CROP GROWERS CORP
SC 13D/A, 1996-10-03
INSURANCE AGENTS, BROKERS & SERVICE
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13D


                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                (Amendment No. 4)


                            CROP GROWERS CORPORATION
                                (Name of Issuer)


                          Common Stock, $.01 par value
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                   227297108
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                 Orin S. Kramer
                              Kramer Spellman, L.P.
                          2050 Center Avenue, Suite 300
                           Fort Lee, New Jersey  07024
                                 (201) 592-1234
                  (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
                Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)


                               September 30, 1996
              (Date of Event which Requires Filing this Statement)


If the filing person has previously  filed a statement on Schedule 13G to
report the  acquisition  which is the subject of this  Schedule 13D, and is
filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following
box [ ].

Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [ ].




                                   Page 1 of 9


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SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 227297108

1.       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
         S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

                  Kramer Spellman L.P.

2.       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                   Not Applicable                                      a[ ]
                                                                       b[ ]
3.       SEC USE ONLY

          4.      SOURCE OF FUNDS*
                            OO

          5.      CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED
                   PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)                       [ ]

          6.      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                            Delaware

               7.      SOLE VOTING POWER

                       None

               8.      SHARED VOTING POWER
  SHARES
BENEFICIALLY           805,700
 OWNED BY
REPORTING      9.      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
  PERSON               None
   WITH
               10.     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                 805,700

          11.     AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
                            805,700

          12.     CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
                   CERTAIN SHARES*                                           [ ]

          13.     PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
                            9.89%

          14.     TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
                  PN


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SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 227297108

1.       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
         S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

                  Orin S. Kramer

2.       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                   Not Applicable                                      a[ ]
                                                                       b[ ]
3.       SEC USE ONLY

          4.      SOURCE OF FUNDS*
                            OO

          5.      CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED
                   PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)                       [ ]

          6.      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                            United States

                7.      SOLE VOTING POWER

                        None

                8.      SHARED VOTING POWER
  SHARES
BENEFICIALLY            805,700
 OWNED BY
REPORTING       9.      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
  PERSON                None
   WITH
                10.     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                  805,700

          11.     AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
                            805,700

          12.     CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
                   CERTAIN SHARES*                                          [ ]

          13.     PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
                            9.89%

          14.     TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
                  IN


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SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 227297108

1.       NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
         S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

                  Jay Spellman

2.       CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                   Not Applicable                                      a[ ]
                                                                       b[ ]
3.       SEC USE ONLY

          4.      SOURCE OF FUNDS*
                            OO

          5.      CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED
                   PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)                       [ ]

          6.      CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                            United States

                7.      SOLE VOTING POWER

                        None

                8.      SHARED VOTING POWER
  SHARES
BENEFICIALLY            805,700
 OWNED BY
REPORTING       9.      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
  PERSON                None
   WITH
                10.     SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                  805,700

          11.     AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
                            805,700

          12.     CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES
                   CERTAIN SHARES*                                    [ ]

          13.     PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
                            9.89%

          14.     TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
                  IN


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         This statement  amends and supplements the information set forth in
the Schedule  13D filed by the  Reporting  Persons  (as  defined  therein)
with the Securities and Exchange  Commission (the  "Commission") on November
30, 1995, as amended by  Amendment  No. 1 to the Schedule  13D filed with the
Commission  on December 22, 1995 as amended by  Amendment  No. 2 to the
Schedule 13D filed with the  Commission  on February  28,  1996,  as amended by
Amendment  No. 3 to the Schedule  13D  filed  with  the  Commission  on April
4,  1996 and  constitutes Amendment  No. 4 to the  Schedule  13D.  Capitalized
terms used herein  without definition  shall have the meaning  assigned to such
terms in the Schedule  13D.

Item 3. Sources and Amounts of Funds or Other Consideration

         The first  sentence of Item 3 is revised and amended in its entirety
as set forth below:  The  Partnerships  and Managed  Accounts  expended an
aggregate of approximately $9,579,205 (including brokerage  commissions,  if
any) to purchase the 805,700  shares of Common Stock held by them.

Item 4.  Purpose of Transaction

         Item 4 is revised and amended in its entirety as set forth below:  The
                  purpose of the  acquisition  of the shares of Common Stock by
each of the Reporting  Persons is for investment.  Each Reporting  Person may
make further  purchases of Common Stock from time to time and may dispose of
any or all of the shares of Common Stock held by it at any time.

