RELIASTAR FINANCIAL CORP
8-K, 1997-02-25
LIFE INSURANCE
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K



                                 CURRENT REPORT


     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


      Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 23, 1997


                            RELIASTAR FINANCIAL CORP.
                            -------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


    DELAWARE                     1-10640                  41-1620373
- -----------------------    -----------------------      ----------------------
(Sate of incorporation)    (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer
                                                        Identification Number)


20 Washington
Avenue South
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA                                   55401
- ----------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)              (Zip Code)


                                 (612) 372-5432
                                  -------------
                         (Registrant's telephone number

Item 5. OTHER EVENTS


     ReliaStar  Financial Corp.  (the  "Company")  entered into an Agreement and
Plan of Merger,  dated as of February 23, 1997, (the "Merger  Agreement"),  with
Security-Connecticut Corporation, a Delaware corporation (Security-Connecticut),
providing for the merger of Security-Connecticut with and into the Company.


     A press release  pertaining to the proposed merger and the Merger Agreement
have been filed as Exhibits and are incorporated herein by reference. 

EXHIBITS

99.1  Press release dated February 24, 1997.

2.1  Agreement  and Plan of  Merger,  dated as of  February  23,  1997,  between
     ReliaStar Financial Corp. and Security-Connecticut.



                                    SIGNATURE



Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


                                        ReliaStar Financial Corp.

Date: February 25, 1997                 By: /s/Richard R. Crowl
                                          -----------------------
                                            Richard R. Crowl
                                            Senior Vice President





February 24, 1997



            ReliaStar, Security-Connecticut sign definitive agreement
                     to merge in deal valued at $488 million

COMBINED COMPANY TO BE 11TH LARGEST STOCK LIFE INSURANCE HOLDING COMPANY

ReliaStar Financial Corp. (NYSE: RLR) and Security-Connecticut Corp. (NYSE: SRC)
today announced that they have signed a definitive  agreement to combine the two
companies by merging  Security-Connecticut  into ReliaStar in a  stock-for-stock
transaction valued at $488 million, which includes ReliaStar's assumption of $75
million of Security-Connecticut debt.
     After  the  merger's  close,  Security-Connecticut's  two  subsidiaries  --
Security-Connecticut  Life Insurance Co. and Lincoln Security Life Insurance Co.
- -- will become members of the ReliaStar Financial Corp. family of companies.
     On a pro forma basis as of Dec. 31, 1996, the combined company would have:

     *    Assets under management of $19.9 billion,  compared with $18.1 billion
          for ReliaStar alone;

     *    $241.4  billion  of life  insurance  in force,  compared  with  $190.2
          billion for ReliaStar alone.

     Based on the Feb. 21, 1997,  closing price of ReliaStar common stock and on
a  $47  price  per  share  for   Security-Connecticut   common   stock,   market
capitalization on a pro forma basis for the combined  organization would be $2.8
billion, compared with $2.4 billion for ReliaStar alone.
     Based on the pro forma combined  total assets at year-end  1996,  ReliaStar
would become the 11th largest  publicly held life insurance  holding  company in
the United States.
     The definitive agreement provides for Security-Connecticut  shareholders to
receive a fraction of a share of  ReliaStar  common  stock to be  calculated  by
dividing $47 by the average  closing  price of  ReliaStar  common stock during a
period of 20 trading  days ending six business  days prior to closing,  provided
the average  closing price of ReliaStar  common stock during the 20-day  trading
period remains between $52.65 and $60.65.  (See attachment for additional detail
on terms.)
     Based on the closing price of $59.25 for ReliaStar  common stock on Friday,
Feb. 21, 1997, Security-Connecticut  shareholders would receive .7932 of a share
of ReliaStar common stock for each share of  Security-Connecticut  common stock.
Assuming the Feb. 21 closing price,  ReliaStar would issue  approximately  seven
million  additional shares of ReliaStar common stock, and the total value of the
transaction would be about $488 million, including $75 million in debt.
     The  actual  number  of shares  to be  issued  in the  transaction  will be
determined  at closing based on the average  closing  price of ReliaStar  common
stock  during a period of 20  trading  days  ending six  business  days prior to
closing. In addition,  ReliaStar will assume $75 million of Security-Connecticut
debt in the form of seven-year, 7.125 percent notes.
     Security-Connecticut  common stock closed at $37.50 on Friday, Feb. 21, and
has a 52-week  high and low of $39.875  and  $24.875,  respectively.  In January
1994, the initial public  offering price of  Security-Connecticut  stock was $22
per share.
     ReliaStar  said it will  recommend  that its board of  directors  approve a
buyback of ReliaStar  common stock of up to $100 million in conjunction with the
transaction.  Terms of the  agreement  also include a breakup  provision for the
protection  of  ReliaStar  shareholders  that  would  result in a payment  of $8
million to ReliaStar  under  certain  circumstances  if the  transaction  is not
completed.
     Completion of the merger is subject to normal closing conditions, including
approval by Security-Connecticut  shareholders and various regulatory approvals.
The  transaction  will be recorded as a purchase  under  accounting  rules.  The
exchange  of  shares  will be  tax-free  to  Security-Connecticut  shareholders.
Security-Connecticut  will mail proxy statements to solicit shareholder approval
during the second  quarter.  The companies  intend to complete the merger within
the next 90-120 days.
     "This merger reflects ReliaStar's high regard for  Security-Connecticut and
our enthusiasm for the potential for growth from each  organization,"  said John
G. Turner,  ReliaStar chairman and chief executive  officer.  "Each organization
has products that will be attractive to the other's distribution channels,  and,
as ReliaStar  increases its scope as a broad financial services company, we will
now have additional access to customers through Security-Connecticut's top-notch
network of life insurance brokerage general agencies.  This merger continues our
strategy to provide consumers access to personal  financial  planning advice and
sound protection, accumulation and estate planning products through a variety of
distribution channels."
     "ReliaStar and  Security-Connecticut are a perfect complement to each other
in both products and distribution," said Ronald D. Jarvis,  Security-Connecticut
chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Security-Connecticut has built
a strong presence in the individual  life insurance  market,  serving  primarily
high net worth individuals.  ReliaStar's variable life and annuity products,  in
particular,   will  be  extremely   attractive  in  this  market.  In  addition,
Security-Connecticut  has  strong  second-to-die  universal  life and term  life
products that complement ReliaStar's product portfolio.
     "I'm  delighted  that we were able to align  ourselves  with a  company  of
ReliaStar's caliber," Jarvis said. "The benefits that  Security-Connecticut will
accrue  through  this  partnership  --  including  broader  product   offerings,
anticipated  claims-paying  ratings  upgrades over time and increased  operating
efficiency -- will enable us to provide  significant  value to our  distributors
and customers."
     Jarvis   will   continue   to   serve  as  chief   executive   officer   of
Security-Connecticut  Life Insurance Co., which will operate as a  free-standing
ReliaStar  business unit  headquartered in Avon, Conn. Jarvis will also become a
member of the boards of directors of ReliaStar  Life Insurance Co. and ReliaStar
Bankers Security Life Insurance Co., two wholly owned  subsidiaries of ReliaStar
Financial  Corp.  Jarvis will report to John  Flittie,  ReliaStar  president and
chief operating officer.
     Turner,  who will remain chairman and chief executive  officer of ReliaStar
Financial Corp.,  said that Jarvis will become part of the ReliaStar  Management
Committee, the senior management group responsible for setting company strategy.
     Both companies  indicated  their strong interest in the  opportunities  for
growing sales through their respective distribution channels:

*    ReliaStar's individual life and annuity channels currently include personal
     producing  general  agents  (PPGAs)  selling  in all 50 states and a career
     force that  focuses on the military  market.  Following  the merger,  these
     distribution   systems   will   have   access   to   Security-Connecticut's
     second-to-die  universal life  insurance and term life insurance  products,
     which  are very  competitive  tools for a variety  of  purposes,  including
     estate planning. In addition,  Security-Connecticut  will introduce in 1997
     an equity indexed annuity product  followed by an equity indexed  universal
     life product, products not currently available to ReliaStar distributors.

*    Security-Connecticut's distribution systems include:
     -    Approximately  450 brokerage  general  agencies  (wholesalers),  which
          account for about 74 percent of life sales;
     -    PPGAs that account for 13 percent of life sales; and
     -    A special  markets  channel that focuses on the sale of life insurance
          and annuities  through  national  marketing  organizations,  financial
          institutions and the worksite. This channel accounts for 13 percent of
          life sales.

*    The Security-Connecticut  distribution network includes individuals already
     selling  other  companies'  products  in the  tax-sheltered  annuity  (TSA)
     market.  ReliaStar's  Northern  Life  subsidiary,  which  is  a  leader  in
     providing TSAs to the K-12 teacher market,  can provide top-tier  products,
     sales support and administrative services to these producers.

*        The combination of the two companies provides a significant increase in
         scale for the combined individual life insurance  businesses.  Based on
         1996   results,   Security-Connecticut   would  add  $253   million  to
         ReliaStar's  $503 million of statutory  life insurance  premiums,  a 50
         percent increase. Based on 1996 results,  Security-Connecticut's  sales
         of individual  life insurance would add about 80 percent to ReliaStar's
         sales of individual life insurance (first-year annualized premiums).
     ReliaStar said that it expects the merger to be essentially non-dilutive to
earnings  per share in 1997,  and  accretive  to earnings  per share in 1998 and
beyond, assuming the $100 million buyback of ReliaStar stock in 1997.
     The  integration  of  operations   following  the  merger  will  result  in
anticipated  combined net pre-tax  annualized  expense reductions of at least $7
million.  ReliaStar said it is essential that Security-Connecticut  maintain its
high  standards  of service to its  distributors  and  customers  from its Avon,
Conn., location.
     "The real leverage in ReliaStar and Security-Connecticut coming together is
the tremendous  opportunity for cross-selling," said John H. Flittie,  ReliaStar
president and chief operating officer. "In addition, the potential for increased
operating  efficiency -- and the resulting expense reductions  --further adds to
the benefit of this transaction."
     Flittie  added that over the last several  years,  ReliaStar has proven its
ability to effectively  cross-sell  among its operations.  In 1996,  ReliaStar's
cross-selling  production  exceeded  $240  million  or about 20 percent of total
sales, up from $66 million in 1995.
     Security-Connecticut  Corp. is a holding  company for  Security-Connecticut
Life Insurance Co. and Lincoln  Security Life Insurance Co., which specialize in
life  insurance  and  annuity  products  sold  through a network of  independent
general  agencies  and  more  than  50,000  independent  life  insurance  agents
throughout the United States.
     ReliaStar  Financial  Corp.  is a  Minneapolis-based  holding  company that
provides  financial  security  through  individual life insurance and annuities,
employee  benefits,  reinsurance,  retirement plans,  mutual funds,  residential
mortgages and personal finance education. The company was founded in 1885.




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


                          AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

                                 BY AND BETWEEN

                            RELIASTAR FINANCIAL CORP.

                                       AND

                        SECURITY-CONNECTICUT CORPORATION




                          DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 23, 1997


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


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                           (NOT PART OF THE AGREEMENT)

                                                                                                               PAGE
<S>                                                                                                              <C>
INTRODUCTION AND RECITALS.........................................................................................1


I. CONTEMPLATED BUSINESS COMBINATION..............................................................................1
         1.1 THE MERGER...........................................................................................1
         1.2 EFFECT OF THE MERGER.................................................................................1
         1.3 CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER...........................................................................2
         1.4 CLOSING..............................................................................................2
         1.5 CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BY-LAWS.............................................................2
         1.6 CONVERSION OF SECURITIES.............................................................................2
         1.7 LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL...............................................................................5
         1.8 LOST, STOLEN OR DESTROYED CERTIFICATE................................................................5
         1.9 FURTHER ACTION.......................................................................................5


II. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES................................................................................5
         2.1 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF RELIASTAR..........................................................5
                  (A) ORGANIZATION AND COMPLIANCE WITH LAW........................................................5
                  (B) CAPITALIZATION..............................................................................6
                  (C) AUTHORIZATION AND VALIDITY OF AGREEMENTS....................................................7
                  (D) NO NOTICES OR APPROVALS REQUIRED AND NO CONFLICTS...........................................7
                  (E) RELIASTAR REPORTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS..................................................8
                  (F)  CONDUCT OF  BUSINESS  IN THE  ORDINARY  COURSE AND  ABSENCE OF CERTAIN  CHANGES AND
                           EVENTS.................................................................................9
                  (G) CERTAIN FEES...............................................................................10
                  (H) LITIGATION.................................................................................10
                  (I) EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS.....................................................................10
                  (J) TAXES......................................................................................11
                  (K) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY......................................................................12
                  (L) ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS......................................................................13
                  (M) OPINION OF FINANCIAL ADVISOR...............................................................14
                  (N) INVESTIGATION BY RELIASTAR.................................................................14
         2.2 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SECURITY..........................................................15
                  (A) ORGANIZATION AND COMPLIANCE WITH LAW.......................................................15
                  (B) CAPITALIZATION.............................................................................15
                  (C) AUTHORIZATION AND VALIDITY OF AGREEMENTS...................................................17
                  (D) NO NOTICES OR APPROVALS REQUIRED AND NO CONFLICTS..........................................17
                  (E) SECURITY REPORTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS..................................................18
                  (F)  CONDUCT OF  BUSINESS  IN THE  ORDINARY  COURSE AND  ABSENCE OF CERTAIN  CHANGES AND
                           EVENTS................................................................................19
                  (G) CERTAIN FEES...............................................................................20
                  (H) LITIGATION.................................................................................20
                  (I) EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS.....................................................................20
                  (J) TAXES......................................................................................21
                  (K) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY......................................................................22
                  (L) NO SECURED DEBT............................................................................22
                  (M) ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS......................................................................23
                  (N) OPINION OF FINANCIAL ADVISOR...............................................................23
                  (O) INVESTIGATION BY SECURITY..................................................................23


III. COVENANTS OF SECURITY.......................................................................................24
         3.1 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS BY SECURITY AND SECURITY SUBSIDIARIES PENDING THE MERGER........................24
         3.2 PROXY STATEMENT.....................................................................................26
         3.3 MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF SECURITY.................................................................26
         3.4 NO SOLICITATION OF ACQUISITION TRANSACTIONS.........................................................26
         3.5 ACCESS TO INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY..............................................................28
         3.6 DISSENTERS' RIGHTS..................................................................................28
         3.7 TAX CERTIFICATE.....................................................................................28
         3.8 AMENDMENT TO RIGHTS PLAN............................................................................28


IV. COVENANTS OF RELIASTAR.......................................................................................29
         4.1 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS BY RELIASTAR AND RELIASTAR SUBSIDIARIES PENDING THE MERGER......................29
         4.2 PROXY STATEMENT.....................................................................................30
         4.3 REGISTRATION STATEMENT..............................................................................30
         4.4 ACCESS TO INFORMATION; CONFIDENTIALITY..............................................................31
         4.5 RESERVATION OF RELIASTAR CAPITAL STOCK..............................................................31
         4.6 TAX CERTIFICATE.....................................................................................31
         4.7 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS...................................................................................31
         4.8  INDEMNIFICATION....................................................................................32
         4.9  SECURITY OPTIONS...................................................................................33
         4.10 TAX MATTER.........................................................................................33


V. MUTUAL COVENANTS..............................................................................................33
         5.1 EXPENSES............................................................................................33
         5.2 REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES; SECURITY FEE.............................................................33
         5.3 ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS...............................................................................34
         5.4 NOTIFICATION OF CERTAIN MATTERS.....................................................................34
         5.5 AGREEMENT TO DEFEND.................................................................................34
         5.6 COMPLIANCE WITH HSR ACT.............................................................................34
         5.7 SECURITIES LAWS.....................................................................................35


VI. CONDITIONS...................................................................................................35
         6.1 CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF EACH PARTY TO EFFECT THE MERGER........................................35
         6.2 ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF RELIASTAR...................................................36
         6.3 ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF SECURITY....................................................37


VII. MISCELLANEOUS...............................................................................................38
         7.1 TERMINATION.........................................................................................38
         7.2 EFFECT OF TERMINATION...............................................................................39
         7.3 WAIVER AND AMENDMENT................................................................................39
         7.4 NONSURVIVAL OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.......................................................39
         7.5 PUBLIC STATEMENTS...................................................................................39
         7.6 KNOWLEDGE...........................................................................................39
         7.7 ASSIGNMENT..........................................................................................39
         7.8 NOTICES.............................................................................................39
         7.9 GOVERNING LAW.......................................................................................41
         7.10 SEVERABILITY.......................................................................................41
         7.11 COUNTERPARTS.......................................................................................41
         7.12 HEADINGS...........................................................................................41
         7.13 ENTIRE AGREEMENT...................................................................................41
         7.14 LIMITED LIABILITY..................................................................................41
         7.15 CONSENT TO JURISDICTION; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL......................................................41
</TABLE>


EXHIBIT 2.1(A)        RELIASTAR SUBSIDIARIES
EXHIBIT 2.2(A)        SECURITY SUBSIDIARIES
EXHIBIT 3.7           SUBSTANCE OF SECURITY TAX CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT 4.6           SUBSTANCE OF RELIASTAR TAX CERTIFICATE
EXHIBIT 4.7(B)        RELIASTAR PLANS
EXHIBIT 6.2(E)        SUBSTANCE OF OPINION OF COUNSEL TO SECURITY
EXHIBIT 6.3(D)        SUBSTANCE OF OPINION OF COUNSEL TO RELIASTAR

                             INDEX OF DEFINED TERMS
                           (NOT PART OF THE AGREEMENT)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                                                            SECTION
<S>                                                                                                         <C>    
Acquisition Proposal.........................................................................................5.2(b)
Acquisition Transaction.........................................................................................3.4
Agreement..............................................................................................Introduction
Approval Date...................................................................................................1.4
By-Laws.........................................................................................................1.5
Certificate.....................................................................................................1.5
Closing.........................................................................................................1.4
Closing Date....................................................................................................1.4
Code.......................................................................................................Recitals
Common Stock of the Surviving Corporation....................................................................1.6(a)
Constituent Corporations........................................................................................1.2
Delaware Law....................................................................................................1.1
Effective Time..................................................................................................1.3
Environmental Law.........................................................................................2.1(1)(i)
ERISA.....................................................................................................2.1(i)(i)
Exchange Agent...............................................................................................1.6(b)
Exchange Price............................................................................................1.6(b)(i)
Exchange Ratio...............................................................................................1.6(b)
Hazardous Substances......................................................................................2.1(1)(i)
HSR Act.................................................................................................2.1(d)(iii)
IRS.....................................................................................................2.1(i)(iii)
Indemnitees..................................................................................................4.9(a)
LSL..........................................................................................................2.2(a)
Material Adverse Effect on RELIASTAR.........................................................................2.1(a)
Material Adverse Effect on SECURITY..........................................................................2.2(a)
Material Breach..............................................................................................5.2(a)
Merger.....................................................................................................Recitals
1933 Act..................................................................................................2.1(e)(i)
1934 Act..................................................................................................2.1(e)(i)
NLIC.........................................................................................................2.1(a)
PBGC.....................................................................................................2.1(i)(ii)
Potential Acquirer..............................................................................................3.4
Potential Acquirer Confidentiality Agreement....................................................................3.4
Proxy Statement.................................................................................................3.2
Registration Statement..........................................................................................4.3
RELIASTAR..............................................................................................Introduction
RELIASTAR Board............................................................................................Recitals
RELIASTAR Common Stock.....................................................................................Recitals
RELIASTAR Disclosure Letter.....................................................................................2.1
RELIASTAR Drip..........................................................................................2.1(b)(ii)
RELIASTAR Employee Plans..................................................................................2.1(i)(i)
RELIASTAR Insurance Filings...............................................................................2.1(e)(v)
RELIASTAR Insurance Subsidiaries.............................................................................2.1(a)
RELIASTAR Insurance Subsidiary Shares...................................................................2.1(b)(iii)
RELIASTAR Junior Preferred Stock..........................................................................2.1(b)(i)
RELIASTAR Pension Plans...................................................................................2.1(i)(i)
RELIASTAR Plans..............................................................................................4.7(b)
RELIASTAR Proxy Statement................................................................................2.1(b)(ii)
RELIASTAR Rights..........................................................................................2.1(b)(i)
RELIASTAR Rights Agreement................................................................................2.1(b)(i)
RELIASTAR SEC Reports.....................................................................................2.1(e)(i)
RELIASTAR Subsidiaries.......................................................................................2.1(a)
RELIASTAR Subsidiary Shares.............................................................................2.1(b)(iii)
RELIASTAR 10-K...........................................................................................2.1(b)(ii)
RELIASTAR 10-Qs.........................................................................................2.1(e)(iii)
RBSL.........................................................................................................2.1(a)
RLIC.........................................................................................................2.1(a)
RUSLIC.......................................................................................................2.1(a)
SEC.......................................................................................................2.1(e)(i)
Section 2.1(j) Investor..................................................................................2.1(j)(iv)
Section 2.2(j) Investor..................................................................................2.2(j)(iv)
SECURITY...............................................................................................Introduction
SECURITY Board.............................................................................................Recitals
SECURITY Common Stock......................................................................................Recitals
SECURITY Disclosure Letter......................................................................................2.2
SECURITY Employee Plans...................................................................................2.2(i)(i)
SECURITY Incentive Shares................................................................................2.2(b)(ii)
SECURITY Insurance Filings...............................................................................2.2(e)(vi)
SECURITY Insurance Subsidiaries..............................................................................2.2(a)
SECURITY Long-Term Incentive Plan........................................................................2.2(b)(ii)
SECURITY Option Plan.....................................................................................2.2(b)(ii)
SECURITY Options.........................................................................................2.2(b)(ii)
SECURITY Pension Plans....................................................................................2.2(i)(i)
SECURITY Plans...............................................................................................4.7(a)
SECURITY Rights...........................................................................................2.2(b)(i)
SECURITY Rights Agreement.................................................................................2.2(b)(i)
SECURITY SEC Reports......................................................................................2.2(e)(i)
SECURITY Subsidiaries........................................................................................2.2(a)
SECURITY Subsidiary Shares..............................................................................2.2(b)(iii)
SECURITY 10-K............................................................................................2.2(e)(iv)
SECURITY 10-Qs...........................................................................................2.2(e)(iv)
SCL..........................................................................................................2.2(a)
Surviving Corporation...........................................................................................1.1
Tax or Taxes..............................................................................................2.1(j)(i)
Tax Returns...............................................................................................2.1(j)(i)

</TABLE>


     AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER (this  "Agreement"),  dated as of February 23,
1997,  by  and  between  ReliaStar  Financial  Corp.,  a  Delaware   corporation
("RELIASTAR"),  and  Security-Connecticut  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation
("SECURITY").

