8


ITEM 1.   CONTINUED

Investment income is affected by the amount of new investable funds and
investable funds arising from maturities, prepayments, calls and exchanges as
well as the timing of receipt of such funds. In addition, other factors such as
interest rates at time of investment and the maturity, income tax status, credit
status and other risks associated with new investments are reflected in
investment income. Future changes in the distribution of investments and the
factors described above could affect overall investment income in the future;
however, the amount of any increase or decrease cannot be predicted. Further
details regarding investment distribution and investment income are described in
Note 2, Investments, in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements on pages
23 and 24 of the 1997 Annual Report to Shareholders.

Purchases of taxable fixed income securities in 1997 were as follows: $90.7
million of investment grade securities, $43.1 million of high yield securities
and $30.0 million of unrated securities. Purchases of tax-exempt and equity
securities in 1997 totaled $187.6 million and $66.4 million, respectively.

Disposals (including maturities, calls, exchanges and scheduled prepayments) of
taxable fixed income securities in 1997 were as follows: $200.9 million of
investment grade securities, $79.5 million of high yield securities and $68.8
million of unrated securities. Dispositions of tax-exempt and equity securities
in 1997 totaled $96.2 million and $154.7 million, respectively.

The Corporation continues to have no exposure to futures, forwards, caps,
floors, or similar derivative instruments as defined by Statement of Financial
Accounting Standards No. 119. However, as noted in footnote number 14 on page 30
of the Annual Report to Shareholders, we have an interest rate swap with Chase
Manhattan Bank covering one-half the outstanding balance of the revolving line
of credit. This swap is not classified as an investment but rather as a hedge
against a portion of the variable rate loan.

Consolidated net realized investment gains (before taxes) in 1997 totaled $50.7
million, $1.48 per share. Included in this amount are approximately $7.0 million
in writedowns of the carrying values of certain securities the Corporation
determined had an other than temporary decline in value.

      SHARE REPURCHASES

During 1990 the Board of Directors of Ohio Casualty Corporation authorized the
additional purchase of as many as 3,000,000 (as adjusted for 1994 stock split)
shares of its common stock through open market or privately negotiated
transactions. During 1997, 1,544,688 shares were repurchased for $64.9 million.
This compares with 264,600 shares repurchased in 1996 for $9.2 million and
613,900 shares repurchased in 1995 for $20.9 million. In November 1997, the
Board of Directors authorized an additional 1.5 million shares to be
repurchased. This brings the remaining repurchase authorization to 2,026,812
shares as of December 31, 1997.

      LIABILITIES FOR UNPAID LOSS AND LOSS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSES

Liabilities for loss and loss adjustment expenses are established for the
estimated ultimate costs of settling claims for insured events, both reported
claims and incurred but not reported claims, based on information known as of
the evaluation date. As more information becomes available and claims are
settled, the estimated liabilities are adjusted upward or downward with the
effect of increasing or decreasing net income at the time of adjustments. Such
estimated liabilities include direct costs of the loss under terms of insurance
policies as well as legal fees and


                                        8


<PAGE>   9


ITEM 1.   CONTINUED

general expenses of administering the claims adjustment process. The liabilities
for claims incurred in accident years 1996, 1995 and 1994 were reduced in the
subsequent year as shown below:
           Accident Year Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Liabilities
                           Subsequent Year Adjustment
                                  (in millions)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        1996            1995             1994
                                        ----            ----             ----

<S>                                     <C>               <C>            <C> 
          Property                      $  2              $27            $ 11
          Auto                            12               14              30
          Workers' compensation
               and other liability         6               37              35
                                       -----            -----           -----
          Total reduction                $20              $78             $76
                                       =====            =====           =====
</TABLE>


In the normal course of business, the Ohio Casualty Group is involved in
disputes and litigation regarding terms of insurance contracts and the amount of
liability under such contracts arising from insured events. The liabilities for
loss and loss adjustment expenses include estimates of the amounts for which the
Ohio Casualty Group may be liable upon settlement or other conclusion of such
litigation.

Because of the inherent future uncertainties in estimating ultimate costs of
settling claims, actual loss and loss adjustment expenses may deviate
substantially from the amounts recorded in the Corporation's consolidated
financial statements. Furthermore, the timing, frequency and extent of
adjustments to the estimated liabilities cannot be accurately predicted since
conditions and events which established historical loss and loss adjustment
expense development and which serve as the basis for estimating ultimate claims
cost may not occur in the future in exactly the same manner, if at all.

The anticipated effect of inflation is implicitly considered when estimating the
liability for losses and loss adjustment expenses based on historical loss
development trends adjusted for anticipated changes in underwriting standards,
policy provisions and general economic trends.

The following table presents an analysis of losses and loss adjustment expenses
and related liabilities for the periods indicated. The accounting policies used
to estimate liabilities for losses and loss adjustment expenses are described in
Note 9, Losses and Loss Reserves, in the Notes to Consolidated Financial
Statements on pages 28 and 29 of the 1997 Annual Report to Shareholders.



                                        9


<PAGE>   10


ITEM 1.   CONTINUED

      Reconciliation of Liabilities for Losses and Loss Adjustment Expense
                                 (in thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        1997                  1996                  1995
                                                        ----                  ----                  ----

<S>                                                   <C>                   <C>                   <C>       
Net liabilities, beginning of year                    $1,486,622            $1,557,065            $1,606,487
Provision for current accident year
     claims                                              922,065             1,009,086             1,008,321
Increase (decrease)in provisions for
     prior accident year claims                          (53,615)              (76,920)             (104,998)
                                                      ----------            ----------            ----------
                                                         868,450               932,166               903,323
Payments for claims occurring during:
     Current accident year                               484,402               515,025               444,558
     Prior accident years                                484,866               487,584               508,187
                                                      ----------            ----------            ----------
                                                         933,268             1,002,609               952,745

Net liabilities, end of year                           1,421,804             1,486,622             1,557,065
Reinsurance recoverable                                   62,003                70,048                74,119
                                                      ----------            ----------            ----------
Gross liabilities, end of year                        $1,483,807            $1,556,670            $1,631,184
                                                      ==========            ==========            ==========
</TABLE>







                                       10


<PAGE>   11


Property and Casualty Insurance Operations
Analysis of Development of Loss and Loss Adjustment Expense Liabilities
(In thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Year Ended December 31            1987          1988         1989          1990         1991         1992          1993      
- ----------------------            ----          ----         ----          ----         ----         ----          ----      
<S>                             <C>          <C>           <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>          <C>           
Liability as originally
  estimated:                    $ 1,171,392  $ 1,252,404   $ 1,370,054  $ 1,483,985  $ 1,566,139   $ 1,673,205  $ 1,692,895  

Cumulative payments as of:
  One year later                    438,195      440,173       489,562      506,246      526,973       561,133      533,634  
  Two years later                   667,894      695,364       745,766      783,948      822,634       869,620      833,399  
  Three years later                 828,325      845,472       902,081      955,666    1,007,189     1,060,433    1,017,893  
  Four years later                  922,744      937,034     1,000,299    1,063,507    1,123,591     1,176,831    1,147,266
  Five years later                  977,575      996,353     1,061,173    1,131,012    1,201,317     1,264,900
  Six years later                 1,015,889    1,033,508     1,100,683    1,182,110    1,266,605
  Seven years later               1,041,563    1,055,972     1,134,145    1,235,315
  Eight years later               1,057,509    1,078,561     1,177,259
  Nine years later                1,076,321    1,112,120
  Ten years later                 1,105,530

Liability reestimated as of:
  One year later                  1,131,539    1,179,052     1,285,233    1,403,172    1,515,129     1,601,406    1,539,178  
  Two years later                 1,139,684    1,175,861     1,299,428    1,407,197    1,500,890     1,555,452    1,510,943  
  Three years later               1,139,584    1,193,127     1,296,215    1,388,381    1,467,256     1,524,054    1,515,114  
  Four years later                1,156,930    1,195,712     1,281,246    1,368,530    1,449,789     1,559,492    1,525,493
  Five years later                1,160,997    1,186,680     1,268,193    1,366,676    1,498,881     1,561,763
  Six years later                 1,159,372    1,178,126     1,270,734    1,423,277    1,499,009
  Seven years later               1,154,169    1,184,233     1,327,228    1,420,105
  Eight years later               1,162,837    1,233,809     1,325,938
  Nine years later                1,208,920    1,230,778
  Ten years later                 1,204,196

Decrease (increase) in
  original estimates:             $ (32,804)    $ 21,626      $ 44,116     $ 63,880     $ 67,130     $ 111,442    $ 167,402  

<CAPTION>
Year Ended December 31            1994          1995         1996          1997   
- ----------------------            ----          ----         ----          ----   
<S>                             <C>          <C>           <C>          <C>       
Liability as originally                                                           
  estimated:                    $ 1,605,526  $ 1,553,131   $ 1,482,900  $ 1,421,704
                                                                                  
Cumulative payments as of:                                                        
  One year later                    510,219      486,168       483,574            
  Two years later                   803,273      772,670                          
  Three years later                 997,027                                       
  Four years later                                                                
  Five years later                                                                
  Six years later                                                                 
  Seven years later                                                               
  Eight years later                                                               
  Nine years later                                                                
  Ten years later                                                                 
                                                                                  
Liability reestimated as of:                                                      
  One year later                  1,500,528    1,474,795     1,427,992            
  Two years later                 1,501,530    1,441,081                          
  Three years later               1,486,455                                       
  Four years later                                                                
  Five years later                                                                
  Six years later                                                                 
  Seven years later                                                               
  Eight years later                                                               
  Nine years later                                                                
  Ten years later                                                                 
                                                                                  
Decrease (increase) in                                                            
  original estimates:             $ 119,071    $ 112,050      $ 54,908            
</TABLE>



This table presents the current period effects of changes in estimated loss and
loss adjustment expense liabilities of the most recent and all prior accident
years. Since conditions and trends that have affected loss and loss adjustment
expense development in the past may not occur in the future in exactly the same
manner, if at all, future results may not be reliably predicted by extrapolation
of the data presented.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     1995         1996          1997
                                                     ----         ----          ----
<S>                                               <C>           <C>          <C>        
Gross liability - end of year                     $ 1,624,197   $ 1,547,595  $ 1,481,657
Reinsurance recoverable                                71,066        64,695       59,952
Net liability - end of year                         1,553,131     1,482,900    1,421,704
Gross re-estimated liability - latest               1,532,567     1,481,399
Re-estimated recoverable - latest                      57,772        53,407
Net re-estimated liability - latest                 1,474,795     1,427,992
Gross cumulative deficiency                            91,630        66,196
</TABLE>


                                       11
<PAGE>   12


ITEM 1.   CONTINUED

      COMPETITION

More than 2,400 property and casualty insurance companies compete in the United
States and no one company or company group has a market share greater than
approximately 13%. The Ohio Casualty Group ranked as the forty-fifth largest
property and casualty insurance groups in the United States based on net
insurance premiums written in 1996, the latest year for which statistics are
available. The Ohio Casualty Group competes with other companies on the basis of
service, price and coverage.

      STATE INSURANCE REGULATION

GENERAL. The Corporation and the Ohio Casualty Group are subject to regulation
under the insurance statutes, including the holding company statutes, of various
states. Ohio Casualty, American Fire and Ohio Security are all domiciled in
Ohio. West American and Avomark are domiciled in Indiana. Collectively, the Ohio
Casualty Group is authorized to transact the business of insurance in the
District of Columbia and all states except Maine. The Ohio Casualty Group is
subject to examination of their affairs by the insurance departments of the
jurisdictions in which they are licensed.

State laws also require prior notice or regulatory agency approval of changes in
control of an insurer or its holding company and of certain material
intercorporate transfers of assets within the holding company structure. Under
applicable provisions of the Indiana insurance statutes ("Indiana Insurance
Law") and the Ohio insurance statutes (the "Ohio Insurance Law"), a person would
not be permitted to acquire direct or indirect control of the Corporation or any
of the Ohio Casualty Group companies domiciled in such state, unless such person
had obtained prior approval of the Indiana Insurance Commissioner and the Ohio
Superintendent of Insurance, respectively, for such acquisition. For the
purposes of the Indiana Insurance Law and the Ohio Insurance Law, any person
acquiring more than 10% of the voting securities of a company is presumed to
have acquired "control" of such company.

Proposition 103 was passed in the State of California in 1988 in an attempt to
legislate premium rates for that state. Even after considering investment
income, total returns in California have been less than what would be considered
"fair" by any reasonable standard. During the fourth quarter of 1994, the State
of California billed the Corporation $59.9 million for Proposition 103
assessment. In February 1995, California revised this billing to $47.3 million
due to California Senate Bill 905 which permits reduction of the rollback due to
commissions and premium taxes paid. The billing was revised again in August of
1995 to $42.1 million plus interest.

The Corporation is currently involved in hearings with the State of California.
In mid 1997, the Administrative Law Judge presiding over the hearing requested a
submission from the state showing revised rollback calculations. The California
Department of Insurance filed two revised rollback calculations in December
1997. These alternatives, based on concession of certain issues, provide a range
of rollback liabilities between $35.9 million plus interest and $39.9 million
plus interest.

In January 1998, the Judge indicated her intent to rule under the Department's
regulations, without consideration of the Corporation's constitutional challenge
that the Corporation's liability should be below $30.0 million plus interest.
The Commissioner may accept or reject the Judge's ultimate decision in whole or
in part and her determination will be subject to de novo review by the State
Superior Court. After consultation with outside counsel, the Corporation has
determined that $35.9 million plus interest is the more reasonable of the two
Department

                                       12


<PAGE>   13


ITEM 1.   CONTINUED

calculations should the Department of Insurance prevail. As a result, the
Corporation's reserve for this alleged liability is $66.9 million. An
administrative hearing process is ongoing concerning the potential rollback
liability. It is uncertain when this matter will ultimately be resolved. The
Corporation will continue to challenge the validity of any rollback and plans to
continue negotiations with Department officials. To date, the Corporation has
paid $4.0 million in legal costs related to the withdrawal, Proposition 103 and
Fair Plan assessments.

The State of New Jersey has historically been a profitable state for the
Corporation. In recent years, however, the legislative environment in that state
has become more difficult. Due to legislative rules and regulations designed to
make insurance less expensive and more easily obtainable for New Jersey
residents, our results have been adversely impacted. In order to meet our state
imposed assessment obligations under the Fair Automobile Insurance Reform Act
and the Unsatisfied Claim and Judgment fund, the Corporation has incurred
expenses of $3.3 million in 1997, $3.6 million in 1996 and $3.7 million in 1995.
These assessments have negatively affected our combined ratios by .3 points in
each of the three years.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS. The National Association of
Insurance Commissioners (the "NAIC") annually calculates a number of financial
ratios to assist state insurance regulators in monitoring the financial
condition of insurance companies. A "usual range" of results for each ratio is
used as a benchmark. Departure from the usual range on four or more of the
ratios could lead to inquiries from individual state insurance commissioners as
to certain aspects of a company's business. None of the property and casualty
companies of the Ohio Casualty Group had more than three NAIC financial ratios
that were outside the usual range in the last five calendar years.

Beginning in 1994, the NAIC required inclusion of a risk-based capital
calculation in the Annual Statements. The risk-based capital model is used to
establish standards which relate insurance company statutory surplus to risks of
operations and assist regulators in determining solvency requirements. The model
is based on four risk factors in two categories: asset risk, consisting of
investment risk and credit risk; and underwriting risk, composed of loss
reserves and premiums written risks. Based on current calculations, all of the
Ohio Casualty Group companies have at least twice the necessary capital to
conform with the risk-based capital model.

The States of Ohio and Indiana have adopted the NAIC model law limiting dividend
payments by insurance companies. This law allows dividends to equal the greater
of 10% of policyholders' surplus or net income determined as of the preceding
year end without prior approval of the Insurance Department. For 1997, $170.1
million of policyholders' surplus is not subject to restrictions or prior
dividend approval.

      EMPLOYEES

At December 31, 1997, the Ohio Casualty Group had approximately 3,280 employees
of which approximately 1,250 were located in Hamilton, Ohio.

      YEAR 2000

The year 2000 is a point of concern within the industry as regards the extent of
liability for coverages under various property, general liability and directors
and officers liability policies. The Corporation believes that no coverage
exists under current liability contracts except as regards certain possible
products exposures. However, this exposure is minimal as our


                                       13


<PAGE>   14


ITEM 1.   CONTINUED

commercial lines business has historically excluded any heavy manufacturing
risks which might produce computer or computer dependent products. Furthermore,
in analyzing our property forms, the Corporation has found that there is no
coverage under our current contracts.

The Insurance Services Office (ISO) recently developed policy language that
clarifies that there is no coverage for certain year 2000 occurrences. The
liability exclusion has been accepted in 40 states and a companion filing for
property has been accepted in at least 20 states at this time. Several states
have not adopted or approved the property exclusion form sighting specifically
that there is no coverage under the current property contracts and therefore,
there is no reason to accept a clarifying endorsement. It is our intention to
include the ISO clarification language in all of our applicable general
liability and property policies written in mid-1998 and thereafter.

Directors and officers could be held liable if a company in their control failed
to take necessary actions to fix any year 2000 problems and that failure results
in a material financial loss to the company. The Corporation has written
directors' and officers' liability policies since 1995, with approximately $.9
million in premiums written in 1997. The Corporation is managing its D&O year
2000 exposure through a combination of underwriting guidelines which address
year 2000 issues in the application process and reinsurance policies which
provide coverage for any loss in excess of $.3 million.

For a discussion of the Corporation's preparedness for year 2000 issues, please
see page 18 of the 1997 Annual Report to Shareholders.

      IMPACT OF RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

In June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of
Financial Accounting Standard 130 "Reporting Comprehensive Income". This
statement requires display of comprehensive income in a set of general-purpose
financial statements. Comprehensive income is defined as changes in equity of a
business enterprise during a period from transactions and other events from
non-owner sources. The major component for the Corporation will be unrealized
gains and losses from changes in market values for investments. The Corporation
will display comprehensive income in quarterly and annual reports for fiscal
periods beginning after December 15, 1997. If the Corporation reported
comprehensive income for 1997 it would have been $261.2 million.

Also in June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of
Financial Accounting Standard 131 "Disclosures about Segments of an Enterprise
and Related Information". This statement requires selected information to be
reported on the Corporation's operating segments. Operating segments are
determined by the way management structures the segments in making operating
decisions and assessing performance. The Corporation is currently reviewing what
changes, if any, this will require on the presentation of the financial
statements for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 1997.

In December 1997, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants issued
Statement of Position 97-3 "Accounting by Insurance and Other Enterprises for
Insurance-Related Assessments". This statement provides guidance on accounting
for insurance related assessments and required disclosure information. This
statement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 1998. The
Corporation does not believe that this statement will materially affect the
Corporation's financial statements or disclosures.


                                       14

<PAGE>   15


ITEM 1.   CONTINUED

During 1997, the SEC issued Financial Reporting Release 48 " Disclosures about
Derivatives and Other Financial Instruments" which is effective for periods
ending after June 15, 1997 for registrants with market capitalizations in excess
of $2.5 billion and effective one year later for all other registrants. The
Corporation has a market capitalization of less than $2.5 billion. FRR 48 does
not impact the Corporation's financial statements but does require enhanced
disclosures about market risk inherent in derivatives and other financial
instruments. The additional information will be included in annual filings with
the SEC after June 15, 1998.


ITEM 2.   PROPERTIES

The Ohio Casualty Group owns and leases office space in various parts of the
country. The principal office building consists of an owned facility in
Hamilton, Ohio.


ITEM 3.   LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

There are no material pending legal proceedings against the Corporation or its
subsidiaries other than litigation arising in connection with settlement of
insurance claims as described on page 9 and Proposition 103 hearings described
on page 12.


ITEM 4.   SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SHAREHOLDERS

There were no matters submitted during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year
covered by this report to a vote of Shareholders through the solicitation of
proxies or otherwise.

                      EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

The following information is related to executive officers who are not
separately reported in the Corporation's Proxy Statement:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  Position with Company and/or
                                                               Principal Occupation or Employment
  Name                          Age (1)                              During Last Five Years
  ----                          -------                              ----------------------

<S>                                <C>     <C>
  Barry S. Porter                  61      Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of The Ohio Casualty
                                           Corporation, The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire and
                                           Casualty Company, Ocasco Budget, Inc., The Ohio Life Insurance
                                           Company, The Ohio Security Insurance Company and West American
                                           Insurance Company since August 1993.  Treasurer of Avomark since
                                           September 1997.
</TABLE>





                                       15


<PAGE>   16


ITEM 4.   CONTINUED

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  Position with Company and/or
                                                               Principal Occupation or Employment
  Name                          Age (1)                              During Last Five Years
  ----                          -------                              ----------------------

<S>                                <C>     <C>
  Michael L. Evans                 54      Vice President of The Ohio Casualty Corporation and Executive Vice
                                           President of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire and
                                           Casualty Company, Ocasco Budget, Inc., The Ohio Life Insurance
                                           Company, The Ohio Security Insurance Company and West American
                                           Insurance Company since April 1995; prior thereto, Vice President of
                                           The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire and Casualty
                                           Company, Ocasco Budget, Inc., The Ohio Life Insurance Company and West
                                           American Insurance Company.

  John S. Busby                    52      Vice President of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire
                                           and Casualty Company, Ohio Security Insurance Company and West
                                           American Insurance Company since May 1991.

  Donald J. Dehne                  47      Vice President of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire
                                           and Casualty Company, Ocasco Budget, Inc., Ohio Security Insurance
                                           Company and West American Insurance Company since May 1996 and Avomark
                                           since September 1997; prior thereto, Assistant Secretary of The Ohio
                                           Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire and Casualty Company, Ocasco
                                           Budget, Inc., Ohio Security Insurance Company and West American
                                           Insurance Company.

  Steven J. Adams                  43      Vice President of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire
                                           and Casualty Company, Ocasco Budget, Inc., Ohio Security Insurance
                                           Company and West American Insurance Company since May 1996; prior
                                           thereto, Assistant Secretary of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company,
                                           American Fire and Casualty Company, Ocasco Budget, Inc., Ohio Security
                                           Insurance Company and West American Insurance Company; prior thereto,
                                           Commercial Lines Customer Strategist; prior thereto, Imaging
                                           Technology Expert.

  Thomas P. Prentice               45      Vice President of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire
                                           and Casualty Company, Ocasco Budget, Inc., Ohio Security Insurance
                                           Company and West American Insurance Company since May 1996 and Avomark
                                           since September 1997; prior thereto, Assistant Secretary of The Ohio
                                           Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire and Casualty Company, Ocasco
                                           Budget, Inc., Ohio Security Insurance Company and West American
                                           Insurance Company; prior thereto, Personal Lines Customer Specialist;
                                           prior thereto, Claims Manager.
</TABLE>




                                       16


<PAGE>   17


ITEM 4.   CONTINUED

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                  Position with Company and/or
                                                               Principal Occupation or Employment
  Name                          Age (1)                              During Last Five Years
  ----                          -------                              ----------------------

<S>                                <C>     <C>
  Coy Leonard, Jr.                 53      Vice President of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire
                                           and Casualty Company, Ocasco Budget, Inc., Ohio Security Insurance
                                           Company and West American Insurance Company since May 1996; prior
                                           thereto, Assistant Vice President of The Ohio Casualty Insurance
                                           Company, American Fire and Casualty Company, Ocasco Budget, Inc., Ohio
                                           Security Insurance Company and West American Insurance Company; prior
                                           thereto, Manager of Strategic Planning and Technology.

  Frederick W. Wendt               57      Vice President of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire
                                           and Casualty Company, Ohio Security Insurance Company and West
                                           American Insurance Company since January 1991.

  Elizabeth M. Riczko              31      Vice President of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire
                                           and Casualty Company, Ocasco Budget, Inc., Ohio Security Insurance
                                           Company and West American Insurance Company since May 1996; prior
                                           thereto, Assistant Secretary of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company,
                                           American Fire and Casualty Company, Ocasco Budget, Inc., Ohio Security
                                           Insurance Company and West American Insurance Company; prior thereto,
                                           Corporate Actuarial Manager.

  William E. Minor                 43      Vice President of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, American Fire
                                           and Casualty Company, Ohio Security Insurance Company and West
                                           American Insurance Company since September 1996; prior thereto,
                                           Account Director for Sire/Young and Rubicam.

  Susan D. Dillon                  42      Assistant Vice President of The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company,
                                           American Fire and Casualty Company, Ohio Security Insurance Company
                                           and West American Insurance Company since May 1995; prior thereto,
                                           Branch Manager; prior thereto, Field Representative.
</TABLE>

- ---------------------------------------
(1)   Ages listed are as of the annual meeting.


                                     PART II

ITEM 5.      MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER 
             MATTERS

See inside front cover and pages 1 and 12 of the Annual Report to Shareholders
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997.




                                       17


<PAGE>   18


ITEM 6.      SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA

See pages 10 and 11 of the Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1997.


ITEM 7.      MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND 
             RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

See pages 12 through 18 of the Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1997.

             SAFE HARBOR FOR FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

From time to time, the Company may publish forward looking statements relating
to such matters as anticipated financial performance, business prospects and
plans, regulatory developments and similar matters. The statements contained in
the Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
Operations portion of the 1997 Annual Report, which portion has been
incorporated herein by reference in response to Item 7 hereof, that are not
historical information, are forward looking statements. The Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a safe harbor under The Securities Act of
1933 and The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for forward-looking statements. In
order to comply with the terms of the safe harbor, the Company notes that a
variety of factors could cause the Company's actual results and experience to
differ materially from the anticipated results or other expectations expressed
in the Company's forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties that
may affect the operations, performance, development and results of the Company's
business include the following: changes in property and casualty reserves;
catastrophe losses; premium and investment growth; product pricing environment;
availability of credit; changes in government regulation; performance of
financial markets; fluctuations in interest rates; availability and pricing of
reinsurance; litigation and administrative proceedings and general economic and
market conditions.


ITEM 8.      FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA

Financial Statements and Schedules.
(See Index to Financial Statements attached hereto.)


ITEM 9.      CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND 
             FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE

None.


                                    PART III

ITEM 10.     DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT

See pages 4 through 6 of the Proxy Statement of the Board of Directors for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1997 and Executive Officers of the Registrant
separately captioned under Part I of this annual report.

                                       18


<PAGE>   19


ITEM 11.     EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

See pages 7 through 14 of the Proxy Statement of the Board of Directors for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1997.


ITEM 12.     SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

See pages 1 through 4 of the Proxy Statement of the Board of Directors for the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1997.


ITEM 13.     CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

See page 6 of the Proxy Statement of the Board of Directors for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 1997.


                                     PART IV

ITEM 14.     EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS SCHEDULES, AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

(a)          Financial statements and financial statement schedules required to
             be filed by Item 8 of this Form and Regulation S-X

(b)          Form 8-K announcing completion of initial assumption closing with
             Great Southern Life Insurance Company in relation to Ohio Life
             filed on November 25, 1997

(c)          Exhibits. (See index to exhibits attached hereto.)








                                       19

<PAGE>   20


                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

                                             OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION
                                                   (Registrant)

March 27, 1998                         By:   /s/ Lauren N. Patch
                                             -------------------
                                             Lauren N. Patch, President and
                                             Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report
has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and
in the capacities and on the dates indicated.



March 27, 1998           /s/ Joseph L. Marcum
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Joseph L. Marcum, Chairman of the Board

March 27, 1998           /s/ William L. Woodall
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         William L. Woodall, Vice Chairman of the Board

March 27, 1998           /s/ Lauren N. Patch
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Lauren N. Patch, President and Chief Executive Officer

March 27, 1998           /s/ Arthur J. Bennert
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Arthur J. Bennert, Director

March 27, 1998           /s/ Jack E. Brown
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Jack E. Brown, Director

March 27, 1998           /s/ Catherine E. Dolan
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Catherine E. Dolan, Director

March 27, 1998           /s/ Wayne R. Embry
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Wayne R. Embry, Director

March 27, 1998           /s/ Vaden Fitton
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Vaden Fitton, Director

March 27, 1998           /s/ Jeffery D. Lowe
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Jeffery D. Lowe, Director

March 27, 1998           /s/ Stephen S. Marcum
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Stephen S. Marcum, Director

March 27, 1998           /s/ Stanley N. Pontius
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Stanley N. Pontius, Director

March 27, 1998           /s/ Howard L. Sloneker III
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Howard L. Sloneker III, Director

March 27, 1998           /s/ Barry S. Porter
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Barry S. Porter, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

March 27, 1998           /s/ Michael L. Evans
                         -------------------------------------------------------
                         Michael L. Evans, Vice President


                                       20


<PAGE>   21



                               FORM 10-K, ITEM 14
                   INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES
                            OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION

The following statements are incorporated by reference to the Annual Report to
Shareholders for registrant's fiscal year ended December 31, 1997:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                     Page Number
                                                                                                   in Annual Report
                                                                                                   ----------------
<S>                                                                                                    <C>
     Consolidated Balance Sheet at December 31, 1997, 1996, 1995                                          19

     Statement of Consolidated Income for the years ended
     December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995                                                                     20

     Statement of Consolidated Shareholders' Equity for the years
     ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995                                                               21

     Statement of Consolidated Cash Flow for the years ended
     December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995                                                                     22

     Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements                                                        23-31

     Report of Independent Accountants                                                                    32
</TABLE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                     Page Number
                                                                                                    in this Report
                                                                                                    --------------
<S>                                                                                                    <C>  
     The following financial statement schedules are included herein:

     Schedule I     -   Consolidated Summary of Investments Other Than
                        Investments in Related Parties at December 31, 1997                               23

     Schedule II    -   Condensed Financial Information of Registrant for
                        the years ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995                                  24

     Schedule III   -   Consolidated Supplementary Insurance Information
                        for the years ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995                           25-27

     Schedule IV    -   Consolidated Reinsurance for the years ended
                        December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995                                                  28

     Schedule V     -   Valuation and Qualifying Accounts for the years
                        ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995                                            29

     Schedule VI    -   Consolidated Supplemental Information Concerning
                        Property and Casualty Insurance Operations for the
                        years ended December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995                                      30
</TABLE>







                                       21


<PAGE>   22





                        REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


To the Shareholders of
Ohio Casualty Corporation


Our report on the consolidated financial statements of Ohio Casualty Corporation
has been incorporated by reference in this Form 10-K from page 32 of the 1997
Annual Report of Ohio Casualty Corporation. In connection with our audits of
such consolidated financial statements, we have also audited the related
financial statement schedules on pages 23 through 32 of this Form 10-K.

In our opinion, the financial statement schedules referred to above when
considered in relation to the basic consolidated financial statements taken as a
whole, presents fairly, in all material respects, the information required to be
included therein.





                                                        Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.


