<ARTICLE> 7 <CIK> 0000018508 <NAME> Foremost Corporation of America <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <CURRENCY> US Dollars <PERIOD-TYPE> Year Year Year <FISCAL-YEAR-END> Dec-31-1997 Dec-31-1996 Dec-31-1995 <PERIOD-START> Jan-1-1997 Jan-1-1996 Jan-1-1995 <PERIOD-END> Dec-31-1997 Dec-31-1996 Dec-31-1995 <EXCHANGE-RATE> 1 1 1 <DEBT-HELD-FOR-SALE> 376,868 339,860 372,210 <DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE> 1,974 2,342 7,511 <DEBT-MARKET-VALUE> 1,989 2,341 7,591 <EQUITIES> 83,677 93,485 66,084 <MORTGAGE> 12,350 12,222 13,735 <REAL-ESTATE> 11,920 15,169 19,140 <TOTAL-INVEST> 513,445 493,824 520,161 <CASH> 2,409 5,141 5,184 <RECOVER-REINSURE> 20,645 21,416 23,342 <DEFERRED-ACQUISITION> 74,179 70,231 74,052 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 744,780 721,578 758,494 <POLICY-LOSSES> 82,722 93,420 97,504 <UNEARNED-PREMIUMS> 246,429 241,313 251,630 <POLICY-OTHER> 0 0 0 <POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS> 0 0 0 <NOTES-PAYABLE> 92,201 94,851 99,247 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 0 0 <PREFERRED> 0 0 0 <COMMON> 32,467 14,000 14,000 <OTHER-SE> 222,984 217,422 230,197 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 744,780 721,578 758,494 <PREMIUMS> 429,210 427,565 448,079 <INVESTMENT-INCOME> 25,813 27,116 29,344 <INVESTMENT-GAINS> 12,181 3,098 369 <OTHER-INCOME> 2,552 3,347 3,386 <BENEFITS> 244,608 276,175 259,133 <UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION> 125,760 122,795 130,457 <UNDERWRITING-OTHER> 0 0 0 <INCOME-PRETAX> 70,893 28,864 63,548 <INCOME-TAX> (20,137) 5,696 18,223 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 50,756 23,168 45,325 <DISCONTINUED> 110 361 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 0 0 <CHANGES> 0 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 50,866 23,529 45,325 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.82 0.80 1.48 <EPS-DILUTED> 1.79 0.78 1.46 <RESERVE-OPEN> 93,420 93,771 92,338 <PROVISION-CURRENT> 239,724 277,298 256,568 <PROVISION-PRIOR> 4,884 (1,123) 2,565 <PAYMENTS-CURRENT> 193,582 223,518 202,068 <PAYMENTS-PRIOR> 61,298 51,349 54,308 <RESERVE-CLOSE> 82,722 93,420 97,504 <CUMULATIVE-DEFICIENCY> 0 0 0 <FN> Prior periods are presented to reflect the restatement of diluted earings per share data as the result of adoption of Financial Accounting Standards Board Statement No. 128, "Earnings Per Share". </FN>