                                    RECITALS

     WHEREAS,  the Board of Directors of RELIASTAR (the  "RELIASTAR  Board") and
the Board of Directors of SECURITY (the "SECURITY Board")  respectively  believe
it is in the long-term strategic interests of RELIASTAR and its stockholders and
of  SECURITY  and its  stockholders  that  RELIASTAR  and  SECURITY  effect  the
transactions contemplated hereby;

     WHEREAS,  RELIASTAR and SECURITY  desire to adopt a plan of  reorganization
pursuant to the provisions of Section  368(a)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended (the "Code"),  providing for the merger of SECURITY with and
into  RELIASTAR  (the  "Merger")  pursuant  to  which  all  of  the  issued  and
outstanding  shares of Common  Stock,  $.01 par value  per  share,  of  SECURITY
("SECURITY  Common  Stock") will be converted  into and  exchanged for shares of
Common Stock,  without par value, of RELIASTAR  ("RELIASTAR Common Stock"),  all
pursuant to the plan of reorganization set forth herein;

     WHEREAS, the RELIASTAR Board and the SECURITY Board have each approved this
Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby;

     WHEREAS,  RELIASTAR and SECURITY  desire to effect the Merger and the other
transactions contemplated hereby; and

     WHEREAS,  the parties  hereto desire to set forth certain  representations,
warranties,  covenants and agreements made by each to the other as an inducement
to the  consummation  of the  Merger  and the  other  transactions  contemplated
hereby;

     NOW,   THEREFORE,   in   consideration   of   the   premises   and  of  the
representations,  warranties,  covenants and agreements  contained  herein,  the
parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

I.   CONTEMPLATED BUSINESS COMBINATIONI.CONTEMPLATEDBUSINESSCOMBINATION"

     In  accordance  with  the  terms  and  subject  to the  conditions  of this
Agreement, RELIASTAR and SECURITY shall effect the Merger as follows:

     1.1 THE MERGER1.  At the  Effective  Time (as defined in Section  1.3),  in
accordance  with this Agreement and the General  Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware (the "Delaware Law"), SECURITY shall be merged with and into RELIASTAR,
the separate  existence of SECURITY shall cease, and RELIASTAR shall continue as
the  surviving  corporation  under the corporate  name it possesses  immediately
prior to the  Effective  Time and shall be  governed by the laws of the State of
Delaware.   RELIASTAR  is  herein  sometimes   referred  to  as  the  "Surviving
Corporation".

     1.2 EFFECT OF THE MERGER At the Effective  Time, the Surviving  Corporation
shall thereupon and thereafter  possess all the rights,  privileges,  powers and
franchises, of a public as well as of a private nature, of each of RELIASTAR and
SECURITY  (collectively,  the "Constituent  Corporations") and be subject to all
the   restrictions,   disabilities   and  duties  of  each  of  the  Constituent
Corporations; all and singular, the rights, privileges, powers and franchises of
each  of  the  Constituent  Corporations,  and  all  property  of  each  of  the
Constituent Corporations, real, personal and mixed, and all debts due to each of
the   Constituent   Corporations  on  whatever   account,   as  well  for  stock
subscriptions  as all  other  things  in  action  or  belonging  to  each of the
Constituent  Corporations,  shall be vested in the  Surviving  Corporation;  all
assets, property,  rights,  privileges,  powers and franchises and all and every
other interest of each of the  Constituent  Corporations  shall be thereafter as
effectually  the  property  of the  Surviving  Corporation  as they  were of the
respective Constituent Corporations;  and the title to any real estate vested by
deed or otherwise under the laws of the United States,  the State of Delaware or
other  jurisdiction in each of the Constituent  Corporations  shall be vested in
the  Surviving  Corporation  and shall not revert or be in any way  impaired  by
reason of the  Merger;  and all  rights  of  creditors  and all  liens  upon any
property of the Constituent Corporations shall be preserved unimpaired,  and all
debts,   liabilities,   obligations  and  duties  of  each  of  the  Constituent
Corporations  shall thenceforth  attach to the Surviving  Corporation and may be
enforced against it to the extent as if such debts, liabilities, obligations and
duties had been incurred or  contracted  by it; all in  accordance  with Section
259(a) of the Delaware Law.

     1.3  CONSUMMATION  OF THE MERGER.  As soon as is practicable on the Closing
Date (as defined in Section 1.4) after all conditions to the consummation of the
Merger set forth herein have been  satisfied or duly waived,  the parties hereto
shall cause the Merger to be  consummated  by filing with the Secretary of State
of the State of Delaware,  a  Certificate  of Merger in such form as is required
by, and executed,  acknowledged  and certified in accordance  with, the relevant
provisions of the Delaware Law (the time of such filing is herein referred to as
the "Effective Time").

     1.4 CLOSING. The closing of the Merger (the "Closing") shall take place:

          (a) at the offices of Faegre & Benson LLP,  2200  Norwest  Center,  90
     South  Seventh  Street,   Minneapolis,   Minnesota  55402,  at  10:00  a.m.
     Minneapolis  time on the fifth  business day  following (i) the date of the
     last to occur of compliance with the conditions to the Closing set forth in
     Section  6.1(a),  (b), (d), (e) and (f),  (ii) if any order  referred to in
     Section  6.1(c) shall be in effect on the date  described in the  foregoing
     Clause  (i),  the date such order  ceases to be in effect,  or (iii) if any
     condition  set forth in Section  6.2 or  Section  6.3 is not  satisfied  or
     waived on the date described in the foregoing  Clause (i) or (ii), the date
     on which any cure period  provided by Section  7.1(d) or 7.1(e)  expires or
     such earlier  date on which the cure is effected  (the date  determined  in
     accordance with foregoing  Clauses (i), (ii) and (iii)  hereinafter  called
     the "Approval Date"); or

          (b) at such other  time and place or on such  other date as  RELIASTAR
     and SECURITY  shall  mutually  agree (such fifth business day following the
     Approval Date or such other mutually  agreed to date is herein  referred to
     as the "Closing Date").

     1.5  CERTIFICATE  OF   INCORPORATION   AND  BY-LAWS.   The  Certificate  of
Incorporation of RELIASTAR (the "Certificate") and the By-Laws of RELIASTAR (the
"By-Laws"),  as in effect  immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be the
Certificate  of  Incorporation  and  By-Laws of the  Surviving  Corporation  and
thereafter  shall continue to be its  Certificate of  Incorporation  and By-Laws
until amended as provided therein and in accordance with the Delaware Law.

     1.6 CONVERSION OF SECURITIES.  In accordance  with the terms and subject to
the conditions of this Agreement, at the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger
and without any action on the part of  RELIASTAR,  SECURITY or the holder of any
of the following securities:

          (a) Each share of RELIASTAR Common Stock outstanding immediately prior
     to the  Effective  Time shall  remain  outstanding  as a share of RELIASTAR
     Common Stock (the "Common  Stock of the Surviving  Corporation")  and shall
     not be converted into any other  securities or cash pursuant to the Merger.
     The  certificates  for such shares shall not be  surrendered  or in any way
     modified by reason of the effectiveness of the Merger.

          (b) Each share of SECURITY Common Stock outstanding  immediately prior
     to the Effective Time shall be automatically  converted into such number of
     fully  paid and  nonassessable  shares  of  Common  Stock of the  Surviving
     Corporation  as  determined  in accordance  with this Section  1.6(b).  The
     number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock of the  Surviving  Corporation  to be
     received  for each share of SECURITY  Common Stock (the  "Exchange  Ratio")
     shall be determined as follows:

               (i) if the  average  of the per  share  closing  sale  prices  of
          RELIASTAR  Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange  Composite Tape
          for the 20 trading days  immediately  prior to the Approval  Date (the
          "Exchange  Price") is equal to or greater  than $52.65 and not greater
          than  $60.65,  the  Exchange  Ratio  shall be  equal  to the  quotient
          (rounded to the fourth decimal place)  obtained by dividing  $47.00 by
          the Exchange Price;

               (ii) if the  Exchange  Price is less than  $52.65 but equal to or
          greater than $49.00, the Exchange Ratio shall be .8927;

               (iii) if the  Exchange  Price is greater than $60.65 but equal to
          or less than $64.30, the Exchange Ratio shall be .7749;

               (iv) if the  Exchange  Price is less than  $49.00,  the  Exchange
          Ratio shall be as set forth in Clause (A) or (B) below:

                    (A) .8927, or

                    (B) if RELIASTAR  shall so  designate  by written  notice to
               SECURITY on the second  business day following the Approval Date,
               the quotient  (rounded to the fourth decimal  point)  obtained by
               dividing $43.74 by the Exchange Price; and

               (v) if the Exchange  Price is greater  than $64.30,  the Exchange
          Ratio shall be as set forth in Clause (A) or (B) below:

                    (A) .7749, or

                    (B) if  SECURITY  shall so  designate  by written  notice to
               RELIASTAR on the second business day following the Approval Date,
               the quotient  (rounded to the fourth decimal  point)  obtained by
               dividing $49.83 by the Exchange Price.

The  Exchange  Ratio shall be adjusted to reflect  fully the effect of any stock
split,  reverse split, stock dividend (including any dividend or distribution of
securities  convertible  into RELIASTAR  Common Stock or SECURITY Common Stock),
exchange of shares, reclassification,  reorganization, recapitalization or other
similar  change  (including  the  exercise  of any  RELIASTAR  Rights  under the
RELIASTAR Rights  Agreement (as such terms are defined in Section  2.1(b)(i)) or
the exercise of any SECURITY Rights under the SECURITY Rights Agreement (as such
terms are defined in Section  2.2(b)(i)))  with respect to the RELIASTAR  Common
Stock or the SECURITY  Common Stock occurring after the date hereof and prior to
the  Effective  Time.  After  the  Effective  Time,  each  record  holder  of  a
certificate  or  certificates   that  immediately   prior  thereto   represented
outstanding  shares of SECURITY  Common Stock shall be entitled,  upon surrender
thereof to the  Surviving  Corporation  or the  exchange or transfer  agent (the
"Exchange Agent") for the Common Stock of the Surviving Corporation, promptly to
receive in exchange  therefor a certificate  or  certificates  representing  the
number of whole shares of Common Stock of the Surviving  Corporation  into which
such shares of SECURITY Common Stock shall have been converted  pursuant to this
Section 1.6, in such  denominations  and registered in such names as such holder
may request, and, in addition,  each such holder who would otherwise be entitled
to a fraction of a share of Common Stock of the Surviving  Corporation  shall be
entitled,  upon such surrender of a certificate or certificates to the Surviving
Corporation or the Exchange Agent, promptly to be paid cash for such fraction of
a  share  in  accordance  with  Section  1.6(e).  Until  so  surrendered,   each
certificate that immediately prior to the Effective Time represented outstanding
shares of SECURITY  Common  Stock  shall be deemed from and after the  Effective
Time,  for all corporate  purposes  other than the payment of dividends or other
distributions, to evidence the ownership of the number of whole shares of Common
Stock of the  Surviving  Corporation  into which such shares of SECURITY  Common
Stock shall have been so  converted  and to be paid cash in lieu of the issuance
of any  fractional  share  of  Common  Stock  of the  Surviving  Corporation  in
accordance  with  Section  1.6(e).  Unless and until any such  certificate  that
immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time  represented  outstanding  shares  of
SECURITY  Common  Stock  shall  be  so   surrendered,   no  dividends  or  other
distributions   payable  to  the  holders  of  Common  Stock  of  the  Surviving
Corporation,  as of the Effective Time or any time thereafter,  shall be paid to
the holder of such certificate;  provided however,  that, upon surrender of such
certificate that immediately prior to the Effective Time represented outstanding
shares of  SECURITY  Common  Stock,  there will be  promptly  paid to the record
holder of the  certificate  or  certificates  issued in  exchange  therefor  the
amount, without interest thereon, of dividends and other distributions,  if any,
that  theretofore  became  payable with respect to the number of whole shares of
Common Stock of the Surviving Corporation issued to such holder.

          (c) All shares of Common Stock of the Surviving Corporation into which
     shares of  SECURITY  Common  Stock  shall have been  converted  pursuant to
     Section 1.6(b) shall be issued,  and cash payable for any fractional shares
     pursuant  to Section  1.6(e)  shall be paid,  in full  satisfaction  of all
     rights pertaining to such converted shares.

          (d) If any  certificate  for shares of Common  Stock of the  Surviving
     Corporation  is to be issued in a name other than that of the record holder
     of the certificate surrendered in exchange therefor, it will be a condition
     of the  issuance  thereof  that the  certificate  so  surrendered  shall be
     properly  endorsed  and  otherwise in proper form for transfer and that the
     person  requesting  such issuance  shall have paid to the Exchange Agent or
     any other  agent  designated  by  RELIASTAR  any  transfer  or other  taxes
     required by reason of the  issuance of a  certificate  for shares of Common
     Stock of the  Surviving  Corporation  in any name  other  than  that of the
     record  holder  of  the  certificate  surrendered,  or  established  to the
     satisfaction  of the  Exchange  Agent  or any  other  agent  designated  by
     RELIASTAR that such tax has been paid or is not payable.

          (e)  No  fraction  of  a  share  of  Common  Stock  of  the  Surviving
     Corporation  shall be issued,  but in lieu  thereof  each record  holder of
     shares of  SECURITY  Common  Stock who would  otherwise  be  entitled  to a
     fraction of a share of Common Stock of the Surviving  Corporation  shall be
     entitled, upon surrender to the Surviving Corporation or the Exchange Agent
     of a certificate or certificates  that  immediately  prior to the Effective
     Time represented  outstanding shares of SECURITY Common Stock,  promptly to
     be paid in cash an amount  equal to the value of such  fraction  of a share
     based upon the Exchange Price and the Exchange  Ratio. No interest shall be
     paid on any such amount.

          (f) All shares of SECURITY  Common Stock held by a record holder shall
     be aggregated for the purposes of  computations  of the number of shares of
     Common Stock of the Surviving  Corporation  issuable and cash to be paid in
     lieu of fractional shares hereunder.

     1.7  LETTERS  OF  TRANSMITTAL.  Promptly  after  the  Effective  Time,  the
Surviving Corporation shall, or shall cause the Exchange Agent to, mail, to each
record holder of a certificate or  certificates  that  immediately  prior to the
Effective Time represented outstanding shares of SECURITY Common Stock, a letter
of transmittal  and reasonable  instructions  for such holder's use in effecting
the surrender of such  certificate or certificates in exchange for a certificate
or   certificates   representing   shares  of  Common  Stock  of  the  Surviving
Corporation.

     1.8  LOST,  STOLEN  OR  DESTROYED  CERTIFICATE.   In  the  event  that  any
certificate  evidencing shares of SECURITY Common Stock shall be alleged to have
been lost,  stolen or destroyed,  the Exchange Agent shall issue in exchange for
such  alleged  lost,  stolen or  destroyed  certificate,  upon the  making of an
affidavit of such  allegation by the record holder  thereof,  a certificate  for
such shares of Common Stock of the Surviving  Corporation and such record holder
shall be  entitled  to any cash  payments  required  pursuant  to  Section  1.6;
provided however, that the Surviving Corporation may, in its discretion and as a
condition precedent to the issuance thereof, require such holder of such alleged
lost,  stolen  or  destroyed  certificate  to  deliver a bond in such sum as the
Surviving  Corporation may reasonably direct as indemnity against any claim that
may be made against the  Surviving  Corporation  and/or the Exchange  Agent with
respect to the certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed.

     1.9 FURTHER  ACTION.  Each of RELIASTAR  and  SECURITY  shall take all such
reasonable  and lawful  action as may be  necessary or  appropriate  in order to
effectuate  the  Merger as  promptly  as  possible.  If,  at any time  after the
Effective  Time,  any further  action is necessary or desirable to carry out the
purposes  of this  Agreement  and to vest the  Surviving  Corporation  with full
right, title and possession to all assets, property, rights, privileges,  powers
and franchises of the  Constituent  Corporations,  the directors and officers of
each of the Constituent  Corporations  are fully authorized and empowered in the
name and on behalf of their  respective  corporation  or otherwise to take,  and
shall take, all such further action.

II.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     2.1   REPRESENTATIONS   AND  WARRANTIES  OF  RELIASTAR.   RELIASTAR  hereby
represents  and warrants to SECURITY  that,  except as disclosed in a disclosure
letter  delivered  by  RELIASTAR  to  SECURITY  prior  to the date  hereof  (the
"RELIASTAR Disclosure Letter"):

          (a)ORGANIZATION  AND  COMPLIANCE  WITH LAW.  Each of RELIASTAR and its
     direct  and   indirect   subsidiaries   (all  such   direct  and   indirect
     subsidiaries,   including  without  limitation   ReliaStar  Life  Insurance
     Company, a Minnesota  corporation ("RLIC") and a wholly owned subsidiary of
     RELIASTAR,  Northern  Life  Insurance  Company,  a  Washington  corporation
     ("NLIC") and a wholly-owned  subsidiary of RLIC,  ReliaStar United Services
     Life  Insurance   Company,   a  Virginia   corporation   ("RUSLIC")  and  a
     wholly-owned  subsidiary  of RLIC,  and  ReliaStar  Bankers  Security  Life
     Insurance  Company,  a New York  corporation  ("RBSL")  and a wholly  owned
     subsidiary of RUSLIC, are herein sometimes  collectively referred to as the
     "RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries"  and  RLIC,  NLIC,  RUSLIC  and RBSL  are  herein
     sometimes  referred  to as the  "RELIASTAR  Insurance  Subsidiaries")  is a
     corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
     laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation  and has all requisite  corporate
     power and  corporate  authority and all  requisite  governmental  and other
     authorizations  to own,  lease and operate its assets and properties and to
     carry on its business as now being conducted,  except such governmental and
     other authorizations (if any) where the failure to have such authorizations
     does not and would not,  either  individually  or in the aggregate,  have a
     material adverse effect on the financial  condition,  results of operations
     or business of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole
     (a "Material  Adverse Effect on  RELIASTAR").  RELIASTAR is incorporated in
     the  State of  Delaware.  Exhibit  2.1(a)  hereto  sets  forth the name and
     jurisdiction of incorporation of each of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries.  Each
     of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign
     corporation to do business and is in good standing in each  jurisdiction in
     which the  property  owned,  leased or  operated by it or the nature of the
     business conducted by it makes such qualification  necessary,  except where
     the  failure to so  qualify  would not have a  Material  Adverse  Effect on
     RELIASTAR.  Each of  RELIASTAR  and the  RELIASTAR  Insurance  Subsidiaries
     possesses all material  permits,  licenses,  authorizations,  certificates,
     franchises,  orders, consents or other indicia of authority required by any
     governmental,  administrative  or regulatory  authority or agency and is in
     compliance with all applicable laws, judgments,  orders, decrees, rules and
     regulations, except where the failure to possess such permits, licenses and
     other  authorizations does not and would not, either individually or in the
     aggregate,  have a Material  Adverse  Effect on  RELIASTAR.  RELIASTAR  has
     heretofore   delivered  to  SECURITY  true  and  complete   copies  of  the
     Certificate  and the  By-Laws  and of the charter and bylaws of each of the
     RELIASTAR Insurance Subsidiaries,  in each case as in existence on the date
     hereof.

          (b) CAPITALIZATION.