                  The Reporting Persons are engaged in the investment business.
In pursuing this business, the Reporting Persons

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                  analyze  the  operations,  capital  structure  and  markets
of companies in which they invest,  including  the Company,  on a continuous
basis through analysis of documentation  and discussions with  knowledgeable
industry and market  observers and with  representatives  of such companies
(often at the invitation of  management).  The  Reporting  Persons do not
believe they possess material inside  information  concerning the Company.
From time to time, one or more of the Reporting  Persons may hold  discussions
with third parties or with management of such companies in which the Reporting
Person may suggest or take a position  with respect to potential  changes in
the  operations,  management  or capital structure of such companies as a means
of enhancing  shareholder  value.  Such  suggestions  or  positions  may relate
to one or more of the  transactions specified in clauses (a) through (j) of
Item 4 of the Schedule  13D,  including, without limitation,  such matters as
disposing of or selling all or a portion of the company or  acquiring  another
company or business,  changing  operating or marketing  strategies,  adopting
or not adopting  certain types of anti-takeover measures and  restructuring
the company's  capitalization  or dividend  policy.  However, none of the
Reporting Persons intends to seek control of the Company or participate in the
management of the Company.

                  On  September  30,  1996, a letter was sent on behalf of KS
to the  Commissioner  of  Insurance  of the State of Kansas as  required by
Section 40-1-28(q)  of the State of Kansas  Insurance  Regulations,  which
letter stated that KS is  contemplating  a  possible  acquisition  of control
(as  defined in ss.40-3302(c) of

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                  Kansas  Insurance  Laws)  of  the  following  Kansas
domestic insurance company  affiliates of the Company:  Plains Insurance
Company,  Inc., McPherson  Hail  Insurance  Company and Farmers  Hail
Insurance  Company.  Such acquisition  would occur  through the purchase in the
open market by KS of an as yet  undetermined  number of shares of Common Stock
of the Company,  after which purchase KS would own up to 25% of the outstanding
shares of Common Stock of the Company.  The letter indicated that such purchase
by KS of such securities would be for investment purposes only.

                  Except as set forth above,  the Reporting  Persons do not
have any present  plans or  proposals  that  relate to or would  result in any
of the actions required to be described in Item 4 of Schedule 13D.

                  Each of the  Reporting  Persons  may,  at any time,  review
or reconsider  its  position  with  respect to the Company and  formulate
plans or proposals with respect to any of such matters,  but has no present
intention of doing so.

Item 5.  Interest in Securities of the Issuer

         Item 5 is revised and amended in its entirety as set forth below:

                   (a)-(b) On the date of this Statement:

                           (i)       Mr. Kramer has beneficial ownership for
purposes of Section 13(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934  ("Beneficial
Ownership") of 805,700 shares of Common Stock by virtue of his position as one
of the two general partners of KS.  Such shares represent 9.89% of the issued
and outstanding Common

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                  Stock.  Mr. Kramer shares voting power and dispositive power
over the Common Stock with Mr.  Spellman and KS.

                           (ii)      Mr. Spellman has Beneficial Ownership of
805,700 of Common Stock by virtue of his position as one of the two general
partners of KS.  Such shares represent 9.89% of the issued and outstanding
Common Stock.  Mr. Spellman shares voting power and dispositive power over the
Common Stock with Mr. Kramer and KS.

                           (iii)     KS has Beneficial Ownership of 805,700
shares of Common Stock by virtue of its position as general partner of, or
discretionary investment manager to, the Partnerships and Managed Accounts, as
the case the may be, holding such shares of Common Stock.  Such shares
represent 9.89% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock.  KS shares voting
power and dispositive power over such shares with Mr. Kramer and Mr. Spellman.

                  The  percentages  used  herein are  calculated  based upon
the 8,149,291  shares of Common Stock stated to be issued and outstanding as of
June 30, 1996,  as reflected in the Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q
for the three months ended June 30, 1996.

                   (c) The  Reporting  Persons  have not  purchased  or sold
any shares of Common Stock during the 60 days preceding the date of this
filing.

                   (d)  No  person  other  than  each  respective  record
owner referred  to herein  of  shares  of  Common  Stock is known to have the
right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends  from or the
proceeds of sale of shares of Common Stock.

                   (e)     Not applicable.


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                                   Signature

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

October 3, 1996


                                            KRAMER SPELLMAN L.P.



                                            By: /s/ Orin S. Kramer
                                            Name: Orin S. Kramer
                                            Title: a General Partner



                                            By: /s/ Jay Spellman
                                            Name: Jay Spellman
                                            Title: a General Partner



                                             /s/ Orin S. Kramer
                                            Orin S. Kramer



                                             /s/ Jay Spellman
                                            Jay Spellman






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