TRANSAMERICA CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
  COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS TO FIXED CHARGES



                                                           Six months ended
                                                                June 30,
                                                        1998             1997
                                                    (Dollar amounts in millions)
                                                             
     Interest and debt expense ..................... $   210.0     $   212.3
     One-third of rental expense ...................      18.7          18.0
     Dividends declared on preferred
         securities issued by affiliates ...........      28.2          19.9
                                                     _________     _________
         Total ..................................... $   256.9     $   250.2
                                                     =========     =========

Earnings:
     Income from continuing operations ............. $   306.1     $   193.9
     Provision for income taxes ....................     161.6          87.0
     Fixed charges .................................     256.9         250.2
                                                     _________     _________
         Total ..................................... $   724.6     $   531.1
                                                     =========     =========

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges .................      2.82          2.12
                                                     =========     =========