               (i)  The  authorized  capital  stock  of  RELIASTAR  consists  of
          100,000,000  shares of RELIASTAR  Common Stock and 7,000,000 shares of
          preferred  stock,  without par value.  As of December 31, 1996,  there
          were issued and  outstanding  40,016,685  shares of  RELIASTAR  Common
          Stock.  As of such date,  there were also  reserved for issuance up to
          2,500,000  shares  of  RELIASTAR's   Series  A  Junior   Participating
          Preferred Stock ("RELIASTAR  Junior Preferred Stock") issuable under a
          Rights  Agreement,  dated as of October 7, 1988,  as amended,  between
          RELIASTAR and Norwest Bank Minnesota,  National Association, as Rights
          Agent  (the  "RELIASTAR  Rights  Agreement"),  pursuant  to which each
          outstanding share of RELIASTAR Common Stock has attached to it certain
          rights   ("RELIASTAR   Rights")   including   rights   under   certain
          circumstances  to purchase  one-tenth of a share of  RELIASTAR  Junior
          Preferred  Stock at $200, at the date hereof,  subject to  adjustment.
          Except for shares of RELIASTAR  Common Stock issued in connection with
          the  exercise of options to purchase  ReliaStar  Common  Stock,  since
          December  31,  1996 no shares of  RELIASTAR  capital  stock  have been
          issued.  All outstanding shares of RELIASTAR capital stock are validly
          issued, fully paid and nonassessable and no holder thereof is entitled
          to any preemptive  rights. All shares of Common Stock of the Surviving
          Corporation  issued in accordance  with this  Agreement,  when issued,
          will be  validly  issued,  fully  paid and  nonassessable,  will  have
          RELIASTAR  Rights  attached  thereto in accordance  with the RELIASTAR
          Rights  Agreement  and will not have any  preemptive  rights.  Neither
          RELIASTAR nor any of the RELIASTAR  Insurance  Subsidiaries is a party
          to, nor is RELIASTAR aware of, any voting  agreement,  voting trust or
          similar agreement,  arrangement or understanding relating to any class
          of capital stock of, or any agreement,  arrangement  or  understanding
          providing for registration rights with respect to any class of capital
          stock  or  other  securities  of,  RELIASTAR  or any of the  RELIASTAR
          Insurance Subsidiaries, other than voting arrangements relating to the
          RELIASTAR  Common Stock held by RELIASTAR's  Employee Stock  Ownership
          Plan and  except  for any such  voting  agreements,  voting  trusts or
          similar  agreements  as may be disclosed in any filings  under Section
          13(d) or 13(g) of the 1934 Act.

               (ii) Other than the RELIASTAR Dividend  Reinvestment and Optional
          Cash  Payment  Plan  (the  "RELIASTAR  DRIP"),  the  RELIASTAR  Rights
          Agreement and options outstanding under the RELIASTAR employee benefit
          and option  plans as described in  RELIASTAR's  Annual  Report on Form
          10-K for the year ended  December 31, 1995 (the  "RELIASTAR  10-K") or
          RELIASTAR's proxy statement dated March 26, 1996 (the "RELIASTAR Proxy
          Statement"),  there are not now, and at the Effective  Time there will
          not be, any outstanding options,  warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe
          for, calls or commitments of any character  whatsoever relating to, or
          securities or rights  convertible into or exchangeable  for, shares of
          any class of capital  stock of RELIASTAR,  or  contracts,  agreements,
          arrangements  or  understandings  to which RELIASTAR is a party, or by
          which it is or may be bound, to issue  additional  shares of any class
          of its  capital  stock  or  options,  warrants,  scrip  or  rights  to
          subscribe  for,  calls  or  commitments  of any  character  whatsoever
          relating to, or securities or rights  convertible into or exchangeable
          for, any additional shares of any class of capital stock of RELIASTAR.

               (iii) The shares of capital  stock or other equity  securities of
          each of the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries are collectively referred to herein
          as the "RELIASTAR  Subsidiary Shares".  The shares of capital stock or
          other  equity   securities   of  each  of  the   RELIASTAR   Insurance
          Subsidiaries  are  collectively  referred to herein as the  "RELIASTAR
          Insurance  Subsidiary  Shares." All outstanding  RELIASTAR  Subsidiary
          Shares are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and, except as
          set forth in Exhibit 2.1(a) hereto,  owned  beneficially and of record
          directly  or  indirectly  by  RELIASTAR,  free and clear of all liens,
          pledges, security interests,  claims or other encumbrances.  Except as
          aforesaid,  there are not now, and at the Effective  Time will not be,
          any (A) outstanding  RELIASTAR  Insurance  Subsidiary  Shares that are
          owned of record or  beneficially  by any  person or entity  other than
          RELIASTAR or one of the  RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,  or (B)  outstanding
          options,   warrants,   scrip,   rights  to  subscribe  for,  calls  or
          commitments of any character  whatsoever relating to, or securities or
          rights  convertible  into or exchangeable  for, shares of any class of
          capital  stock  of any of the  RELIASTAR  Insurance  Subsidiaries,  or
          contracts,   agreements,   arrangements  or  understandings  to  which
          RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Insurance  Subsidiaries is a party,
          or by which any thereof is or may be bound, to issue additional shares
          of any class of capital stock or options, warrants, scrip or rights to
          subscribe  for,  calls  or  commitments  of any  character  whatsoever
          relating to, or securities or rights  convertible into or exchangeable
          for, any additional shares of any class of capital stock of any of the
          RELIASTAR Subsidiaries.

          (c)AUTHORIZATION  AND  VALIDITY  OF  AGREEMENTS.   RELIASTAR  has  all
     requisite  corporate  power  and  corporate  authority  to enter  into this
     Agreement  and to perform  its  obligations  hereunder,  including  without
     limitation the  preparation,  filing and  distribution of the  Registration
     Statement  (as defined in Section  4.3),  and the execution and delivery by
     RELIASTAR of this Agreement and the  consummation by it of the transactions
     contemplated  hereby have been duly  authorized by all requisite  corporate
     action.  This  Agreement  has been duly executed and delivered by RELIASTAR
     and is the valid and binding obligation of RELIASTAR,  enforceable  against
     RELIASTAR in accordance  with its terms,  except that (i) such  enforcement
     may be subject  to  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  moratorium  or  similar  laws
     affecting  creditors'  rights  generally,  and (ii) the remedy of  specific
     performance  and  injunctive  and other  forms of  equitable  relief may be
     subject to certain  equitable  defenses and to the  discretion of the court
     before which any proceedings therefor may be brought.

          (d) NO NOTICES OR  APPROVALS  REQUIRED AND NO  CONFLICTS.  None of the
     execution and delivery of this Agreement by RELIASTAR,  the  performance by
     RELIASTAR of its obligations  hereunder or the consummation by RELIASTAR of
     the transactions contemplated hereby will:

               (i)  conflict  with the  Certificate  or the  By-Laws or with the
          charter or bylaws of any of the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries;

               (ii)  assuming  satisfaction  of the  requirements  set  forth in
          Clause (iii) (A), (B), (C) and (D) below, violate any provision of law
          applicable to RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,  except
          for  any  such  violations  of law as do not  and  would  not,  either
          individually  or in the aggregate,  have a Material  Adverse Effect on
          RELIASTAR;

               (iii)  require  any  consent or  approval  of, or filing  with or
          notice to, any public body or  authority,  domestic or foreign,  under
          any  provision of law  applicable to RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries,  except  for  (A)  requirements  of  Federal  and  state
          securities laws, (B) requirements arising out of the Hart-Scott-Rodino
          Antitrust  Improvements  Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act"),  (C)
          the filing of this  Agreement or a Certificate of Merger in accordance
          with the  Delaware  Law,  (D)  approvals  of or notices to  regulatory
          authorities   pursuant  to  the   insurance   laws  of  the  State  of
          Connecticut, the State of New York and any other jurisdiction in which
          RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Insurance  Subsidiaries is licensed
          or  authorized  to do business,  and (E) such  consents,  approvals or
          filings  the  failure  of which to obtain or make  would  not,  either
          individually  or in the aggregate,  have a Material  Adverse Effect on
          RELIASTAR; or

               (iv) require any consent,  approval or notice under,  or violate,
          breach, be in conflict with or constitute a default (or an event that,
          with  notice or lapse of time or both,  would  constitute  a  default)
          under,  or permit the  termination  of, or result in the  creation  or
          imposition  of any lien upon any  assets,  properties  or  business of
          RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Insurance  Subsidiaries  under, any
          note, bond,  indenture,  mortgage,  deed of trust,  lease,  franchise,
          permit,  authorization,   license  (other  than  franchises,  permits,
          authorizations,  or licenses  which may require  action under  Section
          2.1(d)(iii)  above),  contract,   instrument  or  other  agreement  or
          commitment, order, judgment or decree to which RELIASTAR or any of the
          RELIASTAR  Insurance  Subsidiaries is a party or by which RELIASTAR or
          any of the RELIASTAR  Insurance  Subsidiaries  or any of the assets or
          properties  thereof is bound or encumbered,  except for such consents,
          approvals or notices the failure of which to obtain or make would not,
          either  individually  or in the  aggregate,  have a  Material  Adverse
          Effect on RELIASTAR.

          (e)RELIASTAR REPORTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

               (i) Since December 31, 1993,  each of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries has filed all reports,  registration statements and other
          filings, together with any amendments required to be made with respect
          thereto,  that it has been  required to file with the  Securities  and
          Exchange  Commission  (the "SEC") under the Securities Act of 1933, as
          amended (the "1933 Act"), and the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as
          amended (the "1934 Act").  All reports,  registration  statements  and
          other filings (including all exhibits, notes and schedules thereto and
          documents  incorporated  by reference  therein) filed by RELIASTAR and
          any of the RELIASTAR  Insurance  Subsidiaries with the SEC on or after
          January 1, 1994, together with any amendments thereto, including, when
          filed,  the  Registration  Statement,  together  with  any  amendments
          thereto,  insofar  as the  Registration  Statement  contains  data and
          information  with  respect  to  RELIASTAR  or  any  of  the  RELIASTAR
          Insurance Subsidiaries,  are herein sometimes collectively referred to
          as the "RELIASTAR SEC Reports".  RELIASTAR has heretofore delivered to
          SECURITY true and complete  copies of all of the RELIASTAR SEC Reports
          that have been filed with the SEC prior to the date hereof.  As of (A)
          with  respect  to  all  of  the   RELIASTAR  SEC  Reports  other  than
          registration statements filed under the 1933 Act, the respective dates
          of their filing with the SEC and (B) with respect to all  registration
          statements filed under the 1933 Act, their respective effective dates,
          the RELIASTAR SEC Reports complied or will comply, as the case may be,
          in all material respects with the rules and regulations of the SEC and
          did not or will not, as the case may be, contain any untrue  statement
          of a material  fact or omit to state a material  fact  required  to be
          stated  therein or necessary to make the  statements  made therein not
          misleading.

               (ii) All material  contracts and  agreements of RELIASTAR and the
          RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  have  been  disclosed  in the  RELIASTAR  SEC
          Reports  filed  with the SEC or in the  RELIASTAR  Disclosure  Letter,
          except for those  contracts  and  agreements  not required to be filed
          pursuant to the rules and  regulations of the SEC and those  contracts
          and agreements  that have already been fully performed and as to which
          there are no material contingent  liabilities on the part of RELIASTAR
          or any of the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries.

               (iii)  The  consolidated   financial  statements  (including  any
          related  notes  or  schedules)  included  in the  RELIASTAR  10-K  and
          RELIASTAR's  Quarterly  Reports  on Form 10-Q for the  quarters  ended
          March 31, June 30, and September 30, 1996 (the "RELIASTAR  10-Qs"), as
          filed  with  the SEC,  were  prepared  in  accordance  with  generally
          accepted  accounting  principles applied on a consistent basis (except
          as may be noted  therein  or in the notes or  schedules  thereto)  and
          fairly  present in all material  respects the  consolidated  financial
          position of RELIASTAR and its consolidated subsidiaries as of December
          31,  1994 and 1995 and March 31,  June 30 and  September  30, 1995 and
          1996 and the  consolidated  results of their operations and cash flows
          for each of the three years in the  three-year  period ended  December
          31, 1995 and each of the three  months  ended March 31, 1995 and 1996,
          each of the six months  ended June 30, 1995 and 1996,  and each of the
          nine months ended September 30, 1995 and 1996 subject,  in the case of
          the unaudited interim financial  statements contained in the RELIASTAR
          10-Qs, to normal year-end adjustments on a basis comparable with prior
          periods.  The accountants  who certified any financial  statements and
          supporting  schedules  included or  incorporated  by  reference in the
          RELIASTAR SEC Reports are independent  public accountants with respect
          to RELIASTAR as required by the rules and regulations of the SEC.

               (iv) The statutory  financial  statements of each of  RELIASTAR's
          Insurance  Subsidiaries  for the year ended  December 31, 1995 and for
          the quarters  ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 1996 have been
          prepared  in  accordance  with  all  material   accounting   practices
          prescribed  or  permitted  by the  National  Association  of Insurance
          Commissioners and, with respect to each such insurance subsidiary, the
          appropriate  insurance  department  of the state of  domicile  of such
          insurance subsidiary,  and such accounting practices have been applied
          on a  consistent  basis  throughout  the  period  involved,  except as
          disclosed therein. RELIASTAR has heretofore delivered to SECURITY true
          and complete copies of all such statements.

               (v) Since December 31, 1993,  each of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries  has filed all reports and other  filings,  together with
          any amendments  required to be made with respect thereto,  that it has
          been required to file with state and other  insurance  and  securities
          regulatory authorities (the "RELIASTAR Insurance Filings"), except for
          any such reports and other filings,  including any amendments thereto,
          the failure of which to file would not have a Material  Adverse Effect
          on RELIASTAR,  and all of the RELIASTAR  Insurance Filings filed prior
          to the date hereof have  complied in all  material  respects,  and all
          such filings made hereafter prior to the Effective Time will comply in
          all material  respects,  with applicable  laws, rules and regulations,
          and there are no material open or unresolved issues of which RELIASTAR
          has  knowledge  raised  by  any  insurance  or  securities  regulatory
          authority with respect to any of such filings.

          (f) CONDUCT OF BUSINESS IN THE ORDINARY  COURSE AND ABSENCE OF CERTAIN
     CHANGES AND EVENTS.

               (i) Except as  contemplated  by this Agreement or as disclosed in
          the RELIASTAR SEC Reports filed with the SEC prior to the date hereof,
          and except for changes  resulting from (A) changes in general economic
          or market conditions, including changes in interest rates, (B) changes
          in insurance laws or regulations,  and (C) matters  affecting the life
          insurance industry  generally,  since September 30, 1996 RELIASTAR and
          the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  have taken no action of the type referred
          to in paragraphs  (a) though (c) of Section 4.1 and there has not been
          any material  adverse  change in the financial  condition,  results of
          operations or businesses of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,
          taken as a whole,  and  there  has not  been any  condition,  event or
          development  that is  reasonably  expected by RELIASTAR to result in a
          material  adverse  change  in  the  financial  condition,  results  of
          operations or businesses of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,
          taken as a whole,  and that would be required to be  disclosed  in the
          RELIASTAR  SEC Reports under the rules and  regulations  of the SEC or
          that would be required to be  disclosed  in  RELIASTAR's  consolidated
          financial  statements or the notes thereto  under  generally  accepted
          accounting  principles.  RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries are
          not parties to any collective  bargaining  agreements and believe that
          their relations with their employees are generally satisfactory. Since
          September 30, 1996, no significant labor dispute with any employees of
          RELIASTAR or any of the  RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  or union  organizing
          effort has existed or, to the knowledge of  RELIASTAR,  is imminent or
          threatened.

               (ii) Neither  RELIASTAR nor any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries is
          in violation of its charter or bylaws or in default in the performance
          of, and no event has  occurred  that,  with notice or lapse of time or
          both,  would  constitute  a default in the  performance  of, any note,
          bond, indenture,  mortgage, deed of trust, lease,  franchise,  permit,
          authorization,  license,  contract,  instrument or other  agreement or
          commitment, order, judgment or decree to which RELIASTAR or any of the
          RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries is a party or by which RELIASTAR or any of the
          RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries or any of the assets or properties  thereof is
          bound or  encumbered,  except for such defaults which would not have a
          Material Adverse Effect on RELIASTAR.

          (g) CERTAIN FEES. With the exception of the engagement by RELIASTAR of
     Donaldson,   Lufkin  &  Jenrette  Securities   Corporation,   Milliman  and
     Robertson,  and  Deloitte & Touche  LLP,  none of  RELIASTAR  or any of the
     RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  or any of their  respective  directors,  officers,
     employees, agents or representatives,  on behalf of RELIASTAR or any of the
     RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  or their  respective  boards of directors,  or any
     committee thereof, has employed any financial advisor,  actuary,  broker or
     finder or incurred any  liability for any  financial  advisory,  actuarial,
     brokerage  or  finders'  fees  or  commissions   in  connection   with  the
     transactions contemplated hereby.

          (h) LITIGATION. Except as disclosed in the RELIASTAR SEC Reports filed
     with the SEC prior to the date  hereof,  there are no  claims  (other  than
     policy claims that are not in litigation),  actions, suits,  investigations
     or  proceedings  pending  or, to the  knowledge  of  RELIASTAR,  threatened
     against or affecting RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries or any
     of their respective assets or properties, at law or in equity, before or by
     any Federal,  state,  municipal or other governmental  agency or authority,
     foreign or domestic,  or before any  arbitration  board or panel,  wherever
     located.

          (i) EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS.

               (i) There are no "employee  pension benefit plans", as defined in
          Section 3(2) of the Employee  Retirement  Income Security Act of 1974,
          as amended ("ERISA"),  maintained by RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries  for  the  benefit  of  their  employees   (collectively,
          "RELIASTAR  Pension  Plans"),  except for the RELIASTAR  Pension Plans
          disclosed  in  the  RELIASTAR  Proxy  Statement  or in  the  RELIASTAR
          Disclosure Letter. Each "employee benefit plan", as defined in Section
          3(3)  of  ERISA,  maintained  by  RELIASTAR,   any  of  the  RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries or any of their  predecessors  (collectively,  "RELIASTAR
          Employee  Plans") has been  maintained and  administered in accordance
          with  its  terms  and  complies  in all  material  respects  with  all
          applicable  requirements of ERISA,  the Code and other applicable laws
          (except that  certain  RELIASTAR  Pension  Plans may not yet have been
          amended to comply with the Small  Business Job  Protection Act of 1996
          and subsequent laws and regulations).  None of RELIASTAR or any of the
          RELIASTAR   Subsidiaries  nor  any  of  their  respective   directors,
          officers,  employees  or  agents  has,  with  respect  to  any  of the
          RELIASTAR Employee Plans, engaged in any "prohibited transaction",  as
          defined in Section  4975 of the Code or Section  406 of ERISA,  or any
          conduct  that is  reasonably  expected by  RELIASTAR  to result in any
          taxes or penalties on  prohibited  transactions  under Section 4975 of
          the Code or Section 502(i) of ERISA or any liability under Section 409
          of ERISA for breach of fiduciary  duty,  that,  individually or in the
          aggregate,  are  reasonably  expected  by  RELIASTAR  to  result  in a
          Material Adverse Effect on RELIASTAR.

               (ii)  Each  of  RELIASTAR  and  the  RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  has
          fulfilled its obligations to the extent  applicable  under the minimum
          funding  requirements  of Section  302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the
          Code with respect to each of the RELIASTAR  Pension Plans; none of the
          RELIASTAR   Pension  Plans  has  incurred  an   "accumulated   funding
          deficiency", as defined in Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the
          Code,  whether or not waived; and no material civil or criminal action
          or claim (other than  uncontested  claims for benefits) is pending or,
          to the knowledge of RELIASTAR,  threatened  with respect to any of the
          RELIASTAR  Employee Plans.  Neither RELIASTAR nor any of the RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries  has,  or  within  the  past  five  years  has  had,  any
          obligation to contribute to any  "multiemployer  plan",  as defined in
          Section 3(37) of ERISA, and neither RELIASTAR nor any of the RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries  has  incurred,  and no event  has  occurred  that  might
          reasonably  be expected  to result in, any  material  liability  under
          Title IV of ERISA  (excluding  liability for required premium payments
          to the Pension Benefit  Guaranty  Corporation  ("PBGC")) in connection
          with any such multiemployer plan or any of the RELIASTAR Pension Plans
          that is  subject  to Title IV of ERISA.  RELIASTAR  and the  RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries  have paid all premiums,  if any, that have become due to
          the PBGC with respect to any of the RELIASTAR Pension Plans.

               (iii) The assets of each of the RELIASTAR  Pension Plans that are
          subject to Title IV of ERISA  exceed the  present  value of vested and
          nonvested benefits accrued under such plan,  determined as of the date
          of the most  recent  actuarial  report for such plan on a  termination
          basis using the actuarial  assumptions  established  by the PBGC as in
          effect on such date.  The  Internal  Revenue  Service  (the "IRS") has
          issued a letter for each of the RELIASTAR  Pension  Plans  determining
          that such plan is qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code and there
          has been no occurrence since the date of any such determination letter
          that has adversely affected such qualification.

          (j) TAXES.

               (i)  All  returns  and  reports,   including  without  limitation
          information and withholding  returns and reports  (collectively,  "Tax
          Returns")  of or relating to any  foreign,  Federal,  state,  local or
          other income, premium,  property, sales, excise and other taxes of any
          nature whatsoever,  including any interest, penalties and additions to
          tax in respect  thereof ("Tax" or "Taxes")  heretofore  required to be
          filed by RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries have been duly
          filed on a timely basis, except to the extent that any such failure to
          file  would  not,  either  individually  or in the  aggregate,  have a
          Material  Adverse  Effect on RELIASTAR.  All such Tax Returns so filed
          were complete and accurate in all material respects. Each of RELIASTAR
          and the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries has paid or has made adequate provision
          for the payment of all Taxes, including any Taxes as a result of being
          a member of an affiliated, consolidated, combined or unitary group for
          any  taxable  period or as a result  of any  obligation  to  indemnify
          another person,  except to the extent that any failure to fully pay or
          make  provision  for the  payment  of such  Taxes  would  not,  either
          individually  or in the aggregate,  have a Material  Adverse Effect on
          RELIASTAR.