Cincinnati, Ohio
January 30, 1998




                                       22


<PAGE>   23


                                                                      Schedule I
                   Ohio Casualty Corporation and Subsidiaries
                       Consolidated Summary of Investments
                    Other than Investments in Related Parties
                                 (In thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
December 31, 1997
                                                                          Amount shown
Type of investment                           Cost           Value       in balance sheet
- ------------------                           ----           -----       ----------------

<S>                                       <C>             <C>             <C>       
Fixed maturities
    Bonds:
       United States govt. and
         govt. agencies with auth         $   66,244      $   69,844      $   69,844
       States, municipalities and
         political subdivisions              835,355         875,741         875,741
    Debt securities issued by
       foreign governments                     3,000           3,458           3,458
    Corporate securities                     872,904         929,924         929,924
    Mortgage-backed securities:
       U.S. government guaranteed             16,876          17,553          17,553
       Other                                 317,912         329,510         329,510
                                          ----------      ----------      ----------
             Total fixed maturities        2,112,291       2,226,030       2,226,030

Equity securities:
    Common stocks:
       Banks, trust and insurance
         companies                            56,116         276,626         276,626
       Industrial, miscellaneous and
         all other                           214,777         577,225         577,225

    Preferred stocks:
       Non-redeemable                            244             244             244
       Convertible                             4,500           5,380           5,380
                                          ----------      ----------      ----------
             Total equity securities         275,637         859,475         859,475

Short-term investments                        65,849          65,849          65,849
                                          ----------      ----------      ----------

             Total investments            $2,453,777      $3,151,354      $3,151,354
                                          ==========      ==========      ==========
</TABLE>


                                       23

<PAGE>   24

                                                                     Schedule II
                            Ohio Casualty Corporation
                  Condensed Financial Information of Registrant
                                 (In thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                1997              1996              1995
                                                ----              ----              ----
<S>                                         <C>               <C>               <C>        
Condensed Balance Sheet:
     Investment in wholly-owned
        subsidiaries, at equity             $ 1,258,432       $ 1,167,237       $ 1,156,718

     Investment in bonds/stocks                  85,742            57,233            20,165

     Cash and other assets                       13,000             5,706             2,468
                                            -----------       -----------       -----------

            Total assets                      1,357,174         1,230,176         1,179,351

     Bank note payable                           40,000            50,000            60,000
     Other liabilities                            2,345             5,076             8,337
                                            -----------       -----------       -----------

            Total liabilities                    42,345            55,076            68,337

     Shareholders' equity                   $ 1,314,829       $ 1,175,100       $ 1,111,014
                                            ===========       ===========       ===========

Condensed Statement of Income:
     Dividends from subsidiaries            $   169,988       $   100,000       $    80,018

     Equity in subsidiaries                     (30,867)            3,957            21,431

     Operating (expenses)                           (74)           (1,500)           (1,714)
                                            -----------       -----------       -----------
            Net income                      $   139,047       $   102,457       $    99,735
                                            ===========       ===========       ===========

Condensed Statement of Cash Flows:
     Cash flows from operations
        Net distributed income              $   169,914       $    98,500       $    78,304

     Other                                         (805)            4,879             4,358
                                            -----------       -----------       -----------

            Net cash from operations            169,109           103,379            82,662

     Investing
        Purchase of bonds/stocks                (57,031)          (34,458)           (4,555)
        Sales of bonds/stocks                    28,147             7,190             7,723
                                            -----------       -----------       -----------
            Net cash from investing             (28,884)          (27,268)            3,168

     Financing
        Note payable                            (10,000)          (10,000)          (10,000)

        Exercise of stock options                   371               135               578

        Purchase of treasury stock              (64,858)           (9,168)          (21,193)

        Dividends paid to shareholders          (57,456)          (56,380)          (54,335)
                                            -----------       -----------       -----------
            Net cash from financing            (131,943)          (75,413)          (84,950)

     Net change in cash                           8,282               698               880

     Cash, beginning of year                      3,375             2,677             1,797
                                            -----------       -----------       -----------
     Cash, end of year                      $    11,657       $     3,375       $     2,677
                                            ===========       ===========       ===========
</TABLE>


For complete disclosures see Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements on pages
23-31 of the 1997 Annual Report to Shareholders.

                                       24

<PAGE>   25

                                                                    Schedule III
                   Ohio Casualty Corporation and Subsidiaries
                Consolidated Supplementary Insurance Information
                                 (In thousands)
                                December 31, 1997

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                   Deferred   Future policy                                       Benefits,    Amortization
                                    policy       benefits                                Net      losses and    of deferred  
                                 acquisition    losses and    Unearned    Premium     investment     loss       acquisition  
                                    costs     loss expenses   premiums    revenue      income      expenses        costs     
                                 -----------  ------------- ----------  -----------  ------------ ------------  ------------ 
<S>                               <C>         <C>           <C>         <C>           <C>         <C>            <C>         
Segment
- -------
Property and
    casualty insurance:
Underwriting
    Automobile                     $ 38,082   $   588,834   $ 186,886   $   599,112               $ 483,171      $ 121,730   
    Workers' compensation             5,290       367,802      40,705       103,484                  65,762         21,313   
    Gen. liability, A&H              14,036       254,159      43,030        98,971                  55,331         33,731   
    Homeowners                       26,582        64,681      94,752       166,474                 125,136         44,666   
    CMP, fire and allied lines,
      inland marine                  33,537       193,885     103,751       200,330                 131,499         64,520   
    Fidelity, surety, burglary       10,721        12,296      25,759        35,045                   3,743         17,534   
Miscellaneous Income                                                          3,925
Investment                                                                              172,372
                                  ---------   -----------   ---------   -----------   ---------   ---------      ---------   

Total property and
    casualty insurance              128,248     1,481,657     494,883     1,207,341     172,372     864,642        303,494   

Life ins.(discontinued operations)   (2,185)       36,298                    23,865       3,954         268         15,049   

Premium finance                                                   193         1,632          65                              

Corporation                                                                               5,264                              
                                  ---------   -----------   ---------   -----------   ---------   ---------      ---------   

    Total                         $ 126,063   $ 1,517,955   $ 495,076   $ 1,232,838   $ 181,655   $ 864,910      $ 318,543   
                                  =========   ===========   =========   ===========   =========   =========      =========   

<CAPTION>
                                       General                 
                                       operating     Premiums  
                                       expenses      written   
                                      -----------  ----------- 
                                                               
<S>                                    <C>          <C>        
Segment                                                        
- -------                                                        
Property and                                                   
    casualty insurance:                                        
Underwriting                           $ 24,933     $ 604,228  
    Automobile                            9,979        97,176  
    Workers' compensation                11,597        96,698  
    Gen. liability, A&H                  15,897       168,168  
    Homeowners                                                 
    CMP, fire and allied lines,          21,220       206,133  
      inland marine                       5,220        34,418  
    Fidelity, surety, burglary                                 
Miscellaneous Income                                           
Investment                             --------   -----------  
                                                               
                                                               
Total property and                       88,846     1,206,821  
    casualty insurance                                         
                                            819             6  
Life ins.(discontinued operations)                             
                                          1,655         1,511  
Premium finance                                                
                                          5,329                
Corporation                            --------   -----------  
                                                               
                                       $ 96,649   $ 1,208,338  
    Total                              ========   ===========  
</TABLE>



1.    Net investment income has been allocated to principal business segments on
      the basis of separately identifiable assets.

2.    The principal portion of general operating expenses has been directly
      attributed to business segment classifications incurring such expenses
      with the remainder allocated based on policy counts.


                                       25

<PAGE>   26


                                                                    Schedule III
                   Ohio Casualty Corporation and Subsidiaries
                Consolidated Supplementary Insurance Information
                                 (In thousands)
                                December 31, 1996

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                   Deferred     Future policy                                                Benefits,   
                                    policy        benefits                                      Net         losses and   
                                  acquisition     losses and     Unearned        Premium     investment        loss      
                                    costs       loss expenses    premiums        revenue       income        expenses    
                                 -------------  -------------- ------------   ------------  ------------   ------------  
<S>                               <C>           <C>             <C>           <C>             <C>            <C>         
Segment
- -------
Property and
    casualty insurance:
Underwriting
    Automobile                     $ 36,325       $ 596,131     $ 181,834       $ 598,339                    $ 495,278   
    Workers' compensation             7,990         387,951        47,012         124,157                       80,975   
    Gen. liability, A&H              13,833         265,399        45,337         104,428                       43,799   
    Homeowners                       26,553          70,969        92,950         165,630                      167,302   
    CMP, fire and allied lines,
      inland marine                  32,634         213,270        97,943         195,437                      141,331   
    Fidelity, surety, burglary       10,835          13,867        26,312          34,135                        1,904   
Miscellaneous Income                                                                2,410
Investment                                                                                      179,407
                                  ---------     -----------     ---------     -----------     ---------      ---------   

Total property and
    casualty insurance              128,170       1,547,587       491,388       1,224,536       179,407        930,589   

Life ins.(discontinued operations)  (11,486)        289,086                         4,582         4,812            693   

Premium finance                                                       225           2,115           293                  

Corporation                                                                                       3,608                  
                                  ---------     -----------     ---------     -----------     ---------      ---------   

    Total                         $ 116,684     $ 1,836,673     $ 491,613     $ 1,231,233     $ 188,120      $ 931,282   
                                  =========     ===========     =========     ===========     =========      =========   

<CAPTION>
                                        Amortization                                
                                         of deferred      General                   
                                         acquisition     operating       Premiums   
                                            costs        expenses         written   
                                        -------------   ------------   -------------
<S>                                        <C>            <C>            <C>        
Segment                                                                             
- -------                                                                             
Property and                                                                        
    casualty insurance:                                                             
Underwriting                                                                        
    Automobile                             $ 120,874      $ 34,268       $ 594,661  
    Workers' compensation                     26,221        10,124         115,398  
    Gen. liability, A&H                       34,829        14,081         101,793  
    Homeowners                                46,149        12,641         166,457  
    CMP, fire and allied lines,                                                     
      inland marine                           62,688        20,364         195,290  
    Fidelity, surety, burglary                18,095         5,794          34,473  
Miscellaneous Income                                                                
Investment                                                                          
                                           ---------     ---------     -----------  
                                                                                    
Total property and                                                                  
    casualty insurance                       308,856        97,272       1,208,072  
                                                                                    
Life ins.(discontinued operations)             2,004          (193)            215  
                                                                                    
Premium finance                                              1,969           1,981  
                                                                                    
Corporation                                                  5,907                  
                                           ---------     ---------     -----------  
                                                                                    
    Total                                  $ 310,860     $ 104,955     $ 1,210,268  
                                           =========     =========     ===========  
</TABLE>



1.    Net investment income has been allocated to principal business segments on
      the basis of separately identifiable assets.

2.    The principal portion of general operating expenses has been directly
      attributed to business segment classifications incurring such expenses
      with the remainder allocated based on policy counts.



                                       26


<PAGE>   27


                                                                    Schedule III
                   Ohio Casualty Corporation and Subsidiaries
                Consolidated Supplementary Insurance Information
                                 (In thousands)
                                December 31, 1995

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 Deferred      Future policy                                                Benefits,    
                                  policy         benefits                                       Net        losses and    
                                acquisition     losses and      Unearned       Premium      investment        loss       
                                   costs       loss expenses    premiums       revenue        income        expenses     
                                ------------   -------------  -------------  -------------  ------------   ------------  
<S>                               <C>           <C>              <C>            <C>           <C>            <C>         
Segment
- -------
Property and
    casualty insurance:
Underwriting
    Automobile                     $ 36,990       $ 608,689      $ 185,735      $ 620,866     $              $ 490,036   
    Workers' compensation            10,767         403,440         55,861        142,004                       93,272   
    Gen. liability, A&H              14,736         335,428         48,042        110,487                       67,201   
    Homeowners                       27,209          74,599         92,099        161,116                      123,140   
    CMP, fire and allied lines,
      inland marine                  32,270         225,004         98,098        195,014                      123,179   
    Fidelity, surety, burglary       11,358          17,037         25,936         33,719                        5,554   
Miscellaneous Income                                                                2,497
Investment                                                                                      184,585
                                  ---------     -----------      ---------      ---------     ---------      ---------   

Total property and
    casualty insurance              133,330       1,664,197        505,771      1,265,703       184,585        902,382   

Life ins. (discontinued operations) (13,535)        367,061              7       (345,080)        4,143       (350,121)  

Premium finance                                                        257          2,370           522                  

Corporation                                                                           196         3,000                  
                                  ---------     -----------      ---------      ---------     ---------      ---------   

    Total                         $ 119,795     $ 2,031,258      $ 506,035      $ 923,189     $ 192,250      $ 552,261   
                                  =========     ===========      =========      =========     =========      =========   

<CAPTION>
                                         
                                         Amortization                               
                                         of deferred     General                    
                                         acquisition    operating      Premiums     
                                            costs       expenses        written     
                                         ------------  ------------  -------------- 
<S>                                        <C>            <C>            <C>        
Segment                                                                             
- -------                                                                             
Property and                                                                        
    casualty insurance:                                                             
Underwriting                                                                        
    Automobile                             $ 129,058      $ 23,246       $ 611,315  
    Workers' compensation                     30,196        10,806         140,558  
    Gen. liability, A&H                       37,785        12,236         108,283  
    Homeowners                                46,523        12,747         160,444  
    CMP, fire and allied lines,                                                     
      inland marine                           65,875        18,237         193,477  
    Fidelity, surety, burglary                17,618         4,904          35,118  
Miscellaneous Income                                                                
Investment                                                                          
                                           ---------      --------       ---------  
                                                                                    
Total property and                                                                  
    casualty insurance                       327,055        82,176       1,249,195  
                                                                                    
Life ins. (discontinued operations)            4,097         1,471        (346,394) 
                                                                                    
Premium finance                                              1,819           2,314  
                                                                                    
Corporation                                                  5,975                  
                                           ---------      --------       ---------  
                                                                                    
    Total                                  $ 331,152      $ 91,441       $ 905,115  
                                           =========      ========       =========  
</TABLE>




1.    Net investment income has been allocated to principal business segments on
      the basis of separately identifiable assets.

2.    The principal portion of general operating expenses has been directly
      attributed to business segment classifications incurring such expenses
      with the remainder allocated based on premium volume.


                                       27




<PAGE>   28

                                                                     Schedule IV
                   Ohio Casualty Corporation and Subsidiaries
                            Consolidated Reinsurance
                                 (In thousands)
                          December, 1997, 1996 and 1995

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                               Percent of
                                                                                                                 amount
                                                                 Ceded to         Assumed                       assumed
                                                    Gross          other        from other         Net           to net
                                                   amount        companies       companies       amount          amount
                                                 ------------   ------------    ------------   ------------   -------------
<S>                                            <C>            <C>             <C>            <C>                      <C> 
Year Ended December 31, 1997
     Life insurance in force                   $         547  $         547   $           0  $           0               0.0%

     Premiums
     Property and casualty insurance           $   1,225,813  $      31,298   $      12,306  $   1,206,821               1.0%
     Life insurance (Discontinued operations)         18,359         18,359               0              0               0.0%
     Accident and health insurance                     1,392          1,575             189              6            3150.0%
                                                 ------------   ------------    ------------   ------------

     Total premiums                                1,245,564         51,232          12,495      1,206,827               1.0%

     Premium finance charges                                                                         1,511
     Life insurance - FAS 97 adjustment                                                                  0
                                                                                               ------------
     Total premiums and finance charges written                                                  1,208,338
     Change in unearned premiums and finance charges                                                (3,283)
                                                                                               ------------

     Total premiums and finance charges earned                                                   1,205,055
     Miscellaneous income                                                                            3,925
     Discontinued operations - life insurance                                                           (6)
                                                                                               ------------
     Total premiums & finance charges earned - continuing operations                         $   1,208,974
                                                                                               ============

Year Ended December 31, 1996
     Life insurance in force                   $   4,623,435  $   4,623,435   $           0  $           0               0.0%
                                                 ============   ============    ============   ============

     Premiums
     Property and casualty insurance           $   1,211,695  $      29,039   $      25,416  $   1,208,072               2.1%
     Life insurance (Discontinued operations)         29,822         29,822               0              0               0.0%
     Accident and health insurance                     2,204          3,502           1,513            215             703.7%
                                                 ------------   ------------    ------------   ------------

     Total premiums                                1,243,721         62,363          26,929      1,208,287               2.2%

     Premium finance charges                                                                         1,981
                                                                                               ------------
     Total premiums and finance charges written                                                  1,210,268
     Change in unearned premiums and finance charges                                                14,182
                                                                                               ------------

     Total premiums and finance charges earned                                                   1,224,450
     Miscellaneous income                                                                            2,416
     Discontinued operations - life insurance                                                         (215)
                                                                                               ------------
     Total premiums & finance charges earned - continuing operations                         $   1,226,651
                                                                                               ============

Year Ended December 31, 1995
     Life insurance in force                   $   5,207,297  $   5,298,297   $      91,000  $           0               0.0%
                                                 ============   ============    ============   ============

     Premiums
     Property and casualty insurance           $   1,251,079  $      41,252   $      39,692  $   1,249,519               3.2%
     Life insurance (Discontinued operations)         38,456        384,974             136       (346,382)              0.0%
     Accident and health insurance                     1,456          1,780           1,521          1,197             127.1%
                                                 ------------   ------------    ------------   ------------

     Total premiums                                1,290,991        428,006          41,349        904,334               4.6%

     Premium finance charges                                                                         2,314
     Life insurance - FAS 97 adjustment                                                             (1,533)
                                                                                               ------------
     Total premiums and finance charges written                                                    905,115
     Change in unearned premiums and finance charges                                                14,263
                                                                                               ------------

     Total premiums and finance charges earned                                                     919,378
     Miscellaneous income                                                                            3,810
     Discontinued operations - life insurance                                                      345,081
                                                                                               ------------
     Total premiums & finance charges earned - continuing operations                         $   1,268,269
                                                                                               ============
</TABLE>



                                       28



<PAGE>   29

                                                                      Schedule V
                   Ohio Casualty Corporation and Subsidiaries
                        Valuation and Qualifying Accounts
                                 (In thousands)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            Balance at                                                       Balance at
                                             beginning             Charged to                                  end of
                                             of period              expenses             Deductions            period

<S>                                            <C>                   <C>                     <C>               <C>  
Year ended December 31, 1997
       Reserve for bad debt                    3,700                    500                  0                 4,200


Year ended December 31, 1996
       Reserve for bad debt                    3,500                    200                  0                 3,700


Year ended December 31, 1995
       Reserve for bad debt                    4,500                 (1,000)                 0                 3,500
</TABLE>


                                       29

<PAGE>   30


                                                                     Schedule VI
                   Ohio Casualty Corporation and Subsidiaries
          Consolidated Supplemental Information Concerning Property and
                         Casualty Insurance Operations
                                 (In thousands)



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                      Claims and claim      
                                        Reserves for                                                 adjustment expenses    
                            Deferred    unpaid claims                                                incurred related to    
                             policy     and claim   Discount                               Net     ------------------------ 
    Affiliation with        acquisition adjustment     of       Unearned     Earned     investment   Current      Prior     
       registrant             costs      expenses   reserves    premiums    premiums     income       year        years     
                            ----------  ----------- ---------- ----------- -----------  ---------- ------------ ----------- 

<S>                         <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>        <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>         
Property and casualty
  subsidiaries


Year ended December 31,
   1997                     $ 128,248   $ 1,481,657 $        0  $ 494,883  $1,207,341   $ 172,372    $ 921,818   $ (53,615) 
                            ==========  =========== ========== =========== ===========  ========== ============ =========== 


Year ended December 31,
   1996                     $ 128,170   $ 1,547,587 $        0  $ 491,388  $1,224,536   $ 179,407   $1,008,395   $ (76,920) 
                            ==========  =========== ========== =========== ===========  ========== ============ =========== 


Year ended December 31,
   1995                     $ 133,330   $ 1,664,197 $        0  $ 505,771  $1,265,703   $ 184,585   $1,007,380  $ (104,998) 
                            ==========  =========== ========== =========== ===========  ========== ============ =========== 

<CAPTION>
                                                                 
                           Amortization   Paid                   
                           of deferred   claims                  
                             policy     and claim                
    Affiliation with       acquisition  adjustment    Premiums   
       registrant             costs      expenses     written    
                           ------------ -----------  ----------- 
                                                                 
<S>                          <C>         <C>         <C>         
Property and casualty                                            
  subsidiaries                                                   
                                                                 
                                                                 
Year ended December 31,                                          
   1997                      $ 303,494   $ 929,399   $ 1,206,821 
                           ============ ===========  =========== 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Year ended December 31,                                          
   1996                      $ 308,856  $1,001,706   $ 1,208,072 
                           ============ ===========  =========== 
                                                                 
                                                                 
Year ended December 31,                                          
   1995                      $ 327,055   $ 954,777   $ 1,249,195 
                           ============ ===========  =========== 
</TABLE>

                                       30


<PAGE>   31




                                    FORM 10-K
                            OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION
                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                Page
                                                                                               Number
                                                                                               ------
<S>               <C>                                                                           <C>
Exhibit 13        Annual Report to Shareholders for the Registrant's fiscal year
                  ended December 31, 1997                                                       33-68

Exhibit 21        Subsidiaries of Registrant                                                       69

Exhibit 22        Proxy Statement of the Board of Directors for the fiscal year
                  ended December 31, 1997                                                       70-86

Exhibit 23        Consent of Independent Accountants to incorporation of their
                  opinion by reference in Registration Statement on Form S-3                       87

Exhibit 27        Financial Data Schedule                                                          88

Exhibit 28        Information from Reports Furnished to State Insurance
                  Regulation Authorities                                                       89-102

Exhibits incorporated by reference to previous filings:

Exhibit 3         Articles of Incorporation and By Laws amended 1986 and filed
                  with Form 8-K on January 15, 1987

Exhibit 3a        Amendment to Amended Articles of Incorporation increasing
                  authorized number of shares to 150,000,000 common shares and
                  authorized 2,000,000 preferred shares, dated April 17, 1996

Exhibit 4a        Rights Agreement amended as of April 1, 1994 between Ohio
                  Casualty Corporation and Mellon Bank, N.A. as rights agent
                  filed with Form 8-K on April 1, 1994

Exhibit 4b        First Supplement to Rights Agreement filed with Form 8-K
                  on November 6, 1990

Exhibit 4c        Second Supplement to Rights Agreement filed with
                  Form 8-K on November 6, 1990

Exhibit 4d        Rights Agreement amended as of September 5, 1995 between
                  Ohio Casualty Corporation and First Chicago Trust Company of
                  New York as rights agent filed with Form 8-K on September 5,
                  1995

Exhibit 10        Credit Agreement dated as of October 25, 1994 between Ohio
                  Casualty Corporation and Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., as agent,
                  filed with Form 10-Q on November 1, 1994

Exhibit 10a       Ohio Casualty Corporation 1993 Stock Incentive Program
                  filed with Form 10-Q as Exhibit 10d on May 31, 1993

Exhibit 10a1      Ohio Casualty Corporation amended 1993 Stock Incentive
                  Program filed with Form 10-Q dated May 14, 1997
</TABLE>




                                       31


<PAGE>   32


                                    FORM 10-K
                            OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION
                          INDEX TO EXHIBITS, CONTINUED


Exhibit 10b       Coinsurance Life, Annuity and Disability Income Reinsurance
                  Agreement between Employer's Reassurance Corporation and
                  The Ohio Life Insurance Company dated as of October 2, 1995

Exhibit 10c       Credit Agreement dated October 27, 1997 with Chase
                  Manhattan Bank, N.A. as agent, filed with Form 10-Q on
                  November 13, 1997

Exhibit 99.1      Press release dated November 25, 1997, announcing the
                  settlement with Great Southern Life Insurance Company







                                       32



<PAGE>   1
OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION & SUBSIDIARIES                          Exhibit 13
SHAREHOLDER INFORMATION






STOCK PRICE AND DIVIDEND INFORMATION                                   
(NASDAQ:  OCAS)                                                        

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Quarter                      1st      2nd        3rd        4th        
- -------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>     <C>               <C>        <C>         <C>        <C>
1997    HIGH              42         46 3/4      47 15/16   50 3/4     
        LOW               34 3/8     36 1/8      44         43 5/16    
        DIVIDEND                                                       
        DECLARED          $0.42      $0.42       $0.42      $0.42      
                                                                       
1996    High              39 1/4     36 1/2      35 1/4     36 5/8     
        Low               33 1/4     33 1/4      30 3/8     32         
        Dividend                                                      
        Declared          $0.40      $0.40       $0.40      $0.40      
</TABLE>



1998 ANTICIPATED DIVIDEND SCHEDULE                                     

DECLARATION DATE        RECORD DATE              PAYABLE DATE          
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
February 19, 1998      March 2, 1998            March 10, 1998 
May 21, 1998           June 1, 1998             June 10, 1998 
August 20, 1998        September 1, 1998        September 10, 1998 
November 19, 1998      December 1, 1998         December 10, 1998 






DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT/STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

     The Corporation offers a dividend reinvestment/stock purchase plan for all
registered holders of common stock. Under the Plan, shareholders may reinvest
their dividends to buy additional shares of common stock, and may also make
extra cash payments of up to $60,000 yearly toward the purchase of Ohio Casualty
shares. Participation is entirely voluntary. More information on the dividend
reinvestment/stock purchase plan can be obtained by writing to the Transfer
Agent listed below.
                                                  
FORM 10-K ANNUAL REPORT
                                                  
     The Form 10-K annual report for 1996, as filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, is available without charge upon written request from:

           Ohio Casualty Corporation              
           Office of the Chief Financial Officer  
           136 N. Third St.                       
           Hamilton, OH  45025                    
                                                  
TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR                
           First Chicago Trust Company            
           of New York                            
           P.O. Box 2500                          
           Jersey City, NJ  07303-2500            
           1-800-317-4445                         
                                                  
ANNUAL MEETING

     The annual meeting of shareholders will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday,
April 15, 1998, in the meeting rooms of The Hamiltonian Hotel, One Riverfront
Plaza, Hamilton, OH 45011.
                                                  
                                                  
VISIT OUR INTERNET WEB SITE HTTP://WWW.OCAS.COM

     The site includes current financial data about Ohio Casualty as well as
     other corporate and product information.



<PAGE>   2

OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION & SUBSIDIARIES
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
(IN THOUSANDS)                        1997             1996             1995
============================================================================
<S>                             <C>              <C>              <C>       
Gross premiums and
     finance charges            $1,240,681       $1,240,354       $1,294,541
Investment income,
     less expenses                 177,700          183,308          188,107
Income before investment
     gains                          97,406           64,941           91,400
Realized investment gains,
     after taxes                    32,986           32,287            3,963
Income from discontinued
     operations                      8,655            5,229            4,372
Net income                         139,047          102,457           99,735
Property and casualty
     combined ratio                  105.3%           109.5%           104.0%

BASIC AND DILUTED EARNINGS
  PER COMMON SHARE
Income before investment
     gains                      $     2.85       $     1.85       $     2.56
Realized investment
     gains, after taxes               0.96             0.91             0.11
Income from discontinued
     operations                       0.25             0.15             0.12
Net income                            4.06             2.91             2.79
Book value                           39.11            33.44            31.39
Dividends                             1.68             1.60             1.52

FINANCIAL CONDITION
Assets                          $3,778,782       $3,889,981       $3,980,142
Shareholders' equity             1,314,829        1,175,100        1,111,014

Average shares
     outstanding - basic            34,228           35,247           35,750
Average shares
     outstanding - diluted          34,257           35,254           35,759
Shares outstanding
     on December 31                 33,622           35,141           35,396
Number of shareholders               6,200            6,500            6,100
</TABLE>




<PAGE>   3


OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION & SUBSIDIARIES
TEN-YEAR SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
(IN MILLIONS)                                                           1997         1996            1995            1994
================================================================================================================================

<S>                                                             <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>           
CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS

Income after taxes
      Operating income                                          $          97.4 $          64.9 $          91.4 $          77.1
      Realized investment gains (losses)                                   33.0            32.3             4.0            14.2
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Income from continuing operations                                   130.4            97.2            95.4            91.3
      Discontinued operations                                               8.7             5.3             4.3             5.9
      Cumulative effect of accounting changes                               0.0             0.0             0.0            (0.3)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Net income                                                          139.1           102.5            99.7            96.9
================================================================================================================================

Income after taxes per average share outstanding - BASIC
      Operating income                                                     2.85            1.85            2.56            2.14
      Realized investment gains (losses)                                   0.96            0.91            0.11            0.40
      Discontinued operations                                              0.25            0.15            0.12            0.16
      Cumulative effect of accounting changes                              0.00            0.00            0.00           (0.01)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Net income                                                           4.06            2.91            2.79            2.69
================================================================================================================================

      Average shares outstanding - BASIC                                   34.2            35.2            35.8            36.0

Income after taxes per average share outstanding - DILUTED
      Operating income                                                     2.85            1.85            2.56            2.14
      Realized investment gains (losses)                                   0.96            0.91            0.11            0.40
      Discontinued operations                                              0.25            0.15            0.12            0.16
      Cumulative effect of accounting changes                              0.00            0.00            0.00           (0.01)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Net income                                                           4.06            2.91            2.79            2.69
================================================================================================================================

      Average shares outstanding -DILUTED                                  34.3            35.3            35.8            36.0

      Total assets                                                      3,778.8         3,890.0         3,980.1         3,739.0
      Shareholders' equity                                              1,314.8         1,175.1         1,111.0           850.8
      Book value per share                                                39.11           33.44           31.39           23.64
      Dividends paid per share                                             1.68            1.60            1.52            1.46
      Percent increase over previous year                                   5.0%            5.3%            4.1%            2.8%

PROPERTY AND CASUALTY OPERATIONS

      Net premiums written                                              1,207.6         1,209.0         1,250.6         1,286.4
      Net premiums earned                                               1,204.3         1,223.4         1,264.6         1,297.7
      GAAP underwriting gain (loss) before taxes                          (49.6)         (112.2)          (68.8)          (92.9)

      Loss ratio                                                           62.7%           66.5%           61.2%           61.6%
      Loss expense ratio                                                    9.4%            9.7%           10.2%           10.0%
      Underwriting expense ratio                                           33.2%           33.3%           32.6%           32.2%
      Combined ratio                                                      105.3%          109.5%          104.0%          103.8%

      Investment income before taxes                                      172.4           179.4           184.6           183.8
      Per average share outstanding                                        5.04            5.09            5.16            5.10

      Property and casualty reserves
         Unearned premiums                                                494.9           491.4           505.8           517.8
         Losses                                                         1,174.5         1,215.8         1,268.1         1,303.6
         Loss adjustment expense                                          307.2           331.8           356.1           367.3

      Statutory policyholders' surplus                                  1,109.5           984.9           876.9           660.0
</TABLE>

<PAGE>   4



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        10-Year Compound
         1993            1992            1991            1990            1989            1988            Annual Growth
================================================================================================================================




<S>                 <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>                           <C> 
    $         51.5  $         57.8  $         99.1  $         94.6  $        109.3  $        135.2                0.6%
              28.7            35.1             9.8            (8.7)          (10.5)          (14.2)               0.0%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              80.2            92.9           108.9            85.9            98.8           121.0                5.8%
               6.8             4.1            (1.0)           (1.8)            2.7             7.0                6.8%
               0.0             1.5             0.0             0.0             0.0             0.0                0.0%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              87.0            98.5           107.9            84.1           101.5           128.0                5.9%
================================================================================================================================


              1.43            1.60            2.77            2.47            2.56            3.10                3.4%
              0.80            0.98            0.27           (0.23)          (0.25)          (0.32)               0.0%
              0.19            0.12           (0.03)          (0.05)           0.06            0.16                9.6%
              0.00            0.04            0.00            0.00            0.00            0.00                0.0%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              2.42            2.74            3.01            2.19            2.37            2.94                8.8%
================================================================================================================================

              36.0            36.0            35.8            38.4            42.8            43.6               (2.7)%


              1.43            1.60            2.76            2.47            2.55            3.10                3.4%
              0.79            0.98            0.27           (0.23)          (0.25)          (0.32)               0.0%
              0.19            0.12           (0.03)          (0.05)           0.06            0.16                9.6%
              0.00            0.04            0.00            0.00            0.00            0.00                0.0%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              2.41            2.74            3.00            2.19            2.36            2.94                8.8%
================================================================================================================================

              36.0            36.0            35.9            38.5            42.9            43.6               (2.7)%

           3,816.8         3,760.7         3,531.3         3,252.9         3,145.7         2,922.0                3.5%
             862.3           825.2           774.5           651.2           775.0           718.5                7.9%
             23.93           23.43           21.58           18.19           18.46           16.65               10.9%
              1.42            1.34            1.24            1.16            1.04            0.94                7.2%
               6.0%            8.1%            6.9%           11.5%           10.6%           11.9%               



           1,306.0         1,508.5         1,492.3         1,468.4         1,377.6         1,353.2               (1.2)%
           1,379.4         1,517.6         1,469.1         1,438.0         1,364.2         1,339.6               (1.2)%
            (147.3)         (130.8)          (74.5)          (79.4)          (62.6)          (16.3)              

              64.9%           63.7%           60.4%           61.4%           58.4%           55.2%
              11.8%           10.8%           10.6%           10.9%           12.1%           11.8%
              33.6%           33.5%           33.9%           33.0%           33.2%           33.8%
             110.3%          108.0%          104.9%          105.3%          103.7%          100.8%

             190.4           194.6           191.6           176.7           187.7           169.8                0.9%
              5.29            5.41            5.34            4.59            4.38            3.89                3.8%


             529.6           596.1           605.2           582.0           551.6           538.2               (0.6)%
           1,378.0         1,309.2         1,216.1         1,148.9         1,061.5           979.3                2.4%
             390.6           364.0           350.0           335.1           308.5           273.1                2.4%

             713.6           674.2           643.4           465.8           531.6           452.1                9.3%
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   5

                       MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION & ANALYSIS


RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
       Net income increased 35.7% for 1997 to $139.0 million or $4.06 per share
while the combined ratio decreased by 4.2 points to 105.3%. Losses were
negatively impacted by catastrophes with $21.4 million of catastrophe losses in
1997 versus $62.2 million in 1996. Underwriting expenses continued to decline in
1997, down, $2.1 million from 1996, which had declined over $3.8 million from
1995. General operating expenses, a component of underwriting expenses, have
increased over the period of 1995 to 1997. The increase in operating expenses is
primarily due to expenditures in two categories. First, advertising expenses
increased as part of the Corporation's efforts to increase name recognition of
its property and casualty companies. Second, the branch consolidation process
results in extra expenditures in the year of closing. We are beginning to see
the efficiencies that are produced through this process in declining statutory
underwriting expenses. Branch consolidation resulted in closing 16 branches in
1997, 7 branches in 1996 and 3 branches in 1995. We anticipate closing an
additional 3 branches in 1998.
       Net premiums written were flat for the year. However, if the impact of
residual market and canceled agent reductions are excluded, there was an
increase of 5.3% of written premium from our active agents. Our growth campaign
continued to be led in 1997 by our key agents with a 7.1% increase in written
premium for the year.
       Net cash produced from operations was $26.4 million compared with cash
used of $14.0 million in 1996 and cash used of $56.4 million in 1995. Investing
activities produced net cash of $164.0 million in 1997, compared with $112.7
million in 1996 and $151.0 million in 1995. Dividend payments were $57.5 million
in 1997 compared with $56.4 million in 1996 and $54.3 million in 1995. Total
cash used for financing activities was $131.9 million in 1997 compared with
$75.4 million in 1996 and $85.0 million in 1995. Overall, total cash generated
in 1997 was $58.4 million, compared with $23.3 million in 1996 and $9.6 million
in 1995.
       In order to evaluate corporate performance relative to shareholders'
expectations, the Corporation calculates a five-year average return on equity.
Net income and unrealized gains and losses on investments are included in the
calculation to derive a total return. A five-year average is used to correspond
to our planning horizon and emphasize consistent long term returns, not
intermediate fluctuations. At December 31, 1997, our five-year average return on
equity was 15.5% compared with 13.4% calculated at December 31, 1996 compared
with 16.2% at December 31, 1995.

