EXHIBIT 32

                                  AMENDMENT TO
                              CONSULTING AGREEMENT

     THIS AMENDMENT is made this 18th day of December, 1996, by and between John
E. Evans ("Evans") and ALLIED Group, Inc. ("AGI"), ALLIED Mutual Insurance
Company ("Mutual"), and ALLIED Life Financial Corporation ("ALFC").  AGI,
Mutual, and ALFC shall be known collectively as "ALLIED".

     WHEREAS, on December 14, 1994, ALLIED and Evans entered into a Consulting
Agreement setting forth the services which Evans was to render to ALLIED
following his retirement;

     WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Consulting Agreement as set forth
herein;

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and of the mutual
covenants set forth below and other valuable consideration, the receipt of which
is hereby acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:

     1.   Section IV of the Consulting Agreement is amended to add new
subsection (c) as follows:

     (c) Payment of expenses associated with income tax preparation and other
     tax services, provided that ALLIED may review Evans' tax returns at any
     time.

     2.   Subsection (a) of Section V of the Consulting Agreement is amended to
read as follows:

     (a) the mutual agreement of the parties;

     3.   The last sentence of Section V of the Consulting Agreement which
begins "If this Agreement has..." is deleted in its entirety.

 
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
executed as of the day and year above first written.

                             ALLIED Mutual Insurance Company

/s/ John E. Evans            By: /s/ Douglas L. Andersen        
- --------------------------       ---------------------------
    John E. Evans            Its:  President
                                 ---------------------------


ALLIED Group, Inc.           ALLIED Life Financial Corporation
By: /s/ Jamie H. Shaffer     By: /s/ Samuel J. Wells           
    ----------------------       ----------------------------  
Its:    President            Its:  President
    ----------------------       ----------------------------

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