               (ii) As of the date of this  Agreement  there  are no  audits  or
          administrative  proceedings,   court  proceedings  or  claims  pending
          against RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries with respect to
          any Taxes,  no assessment,  deficiency or adjustment has been asserted
          or, to the  knowledge of  RELIASTAR,  proposed with respect to any Tax
          Return  of or  with  respect  to  RELIASTAR  or any  of the  RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries  and  there are no liens  for  Taxes  upon the  assets or
          properties of RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,  except
          liens for Taxes not yet delinquent  and, in each case,  except for any
          audits, proceedings, claims, assessments, deficiencies, adjustments or
          liens as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on RELIASTAR.

               (iii) There are not in force any waivers or agreements by or with
          respect to RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries of or for an
          extension of time for the assessment or payment of any Taxes.  Neither
          RELIASTAR nor any of the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries has received a written
          ruling  of a taxing  authority  relating  to Taxes or  entered  into a
          written and legally binding agreement with a taxing authority relating
          to Taxes that  would  have a  continuing  Material  Adverse  Effect on
          RELIASTAR  after the Closing  Date.  Neither  RELIASTAR nor any of the
          RELIASTAR Subsidiaries is required to include in income any adjustment
          pursuant to Section 481(a) of the Code by reason of a voluntary change
          in  accounting  method  initiated by RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries,  and to the best  knowledge of RELIASTAR the IRS has not
          proposed  any such  adjustment  or change in  accounting  method.  For
          purposes of this Section  2.1(j),  the term  "RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries"
          shall include former  subsidiaries of RELIASTAR for the periods during
          which any such  subsidiaries  were owned  directly  or  indirectly  by
          RELIASTAR.

               (iv) To the best  knowledge of  RELIASTAR,  no person (a "Section
          2.1(j) Investor"), by reason of ownership of a partnership interest in
          any   partnership   in  which   RELIASTAR  or  any  of  the  RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries  owned  or owns  directly  or  indirectly  a  partnership
          interest and with respect to which  partnership  interests were issued
          pursuant to an  exemption  from the 1933 Act,  has  asserted any claim
          against RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries with respect to
          Taxes,  which claim is derived  from such  Section  2.1(j)  Investor's
          interest  in such  partnership,  nor has  any  governmental  authority
          asserted or  proposed  any  adjustment  that could give rise to such a
          claim.  To the best  knowledge  of  RELIASTAR,  no such claim has been
          threatened.

               (v) Each of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries has withheld
          and  paid  all  Taxes  required  to have  been  withheld  and  paid in
          connection  with  amounts  paid or  owing to any  employee,  creditor,
          independent  contractor or other third party, except for any Taxes the
          failure of which to withhold or pay would not, either  individually or
          in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on RELIASTAR.

               (vi) Neither RELIASTAR nor any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries has
          filed a consent  under Section  341(f) of the Code.  RELIASTAR and the
          RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  are parties to Tax allocation and Tax sharing
          arrangements  among them, all of which  arrangements  have  heretofore
          been disclosed to SECURITY by RELIASTAR.

               (vii)  No  property  of  RELIASTAR   or  any  of  the   RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries  is  property  that  RELIASTAR  or any  of the  RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries  is required to treat as owned by another person pursuant
          to the safe harbor leasing provisions (now repealed) of the Code.

          (k) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. As of the date of this Agreement and to the
     best knowledge of RELIASTAR,  RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries own
     or are otherwise  duly  authorized  or entitled to utilize all  trademarks,
     service marks, trade names, trade secrets, licenses,  designs,  copyrights,
     formulas,   processes,   patents,  or  applications   therefor,  and  other
     intellectual  property  rights as are presently  used in, or necessary for,
     the conduct of the  businesses of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries
     as presently conducted,  except where the failure to have such ownership or
     authorization or entitlement does not and would not, individually or in the
     aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on RELIASTAR.  Since December 31,
     1993, to the best  knowledge of RELIASTAR  there has not been any violation
     or  infringement  by RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries of any
     intellectual  property  right of any  other  person,  or any  claim of such
     infringement,  that has not been  resolved and is  continuing,  and neither
     RELIASTAR nor any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  has given to or made with
     any other person any  forbearance to sue or settlement for  infringement of
     any intellectual property right.

          (l)ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS.

               (i) For purposes of this Agreement,

                    (A)    "Environmental    Law"   means   the    Comprehensive
               Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C.
               ss. 9601 et seq., the Resource  Conservation and Recovery Act, 42
               U.S.C. ss. 6901 et seq., the Federal Water Pollution Control Act,
               33 U.S.C.  ss. 1201 et seq.,  the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C.  ss.
               1321 et seq., the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C.  ss. 7401 et seq., and
               any other federal,  state, local or other  governmental  statute,
               regulation,  law or ordinance  dealing with the protection of the
               environment;

                    (B) "Hazardous Substance" means any pollutant,  contaminant,
               hazardous  substance  or waste,  solid  waste,  petroleum  or any
               fraction  thereof,  or any other chemical,  substance or material
               listed or  identified in or regulated by any  Environmental  Law;
               and

                    (C) A "RELIASTAR Environmental Claim" shall mean any written
               communication by a person or entity alleging potential  liability
               (including,   without   limitation,   potential   liability   for
               investigatory costs, cleanup costs,  governmental response costs,
               natural resource damages, property damages, personal injuries, or
               penalties)  arising out of,  based on or  resulting  from (i) the
               presence,  or  release  into the  environment,  of any  Hazardous
               Substance at any  location,  whether or not owned by RELIASTAR or
               any RELIASTAR Subsidiary or (ii) circumstances  forming the basis
               of any violation, or alleged violation, of any Environmental Law.

               (ii) Except for matters that are not reasonably  likely to have a
          Material Adverse Effect on RELIASTAR:

                    (A) RELIASTAR and each RELIASTAR  Subsidiary comply with all
               Environmental   Laws   applicable   to  the  ownership  of  their
               respective assets and the conduct of their respective businesses;

                    (B)  RELIASTAR  and each  RELIASTAR  Subsidiary  possess all
               licenses  and  permits   required  by  all   Environmental   Laws
               applicable  to the ownership of their  respective  assets and the
               conduct of their  respective  businesses,  and RELIASTAR and each
               RELIASTAR  Subsidiary  comply in all material  respects  with the
               terms and conditions of such licenses and permits;

                    (C) There is no RELIASTAR Environmental Claim pending or, to
               the knowledge of RELIASTAR,  threatened  against RELIASTAR or any
               RELIASTAR  Subsidiary  or  against  any  person or  entity  whose
               liability for such RELIASTAR Environmental Claim RELIASTAR or any
               RELIASTAR  Subsidiary have or may have retained or assumed either
               contractually or by operation of law; and

                    (D) The property currently owned or operated by RELIASTAR or
               any  of  the  RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  is  not  subject  to,  and
               RELIASTAR has no knowledge of, any  restriction on the ownership,
               occupancy,  use or transferability of such property in connection
               with  any  Environmental  Law  or  resulting  from  any  release,
               threatened release or disposal of any Hazardous Substance.

          (m) OPINION OF FINANCIAL  ADVISOR.  The  RELIASTAR  Board has received
     from Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation a written opinion,
     dated on or prior to the date of this  Agreement,  to the  effect  that the
     Exchange Ratio is fair to RELIASTAR from a financial point of view.


          (n)INVESTIGATION  BY  RELIASTAR.   RELIASTAR  has  conducted  its  own
     independent  review and  analysis  of the  businesses,  assets,  condition,
     operations  and  prospects of SECURITY and the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries.  In
     entering  into this  Agreement,  RELIASTAR  has relied  solely upon its own
     investigation  and  analysis  and the  representations  and  warranties  of
     SECURITY contained herein, and RELIASTAR:

               (i) acknowledges that none of SECURITY, the SECURITY Subsidiaries
          or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, affiliates,
          agents or representatives makes any representation or warranty, either
          express or implied,  as to the accuracy or  completeness of any of the
          information provided or made available to RELIASTAR or their agents or
          representatives prior to the execution of this Agreement; and

               (ii) agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that none of
          SECURITY,  the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  or  any  of  their  respective
          directors, officers, employees,  affiliates, agents or representatives
          shall have any liability or responsibility  whatsoever to RELIASTAR on
          any basis (including,  without limitation,  in contract or tort, under
          federal  or  state  securities  laws  or  otherwise)  based  upon  any
          information  provided  or  made  available,  or  statements  made,  to
          RELIASTAR prior to the execution of this Agreement.

except that the foregoing  shall not apply (A) to the extent  SECURITY makes the
specific  representations  and  warranties  set  forth  in  Section  2.2 of this
Agreement and in the SECURITY  Disclosure Letter, or (B) to the extent SECURITY,
the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  or any of  their  respective  directors,  officers,
employees,  affiliates,  agents or representatives commits fraud with respect to
the information that it provides or makes available to RELIASTAR.

     2.2 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SECURITY.  SECURITY hereby represents
and warrants to  RELIASTAR  that,  except as  disclosed  in a disclosure  letter
delivered  by SECURITY  to  RELIASTAR  prior to the date  hereof (the  "SECURITY
Disclosure Letter"):

          (a)  ORGANIZATION  AND  COMPLIANCE  WITH LAW. Each of SECURITY and its
     direct  and   indirect   subsidiaries   (all  such   direct  and   indirect
     subsidiaries,   including  without  limitation   Security-Connecticut  Life
     Insurance  Company,  a Connecticut  corporation  ("SCL") and a wholly owned
     subsidiary of SECURITY,  Arrowhead,  Ltd., a Bermuda insurance  corporation
     ("AHL") and a wholly owned  subsidiary  of SECURITY,  and Lincoln  Security
     Life Insurance Company,  a New York corporation  ("LSL") and a wholly owned
     subsidiary  of SCL, are herein  sometimes  collectively  referred to as the
     "SECURITY  Subsidiaries",  and SCL and LSL are sometimes herein referred to
     as the "SECURITY Insurance  Subsidiaries") is a corporation duly organized,
     validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of
     incorporation and has all requisite corporate power and corporate authority
     and all requisite  governmental and other  authorizations to own, lease and
     operate its assets and properties and to carry on its business as now being
     conducted, except such governmental and other authorizations (if any) where
     the  failure to have such  authorizations  does not and would  not,  either
     individually  or in the  aggregate,  have a material  adverse effect on the
     financial condition,  results of operations or business of SECURITY and the
     SECURITY  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole (a  "Material  Adverse  Effect on
     SECURITY").  SECURITY is  incorporated  in the State of  Delaware.  Exhibit
     2.2(a) hereto sets forth the name and jurisdiction of incorporation of each
     of the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries.  Neither  SECURITY  nor any of the SECURITY
     Subsidiaries is a general partner in any  partnership.  Except as set forth
     in  Exhibit  2.2(a)  hereto,  neither  SECURITY  nor  any of  the  SECURITY
     Subsidiaries  is a party to any joint  venture  in which  SECURITY  and the
     SECURITY  Subsidiaries  have made, or have an  obligation to make,  capital
     contributions  in excess of $1 million.  Each of SECURITY  and the SECURITY
     Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign  corporation to do business and
     is in good  standing  in each  jurisdiction  in which the  property  owned,
     leased or  operated  by it or the nature of the  business  conducted  by it
     makes such qualification necessary,  except where the failure to so qualify
     would not have a Material Adverse Effect on SECURITY.  Each of SECURITY and
     the  SECURITY  Insurance   Subsidiaries  possesses  all  material  permits,
     licenses,  authorizations,  certificates,  franchises,  orders, consents or
     other indicia of authority required by any governmental,  administrative or
     regulatory  authority or agency and is in  compliance  with all  applicable
     laws, judgments,  orders, decrees, rules and regulations,  except where the
     failure to possess such permits, licenses and other authorizations does not
     and would not,  either  individually  or in the aggregate,  have a Material
     Adverse Effect on SECURITY.  SECURITY has heretofore delivered to RELIASTAR
     true and complete copies of its articles of incorporation and bylaws and of
     the charter and bylaws of each of the SECURITY Insurance  Subsidiaries,  in
     each case as in existence on the date hereof.  Notwithstanding  anything to
     the contrary  contained  herein,  all  representations  of SECURITY in this
     Section 2.2(a) relating to AHL (other than the  representation and warranty
     regarding the ownership of AHL),  shall be limited to the best knowledge of
     SECURITY.

          (b) CAPITALIZATION.

               (i)  The  authorized   capital  stock  of  SECURITY  consists  of
          50,000,000  shares of SECURITY  Common Stock and 10,000,000  shares of
          preferred  stock,  par value $.01.  As of the date  hereof  there were
          issued and outstanding  8,572,115  shares of SECURITY Common Stock. As
          of such date,  there were also  reserved  for  issuance  up to 500,000
          shares of SECURITY  Preferred Stock issuable under a Rights Agreement,
          dated as of February 16, 1995, between SECURITY and The First National
          Bank of Boston,  as Rights Agent (the  "SECURITY  Rights  Agreement"),
          pursuant to which each outstanding  share of SECURITY Common Stock has
          attached  to it certain  rights  (the  "SECURITY  Rights"),  including
          rights  under  certain  circumstances  to purchase  shares of SECURITY
          Preferred  Stock at $85.00,  subject to  adjustment.  All  outstanding
          shares of SECURITY  Common  Stock are validly  issued,  fully paid and
          nonassessable  and no holder  thereof is  entitled  to any  preemptive
          rights.  Neither  SECURITY nor any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  is a
          party to, nor is SECURITY aware of, any voting agreement, voting trust
          or similar  agreement,  arrangement or  understanding  relating to any
          class  of  capital  stock  of,  or  any   agreement,   arrangement  or
          understanding  providing for  registration  rights with respect to any
          class of capital stock or other  securities of, SECURITY or any of the
          SECURITY Subsidiaries,  except for any such voting agreements,  voting
          trusts or similar  agreements  as may be disclosed in any filing under
          Section 13(d) or 13(g) of the 1934 Act.

               (ii) As of the date hereof,  there are  outstanding  options (the
          "SECURITY  Options") to purchase under SECURITY's 1993 Stock Incentive
          Plan  (the  "SECURITY  Option  Plan")  an  aggregate  of not more than
          444,924 shares of SECURITY Common Stock at a weighted average exercise
          price per share of $25.55  (ranging  from $19.25 to $36.50 per share).
          As of the date hereof,  SECURITY is obligated to issue an aggregate of
          not more than 5,058 shares of SECURITY Common Stock without additional
          consideration   under  the  SECURITY  Long-Term  Incentive  Plan  (the
          "SECURITY  Long-Term  Incentive Plan"),  subject to certain conditions
          therein  contained (any shares of SECURITY Common Stock issuable on or
          after the date hereof and to and including  the  Effective  Time under
          the SECURITY Long-Term  Incentive Plan are herein called the "SECURITY
          Incentive Shares"). Other than as set forth in this Section 2.2(b) and
          other than the SECURITY  Rights  Agreement,  the SECURITY  Options and
          option agreements relating thereto, the SECURITY Incentive Shares, and
          the  SECURITY  Long-Term  Incentive  Plan,  and any shares of SECURITY
          Common Stock issued  pursuant to any of the  foregoing,  there are not
          now, and at the Effective Time there will not be, any (A)  outstanding
          shares of capital stock or other equity securities of SECURITY, or (B)
          outstanding options,  warrants,  scrip, rights to subscribe for, calls
          or commitments of any character  whatsoever relating to, or securities
          or rights convertible into or exchangeable for, shares of any class of
          capital stock of SECURITY, or contracts,  agreements,  arrangements or
          understandings  to which SECURITY is a party, or by which it is or may
          be bound, to issue additional shares of any class of its capital stock
          or  options,  warrants,  scrip or rights to  subscribe  for,  calls or
          commitments of any character  whatsoever relating to, or securities or
          rights  convertible into or exchangeable for, any additional shares of
          any  class of  capital  stock of  SECURITY.  SECURITY  has  heretofore
          delivered to RELIASTAR true and complete copies of the SECURITY Option
          Plan as in existence on the date hereof.

               (iii) The shares of capital  stock or other equity  securities of
          each of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries are collectively referred to herein
          as  the  "SECURITY   Subsidiary  Shares".   All  outstanding  SECURITY
          Subsidiary Shares are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and
          owned  beneficially  and of record directly or indirectly by SECURITY,
          free and clear of all liens,  pledges,  security interests,  claims or
          other encumbrances. Except as aforesaid, there are not now, and at the
          Effective  Time  there  will  not  be,  any (A)  outstanding  SECURITY
          Subsidiary  Shares  that are owned of record  or  beneficially  by any
          person  or  entity  other  than   SECURITY  or  one  of  the  SECURITY
          Subsidiaries,  or (B) outstanding options,  warrants, scrip, rights to
          subscribe  for,  calls  or  commitments  of any  character  whatsoever
          relating to, or securities or rights  convertible into or exchangeable
          for,  shares  of any  class of  capital  stock of any of the  SECURITY
          Subsidiaries, or contracts, agreements, arrangements or understandings
          to which SECURITY or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  is a party, or
          by which any thereof is or may be bound, to issue additional shares of
          any class of capital  stock or options,  warrants,  scrip or rights to
          subscribe  for,  calls  or  commitments  of any  character  whatsoever
          relating to, or securities or rights  convertible into or exchangeable
          for,  any  additional  shares of capital  stock of any of the SECURITY
          Subsidiaries.

          (c)  AUTHORIZATION  AND VALIDITY OF  AGREEMENTS.  Subject  only,  with
     respect to the Merger, to approval of this Agreement by the stockholders of
     SECURITY  as  provided  for in  Section  3.3,  SECURITY  has all  requisite
     corporate power and corporate authority to enter into this Agreement and to
     perform  its  obligations  hereunder,  and the  execution  and  delivery by
     SECURITY of this Agreement and the  consummation by it of the  transactions
     contemplated  hereby have been duly  authorized by all requisite  corporate
     action.  Without  limiting the  generality of the  foregoing,  the SECURITY
     Board or a duly  authorized  committee  thereof  has  taken  all  necessary
     action,  if any,  on the part of SECURITY  (i) to provide for all  SECURITY
     Options  unexercised  as  of  the  Effective  Time  to  be  exercisable  in
     accordance with Section 4.9, and (ii) to provide for RELIASTAR Common Stock
     to be issued in lieu of any SECURITY Incentive Shares required to be issued
     at or after  the  Effective  Time.  On or prior  to the  date  hereof,  the
     SECURITY  Board has  determined to recommend  approval of the Merger to the
     stockholders  of SECURITY,  and such  determination  is in effect as of the
     date hereof.  As of the date of this  Agreement,  neither  SECURITY nor any
     director,  officer or representative  thereof is soliciting,  initiating or
     engaged  in any  substantive  discussions  or  other  negotiations  with or
     providing  any  information  to any third  party  concerning  any  possible
     Acquisition  Transaction  (as defined in Section 3.4).  This  Agreement has
     been duly  executed and  delivered by SECURITY and is the valid and binding
     obligation of SECURITY, enforceable against SECURITY in accordance with its
     terms,  except  that (i) such  enforcement  may be subject  to  bankruptcy,
     insolvency,   moratorium  or  similar  laws  affecting   creditors'  rights
     generally,  and (ii) the remedy of specific  performance and injunctive and
     other  forms of  equitable  relief  may be  subject  to  certain  equitable
     defenses and to the  discretion  of the court before which any  proceedings
     therefor may be brought.

          (d) NO NOTICES OR  APPROVALS  REQUIRED AND NO  CONFLICTS.  None of the
     execution and delivery of this  Agreement by SECURITY,  the  performance by
     SECURITY of its  obligations  hereunder or the  consummation by SECURITY of
     the transactions contemplated hereby will:

               (i)  conflict  with the  articles of  incorporation  or bylaws of
          SECURITY  or  with  the  charter  or  bylaws  of any  of the  SECURITY
          Subsidiaries;

               (ii)  assuming  satisfaction  of the  requirements  set  forth in
          Clause (iii) (A), (B), (C) and (D) below, violate any provision of law
          applicable to SECURITY or any of the SECURITY Subsidiaries, except for
          any  such   violations  of  law  as  do  not  and  would  not,  either
          individually  or in the aggregate,  have a Material  Adverse Effect on
          SECURITY;

               (iii)  require  any  consent or  approval  of, or filing  with or
          notice to, any public body or  authority,  domestic or foreign,  under
          any  provision  of law  applicable  to SECURITY or any of the SECURITY
          Subsidiaries,  except  for  (A)  requirements  of  Federal  and  state
          securities laws, (B) requirements  arising out of the HSR Act, (C) the
          filing of this Agreement or a Certificate of Merger in accordance with
          the  Delaware   Law,  (D)   approvals  of  or  notices  to  regulatory
          authorities   pursuant  to  the   insurance   laws  of  the  State  of
          Connecticut, the State of New York and any other jurisdiction in which
          SECURITY or any of the SECURITY Insurance  Subsidiaries is licensed or
          authorized to do business, and (E) such consents, approvals or filings
          the failure of which to obtain or make would not, either  individually
          or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on SECURITY; or

               (iv) require any consent,  approval or notice under,  or violate,
          breach, be in conflict with or constitute a default (or an event that,
          with  notice or lapse of time or both,  would  constitute  a  default)
          under,  or permit the  termination  of, or result in the  creation  or
          imposition  of any lien upon any  assets,  properties  or  business of
          SECURITY or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  under,  any note, bond,
          indenture,   mortgage,  deed  of  trust,  lease,  franchise,   permit,
          authorization,    license    (other    than    franchises,    permits,
          authorizations,  or licenses  which may require  action under  Section
          2.2(d)(iii)  above),  contract,   instrument  or  other  agreement  or
          commitment,  order, judgment or decree to which SECURITY or any of the
          SECURITY  Subsidiaries  is a party or by which  SECURITY or any of the
          SECURITY  Subsidiaries  or any of the assets or properties  thereof is
          bound or encumbered,  except for such  consents,  approvals or notices
          the failure of which to obtain or make would not, either  individually
          or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on SECURITY.