PROPERTY AND CASUALTY
       Property and casualty operating income was $97.4 million, $2.84 per
share, in 1997 compared with $66.1 million, $1.88 per share, in 1996 and $92.5
million, $2.59 per share in 1995. Catastrophe losses in 1997 totaled $21.4
million compared with $62.2 million in 1996 and $27.3 million in 1995. There
were 25 separate catastrophes in 1997 compared with 39 catastrophes in 1996 and
34 in 1995. Catastrophe losses added 1.8 points to the combined ratio in 1997
compared with 5.1 points in 1996 and 2.2 points in 1995. The 1996 losses were
largely due to winter and spring storms in the Midwest.
       Statutory surplus, a traditional insurance industry measure of strength
and underwriting capacity, was $1,109.5 million at December 31, 1997 compared
with $984.9 million at December 31, 1996 and $876.9 million at December 31,
1995. The increases were due primarily to the unrealized gains in our investment
portfolio.
       The ratio of premiums written to statutory surplus has not exceeded 1.7
to 1 for any property and casualty company in The Ohio Casualty Group in any of
the last three years. This ratio is one of the measures used by insurance
regulators to gauge the financial strength of an insurance company and indicates
the ability of the Corporation to grow by writing additional business.
Currently, the Corporation's ratio is 1.1 to 1. Ratios below 3 to 1 generally


<PAGE>   6


indicate additional capacity and financial strength.
       The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has developed a "Risk
Based Capital" formula for property and casualty insurers and life insurers. The
formulas are intended to measure the adequacy of an insurer's capital given the
asset structure and product mix of the company. Under the current formulas, all
insurance companies in The Ohio Casualty Group have at least twice the necessary
capital.
       In a continuing effort to maximize the use of technology in our industry,
we are furthering the expansion of our Internet applications. This is being
accomplished with our newest subsidiary, Avomark, which began operations on
January 1, 1998. Targeting two New York locales, the company plans to reach
those consumers who find ease and convenience in buying our product through use
of the Internet and direct telemarketing.
       In addition to identifying new marketing opportunities, we continue
working to improve customer retention through improved service and better
products thus leading to increased premium income and profitability. This focus
on our policyholders has yielded increasing retention. By retaining valued
customers, the Corporation is able to increase premium volume while limiting the
higher expense associated with new business underwriting.





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
PREMIUM DISTRIBUTIONS BY TOP STATES
                     1997     1996     1995
<S>                  <C>      <C>     <C>  
New Jersey           17.9%    18.3%   18.1%
Ohio                 10.7%    10.2%    9.6%
Pennsylvania          8.3%     9.4%   10.0%
Kentucky              8.2%     7.2%    6.5%
Illinois              5.2%     5.0%    5.1%
</TABLE>

       After declining in 1995, premiums written increased in both Ohio and
Kentucky in 1996 and 1997. In Ohio, premiums grew 4.8% in 1997, 1.6% in 1996,
and declined 3.3% in 1995. Primarily, this growth has come from the auto and CMP
lines of business. Net written premiums in Ohio totaled $129.8 million in 1997,
$123.8 million in 1996 and $120.4 million in 1995. In Kentucky, premiums grew
14.6% in 1997, 6.1% in 1996 and declined .2% in 1995. Net written premiums in
Kentucky totaled $99.1 million in 1997, $86.5 million in 1996 and $81.7 million
in 1995.
       New Jersey showed a small decline in premiums written of 2.3% during
1997. Net premiums written were $216.0 million compared with $221.2 million in
1996 and $226.5 million in 1995. The reduction in premium growth is primarily
due to a decline in the workers compensation, general liability and auto lines
of business. New Jersey requires insurers to write all submitted auto business
that meets underwriting guidelines regardless of risk concentration.
       Premiums written in Pennsylvania declined during 1997 to $99.8 million
compared with $113.5 million in 1996 and $125.7 million in 1995. This decline
has primarily been driven by competitive pricing conditions in commercial lines
during 1997. The Corporation is currently developing strategies to help
counteract this decline. We remain committed to the state of Pennsylvania and
believe we can generate premium growth in all lines in 1998.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
COMBINED RATIOS
                                       1997          1996         1995         1994        1993
================================== ============== ============ ============ =========== ===========
<S>                                       <C>          <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>   
Automobile                                107.1%       109.1%       103.9%      101.9%      103.5%
Commercial Multiple Peril, Fire
   and Inland Marine                      107.7%       115.0%       105.7%      108.6%      124.2%
General Liability                         103.0%        89.1%       105.3%       90.3%      120.6%
Workers' Compensation                      93.0%        94.3%        93.7%       87.8%      111.3%
Homeowners                                111.2%       135.9%       113.7%      135.7%      118.0%
Fidelity and Surety                        76.5%        73.4%        84.5%       72.8%       79.1%
- ---------------------------------- -------------- ------------ ------------ ----------- -----------
              Total                       105.3%       109.5%       104.0%      103.8%      110.3%
================================== ============== ============ ============ =========== ===========
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   7


DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS
       During 1995, the Corporation's life operations were discontinued. We
found it increasingly difficult to achieve our targeted 16% rate of return in
this segment of our business. After extensive analysis, it was determined that a
16% return could not be achieved without substantial capital contributions and a
dramatic overhaul of the life operations. Since this was a small segment of our
overall business, it was decided that this would not be a prudent use of our
capital. Therefore, on October 2, 1995, the Corporation signed the final
documents to reinsure the existing blocks of business with Great Southern Life
Insurance Company. The existing blocks of business were reinsured through a 100%
coinsurance arrangement.
       During the fourth quarter of 1997, Great Southern Life Insurance Company
legally replaced Ohio Life as the primary insurer on approximately 76% of the
life insurance business subject to the 1995 reinsurance agreement with Ohio
Life. As a result of this assumption, fourth quarter net income for the
Corporation was positively impacted by a partial recognition of unamortized
ceding commission from the original agreement. The before-tax income impact for
the quarter was $8.1 million or $.24 per share. The after-tax impact was $5.3
million or $.16 per share. There remains approximately $2.2 million in
unamortized ceding commission. This will continue to be amortized over the
remaining life of the policies which have yet to be assumed by Great Southern.
       Net income from discontinued operations amounted to $8.7 million or $.25
per share in 1997 compared with $5.2 million or $.15 per share in 1996 and $4.4
million or $.12 per share in 1995.

REINSURANCE
       In order to preserve capital and shareholder value, Ohio Casualty
Corporation purchases reinsurance to protect the Corporation against large or
catastrophic losses. The Property Per Risk contract covers Ohio Casualty in the
event that an insured sustains a property loss in excess of $1.0 million in a
single insured event. Property reinsurance covers $15.0 million in excess of the
retention. The Casualty Per Occurrence contract covers the Corporation in the
event that an insured sustains a liability loss in excess of $1.0 million in a
single insured event. Casualty reinsurance covers $11.0 million in excess of the
retention; and workers' compensation reinsurance covers $74.0 million in excess
of the retention.
       The Catastrophe Reinsurance contract protects the Corporation against an
accumulation of losses arising from one defined catastrophic occurrence or
series of events. The 1998 Catastrophe Program, similar to 1997, provides $150.0
million coverage in excess of the Corporation's $25.0 million retention. In
1997, a portion of the Catastrophe Program was again renewed with a multi-year
placement. In 1998, approximately 55% of our reinsurance program is on a
three-year placement. The multi-year placements maintain rates, continuity, and
each reinsurers' overall share on the program. Over the last twenty years, there
were two events that triggered coverage under our catastrophe contract. Losses
and loss adjustment expenses from the Oakland Fires in 1991 and Hurricane Andrew
in 1992 totaled $31.5 million and $29.8 million, respectively. Both of these
losses exceeded our prior retention amount of $13.0 million. The Corporation
recovered $30.3 million from reinsurers as a result of these events. Our
reinsurance limits are designed to cover our exposure to an event expected to
occur once every 300 years.
       Since the Corporation's reinsurance protection is an important component
in our financial plan, we closely monitor the financial health of each of our
reinsurers. Annually, financial statements are reviewed and various ratios
calculated to identify reinsurers who have ceased to meet our high standards of
financial strength. If any reinsurers fail these tests, they are removed from
the program at renewal.

LOSS AND LOSS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSES
       The Corporation's largest liabilities are the reserves for losses and
loss adjustment expenses. Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves are
established for all incurred claims and are carried on an undiscounted basis
before any credits for reinsurance recoverable. These reserves amounted to $1.5
billion at December 31, 1997 and $1.6 billion at December 31, 1996 and 1995.

<PAGE>   8


       In 1997, the Corporation continued the use of a toll free number for
direct reporting of claims. The percentage of all claims handled by direct
reporting was approximately 55% in 1997. This compares with 50% in 1996 and 30%
in 1995. The Corporation continues to receive positive feedback on this option
from our policyholders.
       In recent years, environmental liability claims have expanded greatly in
the insurance industry. Fortunately, Ohio Casualty has a substantially different
mix of business than the industry. We have historically written small commercial
accounts, and have not attracted significant manufacturing liability coverage.
As a result, our environmental liability claims are substantially below the
industry average. Our liability business reflected our current mix of
approximately 67% contractors, 15% building/premises, 13% mercantile and only 5%
manufacturers. Within the manufacturing category, we have concentrated on the
light manufacturers which further limits our exposure to environmental claims.
       Estimated asbestos and environmental reserves are composed of case
reserves, incurred but not reported reserves and reserves for loss adjustment
expense. For 1997, 1996 and 1995 respectively those reserves were $40.1 million,
$41.0 million and $40.7 million. Asbestos reserves were $7.0 million , $5.2
million and $5.2 million and environmental reserves were $33.2 million, $35.7
million and $35.5 million for those respective years. These loss estimates are
based on the currently available information. However, given the expansion of
coverage and liability by the courts and legislatures, there is some uncertainty
as to the ultimate liability. The Corporation's insurance subsidiaries changed
their pollution exclusion policy language between 1985 and 1987 to effectively
eliminate these coverages.

CALIFORNIA WITHDRAWAL
       On June 15, 1992, the Corporation announced its intention to withdraw its
business operations from California due to the lack of profitability and the
difficult regulatory environment. In December 1992, the Corporation stopped
writing business in California and filed a withdrawal plan with the California
Department of Insurance.
       Under the terms of the plan, The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, Ohio
Security Insurance Company, and West American Insurance Company would withdraw
from California, leaving American Fire and Casualty Company licensed to wind
down the affairs of the Group. Also, the plan required the withdrawing companies
to transfer their California liabilities to American Fire and Casualty Company
along with assets to secure those liabilities. In April 1995, the California
Department of Insurance gave final approval for withdrawal and the Corporation
implemented the withdrawal plan.
       Proposition 103 was passed in the State of California in 1988 in an
attempt to legislate premium rates for that state. Based on previous statements
by the California Department of Insurance and the Corporation's lack of
profitability in the state, it was concluded that no significant liability for
premium rollbacks existed. However, at the end of 1994, and again in 1995, the
State of California billed the Corporation for varying amounts. At year end
1996, the state's assertion of the Corporation's liability was $42.1 million
plus accrued interest. An administrative hearing process is ongoing concerning
the potential rollback liability.
       Upon the Administrative Law Judge's request that it submit what it now
asserts is the rollback liability for Ohio Casualty, the California Department
of Insurance filed two revised rollback calculations in December 1997. These
alternatives, based on concession of certain issues, provide a range of rollback
liabilities between $35.9 million plus interest and $39.9 million plus interest.
       In January 1998, the Judge indicated her intent to rule under the
departments regulations, without consideration of Ohio Casualty's constitutional
challenge, that Ohio Casualty's liability should be below $30 million plus
interest. The commissioner may accept or reject the Judge's ultimate decision in
whole or in part, and his determination will be subject to de novo review by the
state superior court.
       After consultation with outside counsel, the Corporation has determined
that the $35.9 million plus interest is the 


<PAGE>   9


more reasonable of the two Department calculations should the Department of
Insurance prevail. Our current reserve of $66.9 million is based on this
testimony. We made no additions to reserves for principal amounts in 1997;
however, we continue to accrue interest on the assessed liability. Reducing this
alleged liability positively impacted net income by $4.9 million or $.14 per
share in 1997. Increases in reserve due to accruing interest negatively impacted
net income by $2.7 million or $.08 per share in 1996 and $14.9 million or $.42
per share in 1995.
       The Corporation continues to challenge the validity of any rollback and
plans to continue negotiations with Department officials. While we anticipate an
administrative decision in 1998, it is uncertain when this matter will
ultimately be resolved.

INVESTMENTS
       Consolidated pre-tax investment income from continuing operations
decreased 3.1% to $177.7 million in 1997 compared with $183.3 million in 1996
and $188.1 million in 1995. After-tax investment income totaled $133.6 million
in 1997 compared with $138.6 million in 1996 and $138.4 million in 1995. Pre-tax
and after-tax investment income comparisons are impacted by an increased
investment in municipal bonds beginning in 1996.
       Cash flow from investment income has been impacted by our continued share
repurchase program. During 1997, Ohio Casualty Corporation purchased 1,544,688
shares of its common stock at a cost of $64.9 million compared with 264,600
shares for $9.2 million in 1996 and 613,900 shares for $20.9 million in 1995.
The Corporation is currently authorized to repurchase 2.0 million additional
shares of its common stock to be held as treasury shares for stock options or
other general corporate purposes. Since the beginning of 1987, we have
repurchased 12.2 million shares at an average cost of $24.55 per share. We
believe that when the market value of our stock fails to reflect the prospects
of our operations, repurchasing shares is a prudent use of our capital. In the
future, we intend to continue repurchasing shares when doing so makes economic
sense for the Corporation and its shareholders.
       At year end 1997, consolidated investments had a carrying value of $3.2
billion. The excess of market value over cost was $697.6 million, compared with
a $499.7 million excess at year end 1996 and $465.9 million at year end 1995.
The increase in the excess of market value over cost in 1997 was attributable to
the strong performance of our equity and fixed income portfolios. After-tax
realized investment gains from continuing operations amounted to $33.0 million
in 1997 compared with $32.3 million in 1996 and $4.0 million in 1995.
       We continue to have no exposure to futures, forwards, caps, floors, or
similar derivative instruments as defined by Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 119. However, as noted in footnote number 14, we have an interest
rate swap with Chase Manhattan Bank covering the outstanding balance of our line
of credit. This swap is not classified as an investment but rather as a hedge
against a portion of the variable rate loan. As of December 31, 1997, Ohio
Casualty maintained a $347.1 million mortgage-backed securities portfolio
compared with $446.9 million at December 31, 1996 and $403.1 million at December
31, 1995. The majority of our mortgage-backed securities holdings are less
volatile planned amortization class, sequential structures and agency
pass-through securities. $5.8, $27.0, $27.8 million of this portfolio was
invested in more volatile bond classes (e.g.
interest-only, super-floaters, inverses) in 1997, 1996 and 1995, respectively.
       Ohio Casualty's fixed income strategy has been to maintain a portfolio
with a laddered maturity structure and an intermediate duration. We believe that
our portfolio composition and duration continue to be appropriate for our
insurance business. Further, we do not try to time the financial markets.
Instead, we believe it is prudent to remain fully invested at all times, subject
only to our liquidity needs.
       Tax exempt bonds were 39.4% of the fixed income portfolio at year end
1997 versus 34.4% at December 31, 1996 and 37.3% at December 31, 1995. This
higher average exposure to municipals reflects our internal tax planning
strategy as well as our belief that, coming into 1997, municipals 


<PAGE>   10


were attractive relative to taxable bond alternatives.
       Our commitment to a diversified, growth-oriented equity portfolio remains
unchanged. Equity investments have increased as a percentage of our consolidated
portfolio from 21.4% in 1995 to 23.5% in 1996 to 27.3% at year end 1997. This
increase is entirely attributable to market appreciation of existing investments
as opposed to commitment of new funds. In fact, no new funds have been allocated
to equities in the last three years.

YEAR 2000
       Recently, the "Year 2000 Problem" has received extensive press in the
insurance industry. According to published reports, many companies are making
large expenditures in order to convert their computer systems to recognize the
year 2000. Most computer systems were originally written with two digit date
fields. Therefore, the computer believes that the difference between `99 and `00
is a negative 99 years instead of one year. This would obviously create havoc
with date related calculations such as policy premiums.
       Ohio Casualty started very early converting our computer systems to be
year 2000 compliant as we modified and adjusted the programs for other purposes.
As such, the Corporation has not had to make such a dedicated and expensive
effort to fix the problem. Currently over 70% of our systems have been modified
for year 2000. We have added compliance testing to our year 2000 compliance
criteria. Compliance testing involves migrating our data forward and changing
the internal date in the computer to critical dates in late 1999 and early 2000.
With this addition to our criteria we are over 50% completed with the entire
year 2000 compliance process. Complete testing of year 2000 compliance for all
systems is set to be completed by the end of 1998. To date, we have spent
approximately $.7 million and expect to spend an additional $1.4 million to
complete our efforts.
       The readiness of outside parties, such as vendors, agents or governmental
units, also play a role in the Company's exposure to the "Year 2000 Problem." In
1997, Ohio Casualty contacted those parties to request written verification that
their software will be compliant. As of year end 1997, over 50% have responded.
The Corporation expects this process to be completed by year end 1998.


<PAGE>   11

OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION & SUBSIDIARIES
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
DECEMBER 31 (IN THOUSANDS)                                               1997                1996                 1995
=======================================================================================================================

<S>                                                            <C>                 <C>                  <C>           
ASSETS

Investments:
      Fixed maturities:
         Available for sale, at fair value                     $    2,226,030      $    2,310,938       $    2,407,853
              (Cost:  $2,112,291; $2,225,517; $2,276,150)
      Equity securities, at fair value                                859,475             721,152              661,154
              (Cost:  $275,637; $306,865; $326,999)
      Short-term investments at cost                                   65,849              41,546               14,399
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total investments                                             3,151,354           3,073,636            3,083,406
Cash                                                                   54,206              20,078               23,883
Premiums and other receivables                                        193,615             186,676              196,175
Deferred policy acquisition costs                                     126,063             116,684              119,795
Property and equipment                                                 50,699              42,239               43,846
Reinsurance recoverable                                               108,962             362,683              446,167
Other assets                                                           93,883              87,985               66,870
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total assets                                             $    3,778,782      $    3,889,981       $    3,980,142
=======================================================================================================================

LIABILITIES

Insurance reserves:
      Unearned premiums                                        $      495,076      $      491,613       $      506,035
      Losses                                                        1,176,614           1,224,873            1,275,077
      Loss adjustment expenses                                        307,193             331,797              356,107
      Future policy benefits                                           34,148             280,002              360,074
Note payable                                                           40,000              50,000               60,000
California Proposition 103 reserve                                     66,908              74,376               70,167
Deferred income taxes                                                  95,389              27,993                2,112
Other liabilities                                                     248,625             234,227              239,556
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Total liabilities                                             2,463,953           2,714,881            2,869,128
      Commitments and contingent liabilities (see Notes 1 and 8)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Common stock, $.125 par value                                           5,850               5,850                5,850
      Authorized:  150,000,000 shares
      Issued shares:  46,803,872
Additional paid-in capital                                              3,923               3,603                3,422
Unrealized gain on investments,
      net of applicable income taxes                                  454,241             332,042              305,049
Retained earnings                                                   1,158,308           1,076,545            1,030,468
Treasury stock, at cost
      (Shares:  13,182,240; 11,662,559; 11,407,745)                  (307,493)           (242,940)            (233,775)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Total shareholders' equity                                    1,314,829           1,175,100            1,111,014
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Total liabilities and shareholders' equity               $    3,778,782      $    3,889,981       $    3,980,142
=======================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

See notes to consolidated financial statements


<PAGE>   12

      OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION & SUBSIDIARIES
          STATEMENT OF CONSOLIDATED INCOME





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 (IN THOUSANDS)                              1997                1996               1995
===============================================================================================================

<S>                                                      <C>                <C>                 <C>           
Premiums and finance charges earned                      $    1,208,974     $     1,226,651     $    1,268,269
Investment income less expenses                                 177,700             183,308            188,107
Investment gains realized, net                                   50,749              49,672              6,096
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Total income                                          1,437,423           1,459,631          1,462,472


Losses and benefits for policyholders                           751,207             812,234            774,282
Loss adjustment expenses                                        113,435             118,354            128,099
General operating expenses                                      103,299             100,939             89,970
Amortization of deferred policy
   acquisition costs                                            303,494             308,856            327,055
California Proposition 103 reserve,
   including interest                                            (7,469)              4,210             22,889
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Total expenses                                        1,263,966           1,344,593          1,342,295


Income from continuing operations
    before income taxes                                         173,457             115,038            120,177
Income taxes
   Current                                                       44,263              10,173             23,514
   Deferred                                                      (1,198)              7,637              1,300
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Total income taxes                                       43,065              17,810             24,814
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Income before discontinued operations                           130,392              97,228             95,363
Income from discontinued operations
   net of taxes of $4,661, $2,663 and
   $4,345 (see Note 17)                                           8,655               5,229              4,372
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Net income                                       $      139,047     $       102,457     $       99,735
===============================================================================================================


Average shares outstanding                                       34,228              35,247             35,750


Basic and diluted earnings per share:
   Income before discontinued operations                 $         3.81     $          2.76     $         2.67
   Income from discontinued operations                             0.25                0.15               0.12
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Net income per share                             $         4.06     $          2.91     $         2.79
===============================================================================================================
</TABLE>


See notes to consolidated financial statements



<PAGE>   13



OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION & SUBSIDIARIES
STATEMENT OF CONSOLIDATED
SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                  ADDITIONAL      UNREALIZED                                            TOTAL
                                     COMMON        PAID-IN       GAIN (LOSS)       RETAINED         TREASURY         SHAREHOLDERS'
(IN THOUSANDS)                       STOCK         CAPITAL      ON INVESTMENTS     EARNINGS          STOCK              EQUITY
====================================================================================================================================
<S>                                <C>          <C>             <C>             <C>              <C>               <C>            
Balance,
January 1, 1995                    $   5,850    $      3,271    $     69,610    $      985,068   $     (213,009)   $       850,790

Unrealized gain                                                      360,372                                               360,372
Deferred income tax on
     net unrealized loss                                            (124,933)                                             (124,933)
Net issuance of treasury
     stock under stock option
     plan and by charitable
     donation (16,771 shares)                            151                                                427                578
Repurchase of treasury
     stock (613,900 shares)                                                                             (21,193)           (21,193)
Net income                                                                              99,735                              99,735
Cash dividends paid
     ($1.52 per share)                                                                 (54,335)                            (54,335)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance,
December 31, 1995                  $   5,850    $      3,422    $    305,049    $    1,030,468   $     (233,775)   $     1,111,014

Unrealized gain                                                       40,297                                                40,297
Deferred income tax on
     net unrealized gain                                             (13,304)                                              (13,304)
Net issuance of treasury
     stock under stock option
     plan and by charitable
     donation (9,786 shares)                             181                                                  3                184
Repurchase of treasury
     stock  (264,600 shares)                                                                             (9,168)            (9,168)
Net income                                                                             102,457                             102,457
Cash dividends paid
     ($1.60 per share)                                                                 (56,380)                            (56,380)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance,
December 31, 1996                  $   5,850    $      3,603    $    332,042    $    1,076,545   $     (242,940)   $     1,175,100

Unrealized gain                                                      188,081                                               188,081
Deferred income tax on
     net unrealized gain                                             (65,882)                                              (65,882)
Net issuance of treasury
     stock under stock option
     plan and by charitable
     donation (25,007 shares)                            320                               172              305                797
Repurchase of treasury
     stock  (1,544,688  shares)                                                                         (64,858)           (64,858)
Net income                                                                             139,047                             139,047
Cash dividends paid
     ($1.68  per share)                                                                (57,456)                            (57,456)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BALANCE,
DECEMBER 31, 1997                  $   5,850    $      3,923    $    454,241    $    1,158,308   $     (307,493)   $     1,314,829
===================================================================================================================================
</TABLE>


See notes to consolidated financial statements


<PAGE>   14

OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION & SUBSIDIARIES
STATEMENT OF CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOWS




<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31 (IN THOUSANDS)                                              1997                1996               1995
===============================================================================================================================

<S>                                                                      <C>                <C>                 <C>           
CASH FLOWS FROM:
     Operations
         Net income                                                      $      139,047     $       102,457     $       99,735
         Adjustments to reconcile net income to
            cash from operations:
                Changes in:
                    Insurance reserves                                         (315,255)           (169,006)           116,397
                    Income taxes                                                 10,691               8,238             (7,157)
                    Premiums and other receivables                               (6,939)              9,500              2,993
                    Deferred policy acquisition costs                            (9,379)              3,111             45,838
                    Reinsurance recoverable                                     253,720              83,484           (358,418)
                    Other assets                                                (22,339)                775              6,871
                    Other liabilities                                            20,677             (18,442)            14,577
                    California Proposition 103 reserves                          (7,469)              4,209             21,353
                    Depreciation and amortization                                16,035              12,388             12,600
                    Investment (gains) losses                                   (52,382)            (50,674)           (11,199)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Net cash from operations                                                    26,407             (13,960)           (56,410)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

INVESTING
     Purchase of securities:
         Fixed income securities - available for sale                          (351,393)           (539,690)          (944,077)
         Equity securities                                                      (66,433)            (74,243)           (86,517)
     Proceeds from sales:
         Fixed income securities - available for sale                           342,193             501,394            929,890
         Equity securities                                                      144,688             122,970             89,771
     Proceeds from maturities and calls:
         Fixed income securities - available for sale                           103,165             101,970            132,572
         Equity securities                                                       10,013               6,702             47,605
     Property and equipment:
         Purchases                                                              (18,968)             (7,340)           (19,071)
         Sales                                                                      702                 952                813
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Net cash from investments                                           163,967             112,715            150,986
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FINANCING
     Note payable repayment                                                     (10,000)            (10,000)           (10,000)
     Proceeds from exercise of stock options                                        371                 135                578
     Purchase of treasury stock                                                 (64,858)             (9,168)           (21,193)
     Dividends paid to shareholders                                             (57,456)            (56,380)           (54,335)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Net cash used in financing activities                              (131,943)            (75,413)           (84,950)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Net change in cash and cash equivalents                                          58,431              23,342              9,626
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year                                     61,624              38,282             28,656
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year                                   $      120,055     $        61,624     $       38,282
===============================================================================================================================
</TABLE>


See notes to consolidated financial statements






<PAGE>   15

NOTE  1  --  ACCOUNTING POLICIES

A. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the basis of
generally accepted accounting principles and include the accounts of Ohio
Casualty Corporation and its subsidiaries. All significant inter-company
transactions have been eliminated. All dollar amounts except share and per share
data are in thousands of dollars. 

B. Investment securities are classified upon acquisition into one of the
following categories: (1) held to maturity securities (2) trading securities (3)
available for sale securities

     Available for sale securities are those securities that would be available
to be sold in the future in response to liquidity needs, changes in market
interest rates, and asset-liability management strategies, among others.
Available for sale securities are reported at fair value, with unrealized gains
and losses excluded from earnings and reported as a separate component of
shareholders' equity, net of deferred tax. Equity securities are carried at
quoted market values and include non-redeemable preferred stocks and common
stocks. Fair values of fixed maturities and equity securities are determined on
the basis of dealer or market quotations or comparable securities on which
quotations are available.

     Short-term investments include commercial paper and notes with original
maturities of 90 days or less and are stated at cost or amortized cost which
approximates market. Short-term investments are deemed to be cash equivalents.

     Realized gains or losses on disposition of investments are determined on
the basis of specific cost of investments. 

C. Property and casualty insurance premiums are earned principally on a monthly
pro rata basis over the term of the policy; the premiums applicable to the
unexpired terms of the policies are included in unearned premium reserve.

D. Acquisition costs incurred at policy issuance net of applicable ceding
commissions are deferred and amortized over the term of the policy for property
and casualty insurance, over the estimated life in proportion to future profits
of universal life type contracts and over the estimated premium paying period
for other life insurance contracts. Deferred policy acquisition costs are
reviewed to determine that they do not exceed recoverable amounts, including
anticipated investment income.

E. Liabilities for future policy benefits are computed based on contract terms
and issue date using interest rates ranging from 4% to 8 3/4%, select and
ultimate mortality experience and industry withdrawal experience. Interest rates
on $24,611 of such liabilities in 1997, $230,843 in 1996 and $293,732 in 1995
are periodically adjusted based on market conditions. Fair value is determined
by discounting cash flows at current market interest rates.

F. Deferred income taxes result from temporary differences between financial and
taxable income.

G. Property and equipment are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation.
Depreciation is computed principally on the straight-line method over the
estimated lives of the assets.

H. The Corporation's primary products consist of insurance for: personal
auto, commercial property, homeowners, workers' compensation and other
miscellaneous lines. Ohio Casualty operates through the independent agency
system in 38 states. Of net premiums written, approximately 17.9% was generated
in the State of New Jersey, 10.8% in Ohio and 8.3% in Pennsylvania. The
insurance industry is subject to heavy regulation that differs by state. A
dramatic change in regulation in a given state may have a material adverse
impact on the Corporation. 

I. The Corporation believes that the fair value of long-term debt is
approximately equal to its carrying value due to the market-based variable
interest rates associated with the debt.

J. The Corporation is dependent on dividend payments from its insurance
subsidiaries in order to meet operating expenses and to pay dividends. Insurance
regulatory authorities impose various restrictions and prior approval
requirements on the payment of dividends by insurance companies and holding
companies. At December 31, 1997, approximately $170,115 of retained earnings are
not subject to restriction or prior dividend approval requirements.

K. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of
contingent assets and liabilities at the date of financial statements, and the
reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual
results could differ from those estimates.

NOTE 2 -- INVESTMENTS 
Investment income is summarized as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                 1997        1996       1995
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Investment income from:

<S>                            <C>         <C>        <C>     
   Fixed maturities            $166,554    $176,160   $177,621
   Equity securities             13,776      14,135     14,721
   Short-term securities          3,477       2,129      3,096
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Total investment income         183,807     192,424    195,438
Investment expenses               6,107       9,116      7,331
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Net investment income          $177,700    $183,308   $188,107
===============================================================
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   16

     Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments in securities are
summarized as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                 1997         1996        1995
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                         <C>          <C>          <C>      
Realized gains (losses):

   Fixed maturities         $   9,317    $   4,567    $ (8,104)
   Equity securities           42,956       41,278      16,913
   Other investments           (1,524)       3,827      (2,713)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
                            $  50,749    $  49,672    $  6,096
===============================================================

Unrealized gains (losses):

   Securities               $ 188,081    $  40,297   $ 360,372
   Deferred tax               (65,882)     (13,304)   (124,933)
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
                            $ 122,199    $  26,993   $ 235,439
===============================================================
</TABLE>

     The amortized cost and estimated market values of investments in debt and
equity securities are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                               GROSS         GROSS    ESTIMATED
                             AMORTIZED    UNREALIZED    UNREALIZED         FAIR
1997                              COST         GAINS        LOSSES        VALUE
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Securities available for
 sale:

<S>                            <C>            <C>              <C>        <C>    
  U.S. Government              $66,244        $3,601           $(1)       $69,844
  States, municipalities
    and political
    subdivisions               835,355        40,405           (19)       875,741
  Debt securities
    issued by
    foreign
    governments                  3,000           458             0          3,458
  Corporate securities         872,904        58,046        (1,026)       929,924
  Mortgage-backed
    securities:
  U.S. Government
    Agency                      16,876           678            (1)        17,553
  Other                        317,912        12,838        (1,240)       329,510
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total fixed                  2,112,291       116,026        (2,287)     2,226,030
    maturities
Equity securities              275,637       597,803       (13,965)       859,475
Short-term
    investments                 65,849             0             0         65,849
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total securities,
    available for sale      $2,453,777      $713,829      $(16,252)    $3,151,354
=================================================================================
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                             GROSS         GROSS     ESTIMATED
                            AMORTIZED   UNREALIZED    UNREALIZED          FAIR
1996                             COST        GAINS        LOSSES         VALUE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Securities
   available for
   sale:
<S>                       <C>            <C>            <C>          <C>    
  U.S. Government         $   80,822    $    2,101    $     (382)    $   82,541
  States,
   municipalities
   and political
   subdivisions              760,602        34,966        (1,029)       794,539
  Debt securities
   issued by
   foreign
   governments                 3,000           296             0          3,296
  Corporate securities       940,540        50,126        (7,008)       983,658
  Mortgage-backed
   securities:
  U.S. Government
    Agency                   171,291        12,992        (7,377)       176,906
  Other                      269,262        14,274       (13,538)       269,998
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total fixed maturities     2,225,517       114,755       (29,334)     2,310,938
Equity securities            306,865       425,022       (10,735)       721,152
Short-term
    investments               41,546             0             0         41,546
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total securities,
    available for sale    $2,573,928    $  539,777    $  (40,069)    $3,073,636
================================================================================
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                             GROSS         GROSS       ESTIMATED
                           AMORTIZED    UNREALIZED    UNREALIZED            FAIR
1995                            COST         GAINS        LOSSES           VALUE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                       <C>           <C>           <C>               <C>    
Securities
   available for
   sale:
  U.S. Government         $  110,628    $    5,864    $       (5)       116,487
  States, municipalities
   and political             
   subdivisions              845,729        52,796           (59)       898,466
  Debt securities
   issued by
   foreign
   governments                 3,000           423             0          3,423
  Corporate securities       927,375        66,309        (7,285)       986,398
  Mortgage-backed
   securities:
  U.S. Government
    Agency                   168,219         7,556        (5,581)       170,193
  Other                      221,199        18,281        (6,594)       232,886
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total fixed maturities     2,276,150       151,229       (19,524)     2,407,853
Equity securities            326,999       336,130        (1,974)       661,154
Short-term
    investments               14,399             0             0         14,399
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total securities,
    available for sale    $2,617,548    $  487,359    $  (21,498)    $3,083,406
================================================================================
</TABLE>



     The amortized cost and estimated fair value of debt securities at December
31, 1997, by contractual maturity are shown below. Expected maturities will
differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call
or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties.


<PAGE>   17

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                     ESTIMATED
                                       AMORTIZED          FAIR
                                            COST         VALUE
- --------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                    <C>          <C>       
Due in one year or less                $  21,712    $   21,869
Due after one year through five years    337,931       356,217
Due after five years through ten years   736,400       779,447
Due after ten years                      681,460       721,434

Mortgage-backed securities: 
   U.S. Government Agency                 16,876        17,553
   Other                                 317,912       329,510
- --------------------------------------------------------------
Total fixed maturities                $2,112,291    $2,226,030
==============================================================
</TABLE>

     Certain securities were determined to have other than temporary declines in
book value and were written down through realized investment losses. Total
write-downs were $14,433, $19,456 and $26,290 during 1997, 1996 and 1995,
respectively, representing a reduction in value of $0, $7,055 and $9,696 on
fixed maturities and $14,433, $12,401 and $16,595 on equity securities.

     Proceeds from maturities and sales of investments in debt securities during
1997, 1996 and 1995 were $445,358, $603,364 and $1,062,462, respectively. Gross
gains of $12,665, $14,257 and $20,834 and gross losses of $4,311, $10,388 and
$24,500 were realized on those maturities and sales in 1997, 1996 and 1995,
respectively.

NOTE 3 -- FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The following table presents the carrying amounts and fair values of the
Corporation's financial instruments:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                     CARRYING        FAIR
1997                                 AMOUNT          VALUE
- -----------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                 <C>           <C>       
Assets
   Cash and cash equivalents        $  120,055    $  120,055
   Securities - available for sale   3,085,505     3,085,505

Liabilities
   Future policy benefits           $   34,148    $   34,148
   Long-term debt                       40,000        40,000

<CAPTION>

                                      CARRYING          FAIR
1996                                    AMOUNT         VALUE
- -----------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                 <C>           <C>       
Assets
   Cash and cash equivalents        $   61,624    $   61,624
   Securities - available for sale   3,032,090     3,032,090

Liabilities
   Future policy benefits           $  280,002    $  280,002
   Long-term debt                       50,000        50,000

<CAPTION>

                                      CARRYING          FAIR
1995                                    AMOUNT         VALUE
- -------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                 <C>           <C>       
Assets
   Cash and cash equivalents        $   38,282    $   38,282
   Securities - available for sale   3,069,007     3,069,007

Liabilities
   Future policy benefits           $  360,074    $  360,074
   Long-term debt                       60,000        60,000
</TABLE>

     See footnote 1 for disclosure related to fair value determination.

NOTE 4  --  DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS
Changes in deferred policy acquisition costs are summarized as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                  1997        1996       1995
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>         <C>         <C>    
Deferred, January 1           $116,684    $119,795    $165,633
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Additions:
Commissions and brokerage      190,029     190,461     204,594
Salaries and employee           46,241      47,092      43,867
benefits
Other                           67,301      66,143      73,090
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Deferral of expense            303,571     303,696     321,551
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Amortization to expense
   Discontinued operations      (9,302)     (2,049)     40,333
   Continuing operations       303,494     308,856     327,055
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Deferred, December 31         $126,063    $116,684    $119,795
===============================================================
</TABLE>

     The above schedule includes deferred policy acquisition costs (net of
unamortized ceding commission) for discontinued life insurance operations of
$(2,185), $(11,486) and $(13,535) as of 1997, 1996 and 1995, respectively. See
Note 17 for additional information regarding discontinued operations.

NOTE 5  --  INCOME TAX
The effective income tax rate is less than the statutory corporate tax rate of
35% for 1997, 1996 and 1995 for the following reasons:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                  1997       1996         1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>        <C>          <C>     
Tax at statutory rate         $ 60,710   $ 40,263     $ 42,062
Tax exempt interest            (16,522)   (18,367)     (16,150)
Dividends received deduction
   (DRD)                        (3,239)    (4,056)      (3,446)
Proration of DRD and tax
exempt interest                  2,796      3,017        3,319
Reduction in provision for
   audit issues                      0     (3,000)           0
Miscellaneous                     (680)       (47)        (971)
- --------------------------------------------------------------
   Actual tax                 $ 43,065   $ 17,810     $ 24,814
==============================================================
</TABLE>

     Tax years 1993 through 1995 are being examined by The Internal Revenue
Service. Management believes 


<PAGE>   18

there will not be a significant impact on the financial position or results of
operations of the Corporation as a result of this audit.

     The components of the net deferred tax asset (liability) were as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                 1997        1996       1995
- -------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>          <C>         <C>     
Unearned premium proration $   34,065   $  33,833   $ 34,823
Accrued expenses               43,164      59,217     64,658
Postretirement benefits        28,522      27,355     26,331
Discounted loss and loss
   expense reserves            78,217      81,350     88,589
- -------------------------------------------------------------
Total deferred tax assets     183,968     201,755    214,401
Deferred policy               
   acquisition costs          (44,122)    (51,129)   (53,616)
Unrealized gains on          
   investments               (235,235)   (178,619)  (162,897)
- -------------------------------------------------------------
Total deferred tax           
   liabilities               (279,357)   (229,748)  (216,513)
- -------------------------------------------------------------
Net deferred tax asset     
   (liability)             $  (95,389)  $ (27,993)  $ (2,112)
=============================================================
</TABLE>

    Taxes paid amounted to $37,035 in 1997, $16,336 in 1996 and $37,346 in 1995.

NOTE 6  -- EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

The Corporation has a non-contributory defined benefit retirement plan,
contributory health care, life and disability insurance and savings plans
covering substantially all employees. Benefit expenses are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                1997        1996        1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>         <C>           <C>      
Employee benefit costs:
   Retirement                $  (252)    $  (136)    $(1,689)
   Health care                12,555      14,415      13,339
   Life and disability
       insurance                 463         555         594
   Savings plan                2,321       2,489       2,586
- --------------------------------------------------------------
                             $15,087     $17,323     $14,830
==============================================================
</TABLE>

     The pension benefit is determined as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                               1997         1996       1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>          <C>        <C>  
Service cost/(benefit) earned
  during the year             $ 6,354     $ 6,256   $  5,701
Interest cost on projected
  benefit obligation           15,003      13,927     13,262
Actual return on plan assets  (62,113)    (19,070)   (34,448)
Amortization of unrecognized
  net asset existing at        40,504      (1,249)    13,796
  January 1
- --------------------------------------------------------------
Net pension benefit           $ (252)     $  (136)  $ (1,689)
==============================================================
</TABLE>

     Pension plan funding at December 31:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                 1997        1996       1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                          <C>         <C>         <C>     
Plan assets at fair value
   (primarily fixed income
   and equity securities)    $276,477    $225,681    $217,274
- --------------------------------------------------------------
Plan benefit obligations:
   Vested benefits            179,601     160,667     157,371
   Non-vested benefits          3,061       2,780       3,046
   Future benefits due to
     salary increases          31,058      34,091      30,591
- --------------------------------------------------------------
       Total                  213,720     197,538     191,008
- --------------------------------------------------------------
Excess plan assets over
   obligations              $  62,757   $  28,143   $  26,266
==============================================================

Unrecognized net gain                  
   (loss)                   $  42,443   $   1,617   $  (3,082)
Unrecognized net assets        15,085      18,102      21,119
Unrecognized prior service
   cost                        (2,508)       (566)       (624)
Expected long-term return
   on plan assets               8.25%       8.75%       8.50%
Discount rate on plan
   benefit obligations          7.25%       7.75%       7.50%
Expected future rate of
   salary increases             5.25%       5.25%       5.25%
</TABLE>

     Pension benefits are based on service years and average compensation using
the five highest consecutive years of earnings in the last decade of employment.
The pension plan measurement date is October 1 for 1997, 1996 and 1995. The
maximum pension expense deductible for income tax purposes has been funded. Plan
assets at December 31, 1997 include $37,585 of the Corporation's common stock at
market value compared to $29,899 and $32,637 at December 31, 1996 and 1995,
respectively.

     Employee contributions to the health care plan have been established as a
flat dollar amount with periodic adjustments as determined by the Corporation.
The health care plan is unfunded.

     Accrued postretirement benefit liability at December 31:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                1997        1996       1995
- -------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                         <C>         <C>         <C>      
Accumulated postretirement 
  benefit obligation:
    Retirees                $(46,119)   $(40,313)   $(39,084)
    Active employees         (35,575)    (31,484)    (32,435)
- -------------------------------------------------------------
      Total                  (81,694)    (71,797)    (71,519)
Unrecognized net loss (gain)     203      (6,203)     (2,481)
- -------------------------------------------------------------
Accrued postretirement
   benefit liability        $(81,491)   $(78,000)   $(74,000)
=============================================================
</TABLE>

     Postretirement benefit cost at December 31:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                1997        1996       1995
- -------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>         <C>         <C>   
Service cost                  $1,739      $1,967      $1,883
Interest cost                  5,588       5,412       5,144
- -------------------------------------------------------------
Net periodic
   postretirement benefit     
   cost                       $7,327      $7,379      $7,027
=============================================================
</TABLE>

<PAGE>   19

     Postretirement benefit rate assumptions at October 1:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                  1997       1996       1995
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                 <C>        <C>        <C>
Medical trend rate                  8%         9%         10%
Dental trend rate                   6%         7%          8%
Ultimate health care trend rate     5%         5%          5%
Discount rate                    8.00%      7.75%       8.00%
</TABLE>


     The postretirement plan measurement date is October 1 for 1997, 1996 and
1995.

     Increasing the assumed health care cost trend by 1 percentage point in each
year would increase the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation as of
December 31, 1997 by approximately $14,705 and increase the postretirement
benefit cost for 1997 by $1,685.

     The Corporation's health care plan is a predominately managed care plan.
Retired employees continue to be eligible to participate in the health care and
life insurance plans. Benefit costs are accrued based on actuarial projections
of future payments. There are currently 3,000 active employees and 1,378 retired
employees covered by these plans.

     Employees may contribute a percentage of their compensation to a savings
plan. A portion of employee contributions is matched by the Corporation and
invested in Corporation stock purchased on the open market by trustees of the
plan.

NOTE 7  -  STOCK OPTIONS

The Corporation is authorized under provisions of the 1993 Stock Incentive
Programs to grant options to purchase 1,293,500 shares of the Corporation's
common stock to key executive employees, directors, and other full time salaried
employees at a price not less than the fair market value of the shares on dates
the options are granted. The options granted may be either "Incentive Stock
Options" or "Nonqualified Stock Options" as defined by the Internal Revenue
Code; the difference in the option plans affects treatment of the options for
income tax purposes by the individual employee and the Corporation. The options
are non-transferable and exercisable at any time after the vesting requirements
are met. Option expiration dates are five and ten years from the grant date.
Options vest either at 100% six months from the grant date or at 33% per year
for three consecutive years from the date of the grant. At December 31, 1997,
988,289 remaining options may be granted.

     In addition, the 1993 Stock Incentive Program provides for the grant of
Stock Appreciation Rights in tandem with the stock options. Stock Appreciation
Rights provide the recipient with the right to receive payment in cash or stock
equal to appreciation in value of the optioned stock from the date of grant in
lieu of exercise of the stock options held. At December 31, 1997, there were no
outstanding stock appreciation rights.

     Restricted stock awards are occasionally issued by the Corporation. The
common shares covered by a restricted stock award may be sold or otherwise
disposed of only after a minimum of six months from the grant date of the award.
The difference between issue price and the fair market value on the date of
issuance is recorded as compensation expense. The amount of compensation expense
recognized in 1997 related to restricted stock awards was $345 before tax. There
were no restricted stock awards in 1996 or 1995. Currently there are 7,136
shares of restricted stock outstanding.

     The Corporation also issues, at its discretion, dividend payment rights in
connection with the grant of stock options. These rights entitle the holder to
receive, for each dividend payment right, an amount in cash equal to the
aggregate amount of dividends that the Corporation has paid on each common share
from the date on which such right becomes effective through the payout date. One
third of these rights becomes vested on each anniversary after the grant.
Dividends accrue and payments are made when the rights are fully vested by the
rightholder. The Corporation recognizes compensation expense accordingly. The
amount of compensation expense related to dividend payment rights recognized in
1997 was $517 before tax. There was not any compensation expense recognized in
1996 or 1995 related to dividend payment rights. As of December 31, 1997,
213,000 dividend payment rights were outstanding.

     The Corporation continues to elect APB 25 for recognition of stock-based
compensation expense. Under APB 25, expense is recognized based on the intrinsic
value of the options. However, under the provision of FAS 123 the Corporation is
required to estimate on the date of grant the fair value of each option using an
option-pricing model. Accordingly, the Black-Scholes option pricing model is
used with the following weighted-average assumptions for 1997, 1996 and 1995,
respectively: dividend yield of 4.5% for 1997, 1996 and 1995, expected
volatility of 26.1% for 1997 and 25.3% for both 1996 and 1995, risk free
interest rate of 6.87%, 6.34% and 6.20%, and expected life of 8 years. The
following table summarizes information about the stock-based compensation plan
as of December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995, and changes that occurred during the
year:

<PAGE>   20
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                     1997               1996              1995
                         --------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Weighted-           Weighted-          Weighted-
                                        Avg                 Avg                 Avg
                          Shares     Exercise    Shares  Exercise  Shares     Exercise
                           (000)      Price       (000)   Price    (000)        Price
                         --------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>     <C>          <C>     <C>          <C>     <C>   
Outstanding
   beginning of year          173     $33.84        74     $30.02        91     $28.71
   Granted                    120      41.44       127      34.93        12      30.50
   Exercised                  (27)     33.33       (28)     28.75       (29)     26.11
   Canceled                    (4)     32.38         0                    0
                            ------              ------               ------
Outstanding
  end of year                 262     $37.38       173     $33.84        74     $30.02
                           ======               ======               ======

Options exercisable
at year-end                    81                   52                   74           

Weighted-Avg
  fair value of
  options granted
  during the year          $10.18               $ 8.14               $ 7.02           
</TABLE>



     At year end 1997, 262,494 options were outstanding with an average
remaining contractual life of 8.35 years and weighted exercise price of $37.38.
Of the amount outstanding, 81,493 were exercisable with a weighted average
exercise price of $34.05. At year end 1996, 172,500 options were outstanding
with an average remaining contractual life of 8.49 years and a weighted exercise
price of $33.84. Of the amount outstanding, 51,500 were exercisable with a
weighted average exercise price of $31.23. At year end 1995, 73,800 options were
outstanding with an average remaining contractual life of 5.81 years and a
weighted exercise price of $30.02. Of the amount outstanding, 73,800 were
exercisable with a weighted average exercise price of $30.02.

     Had the Corporation adopted FAS 123, the amount of compensation expense
that would have been recognized in 1997, 1996 and 1995 respectively, would be
$755, $350 and $84. The Corporation's net income and earnings per share would
have been reduced to the pro forma amounts disclosed below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                      1997      1996      1995
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                 <C>       <C>        <C>    
Net Income         As Reported:     $139,047  $102,457   $99,735
                   Pro Forma:       $138,557  $102,229   $99,680
Basic/diluted earnings per share       
                   As Reported:        $4.06     $2.91     $2.79
                   Pro Forma:          $4.05     $2.90     $2.79
</TABLE>


NOTE 8  --  REINSURANCE AND OTHER CONTINGENCIES
In the normal course of business, the Corporation seeks to reduce the loss that
may arise from catastrophes or other events that cause unfavorable underwriting
results by reinsuring certain levels of risk with other insurers or reinsurers.
In the event that such reinsuring companies might be unable at some future date
to meet their obligations under the reinsurance agreements in force, the
Corporation would continue to have primary liability to policyholders for losses
incurred. The following amounts are reflected in the financial statements as a
result of reinsurance ceded:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                 1997        1996      1995
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>       <C>        <C>      
Premiums earned                $32,169   $  30,534  $  41,012
Losses incurred                 13,387      11,846     22,030
Reserve for unearned
   premiums                      8,242       8,062      8,294
Reserve for losses              54,209      61,205     62,847
Reserve for future policy
   benefits                     34,148     280,002    360,074
Reserve for loss adjustment
   expenses                      7,794       8,833     11,272
</TABLE>

     Annuities are purchased from other insurers to pay certain claim
settlements; should such insurers be unable to meet their obligations under the
annuity contracts, the Corporation would be liable to claimants for the
remaining amount of annuities. The total amount of unpaid annuities was $25,123,
$25,139 and $24,300 at December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995, respectively.

     On October 2, 1995, as part of the transaction involving the reinsurance of
the Ohio Life business to Employers' Reassurance Corporation, Ohio Casualty
Insurance Company agreed to manage a $163,615 fixed income portfolio for
Employers' Reassurance. The term of the agreement is seven years, terminating on
October 2, 2002. There is no separate fee to Ohio Casualty for this investment
management service. The agreement requires that Ohio Casualty pay an annual rate
of 7.25% interest to Employers' Reassurance and maintain the market value of the
account at $163,615. In the event the market value falls below this amount, Ohio
Casualty is required to make up any deficiency. At the termination of the
contract, any excess over $163,615 is payable to Ohio Casualty. In October 1997,
this obligation was transferred from Ohio Casualty Insurance Company to Ohio
Casualty Corporation. At December 31, 1997, the market value of the account
exceeded the $163,615 required balance by $2,080 compared with $699 in 1996 and
$2,497 in 1995. The annual interest obligation of 7.25% was also being
adequately serviced by the portfolio assets.


NOTE 9  --  LOSSES AND LOSS RESERVES
The reserves for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses are based on
estimates of ultimate claim costs, including claims incurred but not reported,
salvage and subrogation and inflation without discounting. The methods of making
such estimates are continually reviewed and updated, and any resulting
adjustments are reflected in earnings currently.
<PAGE>   21



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                           1997        1996       1995    
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------   
<S>                                  <C>         <C>        <C>           
Balance as of January 1, net of                                            
   reinsurance recoverables of 
   $70,048, $74,119 and
   $65,336                           $1,486,622  $1,557,065 $1,606,487    

Incurred related to:                                                      
   Current year                         922,065   1,009,086  1,008,321    
   Prior years                          (53,615)    (76,920)  (104,998)   
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------   
                                        868,450     932,166    903,323    
                                                                          
Paid related to:                                                          
   Current year                         448,402     515,025    444,558    
   Prior years                          484,866     487,584    508,187    
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------   
Total paid                              933,268   1,002,609    952,745    
                                                                          
Balance as of December 31, net                                          
   of reinsurance recoverables                                           
   of $62,003, $70,048 and
   $74,119                           $1,421,804  $1,486,622 $1,557,065    
========================================================================
</TABLE>

     As a result of favorable development in estimates for insured events of
prior years, the incurred related to prior years shows a favorable development.
     The following table presents catastrophe losses incurred and the respective
impact on the loss ratio:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                            1997         1996        1995
- -----------------------------------------------------------
<S>                      <C>          <C>         <C>    
  Incurred losses        $21,389      $62,189     $27,277
  Loss ratio effect         1.8%         5.1%        2.2%
</TABLE>

     The effect of catastrophes on the Corporation's results cannot be
accurately predicted. As such, severe weather patterns could have a material
adverse impact on the Corporation's results.

     Inflation has historically affected operating costs, premium revenues and
investment yields as business expenses have increased over time. The long term
effects of inflation are considered when estimating the ultimate liability for
losses and loss adjustment expenses. The liability is based on historical loss
development trends which are adjusted for anticipated changes in underwriting
standards, policy provisions and general economic trends. It is not adjusted to
reflect the effect of discounting.

     Reserves for asbestos-related illnesses and toxic waste cleanup claims
cannot be estimated with traditional loss reserving techniques. In establishing
liabilities for claims for asbestos-related illnesses and for toxic waste
cleanup claims, management considers facts currently known and the current state
of the law and coverage litigation. However, given the expansion of coverage and
liability by the courts and the legislatures in the past and the possibilities
of similar interpretations in the future, there is uncertainty regarding the
extent of remediation. Accordingly, additional liability could develop.
Estimated asbestos and environmental reserves are composed of case reserves,
incurred but not reported reserves and reserves for loss adjustment expense. For
1997, 1996 and 1995, respectively, total case, incurred but not reported and
loss adjustment expense reserves were $40,121, $40,956 and $40,719. Asbestos
reserves were $6,966, $5,215 and $5,215 and environmental reserves were $33,155,
$35,741 and $35,504 for those respective years.


NOTE 10  --  EARNINGS PER SHARE
During 1997, the Corporation adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standard
128 "Earnings Per Share". Basic earnings per share is computed using weighted
average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings per share is
computed similar to basic earnings per share except that the weighted average
number of shares outstanding is increased to include the number of additional
common shares that would have been issued if all dilutive outstanding stock
options would have been exercised. All prior periods were recalculated under the
new definition of basic and diluted earnings per share.
Basic and diluted earnings per share are summarized as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                   1997        1996       1995
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>          <C>        <C>    
Income from continuing
   operations                  $130,392     $97,228    $95,363
Average common shares
   outstanding - basic           34,228      35,247     35,750
Basic income from continuing
   operations per average share   $3.81       $2.76      $2.67
===============================================================
Average common shares
   outstanding                   34,228      35,247     35,750
Effect of dilutive securities        29           7          9
- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Average common shares
   outstanding - diluted         34,257      35,254     35,759
Diluted income from
   continuing operations per      
   average share                  $3.81       $2.76      $2.67
===============================================================
</TABLE>


NOTE 11  --  QUARTERLY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (UNAUDITED)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1997                    FIRST     SECOND     THIRD     FOURTH
- --------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                  <C>        <C>        <C>       <C>     
Premiums and
   finance charges
   earned            $302,479   $307,788   $300,252  $298,455
   
Net investment
   income              43,717     45,153     45,365    43,465
Investment gains
   (losses) realized   13,340      8,498     20,806     8,105
   
Income from
   continuing
   operations          31,257     32,962     25,324    40,849
Income from
   discontinued
   operations           1,458      1,143        (85)    6,139
Net income             32,715     34,105     25,239    46,988
Basic and diluted
   net income per 
   share                  .94       1.00        .74      1.39
   
</TABLE>

<PAGE>   22

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
1996                    First     Second     Third     Fourth
- --------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                  <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>     
Premiums and
   finance charges   $310,217   $304,641   $301,054   $310,739
   earned
Net investment     
   income              44,988     43,302     46,105     48,913
Investment gains
   (losses)     
   realized             5,954     14,948     13,507     15,263
Income from
   continuing   
   operations           2,835     12,652     27,333     54,408
Income from
   discontinued
   operations             713      2,181      1,056      1,279
Net income              3,548     14,833     28,389     55,687
Basic and diluted
   net income per         
   share                  .10        .43        .81       1.58
</TABLE>


NOTE 12  --  INDUSTRY SEGMENT INFORMATION
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                    1997          1996         1995
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                              <C>           <C>          <C>       
Property and Casualty Insurance
   Revenue                       $1,430,590    $1,453,623   $1,456,242
   Income before taxes              173,608       116,906      121,741
   Identifiable assets            3,585,030     3,437,622    3,457,750

Premium Finance and Other
   Revenue                            6,833         6,008        6,230
   Loss before taxes                   (151)       (1,868)      (1,564)
   Identifiable assets              108,858        65,039       26,939

Discontinued Operations
   (Life insurance)
   Revenue                           29,452        10,396     (335,835)
   Income before taxes               13,316         7,892        8,717
   Identifiable assets               65,337       347,477      511,818
</TABLE>


NOTE 13  --  STATUTORY ACCOUNTING INFORMATION
The following information has been prepared on the basis of statutory accounting
principles which differ from generally accepted accounting principles. The
principal differences relate to deferred acquisition costs, required statutory
reserves, assets not admitted for statutory reporting, California Proposition
103 reserve and deferred federal income taxes.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                               1997       1996        1995
- -----------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>         <C>        <C>     
Property and Casualty
Insurance
   Statutory net income        $ 142,457   $104,137   $103,802
   Statutory policyholders'    
       surplus                 1,109,517    984,859    876,918
Life Insurance
   Statutory net income           29,794      4,885     38,981
   Statutory             
        policyholders' surplus    29,971     58,511     92,297
</TABLE>


     The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, domiciled in Ohio, prepares its
statutory financial statements in accordance with the accounting practices
prescribed or permitted by the Ohio Insurance Department. Prescribed statutory
accounting practices include a variety of publications of the National
Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), as well as state laws,
regulations, and general administrative rules. Permitted statutory accounting
practices encompass all accounting practices not so prescribed.

     The Company received written approval from the Ohio Insurance Department to
have the California Proposition 103 liability reported as a direct charge to
surplus and not included as a charge in the 1995 statutory statement of
operations. Following this same treatment, during 1997 the principal reduction
in the Proposition 103 liability was taken as an increase to statutory surplus
and not included in the 1997 statutory statement of operations.


