MERIDIAN INSURANCE GROUP INC
SC 13D/A, 2000-11-27
FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE
Previous: IFS INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS INC, S-3/A, EX-23, 2000-11-27
Next: SALOMON BROTHERS MORTGAGE SECURITIES VII INC, 424B5, 2000-11-27





                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                 SCHEDULE 13D/A
                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                (Amendment No. 1)


                         Meridian Insurance Group, Inc.
                 ----------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                                  Common Shares
                  ---------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                   589644-10-3
                  ---------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                              John R. Lowther, Esq.
                    State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company
                              518 East Broad Street
                              Columbus, Ohio 43215
                                 (614) 462-5052
        ----------------------------------------------------------------
            (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized
                     to Receive Notices and Communications)

                                November 24, 2000
        -----------------------------------------------------------------
             (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously  filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the  acquisition  which is the subject of this  Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of ss.ss. 240.13d-1(3), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the
following box [ ].

<PAGE>

SCHEDULE 13D/A (Amendment No. 1)

CUSIP NO. 589644-10-3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
      I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (entities only)

      State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company         #31-4316080
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP      (A)[ ]
                                                           (B)[ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.   SEC USE ONLY

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.   SOURCE OF FUNDS

     WC, OO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.   CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED
     PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(D) OR 2(E)                          [ ]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     Ohio
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     7.    SOLE VOTING POWER
                           552,680
NUMBER OF            -----------------------------------------------------------
SHARES               8.    SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
OWNED                      3,811,500
                     -----------------------------------------------------------
                     9.    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                           552,680
                     -----------------------------------------------------------
10.   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
      3,811,500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH
      REPORTING PERSON
      4,364,180
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
      EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES  |_|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13.   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
      55.7%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14.   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
      IC
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>

SCHEDULE 13D/A (Amendment No. 1)

CUSIP NO. 589644-10-3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
     I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON (entities only)

     MIGI Acquisition Corp.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP      (A)[ ]
                                                           (B)[ ]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.   SEC USE ONLY

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4.   SOURCE OF FUNDS

     OO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5.   CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED
     PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(D) OR 2(E)                           [ ]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     Indiana
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     7.    SOLE VOTING POWER
NUMBER OF                  -0-
SHARES               -----------------------------------------------------------
BENEFICIALLY         8.    SHARED VOTING POWER
OWNED
                           3,811,500
                     -----------------------------------------------------------
                     9.    SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                             -0-
                     -----------------------------------------------------------
10.   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
      3,811,500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11.   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH
      REPORTING PERSON
      3,811,500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12.   CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
      EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES  |_|
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
13.   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
      48.6%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14.   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
      CO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<PAGE>


              ITEMS 1 THROUGH 7 OF SCHEDULE 13D/A (AMENDMENT NO. 1)
                                       FOR
                    STATE AUTOMOBILE MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
                                       AND
                             MIGI ACQUISITION CORP.

     This Schedule 13D/A  (Amendment No. 1) (this  "Schedule  13D/A") relates to
the beneficial  ownership of Common Shares of Meridian Insurance Group, Inc., an
Indiana corporation (the "Issuer"), by the Reporting Persons (as defined in Item
2). This Schedule  13D/A is being filed jointly by the Reporting  Persons.  This
Schedule  13D/A  amends  the  Schedule  13D filed by the  Reporting  Persons  on
November 3, 2000 (the "Initial  Schedule 13D"), and is being filed to report the
Reporting  Persons'  acquisition  of beneficial  ownership of an additional  one
percent  or more of Common  Shares of the Issuer  since the  filing  date of the
Initial Schedule 13D.

ITEM 1.  SECURITY AND ISSUER.

     The class of equity  securities to which this Schedule 13D/A relates is the
Common  Shares of the  Issuer.  The  Issuer's  principal  executive  offices are
located at 2955 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206.

ITEM 2.  IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND.

     This  Schedule  13D/A is being  filed  jointly by State  Automobile  Mutual
Insurance  Company,  an Ohio mutual insurance  company ("State Auto"),  and MIGI
Acquisition Corp., an Indiana corporation  ("MergerCo") (State Auto and MergerCo
are  collectively  referred  to as the  "Reporting  Persons").  State Auto is an
insurance company.  MergerCo has not, and will not, engage in any business other
than as  incidental  to complete the merger  transaction  described in Item 4 of
this Schedule 13D/A.  The principal  offices of both State Auto and MergerCo are
located at 518 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215.