          (e) SECURITY REPORTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

               (i) Since  December 31,  1993,  each of SECURITY and the SECURITY
          Subsidiaries has filed all reports,  registration statements and other
          filings, together with any amendments required to be made with respect
          thereto, that it has been required to file with the SEC under the 1933
          Act and the 1934 Act. All reports,  registration  statements and other
          filings  (including  all  exhibits,  notes and  schedules  thereto and
          documents incorporated by reference therein) filed by SECURITY and any
          of the SECURITY Subsidiaries with the SEC on or after January 1, 1994,
          together with any amendments thereto, including, when filed, the Proxy
          Statement,  together with any amendments thereto, insofar as the Proxy
          Statement  contains data and  information  with respect to SECURITY or
          any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries,  are herein sometimes  collectively
          referred to as the  "SECURITY SEC  Reports".  SECURITY has  heretofore
          delivered to RELIASTAR true and complete copies of all of the SECURITY
          SEC  Reports  that  have  been  filed  with the SEC  prior to the date
          hereof.  As of (A) with  respect to all of the  SECURITY  SEC  Reports
          other  than  registration  statements  filed  under the 1933 Act,  the
          respective  dates of their filing with the SEC and (B) with respect to
          all registration statements filed under the 1933 Act, their respective
          effective dates, the SECURITY SEC Reports complied or will comply,  as
          the  case  may  be,  in all  material  respects  with  the  rules  and
          regulations  of the SEC and did not or will  not,  as the case may be,
          contain  any untrue  statement  of a material  fact or omit to state a
          material fact  required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the
          statements made therein not misleading.

               (ii) All material  contracts  and  agreements of SECURITY and the
          SECURITY  Subsidiaries have been disclosed in the SECURITY SEC Reports
          filed with the SEC or in the SECURITY  Disclosure  Letter,  except for
          those  contracts and  agreements  not required to be filed pursuant to
          the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  SEC  and  those  contracts  and
          agreements  that have  already  been fully  performed  and as to which
          there are no material  contingent  liabilities on the part of SECURITY
          or any of the SECURITY Subsidiaries.

               (iii)  Except as  disclosed  in the  SECURITY  SEC Reports or the
          SECURITY Disclosure Letter,  none of SECURITY,  SCL, LSL or any of the
          other  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  is a party to any contract or agreement
          (or group of related contracts or agreements) that during the calendar
          year 1996 contributed more than $5 million of new life paid annualized
          premiums,  and none is a party to any  contract or  agreement  entered
          into  other  than in the  ordinary  course  of  business  in which the
          liability  of  SECURITY  and  the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  for  future
          payments exceeds $5 million in the aggregate.

               (iv) The consolidated financial statements (including any related
          notes or schedules)  included in SECURITY's Annual Report on Form 10-K
          for the year  ended  December  31,  1995  (the  "SECURITY  10-K")  and
          SECURITY's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March
          31, June 30, and September 30, 1996 (the "SECURITY  10-Qs"),  as filed
          with the SEC,  were  prepared in accordance  with  generally  accepted
          accounting  principles applied on a consistent basis (except as may be
          noted therein or in the notes or schedules thereto) and fairly present
          in  all  material  respect  the  consolidated  financial  position  of
          SECURITY and its consolidated subsidiaries as of December 31, 1994 and
          1995 and March 31,  June 30 and  September  30,  1995 and 1996 and the
          consolidated  results of their  operations  and cash flows for each of
          the three years in the  three-year  period ended December 31, 1995 and
          each of the three  months  ended March 31, 1995 and 1996,  each of the
          six months  ended June 30, 1995 and 1996,  and each of the nine months
          ended  September  30,  1995  and  1996,  subject,  in the  case of the
          unaudited  interim  financial  statements  contained  in the  SECURITY
          10-Qs, to normal year-end adjustments on a basis comparable with prior
          periods.  The accountants  who certified any financial  statements and
          supporting  schedules  included or  incorporated  by  reference in the
          SECURITY SEC Reports are independent  public  accountants with respect
          to SECURITY as required by the rules and regulations of the SEC.

               (v) The  statutory  financial  statements  of each of  SECURITY's
          Insurance  Subsidiaries  for the year ended  December 31, 1995 and for
          the quarters  ended March 31, June 30, and September 30 1996 have been
          prepared  in  accordance  with  all  material   accounting   practices
          prescribed  or  permitted  by the  National  Association  of Insurance
          Commissioners and, with respect to each such insurance subsidiary, the
          appropriate  insurance  department  of the state of  domicile  of such
          insurance subsidiary,  and such accounting practices have been applied
          on a  consistent  basis  throughout  the  period  involved,  except as
          disclosed therein. SECURITY has heretofore delivered to RELIASTAR true
          and complete copies of all such statements.

               (vi) Since  December 31, 1993,  each of SECURITY and the SECURITY
          Subsidiaries  has filed all reports and other  filings,  together with
          any amendments  required to be made with respect thereto,  that it has
          been required to file with state and other  insurance  and  securities
          regulatory authorities (the "SECURITY Insurance Filings"),  except for
          any such reports and other filings,  including any amendments thereto,
          the failure of which to file would not have a Material  Adverse Effect
          on SECURITY,  all of the SECURITY Insurance Filings filed prior to the
          date  hereof  have  complied in all  material  respects,  and all such
          filings made hereafter  prior to the Effective Time will comply in all
          material  respects,  with applicable laws, rules and regulations,  and
          there are no material open or unresolved  issues of which SECURITY has
          knowledge raised by any insurance or securities  regulatory  authority
          with respect to any of such filings.

          (f) CONDUCT OF BUSINESS IN THE ORDINARY  COURSE AND ABSENCE OF CERTAIN
     CHANGES AND EVENTS.

               (i) Except as  contemplated  by this Agreement or as disclosed in
          the SECURITY  SEC Reports  filed with the SEC prior to the date hereof
          and except for changes  resulting from (A) changes in general economic
          or market conditions, including changes in interest rates, (B) changes
          in insurance laws or regulations,  and (C) matters  affecting the life
          insurance  industry  generally,  since September 30, 1996 SECURITY and
          the SECURITY Subsidiaries have taken no action of the type referred to
          in  paragraphs  (a)  through (g) of Section 3.1 and there has not been
          any material  adverse  change in the financial  condition,  results of
          operations or  businesses  of SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries,
          taken as a whole,  and  there  has not  been any  condition,  event or
          development  that is  reasonably  expected  by SECURITY to result in a
          material  adverse  change  in  the  financial  condition,  results  of
          operations or  businesses  of SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries,
          taken as a whole,  and that would be required to be  disclosed  in the
          SECURITY  SEC Reports  under the rules and  regulations  of the SEC or
          that would be  required to be  disclosed  in  SECURITY's  consolidated
          financial  statements or the notes thereto  under  generally  accepted
          accounting principles.  SECURITY and the SECURITY Subsidiaries are not
          parties to any collective  bargaining agreement and believe that their
          relations  with their  employees  are  generally  satisfactory.  Since
          September 30, 1996, no significant labor dispute with any employees of
          SECURITY  or any of the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  or  union  organizing
          effort has existed or, to the  knowledge of  SECURITY,  is imminent or
          threatened.

               (ii) Neither SECURITY nor any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries is in
          violation  of its  charter or bylaws or in default in the  performance
          of, and no event has  occurred  that,  with notice or lapse of time or
          both,  would  constitute  a default in the  performance  of, any note,
          bond, indenture,  mortgage, deed of trust, lease,  franchise,  permit,
          authorization,  license,  contract,  instrument or other  agreement or
          commitment,  order, judgment or decree to which SECURITY or any of the
          SECURITY  Subsidiaries  is a party or by which  SECURITY or any of the
          SECURITY  Subsidiaries  or any of the assets or properties  thereof is
          bound or  encumbered,  except  for  defaults  which  would  not have a
          Material Adverse Effect on SECURITY.

          (g) CERTAIN FEES.  With the exception of the engagement by SECURITY of
     Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated,  Milliman and Robertson
     and  Ernst  &  Young  LLP,   none  of  SECURITY  or  any  of  the  SECURITY
     Subsidiaries,  or any of their respective directors,  officers,  employees,
     agents or  representatives,  on behalf of SECURITY  or any of the  SECURITY
     Subsidiaries  or their  respective  boards of  directors,  or any committee
     thereof, has employed any financial advisor,  actuary,  broker or finder or
     incurred any liability for any financial advisory, actuarial,  brokerage or
     finders'  fees  or   commissions  in  connection   with  the   transactions
     contemplated hereby.

          (h) LITIGATION.  Except as disclosed in the SECURITY SEC Reports filed
     with the SEC prior to the date  hereof,  there are no  claims  (other  than
     policy claims that are not in litigation),  actions, suits,  investigations
     or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of SECURITY, threatened against
     or affecting  SECURITY or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries or any of their
     respective  assets or  properties,  at law or in  equity,  before or by any
     Federal,  state,  municipal  or other  governmental  agency  or  authority,
     foreign or domestic,  or before any  arbitration  board or panel,  wherever
     located.

          (i) EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS.

               (i) There are no "employee  pension benefit plans", as defined in
          Section 3(2) of ERISA,  maintained  by SECURITY or any of the SECURITY
          Subsidiaries  for  the  benefit  of  their  employees   (collectively,
          "SECURITY  Pension  Plans")  except  for the  SECURITY  Pension  Plans
          disclosed in the SECURITY  Proxy  Statement  dated April 2, 1996 or in
          the SECURITY  Disclosure  Letter.  Each "employee  benefit  plan",  as
          defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA,  maintained by SECURITY,  any of the
          SECURITY  Subsidiaries  or any of  their  predecessors  (collectively,
          "SECURITY  Employee  Plans") has been  maintained and  administered in
          accordance  with its terms and complies in all material  respects with
          all applicable  requirements of ERISA,  the Code and other  applicable
          laws (except that certain SECURITY Pension Plans may not yet have been
          amended to comply with the Small  Business Job  Protection Act of 1996
          and subsequent laws and  regulations).  None of SECURITY or any of the
          SECURITY Subsidiaries nor any of their respective directors, officers,
          employees or agents has, with respect to any of the SECURITY  Employee
          Plans, engaged in any "prohibited transaction",  as defined in Section
          4975 of the Code or  Section  406 of  ERISA,  or any  conduct  that is
          reasonably expected by SECURITY to result in any taxes or penalties on
          prohibited  transactions  under  Section  4975 of the Code or  Section
          502(i) of ERISA or any liability under Section 409 of ERISA for breach
          of  fiduciary  duty  that,  individually  or  in  the  aggregate,  are
          reasonably expected by SECURITY to result in a Material Adverse Effect
          on SECURITY.

               (ii) Each of SECURITY and the SECURITY Subsidiaries has fulfilled
          its  obligations to the extent  applicable  under the minimum  funding
          requirements  of Section 302 of ERISA and Section 412 of the Code with
          respect to each of the SECURITY  Pension  Plans;  none of the SECURITY
          Pension Plans has incurred an  "accumulated  funding  deficiency",  as
          defined in Section 302 of ERISA and  Section 412 of the Code,  whether
          or not  waived;  and no  material  civil or  criminal  action or claim
          (other than  uncontested  claims for  benefits)  is pending or, to the
          knowledge of SECURITY,  threatened with respect to any of the SECURITY
          Employee Plans. Neither SECURITY nor any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries
          has,  or  within  the past  five  years  has had,  any  obligation  to
          contribute to any "multiemployer plan", as defined in Section 3(37) of
          ERISA, and neither  SECURITY nor any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries has
          incurred,  and no event has occurred that might reasonably be expected
          to  result  in,  any  material  liability  under  Title  IV  of  ERISA
          (excluding  liability  for required  premium  payments to the PBGC) in
          connection  with any such  multiemployer  plan or any of the  SECURITY
          Pension  Plans that is subject to Title IV of ERISA.  SECURITY and the
          SECURITY Subsidiaries have paid all premiums, if any, that have become
          due to the PBGC with respect to any of the SECURITY Pension Plans.

               (iii) The assets of each of the SECURITY  Pension  Plans that are
          subject to Title IV of ERISA  exceed the  present  value of vested and
          nonvested benefits accrued under such plan,  determined as of the date
          of the most  recent  actuarial  report for such plan on a  termination
          basis using the actuarial  assumptions  established  by the PBGC as in
          effect  on such  date.  The IRS has  issued a  letter  for each of the
          SECURITY  Pension Plans  determining that such plan is qualified under
          Section 401(a) of the Code and there has been no occurrence  since the
          date of any such determination letter that has adversely affected such
          qualification.

          (j) TAXES.

               (i)  All Tax  Returns  of or  relating  to any  Taxes  heretofore
          required to be filed by SECURITY or any of the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries
          have been duly filed on a timely basis,  except to the extent that any
          failure to so file would not, either individually or in the aggregate,
          have a Material  Adverse  Effect on SECURITY.  All such Tax Returns so
          filed were  complete and accurate in all  material  respects.  Each of
          SECURITY  and the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  has  paid or made  adequate
          provision  for the  payment  of all  Taxes,  including  any Taxes as a
          result of being a member of an affiliated,  consolidated,  combined or
          unitary group for any taxable  period or as a result of any obligation
          to indemnify another person,  except to the extent that any failure to
          fully pay or make  provision  for the payment of such Taxes would not,
          either  individually  or in the  aggregate,  have a  Material  Adverse
          Effect on SECURITY.

               (ii) As of the date of this  Agreement  there  are no  audits  or
          administrative  proceedings,   court  proceedings  or  claims  pending
          against SECURITY or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  with respect to
          any Taxes,  no assessment,  deficiency or adjustment has been asserted
          or, to the  knowledge  of SECURITY,  proposed  with respect to any Tax
          Return  of or  with  respect  to  SECURITY  or  any  of  the  SECURITY
          Subsidiaries  and  there are no liens  for  Taxes  upon the  assets or
          properties  of SECURITY or any of the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries,  except
          liens for Taxes not yet delinquent  and, in each case,  except for any
          audits, proceedings, claims, assessments, deficiencies, adjustments or
          liens as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on SECURITY.

               (iii) There are not in force any waivers or agreements by or with
          respect to SECURITY or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  of or for an
          extension of time for the assessment or payment of any Taxes.  Neither
          SECURITY nor any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  has received a written
          ruling  of a taxing  authority  relating  to Taxes or  entered  into a
          written and legally binding agreement with a taxing authority relating
          to Taxes that  would  have a  continuing  Material  Adverse  Effect on
          SECURITY  after the Closing Date.  Except as disclosed in the SECURITY
          Disclosure   Letter,   neither   SECURITY  nor  any  of  the  SECURITY
          Subsidiaries is required to include in income any adjustment  pursuant
          to  Section  481(a)  of the Code by reason  of a  voluntary  change in
          accounting  method  initiated  by  SECURITY  or any  of  the  SECURITY
          Subsidiaries,  and to the best  knowledge  of SECURITY the IRS has not
          proposed  any such  adjustment  or change in  accounting  method.  For
          purposes of this  Section  2.2(j),  the term  "SECURITY  Subsidiaries"
          shall include former  subsidiaries  of SECURITY for the periods during
          which any such  subsidiaries  were owned  directly  or  indirectly  by
          SECURITY.

               (iv) To the best  knowledge  of  SECURITY,  no person (a "Section
          2.2(j) Investor"), by reason of ownership of a partnership interest in
          any partnership in which SECURITY or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries
          owned or owns directly or  indirectly a partnership  interest and with
          respect to which  partnership  interests  were  issued  pursuant to an
          exemption  from the 1933 Act, has asserted any claim against  SECURITY
          or any of the SECURITY Subsidiaries with respect to Taxes, which claim
          is  derived  from such  Section  2.2(j)  Investor's  interest  in such
          partnership,  nor has any governmental  authority asserted or proposed
          any  adjustment  that  could  give  rise to such a claim.  To the best
          knowledge of SECURITY, no such claim has been threatened.

               (v) Each of SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  has withheld
          and  paid  all  Taxes  required  to have  been  withheld  and  paid in
          connection  with  amounts  paid or  owing to any  employee,  creditor,
          independent  contractor or other third party, except for any Taxes the
          failure of which to withhold or pay would not, either  individually or
          in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on SECURITY.

               (vi) Neither  SECURITY nor any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  has
          filed a consent  under  Section  341(f) of the Code.  SECURITY and the
          SECURITY  Subsidiaries  are parties to Tax  allocation and Tax sharing
          arrangements  among them, all of which  arrangements  have  heretofore
          been disclosed to RELIASTAR by SECURITY.

               (vii) No property of SECURITY or any of the SECURITY Subsidiaries
          is property  that  SECURITY  or any of the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  is
          required, or that RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries will
          be required,  to treat as owned by another person pursuant to the safe
          harbor leasing provisions (now repealed) of the Code.

          (k) INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. As of the date of this Agreement and to the
     best knowledge of SECURITY,  SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries own or
     are  otherwise  duly  authorized  or entitled  to utilize  all  trademarks,
     service  marks,  trade  names,  licenses,  designs,  copyrights,  formulas,
     processes,  patents,  or  applications  therefor,  and  other  intellectual
     property  rights as are presently used in, or necessary for, the conduct of
     the  businesses  of SECURITY  and the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  as presently
     conducted, except where the failure to have such ownership or authorization
     or entitlement  does not and would not,  individually  or in the aggregate,
     have a Material Adverse Effect on SECURITY. Since December 31, 1993, to the
     best knowledge of SECURITY there has not been any violation or infringement
     by  SECURITY  or any  of  the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  of any  intellectual
     property right of any other person, or any claim of such infringement, that
     has not been resolved and is  continuing,  and neither  SECURITY nor any of
     the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  has given to or made with any other person any
     forbearance  to sue or  settlement  for  infringement  of any  intellectual
     property right.

          (l) NO  SECURED  DEBT.  There  is  not  now,  and  there  will  not be
     immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time,  any  secured  debt  (including
     capitalized leases) of SECURITY or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries except
     for  capitalized  leases of less than $1  million  in the  aggregate  as to
     SECURITY and the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries,  the  existence of which does not
     violate the terms of any material note, bond, indenture,  mortgage, deed of
     trust,  lease,  franchise,   permit,   authorization,   license,  contract,
     instrument or other agreement or commitment to which SECURITY or any of the
     SECURITY  Subsidiaries  is a  party  or by  which  SECURITY  or  any of the
     SECURITY  Subsidiaries or any of the assets or properties  thereof is bound
     or encumbered.


          (m)ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS.

               (i) For  purposes of this  Agreement,  a "SECURITY  Environmental
          Claim"  shall  mean any  written  communication  by a person or entity
          alleging potential liability (including, without limitation, potential
          liability  for  investigatory  costs,   cleanup  costs,   governmental
          response costs, natural resource damages,  property damages,  personal
          injuries, or penalties) arising out of, based on or resulting from (i)
          the  presence,  or  release  into the  environment,  of any  Hazardous
          Substance  at any  location,  whether or not owned by  SECURITY or any
          SECURITY  Subsidiary  or (ii)  circumstances  forming the basis of any
          violation, or alleged violation, of any Environmental Law.

               (ii) Except for matters that are not reasonably  likely to have a
          Material Adverse Effect on SECURITY:

                    (A) SECURITY and each  SECURITY  Subsidiary  comply with all
               Environmental   Laws   applicable   to  the  ownership  of  their
               respective assets and the conduct of their respective businesses;

                    (B)  SECURITY  and  each  SECURITY  Subsidiary  possess  all
               licenses  and  permits   required  by  all   Environmental   Laws
               applicable  to the ownership of their  respective  assets and the
               conduct of their  respective  businesses,  and  SECURITY and each
               SECURITY  Subsidiary  comply in all  material  respects  with the
               terms and conditions of such licenses and permits;

                    (C) There is no SECURITY  Environmental Claim pending or, to
               the  knowledge of SECURITY,  threatened  against  SECURITY or any
               SECURITY  Subsidiary  or  against  any  person  or  entity  whose
               liability for such SECURITY  Environmental  Claim SECURITY or any
               SECURITY  Subsidiary  have or may have retained or assumed either
               contractually or by operation of law; and

                    (D) The property  currently owned or operated by SECURITY or
               any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries is not subject to, and SECURITY
               has no knowledge of, any restriction on the ownership, occupancy,
               use or  transferability  of such property in connection  with any
               Environmental  Law or  resulting  from  any  release,  threatened
               release or disposal of any Hazardous Substance.

