SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                 Amendment No. 5

                                 Schedule 13E-3
                                (Final Amendment)

                        Rule 13e-3 Transaction Statement

                  (Pursuant to Section 13(e) of the Securities
                  Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 13e-3 (Section
                             240.13e-3) thereunder)

                          Guaranty National Corporation
                              (Name of the Issuer)

           Orion Capital Corporation and Guaranty National Corporation
                       (Name of Persons Filing Statement)

                     Common Stock, par value $1.00 Per Share
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    401192109
                      (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)

     Michael P. Maloney, Esq.                      Michael L. Pautler
    Orion Capital Corporation                  Guaranty National Corporation
       9 Farm Springs Road                     9800 South Meridian Boulevard
 Farmington, Connecticut 06032                  Englewood, Colorado 80112
         (860) 674-6600                             (303) 754-8400

                  (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
           Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications on Behalf
                         of Person(s) Filing Statement)

                                    Copy to:

      John J. McCann, Esq.                        Hardin Holmes, Esq.
 Donovan Leisure Newton & Irvine LLP   Ireland, Stapleton, Pryor & Pascoe, P.C.
      30 Rockefeller Plaza                    1675 Broadway, 26th Floor
   New York, New York 10112                    Denver, Colorado 80202
        (212) 632-3000                             (303) 623-2700





                                  INTRODUCTION

     This  Amendment  No. 5  further  amends  and  supplements  the  Rule  13E-3
Transaction  Statement  of Orion  Capital  Corporation,  a Delaware  corporation
("Orion"), and Guaranty National Corporation,  a Colorado corporation,  filed by
Orion on November 5, 1997, as previously  amended and  supplemented by Amendment
No. 1 dated November 25, 1997, Amendment No. 2 dated December 1, 1997, Amendment
No.  3 dated  December  8,  1997 and  Amendment  No. 4 dated  December  9,  1997
(together, the "Schedule 13E-3").

     The  Schedule  13E-3  relates to the tender  offer by Orion to purchase all
outstanding  shares of common stock,  par value $1.00 per share  (including  any
associated  stock purchase  rights) (the  "Shares"),  of Guaranty for $36.00 per
Share,  net to the seller in cash,  upon the terms and subject to the conditions
set forth in Orion's  Offer to Purchase  dated  November 5, 1997 (the  "Original
Offer to Purchase") as  supplemented  by the Supplement to the Offer to Purchase
dated December 1, 1997 (together referred to as the "Offer to Purchase") and the
related Letter of Transmittal,  which,  together with amendments and supplements
thereto,  constitute  the  "Offer."  The  Offer  terminated  by its terms on the
Expiration  Date,  Friday,  December 5, 1997, at 12:00  midnight,  New York City
time.

     The Offer  was made  pursuant  to the  Agreement  and Plan of Merger  dated
October 31, 1997 between Orion and Guaranty,  which provides for the merger (the
"Merger") of a  wholly-owned  subsidiary  of Orion with and into  Guaranty.  The
Merger  became  effective  as of December 16, 1997 and,  each Share  outstanding
immediately  prior to the time when the  Merger  became  effective,  other  than
Shares as to which dissenter's rights of appraisal shall have been duly asserted
and perfected  under the Colorado  Business  Corporation  Act and Shares held by
Orion, its wholly-owned  subsidiaries and Guaranty,  has been converted into the
right to receive $36.00 in cash per Share,  without interest,  all as more fully
described in the Offer to Purchase referred to herein.

     This Amendment No. 5 to the Transaction Statement is being filed jointly by
Orion  and  Guaranty.  By  filing  this  Schedule  13E-3,  neither  of the joint
signatories  concedes that Rule 13e-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended,  is applicable to the Offer or the Merger or the other  transactions
contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger.




     This  Statement  amends the Schedule  13E-3 by  incorporating  by reference
herein the press release  dated  December 16, 1997 of Orion  attached  hereto as
Exhibit  (d)(15).  This  Statement  also  amends  Items 10, 11, 16 and 17 of the
Schedule 13E-3 by adding the  information  set forth below.  Except as otherwise
indicated herein, the Schedule 13E-3 remains unchanged in all respects.

ITEM 10. Interest in Securities of the Issuer.

     The  information  set  forth in Item 10 of the  Schedule  13E-3  is  hereby
supplemented by  incorporating  herein by reference the information set forth in
Item 6 of Amendment No. 4 to the Schedule 14D-1 of Orion dated December 16, 1997
attached hereto as Exhibit (g)(8).

ITEM 11. Contracts, Arrangements or Understandings with
         Respect to the Issuer's Securities.

     The  information  set forth in the press release dated December 16, 1997 of
Orion attached hereto as Exhibit (d)(15) is incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 16. Additional Information.

     Whether  or not  specifically  referenced  in  response  to  Items  of this
Statement,  the  information  contained in the press release dated  December 16,
1997,  a copy of  which  is  attached  hereto  as  Exhibit  (d)(15),  is  hereby
incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 17. Material to be Filed as Exhibits.

         (d)(15)    Press release dated December 16, 1997

         (g)(8)     Amendment No. 4 to the Tender Offer  Statement on  Schedule 
                    14D-1 of Orion Capital Corporation dated  December 16, 1997 






                                    SIGNATURE

     After due 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.

Dated:  December 16, 1997

                                                ORION CAPITAL CORPORATION


                                          By:      /s/ Michael P. Maloney
                                          Name:    Michael P. Maloney
                                          Title:   Senior Vice President,
                                                       General Counsel and
                                                       Secretary







                                    SIGNATURE

                  After due 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.

Dated:  December 16, 1997

                                          GUARANTY NATIONAL CORPORATION


                                          By:      /s/ Michael L. Pautler
                                          Name:    Michael L. Pautler
                                          Title:   Senior Vice President -
                                                     Finance







                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

  Exhibit                                Description

(d)(15)   Press release of Orion Capital Corporation dated December 16, 1997
(g)(8)    Amendment No. 4 to the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 14D-1 of
          Orion Capital Corporation dated December 16, 1997.