     No Reporting  Person or any person listed in Schedule A attached hereto has
been convicted  during the last five years in a criminal  proceeding  (excluding
traffic violations or similar misdemeanors).

     No Reporting  Person or any person listed in Schedule A attached hereto has
during the last five years been a party to a civil  proceeding  of a judicial or
administrative body of competent jurisdiction and as a result of such proceeding
is or has been subject to any civil  judgment,  decree or final order  enjoining
future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject to, federal
or state securities laws or finding any violation in respect to such laws.

ITEM 3.  SOURCE AND AMOUNT OF FUNDS OR OTHER CONSIDERATION.

     The Reporting Persons may be deemed to have acquired  beneficial  ownership
of 3,811,500  Common  Shares by virtue of the Voting  Agreement  (as defined and
described  in Item 4). The Voting  Agreement  was entered into as a condition to
State Auto entering into the Merger Agreements (as defined and described in Item
4).

     State Auto  directly owns 552,680  Common Shares of the Issuer.  394,680 of
these  shares  were   purchased   prior  to  March  12,  1999,  in   open-market
transactions.  The  amount of funds used to  purchase  these  Common  Shares was
$6,252,588,  and the source of funds for such  purchases was working  capital of
State  Auto.  The  remaining  Common  Shares  directly  owned by State Auto were
purchased on and after October 27, 2000, in open-market transactions. The amount
of funds used to purchase these Common Shares was $4,479,687,  and the source of
funds for such purchases was working capital of State Auto.

 ITEM 4.  PURPOSE OF TRANSACTION.

     On October 25, 2000,  the Reporting  Persons and the Issuer entered into an
Agreement  and Plan of Merger (the "MIGI Merger  Agreement")  providing  for the
merger (the "MIGI Merger") of MergerCo with and into the Issuer on the terms and
conditions  stated therein.  Such conditions  include,  among other things,  the
approval of the MIGI  Merger  Agreement  and the MIGI Merger by the  affirmative
vote of shareholders  of the Issuer owning a majority of the outstanding  Common
Shares.  As a condition to State Auto  entering into the Merger  Agreements  (as
defined below),  Meridian Mutual Insurance Company,  an Indiana mutual insurance
company and the largest shareholder of the Issuer ("Meridian  Mutual"),  entered
into a Voting  Agreement and  Irrevocable  Proxy (the "Voting  Agreement")  with
State Auto. Pursuant to the Voting Agreement,  Meridian Mutual has agreed (i) to
vote,  or cause to be voted,  for the approval of the MIGI Merger  Agreement and
the MIGI Merger at any  meeting of  shareholders  of the Issuer  called for that
purpose,  all of the Common  Shares  that  Meridian  Mutual is entitled to vote,
whether held by Meridian  Mutual on the date of such  agreement or  subsequently
acquired,  and (ii) to vote,  or cause to be  voted,  such  shares  against  the
approval of any agreement  providing for a merger or other business  combination
transaction  of  the  Issuer  with  a  party  other  than  State  Auto  and  its
subsidiaries;  provided that the foregoing  obligations will be suspended if the
Issuer's Board of Directors,  subject to full  compliance  with the terms of the
MIGI Merger Agreement, resolves not to recommend, and does not recommend, to the
shareholders that they approve the MIGI Merger Agreement and the MIGI Merger, or
withdraw its  recommendation  that they do so. In  furtherance of the foregoing,
Meridian Mutual,  pursuant to the Voting  Agreement,  also appointed State Auto,
acting  through  its  designated  officers,  its proxy to vote all of its Common
Shares with  respect to the approval of the MIGI Merger  Agreement  and the MIGI
Merger at any  meeting of  shareholders  of the  Issuer.  Pursuant to the Voting
Agreement,  Meridian Mutual also agreed not to transfer its Common Shares except
as State Auto might  otherwise  agree.  As of the date of the Voting  Agreement,
Meridian Mutual held and had sole voting power with respect to 3,811,500  Common
Shares.  At such time, such Common Shares  represented  48.6% of the outstanding
Common  Shares  of the  Issuer.  The  purpose  of  the  Voting  Agreement  is to
facilitate  approval  of the MIGI  Merger  Agreement  and the MIGI Merger by the
Issuer's shareholders.