          (n) OPINION OF FINANCIAL ADVISOR. The SECURITY Board has received from
     Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated a written opinion, dated
     on or  prior  to the  date  of  this  Agreement,  to the  effect  that  the
     consideration  taken  as a whole  to be  received  by the  stockholders  of
     SECURITY  in the  Merger is fair to the  stockholders  of  SECURITY  from a
     financial point of view.

          (o)  INVESTIGATION  BY  SECURITY.   SECURITY  has  conducted  its  own
     independent  review and  analysis  of the  businesses,  assets,  condition,
     operations  and prospects of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries.  In
     entering  into this  Agreement,  SECURITY  has relied  solely  upon its own
     investigation and analysis and the representations and warranties contained
     herein, and SECURITY:

               (i)   acknowledges   that  none  of   RELIASTAR,   the  RELIASTAR
          Subsidiaries  or  any  of  their   respective   directors,   officers,
          employees,   affiliates,   agents   or   representatives   makes   any
          representation  or  warranty,  either  express or  implied,  as to the
          accuracy or completeness  of any of the  information  provided or made
          available to SECURITY or their agents or representatives  prior to the
          execution of this Agreement; and

               (ii) agrees,  to the fullest extent permitted by law, and none of
          RELIASTAR,  the  RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  or any of  their  respective
          directors, officers, employees,  affiliates, agents or representatives
          shall have any liability or  responsibility  whatsoever to SECURITY on
          any basis (including,  without limitation,  in contract or tort, under
          federal  or  state  securities  laws  or  otherwise)  based  upon  any
          information  provided  or  made  available,  or  statements  made,  to
          SECURITY prior to the execution of this Agreement.

except that the foregoing shall not apply (A) to the extent  RELIASTAR makes the
specific  representations  and  warranties  set  forth  in  Section  2.1 of this
Agreement  and in  the  RELIASTAR  Disclosure  Letter,  or  (B)  to  the  extent
RELIASTAR,  the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  or any of their  respective  directors,
officers,  employees,  affiliates,  agents or representatives commits fraud with
respect to the information that it provides or makes available to SECURITY.

III. COVENANTS OF SECURITY.

     3.1 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS BY SECURITY AND SECURITY  SUBSIDIARIES  PENDING THE
MERGER.  SECURITY  covenants  and agrees with  RELIASTAR  that,  with respect to
SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries,  prior to the  Effective  Time,  unless
RELIASTAR  shall  otherwise  agree  or  as is  otherwise  contemplated  by  this
Agreement:

          (a) The businesses of SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  will be
     conducted only in, and SECURITY and the SECURITY Subsidiaries will not take
     any  material  action  except  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business  and
     consistent with prior practices.

          (b) Each of SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  will not directly
     or indirectly do any of the following:  (i) issue, sell, pledge, dispose of
     or  encumber  (A) any shares of  capital  stock of  SECURITY  or any of the
     SECURITY  Subsidiaries,  except the issuance of shares of SECURITY  capital
     stock  pursuant  to the  SECURITY  Rights  Agreement  or upon  exercise  of
     SECURITY  Options  outstanding  as of the date  hereof and  referred  to in
     Section  2.2(b)(ii),  (B) any  investment  assets of SECURITY or any of the
     SECURITY  Subsidiaries  other  than  in the  ordinary  course  of  business
     consistent  with prior  practices  or in  transactions  not in excess of $5
     million in the aggregate, or (C) any other assets or properties of SECURITY
     or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  other than in the ordinary  course of
     business and  consistent  with prior  practices or in  transactions  not in
     excess of $3 million in the  aggregate;  (ii) amend or propose to amend its
     charter or bylaws;  (iii)  split,  combine or  reclassify  any  outstanding
     capital stock,  or declare,  set aside or pay any dividend or  distribution
     payable in cash,  stock,  property or otherwise with respect to its capital
     stock whether now or hereafter  outstanding,  except for (A) cash dividends
     from one of the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  paid to SECURITY or another of the
     SECURITY  Subsidiaries and (B) regular quarterly cash dividends of not more
     than $.14 per share per  quarter on SECURITY  Common  Stock;  (iv)  redeem,
     purchase or acquire or offer to acquire any of their capital stock,  except
     pursuant to the exercise of, or the tax withholding  provisions  under, any
     outstanding  awards granted under the SECURITY Option Plan; or (v) agree or
     commit to do any of the foregoing.

          (c) Each of SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  will not directly
     or indirectly do any of the following:  (i) grant,  issue,  sell, pledge or
     dispose  of any  options,  warrants  or rights of any kind to  acquire  any
     shares of any class of capital  stock of  SECURITY  or any of the  SECURITY
     Subsidiaries  or  any  securities  that  are  convertible  or  exchangeable
     therefor;  (ii) acquire (whether by merger,  consolidation,  acquisition of
     stock  or  assets  or  otherwise)  any  corporation,  partnership  or other
     business organization or division thereof; (iii) incur any indebtedness for
     borrowed  money  or issue  any debt  securities,  except  for  intercompany
     indebtedness;  (iv) cancel any material debts or  obligations  owing to it,
     except in connection with the settlement of policy claims; (v) liquidate or
     merge  into or  consolidate  with any other  corporation;  or (vi) agree or
     commit to do any of the foregoing.

          (d) Each of  SECURITY  and the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  will not enter
     into, amend in any material respect,  terminate or waive any material right
     under any  contract or  agreement  referred  to in Clause  (iii) of Section
     2.2(e) or that would have been  disclosed  pursuant  to such clause if such
     contract or agreement  had been in effect as of the date  hereof;  provided
     however, that this Section 3.1(d) shall not prohibit SECURITY or any of the
     SECURITY  Subsidiaries  from  taking  any of the  following  actions in the
     ordinary course of business and consistent with prior practices:  accepting
     or reinsuring  insurance or annuity risks,  or entering into,  modifying or
     terminating agency contracts;  provided however, that SECURITY will consult
     with RELIASTAR  prior to  terminating  any agency  contract  referred to in
     Clause (iii) of Section 2.2(e) or that would have been  disclosed  pursuant
     to such clause if such contract had been in effect as of the date hereof.

          (e)  Other  than the  engagement  of  lawyers,  accountants  and other
     professional  advisors in the ordinary  course of business or in connection
     with the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement, each of SECURITY and
     the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  will not enter  into or amend any  employment,
     consulting,   separation   or   termination   agreement,   arrangement   or
     understanding  nor  take  any  action  with  respect  to the  grant  of any
     separation or  termination  pay or with respect to any increase of benefits
     payable under its separation or  termination  pay policies or agreements or
     arrangements in effect as of the date hereof.

          (f) Each of SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  will not (i) hire
     any new  executive  employee,  (ii) hire any new  management  employee with
     annual compensation greater than $100,000, (iii) except for replacements in
     the ordinary course of business  consistent with prior practices,  hire any
     other  new  employee,  (iv)  except  in the  ordinary  course  of  business
     consistent with prior practices, increase the compensation of any employee,
     or (v) adopt or amend  (except to comply  with  applicable  law) any bonus,
     profit   sharing,   compensation,   stock  option,   pension,   retirement,
     separation, deferred compensation or other employee benefit plan, agreement
     or trust  fund for the  benefit  or  welfare  of,  any  employee  or former
     employee.

          (g) Each of SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  will not make any
     capital  expenditure or commitment for which it is not contractually  bound
     at the date hereof except necessary  replacements in the ordinary course of
     business  consistent  with past  practices.  All capital  expenditures  and
     commitments  in  excess of  $50,000  for which  SECURITY  and the  SECURITY
     Subsidiaries  are  contractually  bound at the date hereof are disclosed in
     the SECURITY Disclosure Letter.

          (h) Subject to the provisions hereof, SECURITY will use all reasonable
     efforts (i) to preserve intact the business organization of SECURITY,  SCL,
     LSL  and  each  of  the  other  SECURITY  Subsidiaries,  including  without
     limitation  their  current  product  distribution  systems,  to maintain in
     effect any licenses, franchises,  authorizations or similar rights material
     to the  businesses  of  SECURITY  and the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries,  to keep
     available  the  services  of  their  respective  current  officers  and key
     employees and to preserve the goodwill of those having  relationships  with
     SECURITY or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries,  and (ii) to cooperate  with
     RELIASTAR  in jointly  communicating  with  SECURITY's  employees  and with
     members of SECURITY's product  distribution system,  including  independent
     contractors,   regarding  the  Merger  and  continuing   operations   after
     consummation of the Merger.

     3.2 PROXY  STATEMENT.  As promptly as  practicable  after the date  hereof,
SECURITY will  cooperate  with  RELIASTAR in drafting and will file with the SEC
under the 1934 Act, and will use all  reasonable  efforts to have cleared by the
SEC, a proxy  statement (the "Proxy  Statement")  with respect to the meeting of
stockholders of SECURITY referred to in Section 3.3, and SECURITY will cooperate
with  RELIASTAR  in  drafting  the  Registration  Statement  (of which the Proxy
Statement  is a part).  The Proxy  Statement  (as it relates to  SECURITY)  will
comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act
and the rules and regulations of the SEC, and the  Registration  Statement (with
respect  to  information   concerning  SECURITY  or  the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries
furnished by or on behalf of SECURITY to RELIASTAR specifically for use therein)
and the Proxy Statement (except with respect to data and information  concerning
RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries furnished by or on behalf of RELIASTAR
to SECURITY  specifically for use therein) will not contain any untrue statement
of a  material  fact or omit to state a  material  fact  required  to be  stated
therein or necessary to make the statements made therein not misleading. Subject
to the  provisions  of  Section  3.4,  the  Proxy  Statement  will  contain  the
recommendation  of the SECURITY Board that the  stockholders of SECURITY vote to
approve and adopt the Merger and this  Agreement.  SECURITY will promptly notify
RELIASTAR in writing if prior to the Effective Time it shall obtain knowledge of
any fact that  would  make it  necessary  to amend the Proxy  Statement  (or the
Registration  Statement)  in order to render the  statements  made  therein  not
misleading or to comply with applicable law.  SECURITY will promptly  furnish to
RELIASTAR a true and  complete  copy of each written  communication  of SECURITY
with the SEC with  respect  to the  Proxy  Statement  and will  promptly  advise
RELIASTAR of the substance of each such oral communication.

     3.3 MEETING OF  STOCKHOLDERS  OF  SECURITY.  Subject to the  provisions  of
Section  3.4, as soon as  practicable  after the date  hereof,  SECURITY and the
SECURITY  Board  will (i) take  all  action  necessary  in  accordance  with the
Delaware  Law and its  certificate  of  incorporation  and  bylaws to  convene a
meeting of its  stockholders  to consider and vote upon approval and adoption of
the Merger and this Agreement,  (ii) recommend that the stockholders of SECURITY
vote to approve  and adopt the Merger and this  Agreement,  (iii) mail the Proxy
Statement  to its  stockholders,  (iv) use  commercially  reasonable  efforts to
solicit from its stockholders proxies in favor of such approval and adoption and
(v) take all other commercially reasonable action necessary or helpful to secure
a vote of its stockholders in favor of such approval and adoption.

     3.4 NO SOLICITATION OF ACQUISITION TRANSACTIONS.  After the date hereof and
prior to the Effective  Time or earlier  termination of this  Agreement,  unless
RELIASTAR shall  otherwise  agree in writing,  SECURITY shall not, and shall not
permit  any of the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  to,  initiate,  solicit,  negotiate,
encourage,  or provide  confidential  information  or access to the  properties,
books or records of SECURITY or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries to facilitate,
and SECURITY shall, and shall cause each of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries to, cause
each officer,  director or employee of, and each  financial  advisor,  attorney,
accountant  or  other  agent  retained  by,  SECURITY  or any  of  the  SECURITY
Subsidiaries,  not  to  initiate,  solicit,  negotiate,  encourage,  or  provide
confidential  information  or  access to the  properties,  books or  records  of
SECURITY or any of the  SECURITY  Subsidiaries  to  facilitate,  any proposal or
offer to acquire all or any  substantial  part of the business and properties of
SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, or any capital stock
of SECURITY or any of the SECURITY Subsidiaries,  whether by merger, purchase of
assets, tender offer or otherwise, and whether for cash, securities or any other
consideration  or  combination  thereof  (such  transactions,  exclusive  of  an
acquisition of assets that does not constitute  substantially  all of the assets
of SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  taken as a whole,  being referred to
herein as "Acquisition Transactions"); provided, however, that:

          (i)  SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  may furnish  information
     concerning  their  business,   properties  or  assets  and  access  to  the
     properties,  books and records of SECURITY and the SECURITY Subsidiaries to
     a corporation,  partnership,  person or other entity or group (a "Potential
     Acquirer") if (A) the SECURITY  Board is advised by its  financial  advisor
     that such Potential Acquirer has the financial wherewithal to consummate an
     Acquisition  Transaction  whose offer of  consideration  is superior to the
     consideration  offered in the Merger,  (B) the SECURITY Board determines in
     good faith  that such  Potential  Acquirer  is likely to submit a BONA FIDE
     offer to consummate an Acquisition Transaction whose offer of consideration
     is superior  to the  consideration  offered in the Merger if provided  with
     such  confidential  information  and  access,  (C) upon  advice of  Murtha,
     Cullina,  Richter  and Pinney or other  outside  counsel  knowledgeable  in
     corporate  fiduciary  matters,  the SECURITY Board determines in good faith
     that the failure to provide such confidential  information and access could
     reasonably be expected to constitute a breach of its fiduciary  duty to the
     SECURITY  stockholders under applicable law, and (D) the Potential Acquirer
     has  negotiated  with,  signed and delivered to SECURITY a  confidentiality
     agreement  in  customary  form  (the  "Potential  Acquirer  Confidentiality
     Agreement"); and

          (ii) following receipt of a BONA FIDE offer from a Potential  Acquirer
     who meets  the  requirements  of Clause  (i)(A)  above and has  executed  a
     Potential Acquirer Confidentiality  Agreement, and whose offer the SECURITY
     Board  determines  in good faith  provides  consideration  superior  to the
     consideration  offered in the Merger,  SECURITY  may,  with respect to such
     Potential  Acquirer,  negotiate  and  take  any  of the  actions  otherwise
     prohibited by this Section 3.4 if, upon advice of Murtha, Cullina,  Richter
     and Pinney or other outside counsel  knowledgeable  in corporate  fiduciary
     matters,  the SECURITY  Board  determines in good faith that the failure to
     negotiate with such Potential  Acquirer would likely constitute a breach of
     its fiduciary duty to the SECURITY stockholders under applicable law.

In the event  SECURITY shall  determine to provide any  information or access as
described  above,  or shall  receive  any offer of the type  referred to in this
Section 3.4, it shall  concurrently give notice to RELIASTAR as to the fact that
information  or access is to be provided and the nature of the  information  and
access to be provided or that an offer has been  received  and shall  furnish to
RELIASTAR  the identity of the  recipient of such  information  or access or the
proponent of such offer,  if applicable,  and, if an offer has been received,  a
description of the material terms thereof.  SECURITY may enter into a definitive
agreement for an Acquisition Transaction with a Potential Acquirer with which it
is  permitted  to  negotiate  pursuant to this  Section 3.4 and  consummate  the
transactions  contemplated  thereby,  provided that at least three days prior to
execution thereof SECURITY shall have furnished  RELIASTAR with a description of
all of the material terms thereof. Upon compliance with the foregoing,  SECURITY
shall be entitled to not recommend,  or to modify or withdraw its recommendation
concerning,  the  Merger,  and  SECURITY  shall be  entitled  to  enter  into an
agreement with the Potential Acquirer concerning an Acquisition  Transaction and
consummate the transactions  contemplated thereby; provided however, that in any
such event SECURITY shall immediately  terminate this Agreement and make payment
in full to RELIASTAR of the fee set forth in Section 5.2.

     3.5 ACCESS TO  INFORMATION;  CONFIDENTIALITY.  From the date  hereof to the
Effective  Time,  (i) each of SECURITY and the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  will, and
their respective  directors,  officers,  employees,  agents and  representatives
will, afford the officers,  employees,  agents and  representatives of RELIASTAR
reasonable   access  at  all  reasonable  times  to  the  officers,   employees,
representatives,  properties,  books and  records of SECURITY  and the  SECURITY
Subsidiaries,  and to the books and records of any  predecessors  thereof in the
possession of SECURITY or any of the SECURITY Subsidiaries,  and will furnish to
RELIASTAR all financial,  operating and other data and information as RELIASTAR,
through its officers, employees or representatives,  may reasonably request, and
(ii)  SECURITY  will  cooperate  with  RELIASTAR  personnel  to  facilitate  the
transition from preclosing operations to postclosing operations;  provided that,
notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  no person shall have access to  information or
documents  subject to the  attorney/client  privilege  between  SECURITY and its
counsel to the extent  that  providing  such  access  would,  in the  opinion of
counsel to SECURITY,  constitute a waiver of such privilege.  SECURITY agrees to
hold in confidence all, and not to disclose to others for any reason  whatsoever
any, non-public  information received by it pursuant to Section 4.4 or otherwise
in connection with the transactions  contemplated hereby, except (a) as required
by law,  (b) for  disclosure  to  directors,  officers,  employees,  agents  and
representatives  as necessary to the Merger or as necessary to the  operation of
its and RELIASTAR's  businesses,  and (c) for information  that becomes publicly
available  other than through  SECURITY or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  or
their respective directors,  officers, employees, agents or representatives.  In
the event that this Agreement is terminated,  upon receipt of a written  request
from  RELIASTAR,  SECURITY  will return to  RELIASTAR  all  documents  and other
material  (and  all  copies  thereof)  obtained  from  RELIASTAR  or  any of the
RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries in connection with the transactions  contemplated hereby
and will destroy all documents and other material prepared by SECURITY or any of
the SECURITY Subsidiaries,  or their respective directors,  officers, employees,
agents  and  representatives,  that  reflect  any  such  non-public  information
received by any of them in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby.

     3.6 DISSENTERS' RIGHTS. SECURITY will not take any action that would affect
its  stockholders'  appraisal  rights  with  respect  to the Merger or the other
transactions contemplated hereby under the Delaware Law.

     3.7 TAX CERTIFICATE. Immediately prior to the Effective Time, SECURITY will
deliver  a   certificate   to   RELIASTAR   and  its  tax  counsel   making  the
representations  and  warranties  substantially  in the form attached  hereto as
Exhibit 3.7.

     3.8  AMENDMENT TO RIGHTS PLAN.  Prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement,  the Board of  Directors of SECURITY  authorized  an amendment to the
SECURITY  Rights  Agreement  to provide  that (i)  RELIASTAR  will not become an
"Acquiring  Person"  as  a  result  of  the  consummation  of  the  transactions
contemplated  by  this   Agreement,   (ii)  no  "Stock   Acquisition   Date"  or
"Distribution Date" (as such terms are defined in the SECURITY Rights Agreement)
will occur as a result of the consummation of the  transactions  contemplated by
this Agreement, and (iii) all outstanding SECURITY Rights issued and outstanding
under  the  SECURITY  Rights  Agreement  will  expire  immediately  prior to the
Effective  Time.  As soon as  reasonably  practicable  after  the  date  hereof,
SECURITY  shall cause said  amendment  to be  documented  and to be executed and
delivered  as of the date  hereof.  Anything in this  Agreement  to the contrary
notwithstanding,  SECURITY  shall  have the right at any time  after the date of
this  Agreement and prior to the Effective  Time to further  amend,  or take any
other action with respect to, the SECURITY Rights  Agreement as deemed necessary
by  SECURITY;  provided  that any such  further  action or  amendment  shall not
contravene the amendment contemplated by this Section 3.8.


IV.  COVENANTS OF RELIASTAR.

     4.1 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS BY RELIASTAR AND RELIASTAR SUBSIDIARIES PENDING THE
MERGER.  RELIASTAR  covenants  and agrees with  SECURITY  that,  with respect to
RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,  prior to the Effective Time,  unless
SECURITY  shall  otherwise  agree  or  as  is  otherwise  contemplated  by  this
Agreement:

          (a) The businesses of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries will be
     conducted  only in, and RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  will not
     take any  material  action  except in the  ordinary  course of business and
     consistent with prior practices.

          (b) Each of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries will not directly
     or indirectly do any of the following:  (i) issue, sell, pledge, dispose of
     or  encumber  (A) any shares of capital  stock of  RELIASTAR  or any of the
     RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,  except the  issuance of RELIASTAR  capital  stock
     pursuant to the RELIASTAR DRIP,  pursuant to the RELIASTAR Rights Agreement
     or upon the  exercise  of options  referred to in Section  2.1(b)(ii),  and
     further  except for the issuance of RELIASTAR  capital  stock with a market
     value not in excess of $50 million,  (B) any investment assets of RELIASTAR
     or any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  other than in the ordinary course of
     business and  consistent  with prior  practices or in  transactions  not in
     excess  of $50  million  in the  aggregate,  or (C)  any  other  assets  or
     properties of RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries other than in
     the  ordinary  course of business  consistent  with prior  practices  or in
     transactions  not in excess of $30 million in the aggregate;  (ii) amend or
     propose to amend its  charter or bylaws  (provided  that this  Clause  (ii)
     shall  not  prohibit  any  increase  in the  authorized  capital  stock  of
     RELIASTAR or any change in the par value of RELIASTAR capital stock); (iii)
     combine or reclassify  any  outstanding  capital stock  (provided that this
     Clause (iii) shall not prohibit a stock  split),  or declare,  set aside or
     pay any  dividend  or  distribution  payable in cash,  stock,  property  or
     otherwise  with  respect to its  capital  stock  whether  now or  hereafter
     outstanding,  except  for (A)  cash  dividends  from  one of the  RELIASTAR
     Subsidiaries  to RELIASTAR or another of the  RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,  (B)
     regular  cash  dividends  on  RELIASTAR's  preferred  stock and (C) regular
     quarterly  cash  dividends on RELIASTAR  Common Stock of not more than $.33
     per share per quarter on RELIASTAR  Common Stock;  (iv) except as described
     in the RELIASTAR Disclosure Letter, redeem, purchase or acquire or offer to
     acquire any of their capital stock; or (v) agree or commit to do any of the
     foregoing.