<PAGE>   23


NOTE 14  --  BANK NOTE PAYABLE
In 1994, $70,000 was borrowed under a term loan credit facility. During 1997,
the Corporation signed a new credit facility that makes available a $300,000
revolving line of credit which was immediately accessed to refinance the
outstanding term loan balance. The credit agreement contains financial covenants
and provisions customary for such arrangements. The agreement expires in 2002,
with any outstanding loan balance due at that time. The revolving line of credit
maintains the interest rate swap that existed on the term loan. The effect of
the swap agreement was to establish a fixed rate of 6.34% on $20,000 of the
outstanding balance of $40,000 converted to the revolving line of credit. The
remaining balance and any additional borrowings under the line of credit bear
interest at a periodically adjustable rate. The interest rate was 6.08% at
December 31, 1997. The interest rate is determined on various bases including
prime rates, certificate of deposit rates and the London Interbank Offered Rate.
Interest incurred on borrowings amounted to $3,147, $3,769 and $4,474 in 1997,
1996 and 1995 respectively. Under the loan agreement, statutory surplus is
$359,517 in excess of the minimum amount required to be maintained at December
31, 1997.


NOTE 15  --  CALIFORNIA WITHDRAWAL
As a result of the lack of profitability and the difficult regulatory
environment, the Corporation announced its intention to withdraw from business
operation in California on June 15, 1992. In December 1992, the Corporation
stopped writing business in California and filed a withdrawal plan with the
California Department of Insurance. Under the terms of the plan, subsidiary
American Fire and Casualty Company would wind down the affairs of the Group. In
November 1994, the California Department of Insurance published the required
notices of the withdrawal application. In April 1995, the California Department
of Insurance gave final



<PAGE>   24
approval for withdrawal, and the Corporation implemented the withdrawal plan.

     Proposition 103 was passed in the State of California in 1988 in an attempt
to legislate premium rates for that state. Even after considering investment
income, total returns in California have been less than what would be considered
"fair" by any reasonable standard. During the fourth quarter of 1994, the State
of California billed the Corporation $59,867 for Proposition 103 assessment. In
February 1995, California revised this billing to $47,278 due to California
Senate Bill 905 which permits reduction of the rollback due to commissions and
premium taxes paid. The billing was revised again in August of 1995, to $42,100
plus interest.

     The Corporation is currently involved in hearings with the State of
California. In mid 1997, the Administrative Law Judge presiding over the hearing
requested a submission from the state showing revised rollback calculations. The
California Department of Insurance filed two revised rollback calculations in
December 1997. These alternatives, based on concession of certain issues,
provide a range of rollback liabilities between $35.9 million plus interest and
$39.9 million plus interest.

     In January 1998, the Judge indicated her intent to rule under the
Department's regulations, without consideration of the Corporation's
constitutional challenge that the Corporation's liability should be below $30.0
million plus interest. The Commissioner may accept or reject the Judge's
ultimate decision in whole or in part and his determination will be subject to
de novo review by the State Superior Court. After consultation with outside
counsel, the Corporation has determined that $35.9 million plus interest is the
more reasonable of the two Department calculations should the Department of
Insurance prevail. As a result, the Corporation's reserve for this alleged
liability is $66,908. An administrative hearing process is ongoing concerning
the potential rollback liability. It is uncertain when this matter will
ultimately be resolved. The Corporation will continue to challenge the validity
of any rollback and plans to continue negotiations with Department officials. To
date, the Corporation has paid $3,955 in legal costs related to the withdrawal,
Proposition 103, and Fair Plan assessments.

NOTE 16  --  SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN
In December 1989, the Board of Directors adopted a Shareholder Rights Plan
declaring a dividend of one Common Share Purchase Right for each outstanding
share of common stock. This plan was amended by the Board of Directors on
February 19, 1998 which extended the expiration of the rights from 1999 to 2009.
Each right entitles the registered holder, under certain conditions, to purchase
one share of common stock at a price of $250, subject to adjustment at the time
rights become exercisable if a person or group acquires or announces its
intention to acquire 20% or more of the common stock of the Corporation without
the prior approval of the Board of Directors. The rights may be redeemed by the
rightholder for one cent per right at any time prior to becoming exercisable.

NOTE 17  --  DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS (LIFE INSURANCE) Discontinued operations
include the operations of Ohio Life, a subsidiary of the Ohio Casualty Insurance
Company. 
     
     On October 2, 1995, the Company transferred its life insurance and related
businesses through a 100% coinsurance arrangement to Employers' Reassurance
Corporation and entered into an administrative and marketing agreement with
Great Southern Life Insurance Company. In connection with the reinsurance
agreement, $144,469 in cash and $161,401 of securities were transferred to
Employers' Reassurance to cover the liabilities of $348,479. Ohio Life received
an adjusted ceding commission of $37,641 as payment. After deduction of deferred
acquisition costs, the net ceding commission from the transaction was $17,284.
During the fourth quarter of 1997, Great Southern Life Insurance Company legally
replaced Ohio Life as the primary insurer for approximately 76% of the life
insurance policies subject to the 1995 agreement. As a result of this
assumption, fourth quarter net income was positively impacted by a partial
recognition of unamortized ceding commission. The after-tax impact was an
increase to net income of $5,300. There remains approximately $2,200 in
unamortized ceding commission. This will continue to be amortized over the
remaining life of the underlying policies. 

     Results of the discontinued life insurance operations for the years ended
December 31 were as follows:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                1997       1996        1995
- ------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                         <C>        <C>        <C>      
Gross premiums written      $  1,267   $  1,428   $  38,580
Net premiums earned           23,865      4,582    (345,080)
Net investment income          3,954      4,812       4,143
Realized investment
   gains                       1,633      1,002       5,102
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Total income                  29,452     10,396    (335,835)
Income before income
   taxes                      13,316      7,892       8,717
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Provision for income
   taxes                       4,661      2,663       4,345
- ------------------------------------------------------------
Net income                  $  8,655   $  5,229  $    4,372
============================================================
</TABLE>
     Assets and liabilities of the discontinued life insurance operations as of
the years ended December 31 were as follows:
<PAGE>   25

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                               1997         1996         1995
- --------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                        <C>        <C>          <C>       
Cash                       $  9,214   $    1,150   $    9,793
Investments                  21,320       71,313      107,603
Receivables                       0           (4)       5,165
Deferred policy
   acquisition costs,
   net of unamortized
   ceding commission         (2,185)     (11,486)     (13,535)
Reinsurance receivable       36,198      285,354      363,127
Other assets                  4,219        7,380        3,570
- --------------------------------------------------------------
Total assets                $68,766     $353,707     $475,723
==============================================================

Future policy benefits      $34,148     $280,002     $360,074
Deferred income tax          (1,357)       1,728       11,172
Other liabilities            35,512       17,505       18,196
- --------------------------------------------------------------
Total liabilities           $68,303     $299,235     $389,442
==============================================================
</TABLE>


NOTE 18  --  NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS
In June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Statement of
Financial Accounting Standard 130 "Reporting Comprehensive Income". This
statement requires display of comprehensive income in a set of general-purpose
financial statements. Comprehensive income is defined as changes in equity of a
business enterprise during a period from transactions and other events from
non-owner sources. The Corporation will display comprehensive income in
quarterly and annual reports for fiscal periods beginning after December 15,
1997.

     Also in June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued
Statement of Financial Accounting Standard 131 "Disclosures about Segments of an
Enterprise and Related Information". This statement requires selected
information to be reported on the Corporation's operating segments. Operating
segments are determined by the way management structures the segments in making
operating decisions and assessing performance. The Corporation is currently
reviewing what changes, if any, this will require on the presentation of the
financial statements for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 1997.

     In December 1997, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
issued Statement of Position 97-3 "Accounting by Insurance and Other Enterprises
for Insurance-Related Assessments". This statement provides guidance on
accounting for insurance related assessments and required disclosure
information. This statement is effective for fiscal years beginning after
December 15, 1998. The Corporation does not believe that this statement will
materially affect the Corporation's financial statements or disclosures.

     During 1997, the SEC issued Financial Reporting Release 48 "Disclosures
about Derivatives and Other Financial Instruments" which is effective for
periods ending after June 15, 1997 for registrants with market capitalizations
in excess of $2.5 billion and effective one year later for all other
registrants. The Corporation has a market capitalization of less than $2.5
billion. FRR 48 does not impact the Corporation's financial statements but does
require enhanced disclosures about market risk inherent in derivatives and other
financial instruments. The additional information will be included in annual
filings with the SEC after June 15, 1998.


<PAGE>   1
                                                                      Exhibit 21


                            Ohio Casualty Corporation
                           Subsidiaries of Registrant
                                December 31, 1997





Name of Subsidiary                                     State of Incorporation


The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company                             Ohio

West American Insurance Company                                Indiana

Ohio Security Insurance Company                                 Ohio

American Fire and Casualty Company                              Ohio

Avomark Insurance Company                                    Indiana

The Ohio Life Insurance Company                                 Ohio

Ocasco Budget, Inc.                                             Ohio



























                                       69


<PAGE>   1
                                                                      Exhibit 22

                            OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION
                             136 NORTH THIRD STREET
                              HAMILTON, OHIO 45025

                            NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
                                       OF
                                  SHAREHOLDERS

                            TO BE HELD APRIL 15, 1998


                                                              Hamilton, Ohio
                                                              March 13, 1998


To the Shareholders:

     The Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Annual Meeting") of Ohio Casualty
Corporation (the "Company") will be held in the meeting rooms of The Hamiltonian
Hotel, One Riverfront Plaza, Hamilton, Ohio, 45011, on Wednesday, April 15,
1998, at 10:30 a.m., local time, for the following purposes:

          (1)  To elect the following four Directors for terms expiring in 2001
               (Class II), as successors to the class of Directors whose terms
               expire in 1998: Wayne Embry, Stephen S. Marcum, Stanley N.
               Pontius and William L. Woodall.

          (2)  To ratify the selection of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. as
               independent public accountants of the Company for the fiscal year
               ending December 31, 1998.

          (3)  In their discretion, to consider and vote upon such other matters
               as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment
               thereof.

     Holders of record of common shares of the Company as of the close of
business on March 2, 1998 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual
Meeting and at any adjournment thereof. As of March 2, 1998, there were
33,629,908 common shares outstanding. Each common share is entitled to one vote
on all matters properly brought before the Annual Meeting.

                                        By Order of the Board of  Directors,




                                        Howard L. Sloneker III, Secretary


EVERY SHAREHOLDER'S VOTE IS IMPORTANT. IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO BE PRESENT AT THE
ANNUAL MEETING, YOU ARE REQUESTED TO COMPLETE AND RETURN PROMPTLY THE ENCLOSED
PROXY SO THAT YOUR COMMON SHARES WILL BE REPRESENTED. A POSTAGE PAID, ADDRESSED
ENVELOPE IS ENCLOSED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE.


<PAGE>   2


                            OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION
                             136 NORTH THIRD STREET
                              HAMILTON, OHIO 45025

                                 PROXY STATEMENT
                                 ---------------

                         ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

                   APPROXIMATE DATE TO MAIL -- MARCH 13, 1998

     On behalf of the Board of Directors of Ohio Casualty Corporation (the
"Company"), a proxy is solicited from you to be used at the Company's 1998
Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Annual Meeting") scheduled for Wednesday,
April 15, 1998 at 10:30 a.m., local time, in the meeting rooms of The
Hamiltonian Hotel, One Riverfront Plaza, Hamilton, Ohio 45011, or at any
adjournment thereof.

     Proxies in the form enclosed herewith are being solicited on behalf of the
Company's Board of Directors. The common shares represented by proxies which are
properly executed and returned will be voted at the Annual Meeting, or any
adjournment thereof, as directed. Common shares represented by proxies properly
executed and returned which indicate no direction will be voted in favor of the
nominees of the Board of Directors identified in the Notice of Annual Meeting
accompanying this Proxy Statement and for the ratification of the selection of
Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. as independent public accountants of the Company for
the fiscal year ending December 31, 1998. Any shareholder giving the enclosed
proxy has the power to revoke the same prior to its exercise by filing with the
Secretary of the Company a written revocation or duly executed proxy bearing a
later date, or by giving notice of revocation in open meeting. ATTENDANCE AT THE
ANNUAL MEETING WILL NOT, IN AND OF ITSELF, CONSTITUTE REVOCATION OF A PROXY.


                            VOTING AT ANNUAL MEETING

     As of March 2, 1998, the record date fixed for the determination of
shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting, there were
outstanding 33,629,908 common shares, which is the only outstanding class of
capital stock of the Company. Each such common share is entitled to one vote on
all matters properly coming before the Annual Meeting.

     A quorum for the Annual Meeting is a majority of the outstanding common
shares. Common shares represented by signed proxies that are returned to the
Company will be counted toward the quorum in all matters even though they are
marked "Abstain", "Against" or " Withhold Authority" on one or more or all
matters or they are not marked at all. Broker non-votes are also counted for
purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum. Broker non-votes
occur when brokers, who hold their customers' shares in street name, sign and
submit proxies for such shares on some matters, but not others. Typically, this
would occur when brokers have not received any instructions from their
customers, in which case the brokers, as the holders of record, are permitted to
vote on " routine" matters, which typically include the election of directors,
but not on non-routine matters.

                                       1
<PAGE>   3




                             PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

     The table below identifies the only persons known to the Company to own
beneficially (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934) more than 5% of the Company's outstanding common shares.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                       COMMON SHARES      PERCENT
             NAME AND ADDRESS           BENEFICIALLY     OF COMMON
           OF BENEFICIAL OWNER             OWNED          SHARES            DATE
           -------------------             -----          ------            ----

<S>                                     <C>                <C>            <C>   
FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF                  3,178,294(1)       9.45%          12-31-97
SOUTHWESTERN OHIO
Third and High Streets
Hamilton, Ohio  45011

THE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.                 2,997,500(3)       8.92%          12-31-97
333 South Hope Street
Los Angeles, California  90071

THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, N.A.,         2,351,357(2)       6.99%          12-31-97
Trustee
1211 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York  10036

JOSEPH L. MARCUM                        2,208,416(4)       6.57%          03-02-98
136 North Third Street
Hamilton, Ohio  45025

<FN>
- --------------------

(1)    Based upon information provided to the Company by First National Bank of
       Southwestern Ohio (the "Bank"). The Bank holds the reported shares as
       trustee under various trust agreements and arrangements. The Bank has
       advised the Company that it has sole voting power for 2,732,124 shares,
       shared voting power for 0 shares, sole investment power for 1,482,960
       shares, and shared investment power for 1,283,542 shares. 413,371 shares
       are held under trust arrangements for certain directors of the Company,
       and their respective spouses, which shares are also reported in the
       following table showing share ownership by directors and executive
       officers of the Company.

(2)    1,509,125 shares are held as trustee for the Company's Employee Savings
       Plan and 842,232 shares are held as trustee for the Company's Employees
       Retirement Plan. Voting power with respect to shares held in the Employee
       Savings Plan is exercised by the plan participants; investment power with
       respect to these shares is held by plan participants subject to
       limitations in the Plan. Voting and investment power with respect to
       shares held in the Employees Retirement Plan is exercised by the
       committee which administers the Employees Retirement Plan (the
       "Retirement Committee"). The Retirement Committee consists of Joseph L.
       Marcum, Lauren N. Patch and Barry S. Porter.

(3)    Based upon information contained in a Schedule 13G dated February 12,
       1998, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by The Capital
       Group, Inc. The Capital Group, Inc. reported sole voting power for 0
       shares, shared voting power for 0 shares and sole investment power for
       2,997,500 shares as of December 31, 1997.

(4)    See share ownership information for Mr. Marcum in the following table.
</TABLE>

                                       2
<PAGE>   4





                 SHAREHOLDINGS OF DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
                      AND NOMINEES FOR ELECTION AS DIRECTOR

     As of March 2, 1998, the directors of the Company, including the four
persons intended by the Board of Directors to be nominated for election as
directors, the executive officers of the Company named in the Summary
Compensation Table, and all executive officers and directors of the Company as a
group, beneficially owned common shares of the Company as set forth below.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                              SHARED INVESTMENT/
                                       NUMBER OF               OPTIONS           VOTING POWER
                                     COMMON SHARES           EXERCISABLE        OVER EMPLOYEES
NAME OF                               BENEFICIALLY             WITHIN             RETIREMENT                         PERCENT
INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP                     OWNED(1)               60 DAYS          PLAN SHARES(2)         TOTAL       OF CLASS(3)
- -------------------                     --------               -------          --------------         -----       -----------
<S>                                    <C>                      <C>                                      <C>   
Arthur J. Bennert                      16,178                   6,000                                   22,178

Jack E. Brown                           1,100                   6,000                                    7,100

Catherine E. Dolan                        100                   6,000                                    6,100

Wayne Embry                               200                   6,000                                    6,200

Vaden Fitton                          227,779 (4)               6,000                                  233,799

Jeffery D. Lowe                       162,119 (4)               3,000                                  165,119

Joseph L. Marcum                    1,363,184 (4)(5)(6)         3,000              842,232           2,208,416        6.57%

Stephen S. Marcum                     212,744 (4)               6,000                                  218,744

Lauren N. Patch                       246,569 (4)(7)           30,000              842,232           1,118,801        3.33%

Stanley N. Pontius                      1,163                   6,000                                    7,163

Howard L. Sloneker III                221,164 (7)               6,666                                  227,830

William L. Woodall                     20,700                   6,000                                   26,700

Michael L. Evans                        5,673 (7)               9,999                                   15,672

Coy Leonard, Jr.                          639 (7)               3,000                                    3,779

Barry S. Porter                        28,135 (7)               9,999              842,232             880,366        2.62%

All Executive Officers
  and Directors as a
  Group (31 Persons)                2,775,718                 152,491              842,232           3,770,441       11.21%

<FN>
- --------------------------------

(1)  Unless otherwise indicated, each named person has voting and investment
     power over the listed shares and such voting and investment power is
     exercised solely by the named person or shared with a spouse.

(2)  Includes 842,232 shares held in the Company's Employees Retirement Plan as
     to which the named individuals share voting and investment power solely by
     reason of being a member of the Retirement Committee which administers such
     Plan. See Note (2) of the preceding table. Messrs. Marcum, Patch and Porter
     disclaim beneficial ownership of these shares.

(3)  Percentages are listed only for those individuals who are the beneficial
     owners of more than of 1% of the outstanding shares.

(4)  Includes the following number of shares owned by family members as to which
     beneficial ownership is disclaimed: Mr. Fitton, 102,857; Mr. Lowe, 140,350;
     Mr. Joseph L. Marcum, 614,154; Mr. Stephen S. Marcum, 84,090; and Mr.
     Patch, 207,601.
</TABLE>

                                       3

<PAGE>   5

(5)   Includes 225,852 shares held by Mr. Marcum's wife in her capacity as a
      co-trustee of the estate of Howard Sloneker as to which shares Mr. Marcum
      has no voting or investment power.

(6)   Includes 97,806 shares held as co-trustee of the Joseph L. and Sarah S.
      Marcum Foundation as to which voting and investment power is shared by
      Joseph L. and Stephen S. Marcum.

(7)   The share ownership for Messrs. Patch, Sloneker, Evans, Leonard and Porter
      includes 4,658; 2,382; 1,284; 140; and 9,757 shares, respectively, held
      for the accounts of these individuals by the trustee of the Company's
      Employee Savings Plan. Such persons have sole voting power with respect to
      these shares and also hold investment power subject to limitations in the
      Plan.

                              ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

     The Board of Directors intends that the four persons named under Class II
in the following table (the "Nominees") will be nominated for election at the
Annual Meeting for three-year terms expiring in 2001. The terms of the remaining
directors in Classes I and III will continue as indicated below. It is intended
that the common shares represented by the accompanying Proxy will be voted for
the election as directors of the Nominees, unless otherwise instructed on the
Proxy. In the event that any one or more of the Nominees unexpectedly becomes
unavailable for election, the common shares represented by the accompanying
Proxy will be voted in accordance with the best judgment of the proxy holders
for the election of the remaining Nominees and for the election of any
substitute nominee or nominees designated by the Board of Directors.

     Under Ohio law and the Company's Code of Regulations, the nominees
receiving the greatest number of votes will be elected as directors. Shares as
to which the authority to vote is withheld will be counted for quorum purposes
but will not be counted toward the election of the Nominees.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                        POSITION WITH COMPANY AND/OR
                                                     PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OR EMPLOYMENT                            DIRECTOR
NAME AND AGE(1)                                             DURING LAST FIVE YEARS(2)                                SINCE
                                  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------       -----

NOMINEES:  CLASS II --TERMS EXPIRING IN 2001:
<S>                               <C>                                                                               <C>
Wayne Embry,                      Executive Vice President and General  Manager of the Cleveland  Cavaliers          1991
     61                           (professional basketball franchise).

Stephen S. Marcum,                Member of the law firm of Parrish,  Beimford, Fryman, Smith & Marcum Co.,          1989
     40                           L.P.A.,  Hamilton,  Ohio;  such firm has provided  legal  services to the
                                  Company and its subsidiaries during the last fiscal year and continues to 
                                  do so.

Stanley N. Pontius,               President and Chief Executive  Officer of First Financial Bancorp and its          1994
     51                           principal   subsidiary,   First  National  Bank  of  Southwestern   Ohio,
                                  Hamilton, Ohio.

William L. Woodall,               Director  of the  Company,  The Ohio  Casualty  Insurance  Company,  West          1986
     74                           American  Insurance  Company,  American Fire and Casualty  Company,  Ohio
                                  Security  Insurance  Company,  OCASCO  Budget,  Inc.  and The  Ohio  Life
                                  Insurance  Company;  retired as an  executive  officer of the Company and
                                  its subsidiaries on December 31, 1990.
</TABLE>


                                       4
<PAGE>   6







<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                        POSITION WITH COMPANY AND/OR
                                                     PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION OR EMPLOYMENT                            DIRECTOR
NAME AND AGE(1)                                           DURING LAST FIVE YEARS(2)                                  SINCE
- ---------------                   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------     ----------

DIRECTORS WHOSE TERMS CONTINUE BEYOND THE ANNUAL MEETING
CLASS III -- TERMS EXPIRING IN 1999
<S>                               <C>                                                                                <C>
Arthur J. Bennert,                Director of the Company, The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, West                 1989
     71                           American Insurance Company, American Fire and Casualty Company, Ohio
                                  Security Insurance Company and The Ohio Life Insurance Company; retired
                                  as an executive officer of the Company and its subsidiaries on January
                                  1, 1992.

Catherine E. Dolan,               Managing Director of the Financial Institutions Group, First Union                 1994
     40                           National Bank, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Jeffery D. Lowe,                  Director of the Company, The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, West                 1983
     52                           American Insurance Company, American Fire and Casualty Company, Ohio
                                  Security Insurance Company and The Ohio Life Insurance Company.

Lauren N. Patch,                  President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Company, The Ohio           1987
     47                           Casualty Insurance Company, West American Insurance Company, American Fire
                                  and Casualty Company, Ohio Security Insurance Company and OCASCO Budget,
                                  Inc.; Vice Chairman and Director of The Ohio Life Insurance Company.  Mr.
                                  Patch became Chief Executive Officer of the Company on January 1, 1994,
                                  and President of the Company on January 1, 1991.

  CLASS I:  TERMS EXPIRING IN 2000

Jack E. Brown,                    Chairman of the Board, BBI Marketing  Services,  Inc.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio          1994
     54                           (professional marketing consulting firm).

Vaden Fitton,                     Director  and Retired  First Vice  President  of First  National  Bank of          1967
     69                           Southwestern Ohio, Hamilton, Ohio.

Joseph L. Marcum,                 Chairman of the Board and  Director  of the  Company,  The Ohio  Casualty          1949
     74                           Insurance Company,  West American  Insurance  Company,  American Fire and
                                  Casualty Company,  Ohio Security Insurance Company,  OCASCO Budget,  Inc.
                                  and  The  Ohio  Life  Insurance  Company.  Mr.  Marcum  served  as  Chief
                                  Executive Officer of the Company and its subsidiaries  until December 31,
                                  1993,  and President of the Company and its  subsidiaries  until December
                                  31, 1990.

Howard L. Sloneker III,           Vice President,  Secretary and Director of the Company, The Ohio Casualty          1983
     41                           Insurance Company,  West American  Insurance  Company,  American Fire and
                                  Casualty Company, Ohio Security Insurance Company and OCASCO Budget,
                                  Inc.; Secretary and Director of The Ohio Life Insurance Company. 
</TABLE>

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

(1) Ages are listed as of the date of the Annual Meeting.

                                       5
<PAGE>   7





(2)   The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, Ohio Security Insurance Company,
      American Fire and Casualty Company, West American Insurance Company,
      OCASCO Budget, Inc. and The Ohio Life Insurance Company are subsidiaries
      of the Company.

         OTHER DIRECTORSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS

     Wayne Embry is also a director of M.A. Hanna Company and Society
Corporation; Vaden Fitton, Joseph L. Marcum and Stanley N. Pontius are also
directors of First Financial Bancorp.

     Joseph L. Marcum, the Chairman of the Board of the Company, retired as the
Chief Executive Officer of the Company on December 31, 1993. Mr. Marcum receives
annual benefits from the Company of $142,393 pursuant to the Company's Employees
Retirement Plan. See "Pension Plans."

     Jeffery D. Lowe is the son-in-law of Joseph L. Marcum; Lauren N. Patch and
Howard L. Sloneker III are brothers-in-law; and Stephen S. Marcum is the son of
Joseph L. Marcum.

                       MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
                           AND COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

      During 1997, the Board of Directors held five meetings. No director
attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board of
Directors and the committees on which he or she served. The Board of Directors
has standing Executive, Audit, Executive Compensation and Nominating Committees.

      The Executive Committee held one meeting during 1997. The members of the
Executive Committee are Joseph L. Marcum, Lauren N. Patch, and Howard L.
Sloneker III. All Executive Committee members attended the meeting in 1997. The
Executive Committee is empowered to exercise all the powers of the Board of
Directors in the management of the Company between meetings of the Board of
Directors, other than filling vacancies on the Board or any other committee of
the Board.

     The Audit Committee held three meetings during 1997. The members of the
Audit Committee are Arthur J. Bennert, Jack E. Brown, Catherine E. Dolan, Wayne
Embry, Vaden Fitton, Joseph L. Marcum, Stephen S. Marcum, Stanley N. Pontius,
and William L. Woodall. Each Audit Committee member attended all of the meetings
in 1997 except Ms. Dolan and Mr. Fitton who attended two meetings. The Audit
Committee's primary function is to meet with the independent auditors for the
Company and to review the Company's internal and independent auditing and
financial controls.

      The Executive Compensation Committee held one meeting during 1997. The
members of the Executive Compensation Committee are Jack E. Brown, Vaden Fitton,
Stephen S. Marcum and Stanley N. Pontius. All members of the Executive
Compensation Committee attended the meeting in 1997. The Executive Compensation
Committee administers the Company stock option plans and carries out the
responsibilities described in the Executive Compensation Committee Report in
this Proxy Statement.

     The Nominating Committee held one meeting during 1997. The members of the
Nominating Committee are Jack E. Brown, Wayne Embry, Vaden Fitton, Joseph L.
Marcum, Stephen S. Marcum, Stanley N. Pontius and Howard L. Sloneker III. The
Nominating Committee's responsibilities include the selection of potential
candidates for director and the recommendation of candidates to the Board. The
Nominating Committee will consider nominees for director recommended by
shareholders for the 1999

                                       6
<PAGE>   8






Annual Meeting of Shareholders provided that the names of such nominees are
submitted not later than November 13, 1998, to Howard L. Sloneker III,
Secretary, 136 North Third Street, Hamilton, Ohio 45025.

                        DIRECTORS' FEES AND COMPENSATION

      Each director received $25,000 for services as a director of the Company
during 1997. Each non-employee director of the Company also received $1,500 per
meeting for attending the meetings of the Board of Directors in 1997. Members of
the Audit Committee also received $5,000 each for serving on that committee. In
addition, members of the Executive Compensation Committee received $300 per
meeting for each meeting attended. Joseph L. Marcum was paid an additional
$65,000 during 1997 as compensation for serving as the Chairman of the Board.

         On May 20, 1997, Jack E. Brown, Vaden Fitton and Joseph L. Marcum, each
of whom is a non-employee director of the Company, were granted a non-qualified
stock option (an "NQSO") to purchase 3,000 common shares of the Company at an
exercise price of $42.25 per share, the closing market price of the common
shares on the date of grant. Any individual who becomes or is re-elected a
non-employee director is automatically granted an NQSO to purchase 3,000 common
shares effective on the third business day following the first meeting of the
Board of Directors after his/her election or appointment to the Board. The
exercise price of each NQSO granted to a non-employee director is equal to the
fair market value of the common shares on the date of grant. NQSOs granted to
non-employee directors have terms of ten years (subject to earlier termination
in certain cases) and may not be exercised during the six months following their
date of grant.

                             EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
      The following table presents information concerning compensation provided
by the Company to its Chief Executive Officer and to each of the Company's four
most highly compensated executive officers, other than the Chief Executive
Officer, for services rendered in all capacities for each of the Company's last
three completed fiscal years:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                   LONG-TERM
                                                 ANNUAL  COMPENSATION                        COMPENSATION AWARDS
                                                 --------------------        -------------------------------------------------
                                                              OTHER                            SECURITIES
                                                             ANNUAL          RESTRICTED        UNDERLYING           DIVIDEND
          NAME AND                          SALARY        COMPENSATION          STOCK           OPTIONS/            PAYMENT
     PRINCIPAL POSITION         YEAR        ($)(1)          ($)(2)(3)       AWARDS($)(4)         SARS(#)          RIGHTS(#)(5)
     ------------------         ----        ------          ---------       ------------         -------          ------------
<S>                             <C>         <C>               <C>               <C>               <C>                <C>   
Lauren N. Patch                 1997        530,000           70,898            98,025            30,000             30,000
  President and Chief           1996        529,560           47,881            57,709            30,000             30,000
     Executive Officer          1995        474,231           13,477                 0                 0                  0

Barry S. Porter                 1997        258,000           32,463            40,165            10,000             10,000
  Chief Financial               1996        248,604           22,484            24,956            10,000             10,000
     Officer and Treasurer      1995        233,208            6,996                 0                 0                  0

Michael L. Evans                1997        213,750           11,083             6,694            10,000             10,000
  Executive Vice President      1996        199,500           19,051            18,686            10,000             10,000
                                1995        174,462            4,500                 0                 0                  0

Howard L. Sloneker III          1997        209,500           23,488            27,760            10,000             10,000
  Vice President                1996        197,698           16,603            16,335            10,000             10,000
                                1995        181,398            4,597                 0                 0                  0

Coy Leonard, Jr.                1997        158,821           14,312            18,163             3,000              3,000
  Vice President                1996        132,352            7,952             9,446             3,000              3,000
                                1995        117,108            1,171                 0                 0                  0
</TABLE>

                                       7
<PAGE>   9





(1)   Includes annual directors' fees for Messrs. Patch and Sloneker.

(2)   Includes for Messrs. Patch, Porter, Evans, Sloneker and Leonard for 1997
      the amounts of $4,800, $4,800, $4,800, $4,800 and $1,588, respectively,
      contributed by the Company under the Company's Employee Savings Plan. Also
      includes for Messrs. Patch, Porter, Evans and Sloneker for 1997 the
      amounts of $10,350, $3,060, $1,612 and $748, respectively, contributed by
      the Company under the Company's Supplemental Executive Savings Plan.

(3)   Includes for Messrs. Patch, Porter, Evans, Sloneker and Leonard for 1997,
      the amounts of $55,748, $24,603, $4,671, $17,940 and $12,724,
      respectively, paid to reimburse them for income taxes incurred as a result
      of the grant of restricted shares described in note (4) below. These
      amounts were paid in 1998.

(4)   Shares of restricted stock were granted on February 20, 1997 for services
      rendered in 1996 and on February 19, 1998 for services rendered in 1997.
      The value of the outstanding restricted stock awards at the end of the
      fiscal year 1997 was $62,430, $25,615, $20,215, $17,672 and $10,219 for
      Messrs. Patch, Porter, Evans, Sloneker and Leonard, respectively. The
      number of the restricted stock awards held by Messrs. Patch, Porter,
      Evans, Sloneker and Leonard at the end of the fiscal year 1997 was 1,399,
      574, 453, 396 and 229, respectively. Such restricted common shares vest on
      the third anniversary of the date of the grant so long as the executive
      officer is an employee on such date (with earlier vesting occurring on
      retirement, death or disability or termination of employment following a
      change of control). During the restriction period, the executive officer
      will receive all dividends paid on the shares.

(5)   Dividend payment rights were granted to the named executive officers in
      1997 and 1998. These rights entitle the executive officer on the April
      15th following the third anniversary of the grant date to receive, for
      each dividend payment right, an amount in cash equal to the aggregate
      amount of dividends that the Company has paid on each common share from
      the date on which such right becomes effective through the payout date
      subject to certain restrictions

                        OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR

      The following table sets forth information concerning the grant of stock
options during the last fiscal year to each of the executive officers of the
Company named in the Summary Compensation Table. No stock appreciation rights
were granted during the last fiscal year.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                          % OF TOTAL                                        POTENTIAL REALIZABLE
                                          OPTIONS                                            VALUE AT ASSUMED
                           NUMBER OF      GRANTED                                           ANNUAL RATES OF STOCK
                           SECURITIES        TO           EXERCISE                          PRICE APPRECIATION FOR
                           UNDERLYING     EMPLOYEES       OR BASE                              OPTION TERM
                            OPTIONS       IN FISCAL        PRICE        EXPIRATION          ($)               ($)
      NAME                GRANTED # (1)      YEAR          ($/SH)         DATE               5%              10%
      ----                 ------------   ----------      --------     -----------       --------        -----------

<S>                          <C>             <C>            <C>           <C>             <C>            <C>      
Lauren N. Patch              30,000          29.41          41.375        02-20-07        780,615        1,978,233

Barry S. Porter              10,000           9.80          41.375        02-20-07        260,205          659,411

Michael L. Evans             10,000           9.80          41.375        02-20-07        260,205          659,411

Howard L. Sloneker III       10,000           9.80          41.375        02-20-07        260,205          659,411

Coy Leonard, Jr.              3,000           2.94          41.375        02-20-07         78,062          197,823
</TABLE>


                                       8
<PAGE>   10







(1)   All of these stock options, which were granted pursuant to the Ohio
      Casualty Corporation 1993 Stock Incentive Program, were granted at the
      fair market value of the underlying option shares on the date of grant,
      become exercisable as to one-third of the option shares on each of the
      first three anniversaries of the date of grant and have a term of ten
      years. In the event of a change in control of the Company, the stock
      options would become exercisable in full. Stock options reported consist
      of incentive stock options and non-qualified stock options.

(2)   The dollar amounts under these columns are the result of calculations at
      the 5% and 10% annual appreciation rates set by the Securities and
      Exchange Commission for illustrative purposes, and, therefore, are not
      intended to forecast future financial performance or possible future
      appreciation in the price of the Company's common shares. Shareholders are
      therefore cautioned against drawing any conclusions from the appreciation
      data shown, aside from the fact that optionees will only realize value
      from the option grants shown when the price of the Company's common shares
      appreciates, which benefits all shareholders commensurately.


                      OPTION EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR

      The following table sets forth information concerning the exercise of
stock options during the last fiscal year by each of the executive officers of
the Company named in the Summary Compensation Table and the fiscal year-end
value of unexercised stock options and SARs held by such executive officers:


                           AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN
                           ------------------------------
                LAST FISCAL YEAR AND FISCAL YEAR-END OPTION VALUE
                -------------------------------------------------
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                             NUMBER OF                 NUMBER OF SHARES UNDERLYING            VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                              SHARES                      UNEXERCISED OPTIONS AT              IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS
                            ACQUIRED ON      VALUE         FISCAL YEAR-END(#)                AT FISCAL YEAR-END($)(1)
                                                          ----------------------------      --------------------------
      NAME                 EXERCISE (#)      REALIZED($)   EXERCISABLE   UNEXERCISABLE      EXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE
      ----                 ------------      -----------   -----------   -------------      -------------------------
<S>                        <C>               <C>            <C>           <C>                    <C>          <C>    
Lauren N. Patch                    0                0       10,000        50,000                 96,250       290,000
Barry S. Porter                    0                0        3,333        16,667                 32,081        96,670
Michael L. Evans                   0                0        3,333        16,667                 32,081        96,670
Howard L. Sloneker III         3,333           37,734            0        16,667                      0        96,670
Coy Leonard, Jr.                   0                0        1,000         5,000                  9,625       116,750
</TABLE>


(1)      "Value of Unexercised In-the-Money Options at Fiscal Year-End" is based
         upon the fair market value of the Company's common shares on December
         31, 1997 ($44.625), less the exercise price of in-the-money options at
         the end of the last fiscal year.

PENSION PLANS

         The following table sets forth the estimated annual benefits payable
under the Employees Retirement Plan and The Ohio Casualty Insurance Company
Benefit Equalization Plan (the "Benefit Equalization Plan") to participants in
such plans, including the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation
Table, upon retirement in specified compensation and years of service
classifications:

                                       9
<PAGE>   11




<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                  PENSION PLANS TABLE



                                  15           20            25           30           35           40           45
      ANNUAL EARNINGS            YEARS        YEARS        YEARS        YEARS         YEARS        YEARS        YEARS
      ---------------            -----        -----        -----        -----         -----        -----        -----
<S>       <C>                   <C>          <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>          <C>          <C>    
          $125,000              $27,932      $37,242      $46,553      $55,864       $65,174      $74,485      $83,795
           175,000               39,932       53,242       66,553       79,864        93,174      106,485      119,795
           225,000               51,932       69,242       86,553      103,864       121,174      138,485      155,795
           275,000               63,932       85,242      106,553      127,864       149,174      170,485      191,795
           325,000               75,932      101,242      126,553      151,864       177,174      202,485      227,795
           375,000               87,932      117,242      146,553      175,864       205,174      234,485      263,795
           400,000               93,932      125,242      156,553      187,864       219,174      250,485      281,795
           425,000               99,932      133,242      166,553      199,864       233,174      266,485      299,795
           450,000              105,932      141,242      176,553      211,864       247,174      282,485      317,795
           475,000              111,932      149,242      186,553      223,864       261,174      298,485      335,795
           500,000              117,932      157,242      196,553      235,864       275,174      314,485      353,795
           525,000              123,932      165,242      206,553      247,864       289,174      330,485      371,795
           550,000              129,932      173,242      216,553      259,864       303,174      346,485      389,795
           600,000              141,932      189,242      236,553      283,864       331,174      378,485      425,795
</TABLE>

         Retirement benefits under the Company's Employees Retirement Plan, a
defined benefit plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), are generally payable to full-time and regular
part-time salaried employees whose participation in the plan has vested
(currently requiring the completion of five years of service) upon retirement at
age 65 or in reduced amounts upon retirement prior to age 65 if the participant
has ten years of vested service. A retiree's benefit amount is based upon his or
her credited years of service and average annual compensation (salary) for the
five consecutive years of highest salary during the last ten years of service
immediately prior to age 65 or, if greater, the average annual compensation paid
during the 60 consecutive month period immediately preceding retirement or other
termination of employment. Such retirement benefits are reduced by a portion of
the retiree's Social Security-covered compensation. Benefits figures shown in
the table above are computed on the assumption that participants retire at age
65 and are entitled to a single life annuity.

         Section 401(a)(17) of the Code limits compensation in excess of
$160,000 from being taken into account in determining benefits payable under a
qualified pension plan. As a result, the Benefit Equalization Plan was adopted
for those employees who are adversely affected by these provisions of the Code.
The Benefit Equalization Plan provides for payment of benefits that would have
been payable under the Employees Retirement Plan but for the limitation on
compensation imposed by the Code. Upon retirement, participants receive the
actuarial equivalent present value of the benefit payable under the Benefit
Equalization Plan in a lump sum.

         At December 31, 1997, credited years of service and average annual
earnings for purposes of the Employees Retirement Plan and the Benefit
Equalization Plan for the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation
Table were: Lauren N. Patch, 21.5 years ($421,643); Barry S. Porter, 23.5 years
($228,217); Michael L. Evans, 22.5 years ($171,050); Howard L. Sloneker III,
15.75 years ($154,721); and Coy Leonard, Jr., 4.4 years ($124,980). The
compensation covered by the Employees Retirement Plan and the Benefit
Equalization Plan is the amount shown in the Summary Compensation Table as
salary, less any directors' fees.

                                       10
<PAGE>   12






                 REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION POLICIES

         The Company's executive compensation programs are designed to attract
and retain quality talent, and to motivate the Company's key employees to
maximize shareholder returns by achieving both the short-term and long-term
goals of the Company. The Executive Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors (the " Committee"), consisting entirely of non-employee directors,
approves all of the policies under which compensation is paid or awarded to the
Company's executive officers.

         The Committee believes that the Company's executive compensation
opportunities, including those for the Company's Chief Executive Officer
("CEO"), should create incentives for superior performance and consequences for
below-target performance. In 1996, the Company's executive compensation program
was redesigned to link each executive officer's compensation directly to
individual and Company performance. A significant portion of each executive
officer's total compensation is now variable and dependent upon the attainment
of annual objectives and long-term shareholder returns. The compensation
structure provides a portion of each executive officer's compensation in stock
thereby creating a mutuality of interest between executive officers and
shareholders.

         The Committee annually reviews the short-term and long-term
compensation levels for the CEO and other senior executives to consider and
implement any changes necessary to achieve its on-going objectives. In
determining the comparable compensation levels discussed further below, the
Committee considers information from surveys of compensation practices within
the property and casualty industry which surveys may include some or all of the
companies included in the Performance Graph on page 14.

SPECIFIC COMPENSATION PROGRAMS

         There are three components to the Company's "pay for performance"
system established for its executive officers and 16 additional key executives
(collectively called the "partners"): (i) base salary established on an annual
basis, (ii) awards under the Annual Incentive Plan and (iii) awards under the
Long-Term Incentive Plan. Each component of the Company's executive compensation
program aims to accomplish a different purpose.

         BASE SALARY. Base salary levels for the CEO and the other executive
officers of the Company are based on individual performance, the
responsibilities associated with an individual's position in the Company, skill
level and experience and potential future contribution, all of which are
reviewed annually and benchmarked against similar positions within the survey
companies. The base salary of the CEO is established by the Committee. The base
salaries of the other executive officers are established by the CEO on an annual
basis. Salary adjustments are based on individual performance, as determined in
accordance with the Company's executive performance evaluation system, and
reflective of competitive conditions existing at the time.

                                       11
<PAGE>   13






         ANNUAL INCENTIVE PLAN AWARDS: The potential award opportunities for
each of the executive officers who participates in the Annual Incentive Plan are
determined at the beginning of each fiscal year. Potential award opportunities
for a fiscal year, which are expressed as a percentage of a participant's salary
for that fiscal year, are based on the participant's level within the
organization, with higher percentages being assigned to executive officers who
hold more senior positions. Actual awards are based on a combination of
individual and team performance. This balance supports the accomplishment of
overall objectives and rewards individual contributions by the executives. Team
performance, which accounts for up to 50% of the total award potential, is based
on the Company's actual performance against pre-determined targets for return on
equity and growth in premiums for the year. A performance threshold for each
measure ensures that no awards are made for substandard accomplishments. If the
performance threshold is achieved, each of the eligible executive officers
receives a team award, the amount of which depends on the extent to which the
Company's performance exceeds the threshold level and the potential award
opportunity assigned to each individual participant, as described above.
Individual awards, which account for the remaining 50% of the award potential,
are made only if the performance level required for team awards has been met and
then only if a determination is made by the Committee and the CEO to fund such
individual awards. The Committee determines, based on a recommendation from the
CEO, the level of funding for the individual award pool based on the performance
achieved by the management team on a number of criteria such as the achievement
of pre-established Company and individual goals. The pool is allocated among the
participants on the basis of their performance evaluations as determined by the
CEO (the CEO's performance evaluation is conducted by the Committee).


         Currently, awards under the Annual Incentive Plan are paid in
restricted shares of the Company. Such restricted shares may not be transferred
by the participant for a three-year period following the date of the grant,
unless the participant dies or his employment is terminated as a result of
disability or retirement or following a change in control of the Company. If the
employment of the participant terminates for any other reason during such three
year period, the restricted shares will be forfeited to the Company. Awards
under the Annual Incentive Plan for the 1997 fiscal year were paid in the form
of restricted common shares issued in February of 1998.


         LONG-TERM INCENTIVE PLAN Awards under the Long-Term Incentive Plan
consist of incentive stock options, non-qualified stock options, or a
combination of both, and dividend payment rights, one-third of which vests on
each of the first three anniversaries of the date of the grant. Stock options
are granted at market value on the date of grant and increase in value only to
the extent of appreciation in the Company's common shares. Stock options expire
at the end of ten years from the date of grant. Stock option grants are
generally made at the beginning of the fiscal year, although grants may be made
at different times to participants who are promoted or newly hired. The number
of stock options to be granted is based on the participant's salary level and
position. While it is the intention of the Committee to make stock option grants
annually, the Committee has reserved the right to eliminate stock option awards
or make other modifications in the Long-Term Incentive Plan. The Committee also
intends to hold constant the number of options granted to each participant over
each three-year period, beginning in 1996.

                                       12
<PAGE>   14





         DIVIDEND PAYMENT RIGHTS In addition to stock options, the participants
in the Long-Term Incentive Plan may be granted dividend payment rights.
One-third of these rights become effective on each anniversary of the grant
date. These rights entitle the holder on the April 15th following the third
anniversary of the grant date (or earlier if the holder dies, becomes disabled
or retires or is terminated from employment after a change in control of the
Company) to receive, for each dividend payment right, an amount in cash equal to
the aggregate amount of dividends that the Company has paid on each common share
from the date on which the dividend payment right becomes effective through the
payout date. Unless the employment of the holder of a dividend payment right
terminates as a result of death, disability, retirement at normal retirement
age, or following a change in control, the holder forfeits the right if his or
her employment terminates prior to the scheduled payout date. The employees to
whom stock options and dividend payment rights are to be awarded are determined
annually by the Committee for the executive officers, including the CEO, and by
the CEO for all other partners.

         The Company's Annual Incentive Plan and its Long Term Incentive Plan
are designed to provide participants with the opportunity to receive total
compensation targeted at the 75th percentile of salaries for similar positions
among the survey companies.

         Section 162(m) of the Code generally limits the corporate tax deduction
for the compensation paid to executive officers named in the Summary
Compensation Table in the proxy statement to $1 million, unless certain
requirements for qualifying compensation as "performance based" are met. The
compensation paid to each of the executive officers of the Company in 1997 was
less than the threshold for deductibility under Section 162(m).

BASES FOR CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMPENSATION

         The Committee evaluates the performance of the CEO at least annually.
In 1997, Mr. Patch received a base salary of $505,000. Mr. Patch also received
an award under the Annual Incentive Plan for service in 1997 of a total of 2,094
restricted common shares of the Company, which were issued to him in February of
1998 and which will be forfeited to the Company if he leaves the Company during
the three-year period following the date of issue. As described in detail above,
the Committee's determination of the number of restricted common shares awarded
to Mr. Patch (and to all of the other executive officers) under the Annual
Incentive Plan was based on the Company's 1997 total return performance as
measured against established return on equity and growth in premium targets. The
Company also granted to Mr. Patch in 1998 pursuant to the Long-Term Incentive
Plan, a non-qualified stock option for 30,000 shares. The number of stock
options granted to Mr. Patch was based on his salary level and position with the
Company. As previously indicated, in establishing the compensation of Mr. Patch
and the other executive officers, the goal of the Committee has been to create a
total compensation opportunity through base salary and awards under the Annual
Incentive Plan and the Long-Term Incentive Plan which, if realized as a result
of the Company's performance, would result in total compensation being at the
75th percentile for similar positions at the survey companies.

         The foregoing report on executive compensation is provided by the
following directors, who constituted the Executive Compensation Committee during
1997:

Jack E. Brown       Vaden Fitton    Stephen S. Marcum         Stanley N. Pontius


                                       13
<PAGE>   15





                   EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS
                            AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

        The directors of the Company who served as members of the Company's
Executive Compensation Committee during 1997 were Jack E. Brown, Vaden Fitton,
Stephen S. Marcum and Stanley N. Pontius. Mr. Fitton and Mr. Porter, the
Company's Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, also served as members of the
Executive Compensation Committee of First Financial Bancorp during 1997, whose
Chief Executive Officer, Stanley N. Pontius, is a member of the Executive
Compensation Committee of the Company.

         As indicated in the Executive Compensation Committee Report on
Executive Compensation, Lauren N. Patch, the Company's President and Chief
Executive Officer, participates in decision-making regarding the compensation of
certain executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table. Mr. Patch is
not a member of the Executive Compensation Committee.

                 COMPARISON OF FIVE-YEAR CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN

         The following graph compares the five-year cumulative total shareholder
return, including reinvested dividends, of the Company with the Dow Jones Equity
Market Index and the Dow Jones Insurance Index for Property and Casualty
Companies(1):

                             PERFORMANCE GRAPH FOR
                           OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION
                                    [GRAPH]
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                             1992          1993          1994          1995          1996          1997
                                         ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
<S>                                         <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>           <C>   
DJ EQUITY MARKET INDEX                      100.00        109.95        110.76        152.49        187.63        251.34
DJ INSURANCE P&C                            100.00        100.83        106.03        148.53        178.61        263.14
OHIO CASUALTY CORP                          100.00        105.76        98.47         161.23        135.39        176.75
</TABLE>


                                       14
<PAGE>   16





(1)      The Dow Jones Insurance Index for Property and Casualty Companies is
         comprised of 13 companies, including the Company that are traditionally
         considered as a peer group of property and casualty insurance companies
         within the United States. The companies making up the Index are
         Allstate Corp.; American International Group Inc.; Chubb Corp.; HSB
         Group Inc.; Loews Corp.; MBIA Inc.; Ohio Casualty Corporation;
         Progressive Corp.; SAFECO Corp.; St. Paul Cos.; and USF&G Corp.

                                  ANNUAL REPORT

         The Company's Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1997, accompanies this Proxy Statement.

           RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

         The accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. has been selected by
the Board of Directors to serve as independent public accountants of the Company
for the fiscal year ending December 31, 1998. Management expects that
representatives of that firm will be present at the Annual Meeting, will have
the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so and will be
available to respond to appropriate questions. The affirmative vote of the
holders of a majority of the Common Shares represented in person or by proxy at
the Annual Meeting is necessary to ratify the selection of the Company's
independent public accountants. Under Ohio law, abstentions and broker non-votes
are counted as present; the effect of an abstention or broker non-vote on this
proposal is the same as a "no" vote. Unless otherwise indicated, the persons
named in the Proxy will vote all Proxies in favor of ratifying the selection of
independent public accountants.

         Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P. were the independent public accountants of the
Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997. In connection with the
audit function, the firm also reviewed the Company's annual and quarterly
reports and reviewed its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                              SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS

         If an eligible shareholder wishes to present a proposal for action at
the next annual meeting of shareholders of the Company, it must be received by
the Company no later than November 13, 1998, for inclusion in the Company's
Proxy Statement and form of Proxy relating to that meeting. An eligible
shareholder may present no more than one proposal of not more than five hundred
(500) words, including supporting statements, for inclusion in the Company's
proxy materials for the next annual meeting. Proposals shall be sent to Ohio
Casualty Corporation, Attention: Howard L. Sloneker III, Secretary, 136 North
Third Street, Hamilton, Ohio 45025.

             SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

         Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the
Company's officers and directors, and persons who own more than ten percent of a
registered class of the Company's equity securities, to file reports of
ownership and changes in ownership on Forms 3, 4 and 5 with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC). Officers, directors and greater than ten percent
shareholders are required by SEC regulations to furnish the Company with copies
of all Forms 3, 4 and 5 they file.

                                       15
<PAGE>   17






         Based on the Company's review of the copies of such forms it has
received, the Company believes that all its officers, directors, and greater
than ten percent beneficial owners complied with all filing requirements
applicable to them with respect to transactions during fiscal 1997.

                                  OTHER MATTERS

         The Company files annually with the Securities and Exchange Commission
an Annual Report on Form 10-K. This report includes financial statements and
financial statement schedules.

         A SHAREHOLDER OF THE COMPANY MAY OBTAIN A COPY OF THE ANNUAL REPORT ON
FORM 10-K, INCLUDING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES, FOR
THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997, WITHOUT CHARGE BY SUBMITTING A WRITTEN
REQUEST TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:

                            OHIO CASUALTY CORPORATION
                            Attention: Barry S. Porter
                            Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer
                            136 North Third Street
                            Hamilton, Ohio  45025

         Management and the Board of Directors of the Company know of no
business to be brought before the Annual Meeting other than as set forth in this
Proxy Statement. However, if any matters other than those referred to in this
Proxy Statement should properly come before the Annual Meeting, it is the
intention of the persons named in the enclosed proxy to vote the common shares
represented by such proxy on such matters in accordance with their best
judgment.

                            EXPENSES OF SOLICITATION

         The expense of proxy solicitation will be borne by the Company. Proxies
will be solicited by mail and may be solicited, for no additional compensation,
by officers, directors or employees of the Company or its subsidiaries, by
telephone, telegraph or in person. Brokerage houses and other custodians,
nominees and fiduciaries may be requested to forward soliciting material to the
beneficial owners of common shares of the Company, and will be reimbursed for
their related expenses. In addition, the Company has retained Morrow & Co.,
Inc., a professional soliciting organization, to assist in soliciting proxies
from brokerage houses, custodians and nominees. The fees and expenses of that
firm in connection with such solicitation are not expected to exceed $12,000.

                                         By Order of the Board of Directors,




                                          Howard L. Sloneker III, Secretary
March 13, 1998

                                       16

<PAGE>   1
                                                                      Exhibit 23









Consent of Independent Accountants





We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement of
Ohio Casualty Corporation on Form S-3 (File No. 05544) of our report dated
January 30, 1998, except as to the information presented in Note 16, for which
the date is February 19, 1998, on our audits of the consolidated financial
statements and financial statement schedules of Ohio Casualty Corporation and
Subsidiaries as of December 31 1997, 1996 and 1995 and for the years then ended,
which report is incorporated by reference in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.






                                                       Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.


Cincinnati, Ohio
March 27, 1998





















                                       87


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 7
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<DEBT-HELD-FOR-SALE>                     2,291,879,190
<DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE>                    2,291,879,190
<DEBT-MARKET-VALUE>                      2,291,879,190
<EQUITIES>                                 859,474,835
<MORTGAGE>                                           0
<REAL-ESTATE>                               22,423,125
<TOTAL-INVEST>                           3,173,777,150
<CASH>                                      54,205,850
<RECOVER-REINSURE>                         108,962,306
<DEFERRED-ACQUISITION>                     126,063,105
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                           3,778,781,705
<POLICY-LOSSES>                          1,483,807,193
<UNEARNED-PREMIUMS>                        495,075,999
<POLICY-OTHER>                                       0
<POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS>                       34,148,430
<NOTES-PAYABLE>                             40,000,000
                                0
                                          0
<COMMON>                                     5,850,484
<OTHER-SE>                               1,308,978,681
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>             3,778,781,705
                               1,208,973,644
<INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        177,700,834
<INVESTMENT-GAINS>                          50,748,606
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<BENEFITS>                                 864,642,003
<UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION>                303,493,633
<UNDERWRITING-OTHER>                        95,830,257
<INCOME-PRETAX>                            173,457,191
<INCOME-TAX>                                43,065,298
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                        130,391,893
<DISCONTINUED>                               8,655,340
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                               139,047,233
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     4.06
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     4.06
<RESERVE-OPEN>                           1,482,900,208
<PROVISION-CURRENT>                        382,999,209
<PROVISION-PRIOR>                        1,065,199,225
<PAYMENTS-CURRENT>                         310,752,838
<PAYMENTS-PRIOR>                           386,370,376
<RESERVE-CLOSE>                          1,448,198,434
<CUMULATIVE-DEFICIENCY>                   (31,330,607)
        

</TABLE>

<PAGE>   1



OHIO CASUALTY GROUP                                                  Exhibit 28
SCHEDULE P-PART 1 - SUMMARY


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>                                                                                                          
 
                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE    
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS           
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)        
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       
<S>               <C>                <C>          <C>                <C>               <C>            <C>                <C>      
PRIOR                       XXXX            XXXX            XXXX      31,122,523       7,490,766       4,828,071         274,810  
1988              1,375,824,489      36,271,960   1,339,552,529      705,464,895       8,457,053      64,160,378         725,963  
1989              1,393,527,230      29,350,534   1,364,176,696      793,898,714      15,327,292      66,860,717         822,169  
1990              1,462,962,148      24,961,247   1,438,000,901      852,221,181      10,305,649      75,671,263         790,339  
1991              1,495,615,389      26,560,767   1,469,054,622      891,074,182      36,268,521      72,688,163       2,039,592  
1992              1,550,273,214      32,683,713   1,517,589,501      903,276,673      23,467,796      71,336,489       1,206,000  
1993              1,423,123,140      43,696,082   1,379,427,058      805,047,725       7,902,613      59,808,045         742,220  
1994              1,342,790,625      45,133,158   1,297,657,467      758,495,103       7,759,345      48,213,877          27,027  
1995              1,305,588,605      41,012,065   1,264,576,540      645,100,926       7,828,413      32,909,842          51,011  
1996              1,253,886,669      30,533,833   1,223,867,888      629,576,753       6,872,901      23,691,729          16,917  
1997              1,236,434,526      32,169,380   1,204,265,146      393,661,889       3,192,174       7,387,254               0  
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX    7,408,940,565     134,872,524     527,555,828       6,696,048  
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        SALVAGE &                       NUMBER OF
                     UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                         CLAIMS
                              PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)               (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                    <C>             <C>             <C>            <C>            <C> 
PRIOR                   1,024,738                0        1,289,137      29,209,756       XXXX
1988                   62,215,667                0       31,763,856     822,657,925       XXXX
1989                   64,989,089                0       34,752,270     909,599,059       XXXX
1990                   67,223,602                0       34,428,003     984,020,058       XXXX
1991                   66,972,643                0       33,919,812     992,426,876       XXXX
1992                   72,251,346                0       34,509,115   1,022,190,712       XXXX
1993                   65,375,857                0       27,711,529     921,586,794       XXXX
1994                   68,091,543                0       27,228,035     867,014,151       XXXX
1995                   61,199,812                0       24,878,259     731,331,155       XXXX
1996                   65,370,455                0       21,769,290     711,749,118       XXXX
1997                   46,675,676                0       11,478,801     444,532,645       XXXX
TOTAL                 641,390,428                0      283,728,105   8,436,318,250       XXXX

</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            LOSSES UNPAID                           ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID   
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS           
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)      
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                  <C>             <C>             <C>                  <C>          <C>               <C>         
PRIOR                85,055,588      29,344,406      17,351,574           31,335       5,092,265         267,203     
1988                 13,442,545       1,851,995       4,160,360           11,121       1,333,758          73,876     
1989                 21,475,029       3,431,571       6,036,448           15,505       1,670,714         108,462     
1990                 23,420,965       2,460,204       7,888,926           85,126       2,246,541         140,193     
1991                 24,657,016         478,297      11,822,593          170,035       3,220,015         194,001     
1992                 34,834,271         772,969      16,083,298           83,741       4,653,802         244,095     
1993                 45,625,840       1,715,203      17,430,086          228,399       7,058,983         327,796     
1994                 64,466,641         945,602      20,552,698          259,911      11,069,448         477,693     
1995                 96,014,806       1,513,179      42,101,008          566,111      19,259,064         756,513     
1996                130,041,591       2,301,051      91,889,817        1,159,159      25,581,129       1,018,363     
1997                198,549,181       2,033,444     201,562,872        2,699,505      33,197,183       1,310,225     
TOTAL               737,583,474      46,847,921     436,879,680        5,309,948     114,382,902       4,918,421     
</TABLE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                         SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
                    ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID   UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES          SUBROGATION      LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                             BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                         (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
                    DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                       DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                 <C>                 <C>           <C>              <C>                     <C>     <C>             <C>     
PRIOR               15,094,837          11,539        6,810,262        1,084,342               0       98,665,702       XXXX
1988                 2,331,828           4,030          713,426           47,871               0       19,993,023       XXXX
1989                 3,345,524           5,125        1,149,732           96,179               0       30,020,606       XXXX
1990                 3,764,110           8,468        1,580,528           96,402               0       36,110,677       XXXX
1991                 6,908,286          17,026        1,880,492           15,497               0       47,613,546       XXXX
1992                 7,201,908          29,786        2,851,935           35,005               0       64,459,618       XXXX
1993                10,102,341          59,399        3,538,483           60,928               0       81,364,009       XXXX
1994                12,040,239         105,705        4,915,511           54,901               0      111,200,725       XXXX
1995                16,687,530         191,389        8,012,674           65,099               0      178,982,790       XXXX
1996                20,048,116         247,205       13,310,848          137,732               0      276,007,991       XXXX
1997                24,570,378         326,121       25,951,497          176,291               0      477,285,525       XXXX
TOTAL              122,095,096       1,005,792       70,715,387        1,870,246               0    1,421,704,211       XXXX

</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE                  
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)             
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET              
<S>                 <C>              <C>            <C>                     <C>             <C>             <C>           
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX             XXXX            XXXX            XXXX         
1988                853,822,856      11,171,909     842,650,948             62.1            30.8            62.9          
1989                959,425,967      19,806,302     939,619,665             68.8            67.5            68.9          
1990              1,034,017,116      13,886,381   1,020,130,735             70.7            55.6            70.9          
1991              1,079,223,391      39,182,969   1,040,040,422             72.2           147.5            70.8          
1992              1,112,489,722      25,839,392   1,086,650,330             71.8            79.1            71.6          
1993              1,013,987,360      11,036,557   1,002,950,803             71.3            25.3            72.7          
1994                987,845,061       9,630,185     978,214,876             73.6            21.3            75.4          
1995                921,285,661      10,971,716     910,313,945             70.6            26.8            72.0          
1996                999,510,438      11,753,328     987,757,109             79.7            38.5            80.7          
1997                931,555,930       9,737,760     921,818,170             75.3            30.3            76.5          
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX             XXXX            XXXX            XXXX         
</TABLE> 

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                         INTER-COMPANY
                                            POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                 NONTABULAR DISCOUNT      PARTICIPATION            AFTER DISCOUNT
                 (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
               LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                <C>             <C>            <C>       <C>              <C>      
PRIOR              0               0             XXXX       73,031,422      25,634,280
1988               0               0              0.0       15,739,789       4,253,234
1989               0               0              0.0       24,064,401       5,956,204
1990               0               0              0.0       28,764,561       7,346,115
1991               0               0              0.0       35,831,277      11,782,269
1992               0               0              0.0       50,060,859      14,398,759
1993               0               0              0.0       61,112,324      20,251,685
1994               0               0              0.0       83,813,827      27,386,898
1995               0               0              0.0      136,036,523      42,946,266
1996               0               0              0.0      218,471,198      57,536,793
1997               0               0              0.0      395,379,104      81,906,421
TOTAL              0               0             XXXX    1,122,305,285     299,398,926
 
</TABLE>

<PAGE>   2

OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1A - HOMEOWNERS
 

 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE   
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS          
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)       
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      

<S>                 <C>               <C>           <C>              <C>                 <C>          <C>                    <C> 
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX         186,231          89,392          26,365               0  
1988                168,375,661       1,787,037     166,588,624      87,466,758          50,000       4,662,700              17  
1989                167,250,533       2,262,236     164,988,297     103,361,168               0       5,833,465              13  
1990                172,691,271       2,320,885     170,370,386     114,448,983         378,204       5,779,220             179  
1991                180,475,310       3,102,136     177,373,174     145,879,863      19,995,461       6,045,896         287,977  
1992                187,626,381       3,099,967     184,526,414     137,614,497       6,593,491       6,932,884         618,218  
1993                176,137,420       8,407,961     167,729,459     126,292,252         494,000       6,985,820           4,165  
1994                167,093,737       9,016,379     158,077,358     135,128,241          91,905       7,036,000             595  
1995                169,545,732       8,427,980     161,117,752     105,994,317               0       4,675,044               0  
1996                170,607,856       4,977,843     165,630,013     148,764,684               0       5,754,049               0  
1997                172,710,473       6,175,490     166,534,984      80,971,145               0       1,749,811               0  
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX   1,186,108,139      27,692,452      55,481,253         911,164  


<CAPTION>
                                                       SALVAGE 8                        NUMBER OF
                     UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                         CLAIMS
                              PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)               (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED

<S>                    <C>              <C>             <C>          <C>                   <C>   
PRIOR                      6,520        0                    4,678         129,723              XXXX
1988                   3,565,362        0                1,597,850      95,644,804            64,996
1989                   4,061,915        0                1,561,829     113,256,536            65,760
1990                   4,576,537        0                1,891,764     124,426,356            65,034
1991                   5,502,852        0                1,337,984     137,145,173            66,254
1992                   9,449,520        0                1,651,800     146,785,192            67,899
1993                   9,056,377        0                1,256,499     141,836,285            67,878
1994                  10,811,009        0                1,427,657     152,882,749            72,531
1995                   8,249,620        0                  866,272     118,918,980            54,930
1996                  12,029,791        0                  862,824     166,548,523            73,001
1997                   8,016,515        0                  219,154      90,737,471            45,690
TOTAL                 75,326,017        0               12,678,311   1,288,311,793              XXXX
</TABLE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                     
                                             LOSSES UNPAID                           ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID  
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS           
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)      
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                     <C>                   <C>             <C>             <C>        <C>                  <C>    
PRIOR                   160,117           2,000               0               0          30,894              15      
1988                    114,462               0               0               0          24,834               8      
1989                    142,574               0               0               0          38,504               9      
1990                    129,801           1,165               0               0          41,492              14      
1991                    221,582          11,632               0               0          68,578              27      
1992                  1,323,513               1               0               0         200,754              72      
1993                  1,957,188           5,000         606,398               0         319,708             143      
1994                  2,293,627               0         144,594           4,426         588,459             286      
1995                  4,179,650               3         390,627          13,279       1,181,332             573      
1996                  6,734,399               0       1,013,062          39,838       1,849,969             898      
1997                 24,284,070               0       9,390,565         385,105       3,145,315           1,526      
TOTAL                41,540,983          19,801      11,545,246         442,649       7,489,839           3,570      

<CAPTION>
                                                                                         SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
                     ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID       UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES     SUBROGATION    LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                              BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                          (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
                     DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                       DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                  <C>               <C>            <C>                 <C>              <C>         <C>                   <C>
PRIOR                    5,212             328            5,199               51               0           199,027              10
1988                     2,606             164            3,545                0               0           145,275               5
1989                     3,103             195            4,118                0               0           188,094              10
1990                     4,964             312            4,172               30               0           178,907              10
1991                     9,308             586            7,737              299               0           294,661              22
1992                    24,820           1,562           42,399                0               0         1,589,851              38
1993                   644,977           3,124          267,955              128               0         3,787,830              65
1994                   135,951           6,249           96,861              211               0         3,248,320             118
1995                   266,948          12,545          180,492              633               0         6,172,015             219
1996                   359,118          19,645          283,506            1,899               0        10,177,774             590
1997                   589,994          33,400        1,158,122           18,357               0        38,129,678           5,126
TOTAL                2,047,000          78,110        2,054,104           21,609               0        64,111,433           6,213
</TABLE>




<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                          
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE                  
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)             
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET              
<S>                  <C>                 <C>         <C>                   <C>              <C>            <C>            
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX          
1988                 95,840,268          50,188      95,790,080            56.9             2.8            57.5           
1989                113,444,847             217     113,444,630            67.8             0.0            68.8           
1990                124,985,168         379,905     124,605,263            72.4            16.4            73.1           
1991                157,735,815      20,295,982     137,439,834            87.4           654.3            77.5           
1992                155,588,386       7,213,343     148,375,043            82.9           232.7            80.4           
1993                146,130,675         506,560     145,624,115            83.0             6.0            86.8           
1994                156,234,742         103,672     156,131,070            93.5             1.1            98.8           
1995                125,118,029          27,033     125,090,996            73.8             0.3            77.6           
1996                176,788,577          62,280     176,726,297           103.6             1.3           106.7           
1997                129,305,537         438,388     128,867,148            74.9             7.1            77.4           
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX          
 
 


<CAPTION>
                                                     INTER-COMPANY
                                                        POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                             NONTABULAR DISCOUNT    PARTICIPATION %            AFTER DISCOUNT
                             (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
                           LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                           <C>             <C>            <C>          <C>              <C>   
PRIOR                         0               0             XXXX          158,117          40,910
1988                          0               0              0.0          114,462          30,813
1989                          0               0              0.0          142,574          45,520
1990                          0               0              0.0          128,636          50,271
1991                          0               0              0.0          209,950          84,711
1992                          0               0              0.0        1,323,512         266,339
1993                          0               0              0.0        2,558,586       1,229,244
1994                          0               0              0.0        2,433,795         814,526
1995                          0               0              0.0        4,556,994       1,615,021
1996                          0               0              0.0        7,707,622       2,470,151
1997                          0               0              0.0       33,289,530       4,840,147
TOTAL                         0               0             XXXX       52,623,779      11,487,654
 
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   3



OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1B - PRIVATE PASSENGER AUTO
 


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE   
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS          
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)       
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                 <C>               <C>           <C>             <C>               <C>            <C>                 <C>     
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX       2,206,835       1,653,638         133,066          19,406  
1988                318,131,302       7,787,046     310,344,256     227,849,215       3,498,716      14,142,566          18,506  
1989                318,461,609       7,648,858     310,812,750     239,651,557       3,036,953      12,852,802           3,108  
1990                333,396,443       6,675,812     326,720,631     255,302,212       2,334,181      13,868,445               0 
1991                339,450,775       6,390,994     333,059,781     245,189,405       2,611,787      14,349,638               0 
1992                362,947,213       7,108,258     355,838,955     261,027,458       2,891,266      16,335,470           1,874  
1993                334,285,756      12,196,407     322,089,349     245,312,510       4,898,819      15,144,842          22,044  
1994                320,149,419      12,617,186     307,532,233     225,213,012       4,892,937      12,834,983          33,443  
1995                305,098,094       7,698,429     297,399,665     196,333,914       4,074,985       9,455,254               0  
1996                290,090,509       7,674,484     282,416,025     149,968,524       3,055,440       5,407,345               0  
1997                286,421,257       9,267,645     277,153,612      81,242,268       1,722,961       1,649,646               0  
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX   2,129,296,910      34,671,683     116,174,056          98,381  


<CAPTION>
                                                        SALVAGE &                        NUMBER OF
                      UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                         CLAIMS
                               PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)                (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR         DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                    <C>                  <C>      <C>             <C>                  <C>   
PRIOR                     181,986           0                60,074         848,842            XXXX
1988                   23,279,631           0             4,923,005     261,754,191          69,365
1989                   24,184,765           0             5,793,421     273,649,063          64,144
1990                   24,757,634           0             5,745,992     291,594,109          61,389
1991                   22,892,987           0             4,857,591     279,820,242          57,898
1992                   22,616,275           0             4,816,644     297,086,063          60,080
1993                   21,003,958           0             5,270,081     276,540,446          54,981
1994                   21,345,732           0             4,335,831     254,467,347          53,263
1995                   19,650,618           0             3,515,600     221,364,801          49,181
1996                   19,422,658           0             2,262,598     171,743,087          47,845
1997                   12,111,332           0               904,430      93,280,286          45,067
TOTAL                 211,447,575           0            42,485,266   2,422,148,478            XXXX
</TABLE>




<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                    
                                            LOSSES UNPAID                             ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID  
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS          
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)     
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED     
<S>                  <C>             <C>                <C>               <C>           <C>              <C>        
PRIOR                15,378,054      12,207,976         295,908           1,970         146,131          10,414     
1988                    323,297          29,320         355,090           2,363          65,749           4,663     
1989                    801,829         165,965         591,816           3,939          76,814           5,440     
1990                  1,058,034          52,096         828,542           5,515         101,006           6,994     
1991                  2,301,589         107,948         946,906           6,302         178,455          12,434     
1992                  5,059,268         596,495       1,561,099          10,241         338,467          23,781     
1993                  9,229,660         123,907       2,197,179          14,574         832,297          59,063     
1994                 17,280,276         170,247       2,367,264          15,756       2,181,062         155,429     
1995                 33,731,652         247,163       9,232,330          61,449       4,209,450         299,978     
1996                 56,314,387         890,160      26,986,811         179,620       5,888,868         419,658     
1997                 76,305,471         450,137      73,030,099         486,076       7,808,203         556,436     
TOTAL               217,783,517      15,041,414     118,393,045         787,806      21,826,504       1,554,291     
 

<CAPTION>
                                                                                   SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
            ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID    UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES           SUBROGATION     LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                      BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                  (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
             DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>             <C>                <C>        <C>                <C>                   <C>     <C>               <C>    
PRIOR           95,351             612        1,054,691          593,626               0       4,155,538         144,000
1988            42,767             274           48,301            1,560               0         797,024          19,000
1989            49,918             319           98,697            8,329               0       1,435,082          26,000
1990            64,692             411          131,482            2,957               0       2,115,785          52,000
1991           114,756             730          226,176            5,720               0       3,634,746          79,000
1992           218,826           1,396          456,560           29,772               0       6,972,535         165,000
1993           541,590           3,468          784,836            7,048               0      13,377,502         392,000
1994         1,423,142           9,127        1,337,900            9,400               0      24,229,686         821,000
1995         2,746,664          17,615        2,959,423           16,423               0      52,236,891       1,696,000
1996         3,842,484          24,643        5,813,734           56,243               0      97,275,961       3,627,000
1997         5,094,849          32,674       10,624,185           57,050               0     171,280,434      13,589,000
TOTAL       14,235,039          91,268       23,535,985          788,128               0     377,511,183      20,610,000
</TABLE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE              
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)         
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET          
<S>                 <C>               <C>           <C>                    <C>             <C>             <C>        
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX      
1988                266,106,615       3,555,401     262,551,214            83.6            45.7            84.6       
1989                278,308,198       3,224,053     275,084,145            87.4            42.2            88.5       
1990                296,112,048       2,402,154     293,709,894            88.8            36.0            89.9       
1991                286,199,910       2,744,922     283,454,988            84.3            42.9            85.1       
1992                307,613,423       3,554,826     304,058,598            84.8            50.0            85.4       
1993                295,046,872       5,128,924     289,917,948            88.3            42.1            90.0       
1994                283,983,372       5,286,338     278,697,033            88.7            41.9            90.6       
1995                278,319,306       4,717,613     273,601,693            91.2            61.3            92.0       
1996                273,644,812       4,625,764     269,019,048            94.3            60.3            95.3       
1997                267,866,054       3,305,334     264,560,720            93.5            35.7            95.5       
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX      
 
 
<CAPTION>
                                                INTER-COMPANY
                                                   POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                        NONTABULAR DISCOUNT      PARTICIPATION%            AFTER DISCOUNT
                        (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
                      LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                      <C>             <C>            <C>          <C>             <C>    
PRIOR                    0               0             XXXX        3,464,017         691,521
1988                     0               0              0.0          646,703         150,320
1989                     0               0              0.0        1,223,741         211,341
1990                     0               0              0.0        1,828,966         286,819
1991                     0               0              0.0        3,134,244         500,502
1992                     0               0              0.0        6,013,631         958,904
1993                     0               0              0.0       11,288,357       2,089,144
1994                     0               0              0.0       19,461,537       4,768,149
1995                     0               0              0.0       42,655,370       9,581,521
1996                     0               0              0.0       82,231,419      15,044,543
1997                     0               0              0.0      148,399,357      22,881,077
TOTAL                    0               0             XXXX      320,347,342      57,163,841
 
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   4


OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1C - COMMERCIAL AUTO

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE   
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS          
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)       
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                 <C>               <C>           <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>                <C>     
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX         964,108         161,990          95,138          10,453
1988                111,554,866       2,979,933     108,574,933      62,193,799       1,313,307       6,048,627          28,060  
1989                115,498,723       3,154,328     112,344,396      65,389,176       1,194,192       5,585,223          16,253  
1990                123,518,477       3,020,941     120,497,536      76,761,136         881,609       6,407,371          15,302  
1991                130,823,468       3,059,789     127,763,679      80,100,299         706,087       6,515,896           8,280  
1992                135,772,129       3,261,305     132,510,824      77,672,317       1,933,969       6,884,043          17,459  
1993                129,920,600       4,227,838     125,692,762      72,554,844       1,023,625       6,732,684         251,005  
1994                124,061,161       4,326,619     119,734,542      76,367,258       1,322,529       5,820,063          10,590  
1995                118,167,750       3,897,033     114,270,717      54,988,886       1,688,556       3,491,016          18,879  
1996                111,494,112       3,041,823     108,452,289      39,001,708       1,592,222       1,860,712          16,847  
1997                108,150,971       2,584,990     105,565,981      21,327,334         728,855         559,842               0  
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX     627,320,861      12,546,941      50,000,616         393,128  


<CAPTION>

                                                                                          NUMBER OF
                      UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                         CLAIMS
                               PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)                (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR         DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                     <C>                 <C>        <C>          <C>                 <C>  
PRIOR                      62,879           0                 4,097         949,678            XXXX 
1988                    6,027,433           0               400,096      72,928,493          12,872
1989                    6,032,368           0               755,732      75,796,322          13,362
1990                    6,202,776           0               762,646      88,474,371          13,344
1991                    6,184,103           0               703,099      92,085,931          13,261
1992                    5,502,743           0             1,111,788      88,107,675          13,834
1993                    5,262,136           0               683,331      83,275,034          13,769
1994                    5,725,211           0               685,966      86,579,412          13,921
1995                    5,101,137           0               583,780      61,873,604          12,321
1996                    4,489,733           0               397,055      43,743,084          12,350
1997                    2,844,076           0               266,158      24,002,396          10,904
TOTAL                  53,434,594           0             6,353,747     717,816,002            XXXX
</TABLE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                   
                                            LOSSES UNPAID                            ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS          
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)     
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED     
<S>                   <C>             <C>               <C>                 <C>          <C>              <C>       
PRIOR                 1,368,142       1,118,393         897,750             675          42,036           1,572     
1988                    296,250               0         171,537             506          31,518           1,209     
1989                    497,835          71,320         297,787             506          47,277           1,814     
1990                  1,525,900         582,511         123,863             506          83,631           3,224     
1991                  1,014,505               0         415,863             676         114,837           4,433     
1992                  2,523,512               0         457,882           1,015         243,096           9,269     
1993                  5,489,231          74,001         363,895           1,013         456,224          17,732     
1994                 13,425,549          82,000         294,955           1,857         926,793          36,270     
1995                 16,186,072         173,774       4,833,193          30,386       1,983,338          77,617     
1996                 19,144,398         809,250      15,016,837          94,534       2,883,357         112,839     
1997                 23,095,993         336,722      32,709,658         205,950       3,501,219         137,019     
TOTAL                84,567,387       3,247,971      55,583,222         337,627      10,313,327         402,998     



                                                                                                                                 
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
                   ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID        UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES     SUBROGATION    LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                            BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                        (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
                   DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                <C>                <C>          <C>               <C>                  <C>     <C>                    <C>
PRIOR                778,784             183          349,692           53,226               0       2,262,354              22
1988                 101,174             141           53,327               36               0         651,914               3
1989                 230,986             211          107,154            3,433               0       1,103,755              10
1990                  78,844             376          113,835           27,721               0       1,311,734              14
1991                 275,991             517          129,043               47               0       1,944,565              25
1992                 175,597           1,081          163,923               71               0       3,552,573              51
1993                 395,585           2,068          389,798            3,592               0       6,996,326              96
1994                 573,496           4,230          846,575            4,022               0      15,938,991             252
1995               1,234,374           9,052        1,317,548           10,398               0      25,253,298             425
1996               1,787,009          13,160        2,166,510           45,127               0      39,923,200             818
1997               2,167,263          15,980        3,569,132           30,481               0      64,317,113           2,917
TOTAL              7,799,103          47,000        9,206,535          178,154               0     163,255,824           4,633

</TABLE>





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                           
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE                   
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)              
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET               
<S>                  <C>              <C>            <C>                   <C>             <C>             <C>             
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX           
1988                 74,923,665       1,343,259      73,580,407            67.2            45.1            67.8            
1989                 78,187,806       1,287,729      76,900,077            67.7            40.8            68.5            
1990                 91,297,356       1,511,250      89,786,106            73.9            50.0            74.5            
1991                 94,750,537         720,041      94,030,497            72.4            23.5            73.6            
1992                 93,623,113       1,962,864      91,660,249            69.0            60.2            69.2            
1993                 91,644,396       1,373,036      90,271,360            70.5            32.5            71.8            
1994                103,979,900       1,461,497     102,518,403            83.8            33.8            85.6            
1995                 89,135,565       2,008,663      87,126,902            75.4            51.5            76.2            
1996                 86,350,265       2,683,980      83,666,284            77.4            88.2            77.1            
1997                 89,774,516       1,455,007      88,319,509            83.0            56.3            83.7            
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX           
 
<CAPTION>
                                                   INTER-COMPANY
                                                      POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                           NONTABULAR DISCOUNT      PARTICIPATION%            AFTER DISCOUNT
                           (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
                         LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                         <C>             <C>           <C>       <C>             <C>    
PRIOR                       0               0             XXXX        1,146,824       1,115,530
1988                        0               0              0.0          467,280         184,634
1989                        0               0              0.0          723,796         379,960
1990                        0               0              0.0        1,066,746         244,989
1991                        0               0              0.0        1,429,692         514,873
1992                        0               0              0.0        2,980,379         572,194
1993                        0               0              0.0        5,778,112       1,218,214
1994                        0               0              0.0       13,636,647       2,302,343
1995                        0               0              0.0       20,815,105       4,438,192
1996                        0               0              0.0       33,257,451       6,665,749
1997                        0               0              0.0       55,262,979       9,054,134
TOTAL                       0               0             XXXX      136,565,011      26,690,813

</TABLE>


<PAGE>   5

OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1D - WORKERS COMPENSATION
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE    
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS           
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)        
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       
<S>                 <C>               <C>           <C>             <C>               <C>           <C>               <C> 
PRIOR                      XXXX               0               0       6,459,377         859,275         496,502           2,484   
1988                179,207,624       3,811,020     175,396,604     109,079,952         543,565       9,233,122               0   
1989                201,801,876       4,147,639     197,654,237     131,777,799       1,478,138      11,539,838          86,120   
1990                220,036,820       3,333,416     216,703,404     150,055,753         613,935      13,428,570              45   
1991                219,109,861       3,143,510     215,966,351     137,941,800          94,787      12,484,995             647   
1992                213,577,106       2,909,054     210,668,052     117,912,378          19,280       8,986,981           1,771   
1993                185,737,510       2,443,331     183,294,179      87,404,497               0       5,923,739               0   
1994                153,211,860       1,955,046     151,256,814      58,725,413           1,500       3,867,013           1,696   
1995                143,658,352       1,654,337     142,004,015      47,762,300               0       2,846,731               0  
1996                124,749,682         592,288     124,157,394      32,675,567         228,201       1,850,182               0   
1997                103,906,558         422,962     103,483,596      14,328,948               0         552,949               0   
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX     894,123,784       3,838,681      71,210,624          92,763   




<CAPTION>
                                                      SALVAGE &                       NUMBER OF
                    UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                         CLAIMS
                             PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
                       (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
                  DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                   <C>                 <C>     <C>          <C>                  <C>   
PRIOR                   257,370           0          256,171       6,351,490            XXXX
1988                  4,101,456           0        3,152,252     121,870,965          31,194
1989                  5,098,397           0        3,255,082     146,851,776          33,409
1990                  5,627,298           0        4,594,005     168,497,641          32,853
1991                  5,748,549           0        3,483,732     156,079,911          28,094
1992                  6,582,748           0        3,037,460     133,461,056          24,644
1993                  4,986,282           0        1,376,913      98,314,518          17,625
1994                  3,930,527           0          906,106      66,519,758          13,939
1995                  4,201,355           0          536,728      54,810,386          11,795
1996                  3,288,229           0          293,527      37,585,778          10,763
1997                  2,409,588           0           37,124      17,291,486           9,093
TOTAL                46,231,802           0       20,929,101   1,007,634,765            XXXX
</TABLE>





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                     
                                            LOSSES UNPAID                           ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID 
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                        CASE BASIS          
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)      
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                  <C>              <C>             <C>                 <C>           <C>              <C>         
PRIOR                55,772,075      15,085,607       6,283,440           9,567       1,501,117         198,500      
1988                 10,859,242       1,747,675       2,150,639           3,878         432,123         (55,357)      
1989                 16,883,989       3,194,276       3,366,947           6,462         650,324          86,391      
1990                 14,831,478       1,263,364       4,011,343           7,755         855,277         111,644      
1991                 15,349,279         135,897       6,154,025          12,924       1,220,851         148,860      
1992                 16,377,029         139,734       9,514,780          22,743       1,524,359         167,471      
1993                 16,230,317       1,073,657      10,227,768          25,843       1,836,734         188,739      
1994                 16,434,635               0      11,986,286          31,011       1,961,889         190,071      
1995                 20,901,407         872,435      12,985,144          33,595       2,140,243         207,350      
1996                 18,076,765          25,860      18,978,287          49,101       2,853,657         276,466      
1997                 19,322,749               0      21,475,430          55,561       3,745,425         362,862      
TOTAL               221,038,966      23,538,505     107,134,090         258,439      18,722,000       1,993,711      





<CAPTION>
                                                                                   SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
              ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID          UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES   SUBROGATION    LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                       BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                   (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
              DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>             <C>                 <C>          <C>               <C>                  <C>    <C>                    <C>
PRIOR         1,177,769           1,525        1,382,150          397,073               0      50,424,279             763
1988            323,634             450          288,327           46,114               0      12,200,492             124
1989            513,655             658          462,583           84,231               0      18,505,480             200
1990            658,499             878          392,647           33,477               0      19,332,127             223
1991            849,284           1,317          458,333            4,038               0      23,728,736             236
1992            901,605           1,756          556,921            4,429               0      28,538,563             267
1993            973,706           2,194          587,782           29,109               0      28,536,765             293
1994            940,525           2,414          658,549            1,064               0      31,757,325             302
1995          1,026,027           2,633          829,416           24,117               0      36,742,106             430
1996          1,368,036           3,511        1,040,283            2,383               0      41,959,707             813
1997          1,795,547           4,608        3,721,988            1,899               0      49,636,209           3,289
TOTAL        10,528,288          21,944       10,378,978          627,934               0     341,361,789           6,940
</TABLE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                          
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE                  
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)             
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET              
<S>                 <C>               <C>           <C>                    <C>             <C>             <C>            
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX          
1988                136,468,495       2,397,038     134,071,456            76.2            62.9            76.4           
1989                170,293,533       4,936,277     165,357,256            84.4           119.0            83.7           
1990                189,860,867       2,031,099     187,829,768            86.3            60.9            86.7           
1991                180,207,117         398,470     179,808,647            82.2            12.7            83.3           
1992                162,356,802         357,183     161,999,619            76.0            12.3            76.9           
1993                128,170,826       1,319,542     126,851,283            69.0            54.0            69.2           
1994                 98,504,838         227,755      98,277,083            64.3            11.6            65.0           
1995                 92,692,622       1,140,130      91,552,492            64.5            68.9            64.5           
1996                 80,131,006         585,521      79,545,485            64.2            98.9            64.1           
1997                 67,352,624         424,930      66,927,694            64.8           100.5            64.7           
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX          
 
 
 
 
<CAPTION>
                          
                                              INTER-COMPANY
                                                 POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                      NONTABULAR DISCOUNT     PARTICIPATION%            AFTER DISCOUNT
                      (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
                    LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                    <C>             <C>            <C>       <C>                <C>    
PRIOR                  0               0             XXXX       46,960,341       3,463,938
1988                   0               0              0.0       11,258,328         942,163
1989                   0               0              0.0       17,050,198       1,455,282
1990                   0               0              0.0       17,571,703       1,760,424
1991                   0               0              0.0       21,354,484       2,374,252
1992                   0               0              0.0       25,729,333       2,809,230
1993                   0               0              0.0       25,358,585       3,178,180
1994                   0               0              0.0       28,389,911       3,367,414
1995                   0               0              0.0       32,980,521       3,761,586
1996                   0               0              0.0       36,980,091       4,979,616
1997                   0               0              0.0       40,742,617       8,893,591
TOTAL                  0               0             XXXX      304,376,112      36,985,677
 
</TABLE>


<PAGE>   6

OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1E - COMMERCIAL MULTI-PERIL
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE  
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS         
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)      
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED     
<S>                 <C>               <C>            <C>             <C>                 <C>          <C>                   <C> 
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX      18,812,831       5,000,000       1,329,329         196,166 
1988                100,340,132       2,434,770      97,905,362      30,089,989          25,447       5,821,234             180 
1989                 98,708,427       2,400,642      96,307,785      41,022,492         647,866       6,851,714          58,206 
1990                109,609,476       2,062,177     107,547,299      49,369,930       1,783,294       9,168,682          18,100 
1991                125,345,866       2,460,164     122,885,702      64,158,314       4,939,604       9,822,773         107,587 
1992                147,343,234       4,565,315     142,777,919      93,553,143       8,323,911      11,101,651          56,139 
1993                146,366,198       5,672,668     140,693,530      78,042,340         135,217       9,759,834          89,650 
1994                143,239,939       6,537,857     136,702,082      77,086,819         242,715       7,742,048         138,532 
1995                139,601,917       6,742,565     132,859,352      63,513,395         189,151       5,269,689               0
1996                136,835,193       4,550,420     132,284,773      68,774,107         181,349       3,699,487               0 
1997                142,019,235       4,984,286     137,034,949      40,991,633         114,940         981,663               0 
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX     625,414,993      21,583,494      71,548,103         664,560 



<CAPTION>
                                                      SALVAGE &                       NUMBER OF
                    UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                        CLAIMS
                             PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)              (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR       DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                   <C>                 <C>      <C>            <C>                 <C>   
PRIOR                    21,669           0            2,698      14,967,663            XXXX
1988                  3,477,064           0        1,301,587      39,362,661          10,872
1989                  2,556,821           0        1,791,476      49,724,955          12,532
1990                  3,319,262           0        1,645,090      60,056,480          13,469
1991                  4,235,059           0        4,956,553      73,168,955          15,813
1992                  5,284,688           0        2,384,972     101,559,432          19,208
1993                  5,004,790           0        1,437,904      92,582,096          19,562
1994                  5,204,195           0        1,920,751      89,651,814          19,623
1995                  4,907,265           0        1,471,987      73,501,198          17,003
1996                  4,798,173           0          953,409      77,090,418          17,753
1997                  2,885,276           0          399,607      44,743,633          13,766
TOTAL                41,694,263           0       18,266,035     716,409,304            XXXX

</TABLE>




<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                     
                              LOSSES UNPAID                                         ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID   
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS           
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)      
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                     <C>                   <C>        <C>              <C>           <C>                 <C>      
PRIOR                 3,982,637         118,310       3,647,071          10,082         629,588           1,471      
1988                    118,600               0          83,344           2,161         194,278             551      
1989                    296,550               5           9,731           2,161         202,438             551      
1990                  1,165,026               0          89,151           3,601         404,875           1,103      
1991                  1,575,998           5,000       1,048,848           5,761         645,012           2,757      
1992                  2,818,475           5,750         323,773           8,642         911,830           4,596      
1993                  6,030,677               0       1,305,702          28,807       1,845,695          11,029      
1994                  6,096,380          30,000       1,447,476          43,211       2,935,003          20,221      
1995                  8,520,951               3       4,787,647         144,036       5,336,368          36,765      
1996                 13,291,175         301,270      12,098,272         360,089       6,670,460          45,956      
1997                 24,575,838         898,063      27,587,289         831,806       8,538,189          58,824      
TOTAL                68,472,307       1,358,401      52,428,304       1,440,356      28,313,736         183,824      



<CAPTION>
                                                                                      SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
                  ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID          UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES   SUBROGATION    LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                           BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                       (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
                  DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                 <C>               <C>             <C>                  <C>              <C>       <C>                  <C>
PRIOR             5,143,765           3,867        1,193,187            1,926               0      14,460,592             228
1988                203,502           1,450           43,840               84               0         639,319              15
1989                134,134           1,450           28,116               84               0         666,718              23
1990                371,356           2,901          111,131              140               0       2,133,794              33
1991              1,694,867           7,251           90,224              289               0       5,033,889              39
1992                824,522          12,086          150,350              410               0       4,997,467              66
1993              1,970,964          29,006          297,732            1,120               0      11,380,808             136
1994              2,394,657          53,177          288,592            2,069               0      13,013,429             245
1995              4,340,155          96,686          447,148            5,598               0      23,149,181             415
1996              5,569,367         120,857          819,710           17,902               0      37,602,910             728
1997              6,942,027         154,697        1,512,960           43,973               0      67,168,942           2,937
TOTAL            29,589,315         483,428        4,982,990           73,594               0     180,247,049           4,865

</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                       
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE               
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)          
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           
<S>                  <C>                 <C>         <C>                   <C>              <C>            <C>         
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX       
1988                 40,031,852          29,873      40,001,979            39.9             1.2            40.9        
1989                 51,101,996         710,323      50,391,672            51.8            29.6            52.3        
1990                 63,999,412       1,809,138      62,190,275            58.4            87.7            57.8        
1991                 83,271,094       5,068,250      78,202,844            66.4           206.0            63.6        
1992                114,968,432       8,411,534     106,556,898            78.0           184.2            74.6        
1993                104,257,732         294,829     103,962,903            71.2             5.2            73.9        
1994                103,195,168         529,925     102,665,243            72.0             8.1            75.1        
1995                 97,122,619         472,239      96,650,380            69.6             7.0            72.7        
1996                115,720,751       1,027,423     114,693,328            84.6            22.6            86.7        
1997                114,014,877       2,102,302     111,912,575            80.3            42.2            81.7        
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX       
 
 
 
<CAPTION>
                           
                                               INTER-COMPANY
                                                  POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                       NONTABULAR DISCOUNT      PARTICIPATION%            AFTER DISCOUNT
                       (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
                     LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                     <C>             <C>            <C>          <C>             <C>    
PRIOR                   0               0             XXXX        7,501,315       6,959,276
1988                    0               0              0.0          199,784         439,535
1989                    0               0              0.0          304,116         362,602
1990                    0               0              0.0        1,250,576         883,218
1991                    0               0              0.0        2,614,084       2,419,805
1992                    0               0              0.0        3,127,856       1,869,611
1993                    0               0              0.0        7,307,572       4,073,236
1994                    0               0              0.0        7,470,645       5,542,784
1995                    0               0              0.0       13,164,559       9,984,622
1996                    0               0              0.0       24,728,088      12,874,822
1997                    0               0              0.0       50,433,259      16,735,684
TOTAL                   0               0             XXXX      118,101,854      62,145,195
 
</TABLE>
 
 
 
<PAGE>   7
OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1G - BOILER & MACHINERY
 



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE  
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS         
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)      
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED     
<S>                    <C>           <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>        
PRIOR                                      XXXX            XXXX               0               0               0               0 
1988                                          0               0               0               0               0               0 
1989                          0               0               0               0               0               0               0 
1990                    143,036          57,628          85,408          94,811          62,034             669               0 
1991                    271,065         213,756          57,309          82,738          70,799          12,530               0 
1992                    225,513         183,902          41,611         326,539         260,881               0               0 
1993                     36,594          43,445          (6,851)              0               0               0               0 
1994                     18,241          16,879           1,362           9,366           2,238             209               0 
1995                     32,924          30,389           2,535               0               0               0               0 
1996                     49,025          48,882             143           5,068           5,068               0               0 
1997                     59,177          59,177               0               0               0               0               0 
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX         518,522         401,019          13,409               0 



<CAPTION>
                                                     SALVAGE &                       NUMBER OF
                   UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                        CLAIMS
                            PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)             (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                 <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>         
PRIOR                0                0                0                       0       XXXX
1988                 0                0                0                       0       XXXX
1989                 0                0                0                       0       XXXX
1990                 0                0                0                  33,447       XXXX
1991                 0                0                0                  24,470       XXXX
1992                 0                0                0                  65,659       XXXX
1993                 0                0                0                       0       XXXX
1994                 0                0                0                   7,338       XXXX
1995                 0                0                0                       0       XXXX
1996                 0                0                0                       0       XXXX
1997                 0                0                0                       0       XXXX
TOTAL                0                0                0                 130,912       XXXX

</TABLE>





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                     
                              LOSSES UNPAID                                           ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID 
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS           
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)      
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                      <C>           <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>    
PRIOR                    0               0               0               0               0               0      
1988                     0               0               0               0               0               0      
1989                     0               0               0               0               0               0      
1990                     0               0               0               0               0               0      
1991                   689             459               0               0               0               0      
1992                     0               0               0               0               0               0      
1993                     0               0               0               0               0               0      
1994                     0               0               0               0               0               0      
1995                     0               0               0               0               0               0      
1996                     0               0               0               0               0               0      
1997                     0               0               0               0               0               0      
TOTAL                  689             459               0               0               0               0      
 





<CAPTION>
                                                                               SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
           ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID     UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES       SUBROGATION    LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                    BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                <C>             <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>          <C>             <C>
PRIOR              0               0                0                0               0               0               0
1988               0               0                0                0               0               0               0
1989               0               0                0                0               0               0               0
1990               0               0                0                0               0               0               0
1991               0               0                0                0               0             230               1
1992               0               0                0                0               0               0               0
1993               0               0                0                0               0               0               0
1994               0               0                0                0               0               0               0
1995               0               0                0                0               0               0               0
1996               0               0                0                0               0               0               0
1997               0               0                0                0               0               0               0
TOTAL              0               0                0                0               0             230               1
 
</TABLE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                         
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE                 
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)            
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET             
<S>                      <C>             <C>             <C>               <C>            <C>              <C>           
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX         
1988                          0               0               0             0.0             0.0             0.0          
1989                          0               0               0             0.0             0.0             0.0          
1990                     95,480          62,034          33,447            66.8           107.6            39.2          
1991                     95,957          71,258          24,700            35.4            33.3            43.1          
1992                    326,539         260,881          65,659           144.8           141.9           157.8          
1993                          0               0               0             0.0             0.0             0.0          
1994                      9,576           2,238           7,338            52.5            13.3           538.7          
1995                          0               0               0             0.0             0.0             0.0          
1996                      5,068           5,068               0            10.3            10.4             0.0          
1997                          0               0               0             0.0             0.0             0.0          
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX         
 
 
 
 
 
<CAPTION>
                     
                                         INTER-COMPANY
                                            POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                 NONTABULAR DISCOUNT      PARTICIPATION%            AFTER DISCOUNT
                 (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
               LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>               <C>             <C>            <C>                <C>             <C>
PRIOR             0               0             XXXX                0               0
1988              0               0              0.0                0               0
1989              0               0              0.0                0               0
1990              0               0              0.0                0               0
1991              0               0              0.0              230               0
1992              0               0              0.0                0               0
1993              0               0              0.0                0               0
1994              0               0              0.0                0               0
1995              0               0              0.0                0               0
1996              0               0              0.0                0               0
1997              0               0              0.0                0               0
TOTAL          0.00            0.00             XXXX              230               0
 
 
 
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   8
OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1H(1) - GENERAL LIABILITY (OCCURENCE)
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE  
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS         
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)      
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED     
<S>                 <C>               <C>           <C>              <C>              <C>            <C>                 <C>    
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX       1,283,970         (61,000)        665,295         (46,829)
1988                140,322,272       2,728,277     137,593,995      39,636,113       1,007,842      14,357,372          20,489 
1989                138,825,255       2,811,203     136,014,052      46,392,896       3,244,810      14,754,092          87,049 
1990                140,819,473       2,495,606     138,323,867      48,852,045       2,866,669      17,719,367         692,428 
1991                128,769,170       2,252,476     126,516,694      45,095,728       1,679,873      13,785,474          74,211 
1992                120,598,579       2,154,696     118,443,883      39,504,950       2,251,930      12,655,788           3,072 
1993                111,023,544       1,962,492     109,061,052      31,589,468         615,683       9,217,142          29,690 
1994                112,505,526       1,992,713     110,512,813      26,068,341       1,384,782       6,147,310          11,292 
1995                111,545,266       1,892,511     109,652,755      14,974,193               0       3,075,130               0 
1996                104,751,105       1,051,089     104,217,068      12,374,721         500,000       1,621,678               0 
1997                 98,938,574         726,289      98,212,286       4,774,806               0         336,485               0 
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX     310,547,229      13,490,588      94,335,134         871,403 


<CAPTION>
                                                       SALVAGE &                       NUMBER OF
                     UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                        CLAIMS
                              PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)               (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                    <C>                 <C>      <C>            <C>                  <C>  
PRIOR                    128,954           0               522,000       2,186,048            XXXX
1988                   7,036,044           0               935,549      60,001,198           6,910
1989                   7,737,951           0             1,206,502      65,553,080           7,454
1990                   8,445,349           0               717,761      71,457,664           7,941
1991                   7,998,664           0               648,027      65,125,782           7,387
1992                   5,608,404           0             1,123,282      55,514,140           7,030
1993                   4,355,663           0               577,604      44,516,900           6,655
1994                   4,786,356           0               440,540      35,605,933           6,507
1995                   2,600,799           0               326,342      20,650,121           5,527
1996                   3,971,790           0               287,584      17,468,188           5,219
1997                   1,527,294           0               172,572       6,638,585           3,960
TOTAL                 54,197,268           0             6,957,763     444,717,641            XXXX

</TABLE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                     
                                           LOSSES UNPAID                            ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID  
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS           
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)      
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                  <C>                <C>        <C>                   <C>         <C>              <C>         
PRIOR                 4,439,110         250,010       6,079,130             843       1,554,020          51,888      
1988                    881,500               0       1,338,420             667         337,232          10,938      
1989                    832,860               5       1,704,492             889         395,364          12,392      
1990                  3,563,259         500,000       2,650,149           1,111         482,563          14,573      
1991                  3,793,859          77,741       2,969,107           1,200         749,564          20,499      
1992                  6,118,095               1       3,996,518           2,668       1,137,113          30,191      
1993                  6,172,365         300,665       2,384,040           6,231       1,452,558          37,328      
1994                  8,317,089         544,367       3,948,459          28,935       2,131,517          53,306      
1995                 10,413,688               3       9,247,500          68,464       3,875,485          96,920      
1996                 13,081,390               0      16,518,789         122,415       4,627,329         115,722      
1997                  6,335,331               0      28,484,214         211,712       5,038,130         125,996      
TOTAL                63,948,546       1,672,792      79,320,818         445,135      21,780,875         569,753      


 
</TABLE>
 
 
<PAGE>   9
 
 
OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1H2 - GENERAL LIABILITY (CLAIMS MADE)
 


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE   
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS          
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)       
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                   <C>               <C>             <C>              <C>             <C>       <C>                 <C>
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX               0          0               0               0  
1988                          0               0               0               0          0               0               0  
1989                          0               0               0               0          0               0               0  
1990                     15,331             198          15,133               0          0               0               0  
1991                     49,676             606          49,070               0          0               0               0  
1992                    108,651           1,326         107,325               0          0               0               0  
1993                    137,578           1,728         135,850          60,000          0          23,077               0  
1994                    158,192           2,025         156,167          20,192          0         256,325               0  
1995                    395,268         108,203         287,065         255,868          0         176,361               0  
1996                    807,258         290,207         515,052          46,476          0          22,304               0  
1997                  1,010,179         369,462         640,717          13,736          0           1,735               0  
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX         396,272          0         479,802               0  




<CAPTION>
                                                      SALVAGE &                       NUMBER OF
                    UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                        CLAIMS
                             PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)              (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR       DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                       <C>             <C>          <C>            <C>                 <C>
PRIOR                         0           0                0               0            XXXX
1988                          0           0                0               0               0
1989                          0           0                0               0               0
1990                          0           0                0               0               0
1991                          0           0                0               0               0
1992                          0           0                0               0               0
1993                     25,830           0                0         108,907               0
1994                     29,324           0                0         305,841               0
1995                     50,137           0                0         482,366              32
1996                        840           0              250          69,620              43
1997                      1,849           0            1,183          17,319              23
TOTAL                   107,979           0            1,433         984,053            XXXX
</TABLE>





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                     
                                             LOSSES UNPAID                             ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID 
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS           
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)      
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                           <C>             <C>           <C>               <C>            <C>              <C>    
PRIOR                         0               0             153               1              54               0      
1988                          0               0             121               1              17               0      
1989                          0               0             161               1              28               0      
1990                          0               0             201               1              43               0      
1991                          0               0             217               1             103               0      
1992                          0               0             482               3             172               0      
1993                          0               0           1,126               7             241               0      
1994                          0               0           5,227              32             378               0      
1995                          0               0          12,367              76             688               0      
1996                     10,000               0          22,113             136             821               0      
1997                        100               0          38,243             234             894               0      
TOTAL                    10,100               0          80,411             493           3,440               0      
 

<CAPTION>



                                                                                   SALVAGE &     TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
              ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID          UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES   SUBROGATION    LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                       BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                   (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
              DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                 <C>               <C>             <C>              <C>              <C>           <C>               <C>
PRIOR               555               1               17                0               0             777               0
1988                182               0               13                0               0             332               0
1989                274               0               18                0               0             479               0
1990                435               1               22                0               0             699               0
1991                884               1               24                0               0           1,226               0
1992              1,624               2               53                0               0           2,326               0
1993              2,512               3              123                0               0           3,991               0
1994              3,827               4              570               (1)              0           9,967               0
1995              6,843               8            1,348               (3)              0          21,165               0
1996              8,182              10            4,457               (5)              0          45,434               1
1997              8,946              10            4,189               (9)              0          52,137               1
TOTAL            34,264              40           10,832              (18)              0         138,532               2
 
</TABLE>




<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                          
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE                  
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)             
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET              
<S>                     <C>                  <C>        <C>                 <C>               <C>           <C>           
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX          
1988                        333               1             332               0               0               0           
1989                        480               1             479               0               0               0           
1990                        701               2             699               5               1               5           
1991                      1,228               2           1,226               2               0               2           
1992                      2,331               5           2,326               2               0               2           
1993                    112,908              10         112,898              82               1              83           
1994                    315,843              35         315,808             200               2             202           
1995                    503,612              81         503,531             127               0             175           
1996                    115,194             140         115,053              14               0              22           
1997                     69,692             236          69,456               7               0              11           
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX          
 
 
 
 
 
 
<CAPTION>
                         
                         
                        
                                            INTER-COMPANY
                                               POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                    NONTABULAR DISCOUNT      PARTICIPATION%            AFTER DISCOUNT
                    (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
                  LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                  <C>             <C>           <C>            <C>             <C>  
PRIOR                0               0             XXXX              152             625
1988                 0               0              0.0              120             212
1989                 0               0              0.0              160             319
1990                 0               0              0.0              200             500
1991                 0               0              0.0              216           1,010
1992                 0               0              0.0              480           1,847
1993                 0               0              0.0            1,119           2,872
1994                 0               0              0.0            5,195           4,772
1995                 0               0              0.0           12,291           8,873
1996                 0               0              0.0           31,977          13,456
1997                 0               0              0.0           38,109          14,028
TOTAL                0               0             XXXX           90,018          48,514
 
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   10
OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1I - SPECIAL PROPERTY
 
 



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE   
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS          
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)       
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                  <C>              <C>            <C>             <C>                 <C>          <C>              <C>
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX        (107,450)              0         163,409        0  
1996                 66,985,134       3,519,797      63,465,337      42,310,868          57,722       1,338,626        0  
1997                 67,467,867       3,977,870      63,489,997      25,319,777               0         476,636        0  
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX      67,523,195          57,722       1,978,672        0  


<CAPTION>
                                                      SALVAGE &                       NUMBER OF
                    UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                        CLAIMS
                             PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)              (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR       DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                   <C>                      <C>        <C>          <C>                  
PRIOR                    (4,537)               0          757,192          51,422       XXXX
1996                  2,788,745                0          433,950      46,380,517       XXXX
1997                  2,362,951                0          213,123      28,159,365       XXXX
TOTAL                 5,147,159                0        1,404,266      74,591,304       XXXX



</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                    
                                             LOSSES UNPAID                           ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID  
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS          
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)     
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED     
<S>                     <C>               <C>           <C>              <C>             <C>                 <C>    
PRIOR                   822,697           6,196         335,838          19,633          67,039              68     
1996                    951,563           2,278         190,611          11,143          28,256              34     
1997                  5,816,079               0       1,288,891          75,347          56,512              68     
TOTAL                 7,590,339           8,474       1,815,340         106,122         151,807             169     


<CAPTION>

                                                                                 SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
             ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID         UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES   SUBROGATION    LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                      BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                  (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
             DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>             <C>                <C>           <C>                   <C>             <C>     <C>                   <C>
PRIOR           32,006             953           19,910                0               0       1,250,641              69
1996            16,733             498           64,006                0               0       1,237,216             101
1997            32,412             965          391,260                0               0       7,508,774           1,043
TOTAL           81,151           2,416          475,176                0               0       9,996,632           1,213
</TABLE>




<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                       
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE               
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)          
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           
<S>                  <C>                 <C>         <C>                   <C>              <C>            <C>         
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX       
1996                 47,689,409          71,675      47,617,734            71.2             2.0            75.0        
1997                 35,744,518          76,379      35,668,139            53.0             1.9            56.2        
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX       
 
 
 
<CAPTION>
                         
                                             INTER-COMPANY
                                                POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                     NONTABULAR DISCOUNT      PARTICIPATION%            AFTER DISCOUNT
                     (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
                   LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                   <C>             <C>            <C>        <C>               <C>    
PRIOR                 0               0             XXXX        1,132,706         117,935
1996                  0               0              0.0        1,128,753         108,463
1997                  0               0              0.0        7,029,624         479,151
TOTAL                 0               0             XXXX        9,291,083         705,549
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
</TABLE>
<PAGE>   11
OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1J - AUTO PHYSICAL DAMAGE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE    
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS           
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)        
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       
<S>                 <C>                 <C>         <C>             <C>               <C>             <C>              <C> 
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX      (1,848,317)        (18,519)        304,142        0   
1996                209,636,877         938,825     208,698,052     132,662,761       1,000,187       1,744,007        0   
1997                217,918,241         569,662     217,348,579     123,441,854         502,806       1,001,758        0   
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX     254,256,298       1,484,473       3,049,907        0   



<CAPTION>
                                                      SALVAGE &                       NUMBER OF
                    UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                        CLAIMS
                             PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)              (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR       DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                  <C>               <C>             <C>            <C>               <C>    
PRIOR                  (103,427)       0                2,345,508      (1,629,083)      XXXX
1996                 13,108,482        0               16,085,239     146,515,063       XXXX
1997                 13,609,123        0                9,217,315     137,549,929       XXXX
TOTAL                26,614,178        0               27,648,061     282,435,909       XXXX

</TABLE>






<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                     
                              LOSSES UNPAID                                          ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID  
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS           
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)      
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                     <C>               <C>           <C>                 <C>         <C>               <C>        
PRIOR                   312,427               0               0               0         475,453           1,621      
1996                    659,666           3,000         225,415             598         321,630           1,097      
1997                 16,594,092          67,910       4,282,893          11,361         601,307           2,050      
TOTAL                17,566,185          70,910       4,508,308          11,959       1,398,390           4,768      



<CAPTION>
                                                                                       SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
                   ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES                 UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES   SUBROGATION    LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                            BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                        (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
                   DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                  <C>                 <C>           <C>                   <C>             <C>     <C>                   <C>
PRIOR                201,199             516           26,637                0               0       1,014,779             176
1996                 143,460             366           56,585                0               0       1,401,696             564
1997                 266,173             679        1,421,710                0               0      23,084,175           9,988
TOTAL                612,032           1,561        1,504,933                0               0      25,500,650          10,728
</TABLE>





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                          
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE                  
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)             
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET              
<S>                 <C>               <C>           <C>                    <C>            <C>              <C>            
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX          
1996                148,922,007       1,005,247     147,916,760            71.0           107.1            70.9           
1997                161,218,910         584,806     160,634,104            74.0           102.7            73.9           
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX          



<CAPTION>
                                               INTER-COMPANY
                                                  POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                       NONTABULAR DISCOUNT      PARTICIPATION            AFTER DISCOUNT
                       (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
                     LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                     <C>             <C>            <C>          <C>             <C>    
PRIOR                   0               0             XXXX          312,427         702,352
1996                    0               0              0.0          881,483         520,213
1997                    0               0              0.0       20,797,714       2,286,462
TOTAL                   0               0             XXXX       21,991,624       3,509,026
</TABLE>

 
 
 
<PAGE>   12
OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1K - FIDELITY AND SURETY
 

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE   
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS          
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)       
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                  <C>              <C>            <C>              <C>            <C>               <C>            <C>
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX        (382,370)     (1,268,301)        562,120         314,977  
1996                 36,197,340       2,549,177      33,648,163       2,606,745               0         317,534               0  
1997                 36,372,708       1,967,157      34,405,551       1,093,201               0          70,925               0  
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX       3,317,577      (1,268,301)        950,578         314,977  




<CAPTION>
                                                      SALVAGE &                       NUMBER OF
                    UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                        CLAIMS
                             PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)              (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR       DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                     <C>             <C>             <C>           <C>              <C>    
PRIOR                   (67,620)         0              905,830       1,065,454        XXXX
1996                    900,588          0              190,283       3,824,867        XXXX
1997                    633,091          0               46,907       1,797,217        XXXX
TOTAL                 1,466,059          0            1,143,020       6,687,538        XXXX

</TABLE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                       
                                             LOSSES UNPAID             UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID      
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS             
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)        
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       
<S>                   <C>               <C>             <C>              <C>            <C>              <C>           
PRIOR                 2,593,347         313,187         706,564          37,506         641,900          34,451        
1996                    983,435               0         400,606          21,287         290,438          17,225        
1997                  1,836,033               0       2,708,858         143,942         580,876          34,450        
TOTAL                 5,412,815         313,187       3,816,028         202,735       1,513,214          86,126       



<CAPTION>
                                                                                   SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
                ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID      UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES     SUBROGATION    LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                        BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                    (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
               DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>              <C>              <C>              <C>                   <C>             <C>       <C>               <C>    
PRIOR            537,623          28,492           81,852                0               0         4,147,649         268,000
1996             280,957          14,896           33,718                0               0         1,935,744         170,000
1997             544,203          28,854           63,303                0               0         5,526,027         316,000
TOTAL          1,362,782          72,243          178,873                0               0        11,609,421         754,000


</TABLE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                      
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE              
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)         
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET          
<S>                   <C>                <C>          <C>                  <C>              <C>            <C>        
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX      
1996                  5,814,020          53,409       5,760,611            16.1             2.1            17.1       
1997                  7,530,490         207,246       7,323,244            20.7            10.5            21.3       
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX      
 



<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                                 
                                                INTER-COMPANY
                                                   POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                        NONTABULAR DISCOUNT      PARTICIPATION%            AFTER DISCOUNT
                        (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
                      LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                      <C>             <C>            <C>        <C>               <C>    
PRIOR                    0               0             XXXX       2,949,218         1,198,431
1996                     0               0              0.0       1,362,754           572,991
1997                     0               0              0.0       4,400,949         1,125,078
TOTAL                    0               0             XXXX       8,712,921         2,896,500


</TABLE>







 
 
 
<PAGE>   13
OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1L - ACCIDENT & HEALTH


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE   
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS          
      (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)       
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED      
<S>                   <C>             <C>                     <C>       <C>             <C>                  <C>             <C> 
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX         374,642         374,642           2,868           2,868  
1996                  1,297,719       1,297,719               0         252,713         252,713              70              70  
1997                  1,062,936       1,062,937              (1)        122,612         122,612               0               0  
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX         749,967         749,967           2,938           2,938  




<CAPTION>
                                                      SALVAGE &                       NUMBER OF
                    UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                        CLAIMS
                             PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED
      (1)              (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
     ACC/YR       DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                    <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>         
PRIOR                  0                0                0              (0)             XXXX
1996                   0                0                0               0              XXXX
1997                   0                0                0               0              XXXX
TOTAL                  0                0                0               0              XXXX
</TABLE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                   
                                            LOSSES UNPAID                           ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID   
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS         
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)    
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED    
<S>                     <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>                   <C>             <C>  
PRIOR                   676,162         676,162         703,602         703,602               0               0    
1996                    269,233         269,233         280,160         280,160               0               0    
1997                    280,612         280,612         292,000         292,000               0               0    
TOTAL                 1,226,007       1,226,007       1,275,762       1,275,762               0               0    



<CAPTION>
                                                                                   SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
              ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID        UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES   SUBROGATION    LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                        BULK + IBNR                          UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                    (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
               DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                    <C>             <C>              <C>              <C>             <C>             <C>             <C>
PRIOR                  0               0                0                0               0               0               1
1996                   0               0                0                0               0               0               0
1997                   0               0                0                0               0               0               0
TOTAL                  0               0                0                0               0               0               1


</TABLE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                     
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE             
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)        
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         
<S>                     <C>             <C>                   <C>          <C>             <C>              <C>      
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX     
1996                    802,176         802,176               0            61.8            61.8             0.0      
1997                    695,224         695,224               0            65.4            65.4             0.0      
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX     
 
 


<CAPTION>
                                                INTER-COMPANY
                                                   POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                        NONTABULAR DISCOUNT      PARTICIPATION%            AFTER DISCOUNT
                        (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
                      LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                      <C>             <C>            <C>                <C>             <C>
PRIOR                    0               0                0                0               0
1996                     0               0              0.0                0               0
1997                     0               0              0.0                0               0
TOTAL                    0               0             XXXX                0               0
 

</TABLE>

 
 
 
<PAGE>   14
OHIO CASUALTY GROUP
SCHEDULE P-PART 1R1 - PRODUCT LIABILITY (OCCURENCE)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE    
                                PREMIUMS EARNED                          LOSS PAYMENTS                         PAYMENTS           
       (1)             (2)             (3)             (4)              (5)             (6)             (7)             (8)       
     ACC/YR      DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET         DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED       
<S>                  <C>                <C>          <C>              <C>                     <C>     <C>                     <C> 
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX       1,494,690         (30,000)      1,943,480               0   
1988                 16,133,804         290,408      15,843,396       3,931,259               0       4,153,400               0   
1989                 14,373,177         258,717      14,114,460       4,283,110               0       2,227,584               0   
1990                 13,298,268         218,187      13,080,081       3,389,882               0       3,071,275               0   
1991                 10,830,510         132,713      10,697,797       3,221,387          45,000       1,712,524          10,785   
1992                  9,395,225         114,623       9,280,602       1,911,538               0       1,398,415               0   
1993                  6,068,861          75,297       5,993,564       1,878,390               0       1,066,404               0   
1994                  1,231,286          15,761       1,215,525         576,351               0         492,850               0   
1995                    485,873           6,255         479,618         296,297               0         112,132               0   
1996                    384,859           1,279         383,580         132,811               0          75,734               0   
1997                    396,349           1,454         394,895          34,574               0           5,804               0   
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX      21,150,289          15,000      16,259,603          10,785   





<CAPTION>
                                                      SALVAGE &                       NUMBER OF
                    UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSE         SUBROGATION                        CLAIMS
                             PAYMENTS                  RECEIVED       TOTAL NET PAID   REPORTED   
                       (9)             (10)             (11)             (12)            (13)
                  DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>                     <C>             <C>        <C>           <C>                   <C>
PRIOR                   411,165         0          274,441       3,879,335            XXXX
1988                    654,623         0          289,636       8,739,282             556
1989                    619,243         0           26,870       7,129,936             481
1990                    366,654         0           43,592       6,827,812             374
1991                    357,421         0          103,241       5,235,547             320
1992                    261,443         0           31,953       3,571,397             266
1993                    288,347         0           21,483       3,233,141             105
1994                    285,045         0            3,570       1,354,246             203
1995                  1,095,454         0            7,261       1,503,883             123
1996                    571,426         0            2,572         779,971             106
1997                    274,581         0            1,227         314,959              66
TOTAL                 5,185,401         0          805,847      42,569,508            XXXX


</TABLE>





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                         
                                              LOSSES UNPAID                        ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID    
                               CASE BASIS                     BULK + IBNR                       CASE BASIS          
                       (14)              (15)            (16)             (17)             (18)            (19)     
                  DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED         CEDED       DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED     
<S>                   <C>               <C>              <C>                  <C>     <C>                 <C>       
PRIOR                 3,315,670         350,000          81,388               2       1,140,994           1,872     
1988                    714,030               0          32,983               1         220,802             596     
1989                  1,541,040               0          37,286               2         222,891             954     
1990                    990,520               0          65,677               2         226,026           1,490     
1991                    188,850               0          69,807               2         173,021           3,576     
1992                    370,210               0          83,757               5         186,952           5,961     
1993                    178,510               0          48,233              12         135,688           8,345     
1994                    219,800               0          37,547              56          76,624          13,113     
1995                    279,010               0          88,843             133         139,317          23,842     
1996                    525,180               0         158,854             238         166,344          28,467     
1997                    102,813               0         274,731             411         181,111          30,995     
TOTAL                 8,425,633         350,000         979,106             865       2,869,771         119,210     
 



<CAPTION>
                                                                                   SALVAGE &      TOTAL NET        NUMBER OF
              ALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID       UNALLOCATED LOSS EXPENSES      SUBROGATION     LOSSES &          CLAIMS
                        BULK + IBNR                         UNPAID                ANTICIPATED   EXPENSES UNPAID   OUTSTANDING
                    (20)            (21)            (22)             (23)             (24)            (25)             (26)
               DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED        DIR & ASSUMED        CEDED                                         DIR & ASSUMED
<S>               <C>                  <C>        <C>               <C>                  <C>     <C>                   <C>
PRIOR             18,291               3          256,677           22,367               0       4,438,777             907
1988              14,249               1           49,144                0               0       1,030,609              37
1989              19,364               2           99,495                0               0       1,919,120              37
1990              21,803               3           63,507                0               0       1,366,038              26
1991              33,140               5           13,103                0               0         474,337              21
1992              39,948              10          125,816               13               0         800,694              10
1993              50,196              15           13,557                0               0         417,812              15
1994              59,577              23           23,111                0               0         403,467              13
1995              65,810              42           27,047                0               0         576,010              16
1996              65,765              50           55,182                0               0         942,570              22
1997              70,767              54           10,917                0               0         608,880              27
TOTAL            458,909             208          737,557           22,380               0      12,978,313           1,131
 
</TABLE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                    
                     TOTAL LOSSES & LOSS EXPENSES INCURRED              LOSS AND LOSS EXPENSE PERCENTAGE            
                      (27)            (28)            (29)              (30)             (31)            (32)       
                 DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET           DIR & ASSUMED       CEDED            NET        
<S>                   <C>                   <C>       <C>                  <C>              <C>            <C>      
PRIOR                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX    
1988                  9,770,489             598       9,769,890            60.6             0.2            61.7     
1989                  9,050,013             957       9,049,056            63.0             0.4            64.1     
1990                  8,195,345           1,495       8,193,850            61.6             0.7            62.6     
1991                  5,769,252          59,369       5,709,883            53.3            44.7            53.4     
1992                  4,378,080           5,989       4,372,091            46.6             5.2            47.1     
1993                  3,659,325           8,372       3,650,953            60.3            11.1            60.9     
1994                  1,770,905          13,193       1,757,712           143.8            83.7           144.6     
1995                  2,103,909          24,017       2,079,892           433.0           384.0           433.7     
1996                  1,751,296          28,755       1,722,542           455.0          2248.2           449.1     
1997                    955,299          31,460         923,839           241.0          2163.6           233.9     
TOTAL                      XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX            XXXX    
 
 
 
 
<CAPTION>
                                            INTER-COMPANY
                                               POOLING             NET BALANCE SHEET RESERVES
                    NONTABULAR DISCOUNT      PARTICIPATION%            AFTER DISCOUNT
                    (33)            (34)          (35)           (36)             (37)
                  LOSS        LOSS EXPENSE                   LOSSES UNPAID  LOSS EXPENSES UNPAID
<S>                  <C>             <C>            <C>          <C>             <C>    
PRIOR                0               0             XXXX        3,047,057       1,391,720
1988                 0               0              0.0          747,012         283,597
1989                 0               0              0.0        1,578,324         340,795
1990                 0               0              0.0        1,056,195         309,844
1991                 0               0              0.0          258,655         215,682
1992                 0               0              0.0          453,962         346,733
1993                 0               0              0.0          226,730         191,082
1994                 0               0              0.0          257,291         146,176
1995                 0               0              0.0          367,720         208,290
1996                 0               0              0.0          683,796         258,774
1997                 0               0              0.0          377,133         231,747
TOTAL                0               0             XXXX        9,053,874       3,924,439
 
 
</TABLE>


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