     Under the terms of the MIGI Merger Agreement,  MergerCo will be merged with
and into the Issuer, with the Issuer becoming a wholly subsidiary of State Auto.
In connection with the MIGI Merger,  the Common Shares held by Meridian  Mutual,
the Issuer,  State Auto, and MergerCo will be cancelled,  with no  consideration
being  exchanged  for such  Common  Shares.  Under  the MIGI  Merger  Agreement,
shareholders other then the Issuer,  State Auto,  MergerCo,  and Meridian Mutual
are entitled to receive  $30.00 per Common Share held by such  shareholder.  The
Board of  Directors  of State Auto and the Issuer have  approved the MIGI Merger
Agreement.

     In addition to the MIGI Merger  Agreement,  on October 25,  2000,  Meridian
Mutual  entered into an Agreement to Merge with and into State Auto (the "Mutual
Merger  Agreement"  and  together  with the MIGI Merger  Agreement,  the "Merger
Agreements") providing for the merger (the "Mutual Merger" and together with the
MIGI Merger,  the "Mergers") of Meridian  Mutual with and into State Auto on the
terms  and  conditions  stated  therein.  As a result  of the  Mergers,  (a) the
operations of Meridian Mutual and State Auto will be combined with State Auto as
the surviving  corporation  of the Mutual  Merger,  (b) the Issuer will become a
wholly owned  subsidiary of State Auto, and (c) the public  shareholders  of the
Company will receive $30.00 per share in cash.  Each Merger is conditioned  upon
consummation of the other Merger,  receipt of insurance regulatory approvals and
receipt of antitrust clearance. In addition, the MIGI Merger must be approved by
the  shareholders of the Company,  and the Mutual Merger must be approved by the
policyholders  of Meridian Mutual and State Auto and re-approved by the board of
directors of each party. The MIGI Merger Agreement also provides for the payment
of a break-up fee or liquidated  damages to State Auto or liquidated  damages to
the  Issuer  if  the  MIGI  Merger   Agreement  is   terminated   under  certain
circumstances.

     The  foregoing  descriptions  of the MIGI Merger  Agreement  and the Voting
Agreement do not purport to be complete and are  qualified in their  entirety by
reference  to the text of such  agreements,  which are filed as exhibits to this
Schedule 13D/A and are incorporated herein by reference.

     The 394,680  Common Shares owned  directly by State Auto and acquired prior
to March 12, 1999,  were acquired for  investment  purposes.  The 158,000 Common
Shares owned  directly by State Auto and acquired on and after October 27, 2000,
were acquired to facilitate State Auto's acquisition of the Issuer, as described
above.

ITEM 5.  INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY.

     (a)  State Auto  beneficially owns an aggregate of 4,364,180 Common Shares,
          representing  55.7% of the  outstanding  Common  Shares of the  Issuer
          (calculated  on the basis of 7,838,219  shares  outstanding,  based on
          information  contained in the MIGI Merger Agreement).  Of these Common
          Shares:  (i)  552,680  are  directly  owned  by State  Auto;  and (ii)
          pursuant to the proxy granted in the Voting Agreement,  State Auto has
          the shared  power to vote,  or to direct the vote of, an  aggregate of
          3,811,500 Common Shares.

          MergerCo, by virtue of its participation in the MIGI Merger with State
          Auto, and by virtue of State Auto entering into the Voting  Agreement,
          may be deemed to have the shared power to vote,  or to direct the vote
          of, an aggregate of 3,811,500  Common Shares (which State Auto has the
          shared power to vote, or to direct the vote of, pursuant to the Voting
          Agreement).

          None of the persons listed on Schedule A attached hereto  beneficially
          owns any Common Shares of the Issuer.

     (b)  Pursuant to the Voting Agreement,  the Reporting Persons may be deemed
          to have the  shared  power  to  vote,  or to  direct  the vote of,  an
          aggregate of 3,811,500  Common  Shares of the Issuer.  State Auto also
          has the sole power to vote 552,680 Common Shares of the Issuer.

          Pursuant to the Voting Agreement,  the Reporting Persons may be deemed
          to have the shared power to dispose, or to direct the disposition,  of
          an aggregate of 3,811,500 Common Shares of the Issuer.  State Auto has
          sole power to dispose of 552,680 Common Shares of the Issuer.