          (c) Each of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries will not directly
     or  indirectly  do any of the  following:  (i) except  pursuant to existing
     agreements and plans referred to in Section 2.1(b)(ii), grant, issue, sell,
     pledge or dispose of any options, warrants or rights of any kind to acquire
     shares of any class of capital  stock of RELIASTAR or any of the  RELIASTAR
     Subsidiaries  or  any  securities  that  are  convertible  or  exchangeable
     therefor;   (ii)  acquire   (whether  by  way  of  merger,   consolidation,
     acquisition of stock or assets or otherwise) any  corporation,  partnership
     or other business  organization or division  thereof with gross revenues in
     excess of $35  million  during its last fiscal year or a net asset value in
     excess of $50 million if, after giving effect to any such acquisition,  the
     aggregate  consideration  paid by RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries
     for all such  acquisitions  between the date hereof and the Effective  Time
     would exceed $50 million;  (iii) incur any  indebtedness for borrowed money
     or issue any debt securities,  except under (A) the $200 million commercial
     paper program and related credit  agreement  among Chase Manhattan Bank (as
     successor to Chemical  Bank),  as agent,  the lenders  named  therein,  and
     ReliaStar  Mortgage  Corporation,  which is  guaranteed  by ReliaStar  Life
     Insurance  Company,  which commercial paper program may be increased by $50
     million, (B) the loan agreement between First Bank National Association and
     ReliaStar  Mortgage  Corporation,  which is  guaranteed  by ReliaStar  Life
     Insurance  Company,  providing for a $75 million credit  facility,  (C) the
     loan  agreement  between  Chase  Manhattan  Bank (as  successor to Chemical
     Bank), as agent, the lenders named therein, and RELIASTAR,  providing for a
     $75 million credit facility, (D) the loan agreement between Allomon Funding
     and  RELIASTAR  providing  for a  $25  million  credit  facility,  (E)  the
     overdraft line provided by Zapp Bank to PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc.,
     which is guaranteed by RELIASTAR, in the amount of $2 million, (F) the loan
     agreement  between  Bankers Trust and PrimeVest  Financial  Services,  Inc.
     providing  for a $5  million  credit  facility,  (G) the  agent  debt  line
     provided to Northern Life Insurance Company by SeaFirst in the amount of $8
     million,  (H)  intercompany  loans  and  advances,  (I)  additional  credit
     facilities  and  debt  securities  in the  aggregate  amount  of up to $150
     million,  and  (J) any  refinancings  of the  foregoing;  (iv)  cancel  any
     material  debts or obligations  owing to it, except in connection  with the
     settlement of policy  claims;  (v)  liquidate or merge into or  consolidate
     with  any  other  corporation;  or (vi)  agree or  commit  to do any of the
     foregoing.

          (d)  Subject  to  the  provisions  hereof,   RELIASTAR  will  use  all
     reasonable  efforts (i) to preserve  intact the  business  organization  of
     RELIASTAR  and  each  of  the  RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,  including  without
     limitation  their  current  product  distribution  systems,  to maintain in
     effect any licenses, franchises,  authorizations or similar rights material
     to the  businesses  of  RELIASTAR  and the  RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  and to
     preserve the goodwill of those having  relationships  with RELIASTAR or any
     of the  RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  and (ii) to  cooperate  with  SECURITY  in
     jointly  communicating  with  SECURITY's  employees  and  with  members  of
     SECURITY's product distribution system,  including independent contractors,
     regarding the Merger and continuing  operations  after  consummation of the
     Merger.

     4.2 PROXY  STATEMENT.  As promptly as  practicable  after the date  hereof,
RELIASTAR  will  cooperate  with SECURITY in drafting the Proxy  Statement.  The
Proxy  Statement (as it relates to RELIASTAR)  will not contain (with respect to
data  and  information  concerning  RELIASTAR  and  the  RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries
furnished by or on behalf of RELIASTAR to SECURITY specifically for use therein)
any  untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or omit to  state a  material  fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the  statements  made therein
not  misleading.  RELIASTAR will promptly notify SECURITY in writing if prior to
the  Effective  Time it shall  obtain  knowledge  of any fact that would make it
necessary to amend the Proxy  Statement in order to render the  statements  made
therein not misleading or to comply with applicable law.

     4.3  REGISTRATION  STATEMENT.  As  promptly as  practicable  after the date
hereof,  RELIASTAR  will  file  with  the  SEC  a  registration  statement  (the
"Registration Statement") on an appropriate form under the 1933 Act with respect
to the offering, sale and delivery of the shares of RELIASTAR Common Stock to be
issued pursuant to the Merger,  and RELIASTAR will use all reasonable efforts to
cause such Registration Statement to become effective as promptly as practicable
after  filing and to cause the  shares of  RELIASTAR  Common  Stock to be issued
pursuant  to the  Merger to be duly  listed  for  trading  on the New York Stock
Exchange. RELIASTAR will also use all reasonable efforts to take action required
to be taken under  state  securities  laws in  connection  with the  issuance of
RELIASTAR Common Stock pursuant to the Merger.  The Registration  Statement will
comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act
and the 1934 Act and the  rules  and  regulations  of the SEC and  (except  with
respect  to  data  and   information   concerning   SECURITY  and  the  SECURITY
Subsidiaries furnished by or on behalf of SECURITY to RELIASTAR specifically for
use therein) will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to
state a material  fact  required to be stated  therein or  necessary to make the
statements made therein not misleading.  RELIASTAR will advise SECURITY promptly
in writing if prior to the Effective Time it shall obtain  knowledge of any fact
that would make it  necessary  to amend the  Registration  Statement in order to
render the statements  made therein not misleading or to comply with  applicable
law.  RELIASTAR  will  promptly  furnish to SECURITY a true and complete copy of
each  written  communication  of  RELIASTAR  with  the SEC with  respect  to the
Registration  Statement  and will promptly  advise  SECURITY of the substance of
each such oral communication.


     4.4 ACCESS TO  INFORMATION;  CONFIDENTIALITY.  From the date  hereof to the
Effective Time, each of RELIASTAR and the RELIASTAR Subsidiaries will, and their
respective  directors,  officers,  employees,  agents and representatives  will,
afford  the  officers,   employees,   agents  and  representatives  of  SECURITY
reasonable   access  at  all  reasonable  times  to  the  officers,   employees,
representatives,  properties,  books and records of RELIASTAR  and the RELIASTAR
Subsidiaries,  and the books and  records  of any  predecessors  thereof  in the
possession of RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,  and will furnish
to SECURITY all financial, operating and other data and information as SECURITY,
through its officers,  employees or  representatives,  may  reasonably  request;
provided,  that,  notwithstanding the foregoing,  no person shall have access to
information  or  documents  subject  to the  attorney/client  privilege  between
RELIASTAR and its counsel to the extent that providing such access would, in the
opinion  of  counsel  to  RELIASTAR,  constitute  a  waiver  of such  privilege.
RELIASTAR  agrees to hold in  confidence  all, and not to disclose to others for
any reason  whatsoever any,  non-public  information  received by it pursuant to
Section  3.5 or  otherwise  in  connection  with the  transactions  contemplated
hereby,  except  (a) as  required  by law,  (b)  for  disclosure  to  directors,
officers, employees, agents and representatives as necessary to the Merger or as
necessary  to the  operation  of its  and  SECURITY's  businesses,  and  (c) for
information that becomes publicly  available other than through RELIASTAR or any
of  the  RELIASTAR   Subsidiaries  or  their  respective  directors,   officers,
employees,  agents or  representatives.  In the event  that  this  Agreement  is
terminated,  upon receipt of a written  request from  SECURITY,  RELIASTAR  will
return to SECURITY all  documents and other  material  (and all copies  thereof)
obtained from SECURITY or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries  in connection  with
the  transactions  contemplated  hereby and will destroy all documents and other
material  prepared by RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,  or their
respective  directors,  officers,  employees,  agents and representatives,  that
reflect any such  non-public  information  received by any of them in connection
with the transactions contemplated hereby.

     4.5  RESERVATION OF RELIASTAR  CAPITAL STOCK.  Prior to the Effective Time,
RELIASTAR shall reserve for issuance, out of its authorized but unissued capital
stock,  (a) such number of shares of  RELIASTAR  Common Stock as may be issuable
upon consummation of the Merger (taking into  consideration the number of shares
of SECURITY  Common Stock that may be issuable  pursuant to Sections  2.2(b)(ii)
and 4.9) and (b) such number of shares of RELIASTAR  Junior  Preferred  Stock as
may be  necessary  for the  Rights to attach to the shares of  RELIASTAR  Common
Stock referred to in Clause (a) of this Section 4.5.

     4.6 TAX  CERTIFICATE.  Immediately  prior to the Effective Time,  RELIASTAR
will  deliver  a  certificate  to  SECURITY  and  its  tax  counsel  making  the
representations  and  warranties  substantially  in the form attached  hereto as
Exhibit 4.6.

     4.7 EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.

          (a)  Without  limiting  the  obligations  of  RELIASTAR  to assume any
     SECURITY employee benefit plan,  program,  policy,  contract,  agreement or
     arrangement  as may  arise  by  operation  of law,  at the  Effective  Time
     RELIASTAR  will  assume all  SECURITY  employee  benefit  plans,  programs,
     policies, contracts, agreements and arrangements (the "SECURITY Plans") and
     shall  succeed to all rights of SECURITY as the  employer or sponsor  under
     the SECURITY  Plans to amend,  modify or terminate  the same in  accordance
     with  their  terms  and  applicable  law,  except to the  extent  otherwise
     expressly provided in Exhibit 4.7(b) hereto.

          (b)  Following  the  Effective  Time,  RELIASTAR  agrees to furnish to
     employees who are employees of SECURITY or any of the SECURITY Subsidiaries
     the employee benefit plans,  programs,  policies and arrangements set forth
     in Exhibit 4.7(b) hereto (the "RELIASTAR  Plans"),  subject,  except to the
     extent otherwise expressly provided in Exhibit 4.7(b) hereto, to its rights
     as the employer or sponsor  under the RELIASTAR  Plans to amend,  modify or
     terminate the same in accordance with their terms and applicable law.

          (c)  Nothing  contained  in  this  Section  4.7 or  elsewhere  in this
     Agreement shall confer,  or be deemed to confer,  upon any person who is an
     employee of RELIASTAR or any of the RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries  or of SECURITY
     or any of the SECURITY  Subsidiaries any rights to continued employment or,
     except as expressly  provided in Exhibit 4.7(b) hereto,  to continuation of
     any benefit  plans,  programs,  policies  or  arrangements,  including  the
     SECURITY Plans and the RELIASTAR Plans,  for any particular  period of time
     following consummation of the Merger.

     4.8 INDEMNIFICATION.

          (a) RELIASTAR  agrees that from and after the  Effective  Time it will
     assume and honor the indemnification obligations (including any obligations
     relating to the  advancement  of expenses) of SECURITY set forth in Article
     Eleventh of the  Certificate of  Incorporation  of SECURITY as in effect on
     the date  hereof  with  respect to any and all  persons  described  in such
     charter  provision (the  "indemnitees") as to any matter arising out of any
     action or  omission  of any such  indemnitee  prior to the  Effective  Time
     (including without limitation  indemnification  for any claim that is based
     upon,  arises out of or in any way relates to the Merger,  the Registration
     Statement,  the Proxy Statement,  this Agreement or any of the transactions
     contemplated  hereby)  and that such  indemnitees  shall be entitled to the
     full benefits of, and RELIASTAR  shall be bound by, such charter  provision
     as though such charter  provision  continued in full force and effect after
     the  Effective  Time as an  obligation  of  RELIASTAR  with respect to such
     matters.

          (b) RELIASTAR agrees that for a period of six years from and after the
     Effective  Time it will  maintain and cause to remain in effect the current
     directors'  and  officers'   liability  insurance  policies  maintained  by
     SECURITY or any SECURITY  Subsidiary  with  respect to claims  arising from
     facts or events which occurred at or before the Effective  Time;  provided,
     however,  that RELIASTAR may substitute therefor new or additional policies
     of at least  the  same  coverage  and  amounts  and  containing  terms  and
     conditions no less advantageous than such current  directors' and officers'
     liability insurance policies.

          (c) In the event  RELIASTAR  or any of its  successors  or assigns (i)
     reorganizes  or  consolidates  with or merges into or enters  into  another
     business combination transaction with any other person or entity and is not
     the  resulting,  continuing  or  surviving  corporation  or  entity of such
     consolidation,  merger or  transaction,  or (ii)  liquidates,  dissolves or
     transfers  all or  substantially  all of its  properties  and assets to any
     person or entity,  then, and in each such case,  proper  provision shall be
     made so that the successors and assigns of RELIASTAR assume the obligations
     set forth in this Section 4.8.

          (d) This Section 4.8 shall be construed as an  agreement,  as to which
     the  indemnitees  are  intended to be  third-party  beneficiaries,  between
     RELIASTAR and such  indemnitees  as  unaffiliated  third parties and is not
     subject  to  any   limitations  to  which   RELIASTAR  may  be  subject  in
     indemnifying its own directors or officers or other persons.

     4.9 SECURITY OPTIONS.

          (a) Upon and after the Effective Time each unexercised SECURITY Option
     outstanding  immediately  prior to the  Effective  Time will be  assumed by
     RELIASTAR  in a  manner  that  will  cause  RELIASTAR  to be a  corporation
     "assuming a stock option in a transaction to which Section 424(a)  applies"
     within the meaning of Section  422(a)(2) of the Code or, to the extent that
     Section 422 of the Code does not apply to the option, would cause RELIASTAR
     to be such a corporation if Section 422 of the Code were  applicable to the
     option.  The SECURITY Options assumed by RELIASTAR will be exercisable upon
     the same terms and conditions as under the applicable  SECURITY Option Plan
     or  the  governing  option   agreements   (taking  into  account,   without
     limitation,  provisions under which the  exercisability of options would be
     accelerated on account of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby),  as the
     case may be,  except  that (i) the  option  shall be  exercisable  for that
     number of shares of RELIASTAR  Common as would have been received  pursuant
     to  Section  1.6(b) at the  Effective  Time of the Merger for the shares of
     SECURITY Common Stock subject to the option had the option been exercisable
     and exercised  immediately  prior to the Effective Time, and any fractional
     share of RELIASTAR  Common Stock shall be settled at the time the option is
     exercised  by a cash  payment  equal  to the  fair  market  value  of  such
     fractional  share,  and (iii)  the  exercise  price per share of  RELIASTAR
     Common  Stock  issuable  upon the exercise of the option shall be an amount
     equal to the option price per share of the SECURITY  Common Stock in effect
     immediately  prior to the Effective  Time,  divided by the Exchange  Ratio,
     rounded  upward to the nearest full cent;  provided  that in no event shall
     the Merger be deemed an event that terminates the option.

          (b) No later than 90 days after the  Effective  Time,  RELIASTAR  will
     file and use all reasonable efforts to obtain  effectiveness under the 1933
     Act of one or more registration statements on Form S-8, or other applicable
     form,  in respect of shares of RELIASTAR  Common Stock into which  SECURITY
     Options that have been  converted  under this Section 4.9 are  exercisable.
     RELIASTAR  further  agrees  to use all  reasonable  efforts  to  keep  such
     registration  statement  or  statements  effective by means of all required
     supplements  or  amendments  thereto  until all shares of RELIASTAR  Common
     Stock issuable upon exercise of such SECURITY Options have been issued upon
     exercise thereof or such options have terminated, as the case may be.

     4.10 TAX  MATTERS.  Following  the  Merger,  RELIASTAR  will  continue  the
historic business of SECURITY and the SECURITY Subsidiaries or use a significant
portion of the  historic  business  assets  thereof in a business,  in each case
within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.368-1(d).

V.   MUTUAL COVENANTS.

     5.1  EXPENSES.  All costs and  expenses  incurred in  connection  with this
Agreement  and the  transactions  contemplated  hereby will be paid by the party
incurring such costs and expenses.


     5.2 REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES; SECURITY FEE.

          (a) If (i)  there has been no  material  breach  by  RELIASTAR  of the
     representations,  warranties,  covenants and agreements of RELIASTAR  under
     this Agreement (a "Material  Breach") and (ii) this Agreement is terminated
     pursuant to Section 7.1(g) or (k), then SECURITY will promptly  thereafter,
     but in no event later than three  business  days after  receiving a written
     request by RELIASTAR therefor, pay to RELIASTAR a fee of $8 million.

          (b) If (i) there has been no Material  Breach and (ii) this  Agreement
     is  terminated  pursuant to Section  7.1(c),  then  SECURITY  will promptly
     thereafter,  but in no event later than three business days after receiving
     a written  request by RELIASTAR  therefor,  pay to RELIASTAR  the amount of
     $2.5 million to reimburse RELIASTAR for its expenses incurred in connection
     with this Agreement and the  transactions  contemplated  hereby.  If at the
     time this  Agreement is terminated  pursuant to Section  7.1(c),  or at any
     time within 90 days  thereafter an Acquisition  Proposal (as defined below)
     is outstanding and the Acquisition  Proposal,  as it may be modified,  or a
     substitute,  alternative  or other  Acquisition  Proposal,  is  consummated
     within 12 months  after this  Agreement is  terminated  pursuant to Section
     7.1(c),  then  SECURITY will at the time of such  consummation  or promptly
     thereafter,  but in no event later than three business days after receiving
     a written request from RELIASTAR  therefor,  pay to RELIASTAR a fee of $5.5
     million.   As  used  herein,   an  "Acquisition   Proposal"  shall  mean  a
     publicly-announced  offer, or a publicly-announced intent to make an offer,
     from a party other than RELIASTAR or its affiliates, to acquire SECURITY or
     SCL  in  a  merger,   consolidation,   share  exchange  or  other  business
     combination or joint venture,  to acquire all or  substantially  all of the
     assets of SECURITY or SCL or a  substantial  part of the assets of SECURITY
     and the SECURITY Insurance Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or to acquire at
     least 50% of the  outstanding  SECURITY Common Stock or at least 50% of the
     equity interests in the SECURITY  Insurance  Subsidiaries,  or a negotiated
     transaction for any of the foregoing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the
     event that this  Agreement is  terminated  pursuant to Section  7.1(c) at a
     time when either  party would have the right to  terminate  this  Agreement
     pursuant to Section 7.1(g) or 7.1(k), then such termination shall be deemed
     to be a termination under Section 7.1(g) or (k), as the case may be, no fee
     shall be payable  pursuant to this Section  5.2(b),  and the fee payable by
     SECURITY shall be as set forth in Section 5.2(a).

     5.3 ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS.  In accordance with the terms and subject to the
conditions  hereof,  each of the  parties  hereto  agrees to use all  reasonable
efforts  to take,  or cause to be taken,  all  action  and to do, or cause to be
done,  all things  necessary,  proper or advisable to fulfill the conditions and
consummate  and make  effective  as promptly  as  practicable  the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.


     5.4  NOTIFICATION OF CERTAIN  MATTERS.  SECURITY will give prompt notice to
RELIASTAR,  and  RELIASTAR  will  give  prompt  notice to  SECURITY,  of (i) the
occurrence,  or failure to occur, of any event which occurrence or failure would
be likely to cause any representation or warranty contained in this Agreement to
be untrue or inaccurate in any material respect at any time from the date hereof
to the Effective  Time, and (ii) any material  failure of SECURITY or RELIASTAR,
or any director,  officer,  employee, agent or representative thereof, to comply
with or satisfy any  covenant,  condition or  agreement  to be complied  with or
satisfied by it hereunder.


     5.5  AGREEMENT  TO  DEFEND.   In  the  event  any  claim,   action,   suit,
investigation or other  proceeding by any  governmental  body or other person or
other  legal or  administrative  proceeding  is  commenced  that  questions  the
validity or legality of the transactions contemplated hereby or seeks damages in
connection  therewith,  whether before or after the Effective  Time, the parties
hereto agree to cooperate and use all  reasonable  efforts to defend against and
respond thereto.

     5.6  COMPLIANCE  WITH HSR ACT.  Each of RELIASTAR and SECURITY will use all
reasonable  efforts to (i) file as promptly as possible  and in any event within
20 days after the date of this  Agreement with the Department of Justice and the
Federal Trade Commission any premerger notification required of it under the HSR
Act, (ii) respond  promptly to any inquiries  from the  Department of Justice or
the Federal Trade  Commission in connection with the  transactions  contemplated
hereby,  and (iii) obtain the  earliest  possible  termination  or waiver of any
applicable HSR Act waiting period.


     5.7  SECURITIES   LAWS.   RELIASTAR  and  SECURITY   acknowledge  that  the
transactions  contemplated  hereby are subject to the provisions of the 1933 Act
and Rule 145  thereunder  and of the 1934 Act.  Each of  RELIASTAR  and SECURITY
agrees to provide promptly to the other such data and information concerning its
financial condition,  assets and properties,  affairs, operations and businesses
as may be required or appropriate for inclusion in the Registration Statement or
in  the  Proxy  Statement  and  to  cause  its  counsel,   investment  advisors,
accountants  and  actuaries to cooperate  with the other's  counsel,  investment
advisors,  accountants  and  actuaries in the  preparation  of the  Registration
Statement and the Proxy Statement.  Each of RELIASTAR and SECURITY agrees to use
its reasonable  efforts to have the Registration  Statement  declared  effective
under the 1933 Act as soon as may be  practicable.  Upon the  declaration of the
effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement and subject to the  provisions of
this  Agreement  and the  receipt of the letters and  opinions  contemplated  by
Sections 6.2(d),  6.2(h), 6.3(c) and 6.3(f),  SECURITY will distribute the Proxy
Statement to the  stockholders  of SECURITY not less than 25 business days prior
to the meeting of stockholders  of SECURITY.  RELIASTAR shall not be required to
maintain the  effectiveness  of the  Registration  Statement  for the purpose of
resale by stockholders of SECURITY who may be "affiliates"  pursuant to Rule 145
under the 1933 Act.

VI.  CONDITIONS.

     6.1  CONDITIONS  TO  OBLIGATIONS  OF EACH PARTY TO EFFECT THE  MERGER.  The
respective  obligations  of each  party  hereto  to  effect  the  Merger  and to
consummate  the other  transactions  contemplated  hereby will be subject to the
fulfillment at or prior to the Closing of the following conditions:

          (a) The Merger and this Agreement shall have been approved and adopted
     by the requisite  vote of the  stockholders  of SECURITY as required by law
     and by any applicable  provisions of its certificate of  incorporation  and
     bylaws.

          (b) The waiting period (and any extension  thereof)  applicable to the
     consummation  of the Merger  under the HSR Act shall  have  expired or been
     terminated.

          (c) No order  shall  have  been  entered  and  remain in effect in any
     action  or  proceeding  before  any  foreign,  Federal  or  state  court or
     governmental  agency  or other  foreign,  Federal  or state  regulatory  or
     administrative  agency or commission that would prevent or make illegal the
     consummation of the Merger.

          (d)  The   Registration   Statement   shall  be  effective,   and  all
     post-effective  amendments  filed  with the SEC (if any)  shall  have  been
     declared  effective  or  shall  have  been  withdrawn,  and  no  stop-order
     suspending  the  effectiveness  thereof  shall  have  been  issued  and  no
     proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or, to the knowledge
     of the parties, threatened by the SEC.

          (e) The  shares of  RELIASTAR  Common  Stock  into which the shares of
     SECURITY Common Stock are to be converted  pursuant to this Agreement shall
     have been  approved for listing on the New York Stock  Exchange  subject to
     official notice of issuance.

          (f) All consents, authorizations,  orders and approvals of (or filings
     or registrations with) any governmental  authority or other regulatory body
     required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this
     Agreement, the failure of which to obtain would prevent the consummation of
     the Merger or have,  individually or in the aggregate,  a Material  Adverse
     Effect on SECURITY or a Material  Adverse  Effect on RELIASTAR,  shall have
     been obtained  without the imposition of any  conditions  which would have,
     individually or in the aggregate,  a Material Adverse Effect on SECURITY or
     a Material Adverse Effect on RELIASTAR.

          (g) All authorizations,  consents,  waivers and approvals from parties
     to contracts or other  agreements  to which any of SECURITY or RELIASTAR or
     their respective  Subsidiaries is a party, or by which any is bound,  which
     are  required  to  be  obtained  in   connection   with  the   transactions
     contemplated  by this  Agreement,  the  failure  of which to  obtain  would
     prevent  the  consummation  of the Merger or have,  individually  or in the
     aggregate,  a Material  Adverse  Effect on SECURITY  or a Material  Adverse
     Effect on RELIASTAR shall have been obtained.

     6.2 ADDITIONAL  CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF RELIASTAR.  The obligations of
RELIASTAR  to  effect  the  Merger  and to  consummate  the  other  transactions
contemplated  hereby  are,  at the  option of  RELIASTAR,  also  subject  to the
fulfillment at or prior to the Closing of the following conditions:

          (a) The  representations  and  warranties  of  SECURITY  contained  in
     Section 2.2 shall be accurate as of the date of this Agreement and,  except
     to the extent that such  representations and warranties refer to a specific
     date, accurate as if made on the Closing Date, except in the case of either
     such date for any inaccuracy  which  individually  or in the aggregate does
     not have a Material Adverse Effect on SECURITY; all of the terms, covenants
     and  conditions  of this  Agreement  to be complied  with and  performed by
     SECURITY at or before the Closing  shall have been duly  complied  with and
     performed in all material  respects;  and a  certificate  to the  foregoing
     effect  dated as of the  Closing  Date and  signed by the  Chief  Executive
     Officer or Chief Financial Officer of SECURITY shall have been delivered to
     RELIASTAR.

          (b) Since the date of this  Agreement,  no material  adverse change in
     the  financial  condition,  results of operations or businesses of SECURITY
     and the SECURITY Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, shall have occurred, other
     than  changes  resulting  from (i)  changes in general  economic  or market
     conditions,  including changes in interest rates, (ii) changes in insurance
     laws or regulations, or (iii) matters affecting the life insurance industry
     generally,  and a  certificate  to such effect dated as of the Closing Date
     and signed by the Chief  Executive  Officer or Chief  Financial  Officer of
     SECURITY shall have been delivered to RELIASTAR.

          (c)  Holders  of  shares  of  SECURITY  Common  Stock  shall  not have
     dissenters'  rights  with  respect to the Merger or the other  transactions
     contemplated hereby.

          (d) On the date of the Proxy Statement, the RELIASTAR Board shall have
     received from Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation a written
     update,  dated such date,  confirming  the  opinion  referred to in Section
     2.1(m).

          (e)  RELIASTAR  shall  have  received  a written  opinion  of  Murtha,
     Cullina,  Richter and Pinney, counsel to SECURITY,  dated as of the Closing
     Date,  substantially  to the  effect set forth in  Exhibit  6.2(e)  hereto,
     together  with an opinion of such  counsel with respect to AHL as RELIASTAR
     may reasonably request.

          (f) The  RELIASTAR  Board  shall have  received  a written  opinion of
     counsel to RELIASTAR,  in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the
     RELIASTAR  Board,  dated as of the  Closing  Date,  to the effect  that the
     Merger  will  qualify as a  reorganization  pursuant to the  provisions  of
     Section 368(a)(1)(A) of the Code.

          (g)  RELIASTAR  shall have  received  from Ernst & Young LLP a letter,
     dated the date of the Proxy  Statement,  with respect to certain  financial
     information  regarding  SECURITY  included  in the Proxy  Statement,  which
     letter shall be in form and substance reasonably  satisfactory to RELIASTAR
     and customary in scope and substance for letters  delivered by  independent
     public accountants in connection with proxy statements similar to the Proxy
     Statement.

     6.3 ADDITIONAL  CONDITIONS TO OBLIGATIONS OF SECURITY.  The  obligations of
SECURITY  to  effect  the  Merger  and  to  consummate  the  other  transactions
contemplated  hereby  are,  at the  option  of  SECURITY,  also  subject  to the
fulfillment at or prior to the Closing of the following conditions:

          (a) The  representations  and  warranties  of  RELIASTAR  contained in
     Section 2.1 shall be accurate as of the date of this Agreement and,  except
     to the extent that such  representations and warranties refer to a specific
     date, accurate as if made on the Closing Date, except in the case of either
     such date for any inaccuracy  which  individually  or in the aggregate does
     not  have a  Material  Adverse  Effect  on  RELIASTAR;  all  of the  terms,
     covenants  and  conditions  of  this  Agreement  to be  complied  with  and
     performed  by  RELIASTAR  at or before  the  Closing  shall  have been duly
     complied with and performed in all material respects;  and a certificate to
     the  foregoing  effect dated as of the Closing Date and signed by the Chief
     Executive  Officer or Chief Financial  Officer of RELIASTAR shall have been
     delivered to SECURITY.

          (b) Since the date of this  Agreement,  no material  adverse change in
     the financial  condition,  results of operations or businesses of RELIASTAR
     and the  RELIASTAR  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,  shall have  occurred,
     other than changes resulting from (i) changes in general economic or market
     conditions,  including changes in interest rates, (ii) changes in insurance
     laws or regulations, or (iii) matters affecting the life insurance industry
     generally,  and a  certificate  to such effect dated as of the Closing Date
     and signed by the Chief  Executive  Officer or Chief  Financial  Officer of
     RELIASTAR shall have been delivered to SECURITY.

          (c) On the date of the Proxy Statement,  the SECURITY Board shall have
     received from Merrill Lynch, Pierce,  Fenner & Smith Incorporated a written
     update,  dated as of such  date,  confirming  the  opinion  referred  to in
     Section 2.2(n).

          (d) SECURITY shall have received written opinions of Richard R. Crowl,
     Senior Vice  President,  General  Counsel and  Secretary of  RELIASTAR  and
     Faegre & Benson LLP,  counsel to  RELIASTAR,  dated as of the Closing Date,
     substantially to the effect set forth in Exhibit 6.3(d) hereto.

          (e) The  SECURITY  Board  shall  have  received  a written  opinion of
     counsel to SECURITY,  in form and substance reasonably  satisfactory to the
     SECURITY Board, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that the Merger
     will  qualify as a  reorganization  pursuant to the  provisions  of Section
     368(a)(1)(A) of the Code.

          (f) SECURITY  shall have received from Deloitte & Touche LLP a letter,
     dated the effective  date of the  Registration  Statement,  with respect to
     certain  financial   information   regarding   RELIASTAR  included  in  the
     Registration  Statement,  which  letter  shall  be in  form  and  substance
     reasonably  satisfactory  to SECURITY and  customary in scope and substance
     for letters delivered by independent  public accountants in connection with
     registration statements similar to the Registration Statement.

VII. MISCELLANEOUS.

     7.1  TERMINATION.  This  Agreement may be terminated and the Merger and the
other transactions contemplated herein may be abandoned at any time prior to the
Effective  Time,  whether  prior to or after  approval  by the  stockholders  of
SECURITY:

          (a) By the  mutual  written  consent  of the  RELIASTAR  Board and the
     SECURITY Board.

          (b) By the RELIASTAR  Board or the SECURITY Board, if the Merger shall
     not have been  consummated  on or before  September  30, 1997  (unless such
     failure to  consummate is the result of a breach of the terms hereof in any
     material respect by the party asserting the termination right).

          (c) By the RELIASTAR  Board or the SECURITY  Board,  if the Merger and
     this Agreement  shall have been submitted to a vote of the  stockholders of
     SECURITY and shall not have been approved by the requisite vote.

          (d) By the SECURITY Board, if a condition to SECURITY's obligations to
     close  set  forth in  Article  VI of this  Agreement  cannot  be met on the
     Closing Date and is not waived;  provided however, that with respect to the
     failure to satisfy a condition  under  Section 6.3 that is capable of being
     cured  within 30 days,  the right of the SECURITY  Board to terminate  this
     Agreement  shall exist only if the failure to satisfy such condition is not
     cured within 30 days after written  notice by SECURITY to RELIASTAR of such
     condition.

          (e) By the RELIASTAR Board, if a condition to RELIASTAR's  obligations
     to close set forth in  Article  VI of this  Agreement  cannot be met on the
     Closing Date and is not waived;  provided however, that with respect to the
     failure to satisfy a condition  under  Section 6.2 that is capable of being
     cured within 30 days,  the right of the RELIASTAR  Board to terminate  this
     Agreement  shall exist only if the failure to satisfy such condition is not
     cured within 30 days after written  notice by RELIASTAR to SECURITY of such
     condition.

          (f)  By  the  RELIASTAR  Board  or  the  SECURITY  Board,  if a  final
     unappealable order to restrain,  enjoin or otherwise  prevent,  or awarding
     substantial  damages in connection  with, the consummation of the Merger or
     the other  transactions  contemplated  hereby  shall have been entered by a
     court of competent jurisdiction or other regulatory authority.

          (g) By the  RELIASTAR  Board or the  SECURITY  Board,  if the SECURITY
     Board  does  not  make  to  the   stockholders   of  SECURITY  a  favorable
     recommendation  with  respect  to the  Merger  or  such  recommendation  is
     modified or withdrawn in a way  detrimental to RELIASTAR (and RELIASTAR and
     SECURITY agree that a  determination  by the SECURITY Board not to call the
     meeting of stockholders  contemplated by Section 3.3 or the cancellation or
     adjournment of such meeting without a vote on the Merger and this Agreement
     being  taken  (except  under  circumstances  where  SECURITY  is  otherwise
     attempting  to secure a vote of its  stockholders  in favor of approval and
     adoption  of the  Merger and this  Agreement)  shall be deemed to be such a
     failure to make or a withdrawal of such recommendation).

          (h) By  the  SECURITY  Board  (during  the  period  commencing  on the
     Approval Date and ending on the fourth  business day following the Approval
     Date),  if the Exchange  Price is less than $49.00 and RELIASTAR  shall not
     have  designated  the  Exchange  Ratio set forth in Clause  (B) of  Section
     1.6(b)(iv).

          (i) By the  RELIASTAR  Board  (during  the  period  commencing  on the
     Approval Date and ending on the fourth  business day following the Approval
     Date),  if the Exchange Price is greater than $64.30 and SECURITY shall not
     have  designated  the  Exchange  Ratio set forth in Clause  (B) of  Section
     1.6(b)(v).

          (j) By the RELIASTAR  Board or the SECURITY  Board,  if the Rights are
     triggered  and are not  redeemed,  so that they may be exercised and traded
     separately  pursuant to the  RELIASTAR  Rights  Agreement  or the  SECURITY
     Rights are triggered and are not redeemed so that they may be exercised and
     traded separately pursuant to the SECURITY Rights Agreement.

          (k) By the  RELIASTAR  Board or the SECURITY  Board if SECURITY  shall
     have entered into a definitive agreement for an Acquisition Proposal with a
     Potential Acquirer in accordance with Section 3.4.

     7.2  EFFECT  OF  TERMINATION.  In the  event  of any  termination  of  this
Agreement  pursuant  to  Section  7.1,  RELIASTAR  and  SECURITY  shall  have no
obligation or liability to each other except that (a) the provisions of the last
two sentences of Sections 3.5 and 4.4 and the provisions of Sections 5.1 and 5.2
shall survive any such  termination,  and (b) nothing  herein and no termination
pursuant  hereto shall  relieve any party from  liability  for any breach of any
covenant or agreement of such party contained in this Agreement.

     7.3 WAIVER AND AMENDMENT.  Any provision of this Agreement may be waived at
any time by the  party  that is,  or whose  stockholders  or  stockholders  are,
entitled  to  the  benefits  thereof.  This  Agreement  may  not be  amended  or
supplemented at any time, except by an instrument in writing signed on behalf of
each party hereto; provided however, that after this Agreement has been approved
and adopted by the  stockholders  of SECURITY this Agreement may be amended only
as may be permitted by applicable provisions of the Delaware Law.

     7.4 NON SURVIVAL OF  REPRESENTATIONS  AND WARRANTIES.  No representation or
warranty in this Agreement shall survive the consummation of the Merger.

     7.5 PUBLIC  STATEMENTS.  RELIASTAR and SECURITY  agree to consult with each
other  prior to  issuing  any press  release  or  otherwise  making  any  public
statement or disclosure with respect to the  transactions  contemplated  hereby,
and neither will issue any such press release or make any such public  statement
or disclosure  prior to such  consultation,  except as may be required by law or
applicable stock exchange policy.

     7.6  KNOWLEDGE.  All  references  in  this  Agreement  to  knowledge  of  a
corporation  shall  be  deemed  to  mean  knowledge  of any  one or  more of its
executive officers.

     7.7  ASSIGNMENT.  This  Agreement  will not be  assignable  by the  parties
hereto.

     7.8   NOTICES.   All   notices,   requests,   claims,   demands  and  other
communications  hereunder  will be in  writing  and will be given  (and  will be
deemed to have been duly  received if so given) by delivery by cable,  telegram,
telex,  telecopy or by registered or certified  mail,  postage  prepaid,  return
receipt requested, to the respective parties as follows:

          if to RELIASTAR:

                           RELIASTAR FINANCIAL CORP.
                           20 Washington Avenue South
                           Minneapolis, Minnesota  55401
                           Attention:  General Counsel

                           Telephone Number: 612/372-5479
                           Telecopy Number: 612/342-3160

          with a copy to:

                           Faegre & Benson LLP
                           2200 Norwest Center
                           90 South Seventh Street
                           Minneapolis, Minnesota  55402
                           Attention:  Thomas G. Morgan

                          Telephone Number: 612/336-3171
                          Telecopy Number: 612/336-3026

          and if to SECURITY:

                           SECURITY-CONNECTICUT CORPORATION
                           20 Security Drive
                           Avon, Connecticut 06001
                           Attention:  President

                           Telephone Number:  860/674-6214
                           Telecopy Number:  860/674-6097

                                 with a copy to:

                           Murtha, Cullina, Richter and Pinney
                           CityPlace 1
                           185 Asylum Street
                           Hartford, Connecticut 06103
                           Attention: Timothy L. Largay

                           Telephone Number: 860/240-6000
                           Telecopy Number: 860/240-6150

or to such other  address  as either  party may have  furnished  to the other in
writing in accordance  herewith,  except that notices of change of address shall
only be effective upon receipt.

     7.9  GOVERNING  LAW. THIS  AGREEMENT  SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE  WITH THE  SUBSTANTIVE  LAW OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE  WITHOUT  GIVING
EFFECT TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW THEREOF.

     7.10  SEVERABILITY.   If  any  term,  provision,   covenant,  agreement  or
restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
invalid,  void  or  unenforceable,  the  remainder  of  the  terms,  provisions,
covenants,  agreements and  restrictions of this Agreement will continue in full
force and effect and will in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

     7.11 COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of
which will be an original, but all of which together will constitute one and the
same agreement.

     7.12 HEADINGS.  The section  headings herein are for  convenience  only and
will not affect the construction hereof.

     7.13 ENTIRE AGREEMENT.  This Agreement (a) constitutes the entire agreement
between  the  parties  hereto and  supersedes  all other  prior  agreements  and
understandings,  both oral and  written,  between  the  parties  relating to the
subject matter hereof and thereof, and (b) except as provided in Section 4.8(e),
does not  confer  upon any person or entity  not a party  hereto or thereto  any
rights or remedies hereunder or thereunder.

     7.14  LIMITED  LIABILITY.  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of  this
Agreement,  no stockholder,  director,  officer,  affiliate or representative of
SECURITY  or  RELIASTAR  shall  have any  personal  liability  in  respect of or
relating to the covenants,  obligations,  representations  or warranties of such
party  under this  Agreement  or in respect of any  certificate  delivered  with
respect  hereto or thereto,  except to the extent that such person or entity has
engaged  in fraud  with  respect  to such  matters.  Except  as set forth in the
preceding sentence, to the fullest extent legally permissible,  each of SECURITY
and  RELIASTAR,  for  itself  and  its  stockholders,  directors,  officers  and
affiliates,  waives  and  agrees  not to seek to  assert  or  enforce  any  such
liability that any such person otherwise might have pursuant to applicable law.

     7.15 CONSENT TO JURISDICTION;  WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY
CONSENTS AND AGREES THAT ANY LEGAL  ACTION,  SUIT OR PROCEEDING BY OR AGAINST IT
WITH RESPECT TO ITS RIGHTS,  OBLIGATIONS OR LIABILITIES  UNDER THIS AGREEMENT OR
ANY OTHER AGREEMENT  EXECUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT
BY SUCH PARTY ONLY IN THE  UNITED  STATES  DISTRICT  COURT FOR THE  DISTRICT  OF
DELAWARE.  EACH PARTY IRREVOCABLY AND  UNCONDITIONALLY  WAIVES ANY RIGHT THAT IT
MAY HAVE TO A JURY TRIAL IN ANY LEGAL ACTION,  SUIT OR  PROCEEDING  WITH RESPECT
TO, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION  WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER  AGREEMENT
EXECUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT.


     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, RELIASTAR has caused this Agreement to be signed by its
Chairman or its  President or a Vice  President and attested by its Secretary or
an Assistant  Secretary,  and SECURITY has caused this Agreement to be signed by
its Chairman or its President or a Vice  President and attested by its Secretary
or an Assistant Secretary, all as of the date first above written.

                              RELIASTAR FINANCIAL CORP.


Attest:                       By:/S/ JOHN G. TURNER
                                ------------------------------------------
                                      John G. Turner                      
                                      Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

/S/ RICHARD R. CROWL
- --------------------
    Richard R. Crowl
      Secretary

                              SECURITY-CONNECTICUT CORPORATION


Attest:                       By: /S/ RONALD D. JARVIS
                              --------------------
                                      Ronald D. Jarvis
                                      Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

/S/ PATRICIA C. DEVITA
- ----------------------
    Patricia C. Devita
      Secretary


M1:0231894.01



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