     (c)  In addition to the  transaction  described in Item 4 of this  Schedule
          13D/A,  from October 27, 2000 through the date of this Schedule 13D/A,
          State  Auto  has  acquired   158,000   Common  Shares  in  open-market
          transactions  at prices  ranging from $28.0284 to $28.6875.  Except as
          described in the preceding  sentence,  none of the entities or persons
          named in Item 2 of this Schedule 13D/A has effected any transaction in
          the Issuer's securities in the past 60 days.

     (d)  To the knowledge of the Reporting  Persons,  except as contemplated by
          the  Voting  Agreement,  Meridian  Mutual has  retained  all rights in
          respect of its Common Shares of the Issuer, including, presumably, the
          right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from,
          or the proceeds from the sale of, such securities.

          The  Reporting  Persons  disclaim  the power to vote,  or the power to
          direct the vote of, any Common  Shares of the Issuer  other than those
          identified in this Schedule 13D/A.

     (e)  Not applicable.

ITEM 6. CONTRACTS, ARRANGEMENTS, UNDERSTANDINGS OR RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESPECT TO
        SECURITIES OF THE COMPANY.

     Except as  indicated  in the  discussion  set forth in other  items of this
Schedule 13D/A, which discussion is incorporated herein by reference,  there are
no  contracts,   arrangements,   understandings  or  relationships  between  the
Reporting  Persons and any other  person with respect to the  securities  of the
Issuer.

ITEM 7.  MATERIAL TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS

Exhibit
No.             Description
-------         ------------

1               Voting Agreement and Irrevocable Proxy dated as of October 25,
                2000, by and among  State  Automobile  Mutual  Insurance
                Company  and  Meridian  Mutual Insurance Company.

2               Agreement and Plan of Merger dated as of October 25, 2000, by
                and among State Automobile  Mutual  Insurance  Company,
                MIGI Acquisition Corp., and Meridian Insurance Group, Inc.


<PAGE>

                                    SIGNATURE

     After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best of my  knowledge  and belief,  I
certify that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.

Date:  November 27, 2000


                           STATE AUTOMOBILE MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY


                           By: /s/ Robert L. Bailey
                           --------------------------
                           Name:    Robert L. Bailey
                           Title:   Chairman


     After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best of my  knowledge  and belief,  I
certify that the information  set forth in this statement is true,  complete and
correct.

Date:  November 27, 2000


                           MIGI ACQUISITION CORP.


                           By: /s/ Robert L. Bailey
                           --------------------------
                           Name:    Robert L. Bailey
                           Title:   President
<PAGE>

SCHEDULE A

State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company and MIGI Acquisition Corp.



Executive Officers and Directors of
State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company

Robert L. Bailey         Chairman of the Board and Director
Robert H. Moone          President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Steven J. Johnston       Senior Vice-President, CFO and Director
John R. Lowther          Vice-President, Secretary, General Counsel and Director
Michael F. Dodd          Senior Vice President and Director
Urlin G. Harris, Jr.     Director
James E. Kunk            Director
Paul J. Otte             Director
Richard K. Smith         Director


Executive Officers and Directors of
MIGI Acquisition Corp.

Robert L. Bailey         Director and President
Steven J. Johnston       Treasurer
John R. Lowther          Secretary

All of the foregoing individuals are United States citizens.

<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

                                               If Incorporated by Reference,
Exhibit                                        Document with which Exhibit was
 No.       Description                         Previously Filed
-------    -----------                         -------------------------------
1          Voting Agreement and Irrevocable    Schedule 13D filed with respect
           Proxy dated as of October 25,       to Meridian Insurance Group,
           2000, by and among State            Inc. by State Automobile Mutual
           Automobile Mutual Insurance         Insurance Company and MIGI
           Company and Meridian Mutual         Acquisition Corp. on November
           Insurance Company.                  3, 2000 (see Exhibit 1 therein).

2          Agreement and Plan of Merger        Current Report on Form 8-K filed
           dated as of October 25, 2000,       by Meridian Insurance Group, Inc.
           by and among State Automobile       on October 30, 2000 (see Exhibit
           Mutual Insurance Company, MIGI      2.01 therein).
           Acquisition Corp., and Meridian
           Insurance Group, Inc.





© 2022 IncJournal is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission