1
   AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1996
                                                      REGISTRATION NO. 333-10119
================================================================================
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ------------------------
                                 PRE-EFFECTIVE
                                AMENDMENT NO. 1
                                       TO
 
                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ------------------------
 
                                     AMERCO
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
 

            NEVADA                                               88-0106815
(STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF                            (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
  INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)                             IDENTIFICATION NO.)
 
                            ------------------------
                         1325 AIRMOTIVE WAY, SUITE 100
                            RENO, NEVADA 89502-3239
                                 (702) 688-6300
              (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
       INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
                            ------------------------
                           GARY V. KLINEFELTER, ESQ.
                               GENERAL COUNSEL
                                    AMERCO
                        1325 AIRMOTIVE WAY, SUITE 100
                           RENO, NEVADA 89502-3239
                                (702) 688-6300
           (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
                   INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
                            ------------------------
                                   COPIES TO:
 
    JON S. COHEN, ESQ.                                ARNOLD B. PEINADO, III
  SNELL & WILMER L.L.P.                         MILBANK, TWEED, HADLEY & MCCLOY
   ONE ARIZONA CENTER                               ONE CHASE MANHATTAN PLAZA
PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85004-0001                          NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10005
     (602) 382-6247                                       (212) 530-5546
 
                            ------------------------
        APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:
     From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.
 
     If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following
box. / /
 
     If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box. /X/
 
     If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering. / /
 
     If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering. / /
 
     If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. / / 

                           ------------------------
      THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE
OR DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT
SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SECTION 8(A) MAY
DETERMINE.
================================================================================
   2
 
     INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A
     REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE
     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR
     MAY OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
     BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR
     THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE
     SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE
     UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS
     OF ANY SUCH STATE.
 
                (Subject to Completion, Dated September 6, 1996)
 
PROSPECTUS
 
                                  $600,000,000
 
                                  A M E R C O
                                DEBT SECURITIES
 
                                      LOGO
 
     AMERCO (the "Company"), a holding company for U-Haul International, Inc.,
Ponderosa Holdings, Inc., Amerco Real Estate Company, and other companies, may
issue and sell from time to time unsecured debt securities ("Securities")
consisting of debentures, notes and/or other unsecured evidences of indebtedness
in one or more series. The Securities offered pursuant to this Prospectus may be
issued in one or more series or issuances and will be limited to an aggregate
public offering price of $600,000,000.
 
     The specific terms of the particular Securities in respect of which this
Prospectus is being delivered ("Offered Securities") will be set forth in a
supplement to this Prospectus ("Prospectus Supplement") which will be delivered
together with this Prospectus, including, where applicable, the specific
designation, aggregate principal amount, denomination, maturity, premium, if
any, rate (which may be fixed or variable), time and method of calculating
payments of interest, if any, place or places where principal, premium, if any,
and interest, if any, on such Securities will be payable, any terms of
redemption at the option of the Company, any sinking fund provisions, and the
initial public offering price for the Offered Securities.
 
     The Company may sell Securities directly to purchasers or through agents
designated from time to time by the Company or to or through underwriters or a
group of underwriters which may be managed by one or more underwriters. If any
agents of the Company or any underwriters are involved in the sale of Securities
in respect of which this Prospectus is being delivered, the names of such agents
or underwriters and any applicable commission or discount will be set forth in
the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The net proceeds to the Company from the
sale of Securities will be the public offering price of such Securities less
such discount, in the case of an offering through an underwriter, or the
purchase price of such Securities less such commission, in the case of an
offering through an agent, and less, in each case, other expenses of the Company
associated with the issuance and distribution of such Securities.
 
     No person is authorized to give the information or to make any
representations other than those contained or incorporated by reference in this
Prospectus in connection with this Prospectus and, if given or made, any such
information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized
by the Company. This Prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a
solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any state or other jurisdictions
where, or to any person to whom, it is unlawful to make such an offer or a
solicitation. Neither the delivery of this Prospectus nor any sale made
hereunder shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that there has
been no change in the affairs of the Company since the date hereof.
 
THE SECURITIES OFFERED HEREBY INVOLVE A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK. SEE "RISK FACTORS"
ON PAGES 5-6.
 
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND
  EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE
    SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
     PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY
       REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
 
                      ------------------------------------
 
               THE DATE OF THIS PROSPECTUS IS SEPTEMBER   , 1996.
   3
                            ------------------------
      THE COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA HAS NOT
               APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THIS OFFERING NOR HAS THE
                    COMMISSIONER PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR
                          ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS.
                            ------------------------
                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION
 
     The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and, in
accordance therewith, files reports, proxy statements and other information
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission"). Reports, proxy
statements, and other information filed by the Company may be inspected and
copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 450
Fifth Street, N.W., Room 1024, Washington, D.C. 20549, and at its regional
offices located at 7 World Trade Center, 13th Floor, New York, New York 10048,
and Northwestern Atrium Center, 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago,
Illinois 60661. Copies of such material may be obtained from the Public
Reference Section of the Commission, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
20549, at prescribed rates. In addition, such material may be accessed
electronically by means of the Commission's home page on the Internet at
http://www.sec.gov.
 
     The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement (the
"Registration Statement") with respect to the Securities offered hereby. This
Prospectus, which constitutes part of the Registration Statement, does not
contain all of the information contained in the Registration Statement and the
exhibits thereto. For further information with respect to the Company and the
Securities offered hereby, reference is made to the Registration Statement,
including the exhibits thereto, which may be examined without charge at the
public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 450 Fifth Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and copies of all or any part thereof may be
obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at prescribed
rates. Statements contained in this Prospectus as to the contents of any
contract or any other document are not necessarily complete and, in each
instance, reference is made to the copy of such contract or document filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement, each statement being qualified in all
respects by such reference.
 
     The Company's Series A 8 1/2% Preferred Stock is listed on the New York
Stock Exchange and the Company's Common Stock is listed on Nasdaq. Reports,
proxy statements, and other information filed by the Company may be inspected
and copied at the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York
10005 and at the National Association of Securities Dealers, 1735 K Street,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20007.
 
     In addition, Summary Quarterly Financial Reports may be accessed
electronically by means of the Company's home page on the Internet at:
http://www.uhaul.com.
 
                     INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
 
     The Annual Report of the Company on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
March 31, 1996, the Quarterly Report of the Company on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended June 30, 1996, and the Current Report of the Company on Form 8-K filed
with the Commission on May 6, 1996 are incorporated herein by reference.
 
     All reports filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections
13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this
Prospectus and prior to the termination of this offering shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and to be made a part hereof from
their respective dates of filing.
 
     Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein
or in any other subsequently filed document that is deemed to be incorporated by
reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this Prospectus.
 
     The Company will cause to be furnished without charge to each person,
including any beneficial owner, to whom this Prospectus is delivered, upon the
written or oral request of such person, a copy of any documents described above,
other than certain exhibits to such documents. Requests should be addressed to:
AMERCO, Investor Relations, 1325 Airmotive Way, Suite 100, Reno, Nevada 89502;
telephone: (702) 688-6300.
                                        2
   4
 
                                COMPANY SUMMARY
 
     The Company is the holding company for its principal subsidiary, U-Haul
International, Inc. ("U-Haul"). The Company's U-Haul rental operations
represented 83.9%, 85.1%, and 85.0% of the Company's total revenue for the years
ended March 31, 1996, 1995 and 1994, respectively. The Company is also a holding
company for Ponderosa Holdings, Inc. ("Ponderosa") and Amerco Real Estate
Company ("AREC"). Throughout this Prospectus, unless the context otherwise
requires, the term "Company" includes all of the Company's subsidiaries.
 
     U-Haul U-Move Operations.  Founded in 1945, U-Haul is primarily engaged,
through its subsidiaries, in the rental of trucks, automobile-type trailers, and
support rental items to the do-it-yourself moving customer. The Company's
do-it-yourself moving business operates under the U-Haul name through an
extensive and geographically diverse distribution network of approximately 1,100
Company-owned U-Haul Centers and approximately 13,700 independent dealers
throughout the United States and Canada. The Company believes that it has more
moving equipment rental locations than its two largest competitors combined.
U-Haul's rental equipment fleet consists of approximately 87,000 trucks and
approximately 99,000 trailers. The Company, as part of its fleet renewal
program, purchased approximately 80,000 new trucks between March 1987 and March
1996 and reduced the overall average age of its truck fleet from approximately
eleven years at March 1987 to approximately five years at March 1996. Since
1990, U-Haul has replaced approximately 62% of its trailer fleet with new, more
aerodynamically designed trailers better suited to the low height profile of
many newly manufactured automobiles. Additionally, U-Haul sells related products
(such as boxes, tape and packaging materials) and rents various kinds of
equipment (such as floor polishing and carpet cleaning equipment).
 
     U-Haul Self-Storage Rental Operations.  U-Haul entered the self-storage
business in 1974 and offers for rent more than 18.7 million square feet of
self-storage space through approximately 800 Company-owned or managed storage
locations. The Company believes it is the second largest self-storage operator
(in terms of square feet) in the industry. The Company believes its self-storage
operations are complementary to its do-it-yourself moving business. All of its
self-storage space is located at or near one or more U-Haul Centers or
independent U-Haul dealers.
 
     Ponderosa.  Ponderosa serves as the holding company for the Company's
insurance businesses. Ponderosa's two principal subsidiaries are Oxford Life
Insurance Company ("Oxford") and Republic Western Insurance Company ("RWIC").
For financial statement presentation, the Company's insurance subsidiaries
report on a calendar year basis while the Company reports on the basis of a
fiscal year ending on March 31.
 
     Oxford primarily reinsures life, health, and annuity insurance products and
administers the Company's self-insured employee health plan. Approximately 7.2%
of Oxford's premium revenues are from business with the Company. Oxford's
revenues represented 3.8%, 3.2%, and 2.8% of the Company's total revenue for the
years ended March 31, 1996, 1995, and 1994, respectively. Approximately 97% of
Oxford's invested assets are in investment grade (NAIC-2 or greater) fixed
income securities. Oxford is rated "A-VII" by A.M. Best.
 
     RWIC originates and reinsures property and casualty type insurance products
for various market participants, including independent third parties, the
Company's customers, and the Company. RWIC's principal strategy is to capitalize
on its knowledge of insurance products aimed at the moving and rental markets.
Approximately 39% of RWIC's written premiums relate to insurance underwriting
activities involving U-Haul and its affiliates. RWIC's revenues represented
12.3%, 11.7%, and 12.2% of the Company's total revenue for the years ended March
31, 1996, 1995, and 1994, respectively. Approximately 98% of RWIC's invested
assets are in investment grade (NAIC-2 or greater) fixed income securities. RWIC
is rated
"A+-VIII" by A.M. Best.
 
     AREC.  AREC owns and actively manages most of the Company's real estate
assets, including the Company's U-Haul Center locations. In addition to its
U-Haul operations, AREC actively seeks to lease or dispose of the Company's
surplus properties.
 
                                        3
   5
 
     The Company's principal executive offices are located at 1325 Airmotive
Way, Suite 100, Reno, Nevada 89502, and the telephone number of the Company is
(702) 688-6300. For more information on the Company, see "Business."
 
     The following chart represents the corporate structure of the major
operating subsidiaries of the Company.
 
                                      LOGO
 
                                        4
   6
 
                                  RISK FACTORS
 
     THE FOLLOWING MATTERS, INCLUDING THOSE MENTIONED ELSEWHERE, SHOULD BE
CONSIDERED CAREFULLY BY A PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR IN EVALUATING A PURCHASE OF THE
SECURITIES.
 
COMPANY STOCK REPURCHASE
 
     As discussed in "Shoen Litigation," the Company will repurchase 10,094,852
shares of its Common Stock on or before October 1, 1996 in satisfaction of a
judgment arising out of a lawsuit brought by certain significant shareholders of
the Company against certain of its current and former directors. The Company has
previously repurchased 8,160,124 shares of Common Stock from four of the
plaintiffs in the lawsuit in satisfaction of their claims. After completing all
of these repurchases, the Company will have acquired approximately 47.3% of its
outstanding Common Stock. The Company is not a defendant in this action.
 
     The Company will acquire the remaining shares of Common Stock and will
satisfy the remainder of the judgment in full with the payment of approximately
$256.0 million, plus interest if ultimately awarded. The Company has sold
mortgage notes for proceeds of $83.5 million and has completed a $97.4 million
sale and subsequent leaseback of rental trailers to raise a portion of the cash
needed. The remainder of the cash will be raised from the sale of surplus or
non-essential assets including real estate and mortgage notes, from internally
generated funds and, to the extent necessary, from additional borrowings under
the Company's existing credit agreements.
 
     In order to comply with covenants in the Company's current credit
agreements and to improve the likelihood that its existing debt ratings will be
maintained, the Company increased its equity by selling $100.0 million of its
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock in a private placement.
 
     As a result of funding the repurchase, the Company will incur additional
costs in the future in the form of lease payments and/or interest. Furthermore,
following the repurchase, the Company's outstanding Common Stock will be reduced
by 10,094,852 shares in addition to the 8,160,124 shares repurchased from the
plaintiffs to date. In addition, the Company plans to deduct for income tax
purposes approximately $324.3 million of the payments already made and remaining
to be made by the Company to the plaintiffs, which will reduce the Company's
income tax liability. While the Company believes that such income tax deductions
are appropriate, there can be no assurance that any such deductions ultimately
will be allowed in full.
 
     Furthermore, in the event the fair value of the consideration paid by the
Company to the plaintiffs is in excess of the fair value of the stock
repurchased by the Company, the Company will be required to record an expense
equal to that difference. No such expense was recorded for the previous
transactions with the plaintiffs and no provision has been made in the Company's
financial statements for any payments to be made to the plaintiffs in the
future. For the reasons set forth above, the repurchase could result in material
changes in the Company's financial condition, results of operations, cash flow,
capital expenditure plans, net income, or earnings per common share. See "Shoen
Litigation."
 
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
 
     The Company has since fiscal 1989 managed a testing and removal program
that is expected to result in the removal of all but approximately 100 of its
underground storage tanks ("USTs") by the year 2000. Under this program, the
Company budgets $7 million annually for UST testing, removal and remediation and
has removed a total of 2,296 USTs from April 1, 1989 through June 30, 1996 at a
total cost of approximately $26.2 million. At June 30, 1996, the Company owned
properties containing approximately 680 USTs. The USTs are used to store various
petroleum products, including gasoline, fuel oil, and waste oil, and a majority
of USTs have a capacity of less than 6,000 gallons. See
"Business -- Environmental Matters."
 
                                        5
   7
 
SEASONALITY
 
     The Company's U-Haul rental operations are seasonal and proportionally more
of the Company's revenues and net earnings from its rental operations are
generated in the first and second quarters of each fiscal year (April through
September). In addition, the Company's results of operations have in the past
been and will continue to be affected by a wide variety of factors, including
natural disasters (which affect, among other things, results of insurance
operations) and other events that are beyond the control of the Company.
 
LIMITED PRIOR MARKET
 
     There has been no public market for any of the Company's securities other
than the Company's Series A 8 1/2% Preferred Stock which is trading on the New
York Stock Exchange under the symbol "AO/A" and a small percentage of the
Company's Common Stock which is trading on Nasdaq under the symbol "AMOO". There
is currently no established market for any Securities that may be offered
pursuant to this Prospectus. Although the Company may apply to have the
Securities offered hereby listed on a national securities exchange or approved
for quotation on Nasdaq, there can be no assurance that it will do so or that an
active trading market will develop or be maintained following such offering. The
absence of any trading market for any of the Securities may have an adverse
effect on the liquidity of such Securities.
 
                                USE OF PROCEEDS
 
     The use of proceeds for a particular offering of Securities will be set
forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such offering.
 
                       RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
 
     The following table sets forth the Company's ratios of earnings to fixed
charges for the periods indicated. For purposes of computing the ratio of
earnings to fixed charges, "earnings" consists of pretax earnings from
operations plus total fixed charges excluding interest capitalized during the
period, and "fixed charges" consists of interest expense, capitalized interest,
amortization of debt expense and discounts, and one-third of the Company's
annual rental expense (which the Company believes is a reasonable approximation
of the interest factor of such rentals). The ratio for the three months ended
June 30, 1996 may not be indicative of the ratio to be expected for fiscal 1997
because, among other reasons, the Company's U-Haul rental operations are
seasonal and proportionally more of its earnings are generated in the first and
second quarters of each fiscal year.
 


THREE MONTHS
   ENDED
  JUNE 30,                                  YEARS ENDED MARCH 31,
- ------------           ----------------------------------------------------------------
    1996               1996           1995           1994           1993           1992
- ------------           ----           ----           ----           ----           ----
                                                                    
    3.48               2.01           1.99           1.67           1.45           1.21

 
                                        6
   8
                      SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
 
     The following selected financial information, insofar as it relates to each
of the fiscal years ended March 31, 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, and 1992, has been
derived from and is qualified by reference to the financial statements and other
information and data contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the fiscal year ended March 31, 1996, which is incorporated by reference herein.
The selected financial information related to the three months ended June 30,
1996 and 1995 has been derived from the Company's unaudited quarterly report on
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 1996, which is incorporated by
reference herein. Oxford and RWIC have been consolidated on the basis of fiscal
years ended December 31. The summaries for the three months ended June 30, 1996
and 1995 are unaudited; however, in the opinion of management, all adjustments
necessary for a fair presentation of such financial information have been
included. The results of operations for the three months ended June 30, 1996 may
not be indicative of the results to be expected for fiscal 1997 because, among
other reasons, the Company's U-Haul rental operations are seasonal and
proportionally more of its revenue and net earnings are generated in the first
and second quarters of each fiscal year.


                                                                                                               FOR THE THREE
                                                                                                               MONTHS ENDED
                                                        FOR THE YEARS ENDED MARCH 31,                            JUNE 30,
                                        --------------------------------------------------------------    -----------------------
                                         1996(1)        1995         1994         1993         1992          1996       1995(1)
                                        ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------    ----------   ----------
                                                                      (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT RATIOS)
                                                                                                  
Summary of Operations:
Rental, net sales and other revenue.... $1,094,185   $1,058,499   $  967,743   $  900,863   $  845,128    $  315,551   $  288,427
Premiums and net investment income.....    200,238      177,733      162,151      139,465      126,756        44,157       42,082
                                        ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------    ----------   ----------
                                         1,294,423    1,236,232    1,129,894    1,040,328      971,884       359,708      330,509
                                        ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------    ----------   ----------
Operating expense, advertising expense,
  and cost of sales....................    880,429      779,302      730,880      697,117      661,229       230,506      220,074
Benefits, losses and amortization of
  deferred acquisition costs...........    168,363      144,303      130,168      115,969       99,091        27,280       30,169
Depreciation(2)........................     81,847      151,409      133,485      110,105      109,641        18,779       37,693
Interest expense.......................     67,558       67,762       68,859       67,958       76,189        18,856       18,832
                                        ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------    ----------   ----------
                                         1,198,197    1,142,776    1,063,392      991,149      946,150       295,421      306,768
                                        ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------    ----------   ----------
Pretax earnings from operations........     96,226       93,456       66,502       49,179       25,734        64,287       23,741
Income tax expense.....................    (35,832)     (33,424)     (19,853)     (17,270)      (4,940)      (24,282)      (8,564)
                                        ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------    ----------   ----------
Earnings from operations before
  extraordinary loss on early
  extinguishment of debt and cumulative
  effect of change in accounting
  principle............................     60,394       60,032       46,649       31,909       20,794        40,005       15,177
Extraordinary loss on early
  extinguishment of debt(3)............         --           --       (3,370)          --           --            --           --
Cumulative effect of change in
  accounting principle(4)..............         --           --       (3,095)          --           --            --           --
                                        ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------    ----------   ----------
Net earnings........................... $   60,394   $   60,032   $   40,184   $   31,909   $   20,794    $   40,005   $   15,177
                                        ==========   ==========   ==========   ==========   ==========    ==========   ==========
Ratios:
  Ratio of earnings to fixed
    charges(5).........................       2.01         1.99         1.67         1.45         1.21          3.48         1.95
  Ratio of EBITDA to Interest(6).......       3.94         4.80         4.13         3.61         2.97          5.74         4.41
 
                                                                  MARCH 31,                                      JUNE 30,
                                        --------------------------------------------------------------    -----------------------
                                           1996         1995         1994         1993         1992          1996         1995
                                        ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------   ----------    ----------   ----------
                                                                       (IN THOUSANDS)
Balance Sheet Data:
Total property, plant and equipment,
  net.................................  $1,316,715   $1,274,246   $1,174,236   $  989,603   $  987,095    $1,249,816   $1,268,623
Total assets..........................  $2,827,978    2,605,989    2,344,442    2,024,023    1,979,324     2,714,443    2,678,930
Notes and loans payable...............     998,220      881,222      723,764      697,121      733,322       756,098      866,132
Stockholders' equity..................     649,548      686,784      651,787      479,958      451,888       677,957      700,949

- ---------------
(1) Reflects the adoption of Statement of Position 93-7, "Reporting on
    Advertising Costs."
(2) Reflects the change in estimated salvage value during the year ended March
    31, 1996.
(3) During fiscal 1994, the Company extinguished $25.2 million of its
    medium-term notes originally due in fiscal 1995 through 2000. This resulted
    in an extraordinary charge of $1.9 million, net of $1.0 million of tax
    benefit. The Company also terminated swaps with a national value of $77.0
    million originally due in fiscal 1995. The terminations resulted in an
    extraordinary charge of $1.5 million net of a $0.8 million tax benefit.
(4) Reflects the adoption of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 106
    "Employers' Accounting for Postretirement Benefits Other than Pensions."
(5) For purposes of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, "earnings"
    consists of pretax earnings from operations plus total fixed charges
    excluding interest capitalized during the period and "fixed charges"
    consists of interest expense, capitalized interest, amortization of debt
    expense and discounts and one-third of the Company's annual rental expense
    (which the Company believes is a reasonable approximation of the interest
    factor of such rentals).
(6) For purposes of computing the ratio of EBITDA to Interest, "EBITDA" consists
    of net earnings (loss) before interest, taxes, depreciation, and
    amortization. EBITDA is not intended to represent cash flow or any other
    measure of performance in accordance with generally accepted accounting
    principles. EBITDA is included herein because certain investors find it to
    be a useful tool in understanding cash flow generated from operations that
    is available for debt service, taxes and capital expenditures.
                                        7
   9
 
                                    BUSINESS
 
HISTORY
 
     The Company was founded in 1945 under the name "U-Haul Trailer Rental
Company". From 1945 to 1975, the Company rented trailers and trucks on a one-way
and in-town (round-trip) basis through independent dealers (at that time
principally independent gasoline service stations). Since 1974, the Company has
developed a network of Company-owned rental centers ("U-Haul Centers") through
which U-Haul rents its trucks and trailers and provides a number of other
related products and services and has expanded the number and geographic
diversity of its independent dealers. At June 30, 1996, the Company's
distribution network included approximately 1,100 U-Haul Centers and
approximately 13,700 independent dealers.
 
     In March 1974, in conjunction with the acquisition and construction of
U-Haul Centers, the Company entered the self-storage business. As of March 31,
1996, approximately 72% of the Company's U-Haul Centers were located at or near
U-Haul self storage locations. Beginning in 1974, the Company introduced the
sale and installation of hitches and towing systems, as well as the sale of
support items such as packing and moving aids. During 1983, the Company expanded
its range of do-it-yourself rental products to include tools and equipment for
the homeowner and small contractor and other general rental items.
 
     In 1969, the Company acquired Oxford to provide employee health and life
insurance for the Company in a cost-effective manner. In 1973, the Company
formed RWIC to provide automobile liability insurance for the U-Haul truck and
trailer rental customers.
 
     Commencing in 1987, the Company began the implementation of a strategic
plan designed to emphasize reinvestment in its core do-it-yourself rental,
moving, and storage business. The plan included a fleet renewal program (see
"Business -- U-Haul Operations -- Rental Equipment Fleet"), and provided for the
discontinuation of certain unprofitable and unrelated operations. As part of its
plan, the Company discontinued the operation of its full-service moving van
lines, initiated the phase out of its recreational vehicle rental operations,
and began the disposition of its recreational vehicle rental fleet. The
disposition of the moving van lines' assets and the recreational vehicle rental
fleet was completed in 1988 and 1992, respectively. The Company also eliminated
various types of rental equipment and closed certain warehouses and repair
facilities. The Company believes that its refocused business strategy enabled
U-Haul to generate higher revenues and to achieve significant cost savings.
 
     Since 1987, the Company has sold surplus real estate assets with a book
value of approximately $43.6 million for total proceeds of approximately $87.9
million.
 
     In 1990, the Company reorganized its operations into separate legal
entities, each with its own operating, financial, and investment strategies. The
reorganization separated the Company into three parts: U-Haul rental operations,
insurance, and real estate. The purpose of the reorganization was to increase
management accountability and to allow the allocation of capital based on
defined performance measurements.
 
BUSINESS STRATEGY
 
     U-HAUL OPERATIONS
 
     The Company's present business strategy remains focused on the
do-it-yourself moving customer. The objective of this strategy is to offer, in
an integrated manner over a diverse geographical area, a wide range of products
and services to the do-it-yourself moving customer.
 
     Integrated Approach to Moving.  Through its "Moving Made Easier(R)"
program, the Company strives to offer its customers a high quality, reliable,
and convenient fleet of trucks and trailers at reasonable prices while
simultaneously offering other related products and services, including moving
accessories, self-storage facilities, and other items often desired by the
do-it-yourself mover. The rental trucks purchased in the fleet renewal program
have been designed with the do-it-yourself customer in mind to include features
such as low decks, air conditioning, power steering, automatic transmissions,
soft suspensions, AM/FM cassette stereo systems, and over-the-cab storage. The
Company has introduced certain insurance products, including
 
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"Safemove(R)" and "Safestor(R)", to provide the do-it-yourself mover with
certain moving-related insurance coverage. In addition, the Company provides
rental customers the option of storing their possessions at either their points
of departure or destination.
 
     Wide Geographic Distribution.  The Company believes that the customer
access, in terms of truck or trailer availability and proximity of rental
locations, is critical to its success. Since 1987, the Company has more than
doubled the number of U-Haul rental locations, with a net addition of over 8,300
independent dealers.
 
     High Quality Fleet.  To effectively service the U-Haul customer at these
additional rental locations with equipment commensurate with the Company's
commitment to product excellence, the Company, as part of the fleet renewal
program, purchased approximately 80,000 new trucks between March 1987 and March
1996 and reduced the overall average age of its truck fleet from approximately
11 years at March 1987 to approximately five years at March 1996. During this
period, approximately 64,000 trucks were retired or sold.
 
     Since 1990, U-Haul has replaced approximately 61% of its trailer fleet with
new, more aerodynamically designed trailers better suited to the low height
profile of many newly manufactured automobiles. Given the mechanical simplicity
of a trailer relative to a truck as well as a trailer's longer useful life, the
Company expects to replace trailers only as necessary.
 
     Network Management System.  Beginning in 1983, the Company implemented a
point-of-sale computer system for all of its Company-owned locations. The system
was designed primarily to handle the Company's reservations, traffic, and
reporting of rental transactions. The Company believes that the implementation
of the system has been a significant factor in allowing the Company to increase
its fleet utilization. On an ongoing basis, the Company is enhancing and
revising the system to include managerial tools, such as budgeting and profit
and loss reporting. The Company is also expanding the system to include
transaction reporting from independent dealers and managed storage facilities.
 
     INSURANCE OPERATIONS
 
     Oxford's business strategy emphasizes long-term capital growth funded
through earnings from reinsurance and investment activities. In the past, Oxford
has selectively reinsured life, health, and annuity-type insurance products.
Oxford anticipates pursuing its growth strategy by providing reinsurance
facilities to well-managed insurance or reinsurance companies which offer
similar products and are in need of additional capital, either as a result of
rapid growth or regulatory demands, or are interested in divesting non-core
business lines.
 
     RWIC's principal business strategy is to capitalize on its knowledge of
insurance products aimed at the moving and rental markets. RWIC believes that
providing U-Haul and U-Haul customers with property and casualty insurance
coverage has enabled it to develop expertise in the areas of rental vehicle
lessee insurance coverage, self-storage property coverage, motor home insurance
coverage, and general rental equipment coverage. RWIC has used, and plans to
continue to use, this knowledge to expand its customer base by offering similar
products to insureds other than U-Haul and its customers. In addition, RWIC
plans to expand its involvement in specialized areas by offering commercial
multi-peril and excess workers' compensation.
 
U-HAUL OPERATIONS
 
     GENERAL
 
     The Company's do-it-yourself moving business operates under the U-Haul name
through an extensive and geographically diverse distribution network of
Company-owned U-Haul Centers and independent dealers throughout the United
States and Canada.
 
     Substantially all of the Company's rental revenue is derived from
do-it-yourself moving customers. Other occasional use customers provide the
remaining rental revenue. Moving rentals include: (i) in-town (round-trip)
rentals, where the equipment is returned to the originating U-Haul Center or
independent dealer and (ii) one-way rentals, where the equipment is returned to
a U-Haul Center or independent dealer in another
 
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city. Typically, the number of in-town(R) rental transactions is substantially
greater than the number of one-way rental transactions. However, total revenues
generated by one-way transactions typically exceed total revenues from in-town
rental transactions.
 
     As part of the Company's integrated approach to the do-it-yourself moving
market, U-Haul has a variety of product offerings. U-Haul's "Moving Made
Easier(R)" program is designed to offer clean, well-maintained rental trucks and
trailers at a price the customer can afford and to provide support items such as
furniture pads, hand trucks, appliance and utility dollies, mirrors, tow bars,
tow dollies, and bumper hitches. The Company also sells boxes, tape, and
packaging materials and rents additional items such as floor polishers and
carpet cleaning equipment at its U-Haul Center locations. U-Haul Centers also
sell and install hitches, sell propane, and some of them sell gasoline. U-Haul
sells insurance packages such as (i) "Safemove(R)", which provides moving
customers with a damage waiver, cargo protection, and medical and life coverage,
and (ii) "Safestor(R)", which provides self-storage rental customers with
various insurance coverages.
 
     The U-Haul truck and trailer rental business tends to be seasonal with
proportionally more transactions and revenues generated in the spring and summer
months than during the balance of the year. The Company attributes this
seasonality to the preference of do-it-yourself movers to move during this time.
Also, consistent with do-it-yourself mover preferences, the number of rental
transactions tends to be higher on weekends than on weekdays.
 
     RENTAL EQUIPMENT FLEET
 
     As of June 30, 1996, U-Haul's rental equipment fleet consisted of
approximately 87,000 trucks and approximately 99,000 trailers. Rental trucks are
offered in five sizes and range in size from the ten-foot "Mini-Mover(R)" to the
twenty-six-foot "Super-Mover(R)". In addition, U-Haul offers pick-up trucks and
cargo vans at many of its locations. Trailers range between six feet and twelve
feet in length and are offered in both open and closed box configurations.
 
     DISTRIBUTION NETWORK
 
     The Company's U-Haul products and services are marketed across the United
States and Canada through approximately 1,100 Company-owned U-Haul Centers and
approximately 13,700 independent dealers as of June 30, 1996. The independent
dealers, which include gasoline station operators, general equipment rental
operators, and others, rent U-Haul trucks and trailers in addition to carrying
on their principal lines of business. U-Haul Centers, however, are dedicated to
the U-Haul line of products and services. Independent dealers are commonly
located in suburban and rural markets, while U-Haul Centers are concentrated in
urban and suburban markets.
 
     Independent dealers receive U-Haul equipment on a consignment basis and are
paid a commission on gross revenues generated from their rentals. Independent
dealers also may earn referral commissions on U-Haul products and services
provided at other U-Haul locations. The Company maintains contracts with its
independent dealers that can be canceled upon thirty days' written notice by
either party.
 
     In addition, the Company has sought to improve the productivity of its
rental locations by installing computerized reservations and network management
systems in each U-Haul Center and with a limited number of independent dealers.
The Company believes that these systems have been a major factor in enabling the
Company to deploy equipment more effectively throughout its network of locations
and anticipates expanding these systems to cover additional independent dealers.
 
     The Company's U-Haul Center and independent dealer network in the United
States and Canada is divided into ten districts, each supervised by an area
district vice president. Within the districts, the Company has established local
marketing companies, each of which, guided by a marketing company president, is
responsible for retail marketing at all U-Haul Centers and independent dealers
within its respective geographic area.
 
     Although rental dealers are independent, U-Haul area field managers work
with the dealer network by reviewing each independent dealer's facilities,
auditing their activities, and providing training on securing more
 
                                       10
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customers on a regular basis. In addition, the area field managers recruit new
independent dealers for expansion or replacement purposes. U-Haul has instituted
performance compensation programs that focus on accomplishment and reward strong
performers.
 
     SELF-STORAGE BUSINESS
 
     U-Haul entered the self-storage business in 1974 and since that time has
increased the rentable square footage of its storage locations through the
acquisition of existing facilities and new construction. In addition, the
Company has entered into management agreements to manage self-storage properties
owned by others and is expanding its ownership of self-storage facilities. The
Company also provides financing and management services for independent
self-storage businesses.
 
     Through approximately 800 Company-owned or managed storage locations in the
United States and Canada, the Company offers for rent more than 18.7 million
square feet of self-storage space as of June 30, 1996. The Company's
self-storage facility locations range in size from 1,000 to 149,000 square feet
of storage space, with individual storage spaces ranging in size from 16 square
feet to 200 square feet.
 
     The primary market for storage rooms is the storage of household goods. The
majority of customers renting storage rooms are in the process of a move. Even
with an increase of over 25,000 new and acquired storage rooms during fiscal
1996, average occupancy remained high, rates in the mid 80% range, with very
little seasonal variation. During fiscal 1996 and fiscal 1995, delinquent
rentals as a percentage of total storage rentals were approximately 6% in each
year. The Company considers this rate to be satisfactory.
 
     EQUIPMENT DESIGN, MANUFACTURE AND MAINTENANCE
 
     The Company designs and manufactures its truck van boxes, trailers, and
various other support rental equipment items. With the needs of the
do-it-yourself moving customer in mind, the Company's equipment is designed to
achieve high safety standards, simplicity of operation, reliability,
convenience, durability, and fuel economy. Truck chassis are manufactured to
Company specifications by both foreign and domestic truck manufacturers. These
chassis receive certain post-delivery modifications and are joined with van
boxes at seven Company-owned manufacturing and assembly facilities in the United
States.
 
     The Company services and maintains its trucks and trailers through an
extensive preventive maintenance program. Regular vehicle maintenance is
generally performed at Company-owned facilities located throughout the United
States and Canada. Major repairs are performed either by the chassis
manufacturers' dealers or by Company-owned repair shops. To the extent
available, the Company takes advantage of manufacturers' warranties.
 
     COMPETITION
 
     The do-it-yourself moving truck and trailer rental market is highly
competitive and dominated by national operators in both the in-town and one-way
markets. These competitors include the truck rental divisions of Ryder System,
Penske Truck Leasing, and Budget Rent-A-Car. Management believes that there are
two distinct users of rental trucks: commercial users and do-it-yourself users.
As noted above, the Company focuses on the do-it-yourself mover. The Company
believes that the principal competitive factors are price, convenience of rental
locations, and availability of quality rental equipment.
 
     The self-storage industry is also highly competitive. The top three
national firms, including the Company, Public Storage and Shurgard, only account
for ten percent of total industry square footage. Efficient management of
occupancy and delinquency rates, as well as price and convenience, are key
competitive factors.
 
     EMPLOYEES
 
     For the period ended March 31, 1996, the Company's non-seasonal workforce
consisted of approximately 13,000 employees comprised of approximately 39%
part-time and 61% full-time employees. During the summer months, the Company
increases its workforce by approximately 450 employees and the percentage of
 
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part-time employees increases to approximately 43% of the total workforce. The
Company's employees are non-unionized, and management believes that its
relations with its employees are satisfactory.
 
INSURANCE OPERATIONS
 
     OXFORD -- LIFE INSURANCE
 
     Oxford underwrites life, health and annuity insurance, both as a direct
writer and as an assuming reinsurer. Oxford's direct writings are primarily
related to the underwriting of credit life and accident and health business
which accounted for 20.8% of Oxford's premium revenues for the year ended
December 31, 1995. Oxford's other direct lines are related to group life and
disability coverage issued to employees of the Company. For the year ended
December 31, 1995, approximately 7.2% of Oxford's premium revenues resulted from
business with the Company. In addition, direct premium revenue includes
individual life insurance acquired from other insurers. Oxford administers the
Company's self-insured group health and dental plans.
 
     Oxford's reinsurance assumed lines, which accounted for approximately 71.8%
of Oxford's premium revenues for the year ended December 31, 1995, include
individual life insurance coverage, annuity coverages, excess loss health
insurance coverage, credit life, credit accident and health, and short-term
travel accident coverage. These reinsurance arrangements are entered into with
unaffiliated insurers, except for travel accident products reinsured from RWIC.
 
     RWIC -- PROPERTY AND CASUALTY
 
     RWIC's underwriting activities consist of three basic areas: U-Haul and
U-Haul-affiliated underwriting, direct underwriting, and assumed reinsurance
underwriting. U-Haul underwritings include coverage for U-Haul and U-Haul
employees, and U-Haul-affiliated underwritings consist primarily of coverage for
U-Haul customers. For the year ended December 31, 1995, approximately 39% of
RWIC's written premiums relate to insurance underwriting activities involving
U-Haul and its affiliates. RWIC's direct underwriting is done through home
office underwriters and selected general agents. The products provided include
liability coverage for rental vehicle lessees and storage rental properties, and
coverage for commercial multiple peril and excess workers' compensation. RWIC's
assumed reinsurance underwriting is done via broker markets and includes, among
other things, reinsurance of municipal bond insurance written through MBIA, Inc.
 
     RWIC's liability for unpaid losses is based on estimates of the ultimate
cost of settling claims reported prior to the end of the accounting period,
estimates of reinsurers and estimates of incurred but unreported losses which
are based on RWIC's experience and insurance industry historical experience.
Unpaid loss adjustment expenses are based on historical ratios of loss
adjustment expense paid to losses paid.
 
     The liabilities are estimates of the amount necessary to settle all claims
as of the date of the stated reserves and all incurred but not reported claims.
RWIC updates the reserves as additional facts regarding claims become available.
In addition, court decisions, economic conditions and public attitudes impact
the estimation of reserves and also the ultimate cost of claims. In estimating
reserves, no attempt is made to isolate inflation from the combined effect of
numerous factors including inflation. Unpaid losses and unpaid loss expenses are
not discounted.
 
     RWIC's unpaid loss and loss expenses are certified annually by an
independent actuarial consulting firm as required by state regulation.
 
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     Activity in the liability for unpaid claims and claim adjustment expenses
is summarized as follows:
 


                                                           1995         1994         1993
                                                         --------     --------     --------
                                                                   (IN THOUSANDS)
                                                                          
    Balance at January 1...............................  $329,741     $314,482     $320,509
      Less reinsurance recoverable.....................    74,663       76,111       81,747
                                                         --------     --------     --------
    Net balance at January 1...........................   255,078      238,371      238,762
    Incurred related to:
      Current year.....................................   114,110      102,782       91,044
      Prior years......................................     8,292        6,576       12,688
                                                         --------     --------     --------
    Total incurred.....................................   122,402      109,358      103,732
    Paid related to:
      Current year.....................................    22,576       22,269       20,200
      Prior years......................................    86,796       70,382       83,923
                                                         --------     --------     --------
    Total paid.........................................   109,372       92,651      104,123
    Net balance at December 31.........................   268,108      255,078      238,371
      Plus reinsurance recoverable.....................    73,873       74,663       76,111
                                                         --------     --------     --------
    Balance at December 31.............................  $341,981     $329,741     $314,482
                                                         ========     ========     ========

 
     As a result of changes in estimates of insured events in prior years, the
provision for unpaid loss and loss adjustment expenses (net of reinsurance
recoveries of $26.7 million and $26.5 million in 1995 and 1994, respectively)
increased by $8.3 million and $6.6 million in 1995 and 1994, respectively,
because of higher than anticipated losses and related expenses for claims
associated with assumed reinsurance and certain retrospectively rated policies.
 
     The table on the next page illustrates the change in unpaid loss and loss
adjustment expenses. The first line shows the reserves as originally reported at
the end of the stated year. The second section, reading down, shows the
cumulative amounts paid as of the end of successive years with respect to that
reserve. The third section, reading down, shows revised estimates of the
original recorded reserve as of the end of successive years. The last section
compares the latest revised estimated reserve amount to the reserve amount as
originally established. This last section is cumulative and should not be
summed.
 
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                    UNPAID LOSS AND LOSS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSES
 


                                                                        DECEMBER 31
                                ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  1985            1986            1987            1988            1989            1990     
                                --------        --------        --------        --------        --------        --------   
                                                             (IN THOUSANDS)
                                                                                              
Adjustment Expenses:.........   $123,342        $146,391        $168,688        $199,380        $207,939        $226,324   
Paid (Cumulative) as of:
   One year later............     41,170          54,627          49,681          59,111          50,992          55,128     
   Two years later...........     77,697          92,748          91,597          89,850          87,850          97,014   
   Three years later.........    105,160         124,278         110,834         114,979         116,043         120,994
   Four years later..........    126,734         137,744         129,261         133,466         132,703         133,338
   Five years later..........    133,421         151,354         142,618         145,864         142,159         144,764
   Six years later...........    142,909         161,447         152,579         153,705         151,227
   Seven years later.........    151,379         169,601         158,531         161,498
   Eight years later.........    158,728         173,666         165,021
   Nine years later..........    162,082         178,101
   Ten years later...........    165,923
Reserve Reestimated as of:
   One year later............    138,287         167,211         187,663         200,888         206,701         229,447
   Two years later...........    147,968         192,272         190,715         202,687         206,219         221,450
   Three years later.........    168,096         192,670         194,280         203,343         199,925         211,998
   Four years later..........    168,040         199,576         195,917         199,304         198,986         207,642
   Five years later..........    175,283         201,303         195,203         200,050         197,890         200,629
   Six years later...........    178,232         202,020         196,176         198,001         194,601
   Seven years later.........    182,257         202,984         196,770         197,112
   Eight years later.........    184,266         202,654         196,072
   Nine years later..........    187,247         203,285
   Ten years later...........    188,301
  Initial Reserve in Excess 
     of (Less than)
     Reestimated Reserve:
 Amount (Cumulative).........   $(64,959)       $(56,894)       $(27,384)       $  2,268        $ 13,338        $ 25,695




                                                               DECEMBER 31
                                ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  1991            1992            1993            1994            1995
                                --------        --------        --------        --------        --------
                                                                                 
Adjustment Expenses:.........   $236,019        $238,762        $314,482        $329,741        $341,981
Paid (Cumulative) as of:
   One year later............     65,532          83,923          70,382          86,796
   Two years later...........    105,432         123,310         115,467
   Three years later.........    126,390         153,030
   Four years later..........    143,433
   Five years later.......... 
   Six years later...........  
   Seven years later.........
   Eight years later.........   
   Nine years later..........  
   Ten years later...........
Reserve Reestimated as of:
   One year later............    231,779         251,450         321,058        338,033
   Two years later...........    224,783         254,532         323,368
   Three years later.........    223,403         253,844
   Four years later..........    214,854
   Five years later.......... 
   Six years later...........   
   Seven years later.........   
   Eight years later.........  
   Nine years later..........
   Ten years later...........   
  Initial Reserve in Excess 
     of (Less than)
     Reestimated Reserve:
 Amount (Cumulative).........   $ 21,165        $(15,082)       $ (8,886)       $ (8,292)


     The operating results of the property and casualty insurance industry,
including RWIC, are subject to significant fluctuations due to numerous factors,
including premium rate competition, catastrophic and unpredictable events
(including man-made and natural disasters), general economic and social
conditions, interest rates, investment returns, changes in tax laws, regulatory
developments, and the ability to accurately estimate liabilities for unpaid
losses and loss adjustment expenses.
 
     INVESTMENTS
 
     Oxford's and RWIC's investments must comply with the insurance laws of the
State of Arizona where the companies are domiciled. These laws prescribe the
type, quality, and concentration of investments that may be made. In general,
these laws permit investments in federal, state, and municipal obligations,
corporate bonds, preferred and common stocks, real estate mortgages, and real
estate, within specified limits and subject to certain qualifications. Moreover,
in order to be considered an acceptable reinsurer by cedents and intermediaries,
a reinsurer must offer financial security. The quality and liquidity of invested
assets are important considerations in determining such security.
 
     The investment philosophies of Oxford and RWIC emphasize protection of
principal through the purchase of investment grade fixed income securities.
Approximately 97% of Oxford's portfolio and 98% of RWIC's portfolio consist of
investment grade (NAIC-2 or greater) fixed income securities. The maturity
distributions are designed to provide sufficient liquidity to meet future cash
needs.
 
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     REINSURANCE
 
     The Company's insurance operations assume and cede insurance from and to
other insurers and members of various reinsurance pools and associations.
Reinsurance arrangements are utilized to provide greater diversification of risk
and to minimize exposure on large risks. However, the original insurer remains
liable should the assuming insurer not be able to meet its obligations under the
reinsurance agreements.
 
     REGULATION
 
     The Company's insurance subsidiaries are subject to considerable regulation
and supervision in the states in which they transact business. The purpose of
such regulation and supervision is primarily to provide safeguards for
policyholders. As a result of federal legislation, the primary regulation of the
insurance industry is performed by the states. State regulation extends to such
matters as licensing companies; restricting the types or quality of investments;
regulating capital and surplus and actuarial reserve maintenance; setting
solvency standards; requiring triennial financial examinations, market conduct
surveys, and the filing of reports on financial condition; licensing agents;
regulating aspects of the insurance companies' relationship with their agents;
restricting expenses, commissions, and new business issued; imposing
requirements relating to policy contents; restricting use of some underwriting
criteria; regulating rates, forms, and advertising; limiting the grounds for
cancellations or non-renewal of policies; regulating solicitation and
replacement practices; and specifying what constitutes unfair practices. State
laws also regulate transactions and dividends between an insurance company and
its parent or affiliates, and generally require prior approval or notification
for any change in control of the insurance subsidiary.
 
     In the past few years, the insurance and reinsurance regulatory framework
has been subjected to increased scrutiny by the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners (the NAIC), state legislatures, insurance regulators,
and the United States Congress. State legislatures have considered or enacted
legislative proposals that alter, and in many cases increase, state authority to
regulate insurance companies and holding company systems. The NAIC and state
insurance regulators have been examining existing laws and regulations with an
emphasis on insurance company investment and solvency issues. Legislation has
been introduced in Congress that could result in the federal government assuming
some role in the regulation of the insurance industry. It is not possible to
predict the future impact of changing state and federal regulation on the
operations of Oxford and RWIC.
 
     Oxford and RWIC have adopted the NAIC minimum risk-based capitalization
requirements for insurance companies. As of December 31, 1995, Oxford and RWIC
are in compliance with these requirements.
 
     COMPETITION
 
     The insurance industry is competitive. Competitors include a large number
of life insurance companies and property and casualty insurance companies, some
of which are owned by stockholders and others of which are owned by
policyholders (mutual). Many companies in competition with Oxford and RWIC have
been in business for a longer period of time or possess substantially greater
financial resources. Competition in the insurance business is based upon price,
product design, and services rendered to producers and policyholders.
 
AMERCO REAL ESTATE OPERATIONS
 
     AREC owns and manages most of the Company's real estate assets, including
the Company's U-Haul Center locations. AREC has responsibility for acquiring and
developing properties suitable for new U-Haul Centers and self-storage
locations. AREC is also responsible for managing any environmental risks
associated with the Company's real estate. In addition to the U-Haul operations,
AREC actively seeks to lease or dispose of surplus properties.
 
                                       15
   17
 
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
 
     UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS
 
     The Company owns properties that, as of June 30, 1996, contained
approximately 680 underground storage tanks (USTs). The USTs are used to store
various petroleum products, including gasoline, fuel oil, and waste oil. The
USTs are subject to various federal, state, and local laws and regulations that
require testing and removal of leaking USTs, and remediation of polluted soils
and groundwater under certain circumstances. In addition, if leakage from USTs
has migrated, the Company may be subject to civil liability to third parties.
From April 1, 1989 through June 30, 1996, the Company incurred expenditures
totaling approximately $26.2 million for removal and remediation of 2,296 USTs,
a portion of which may be recovered from insurance and certain states' funds for
the removal of USTs. Expenditures incurred through the end of fiscal 1996 may
not be representative of future experience. However, the Company believes that
compliance with laws and regulations, and cleanup and liability costs related to
USTs will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial
condition or operating results.
 
     In fiscal 1989, the Company began its current program emphasizing removal
of all but approximately 100 USTs by the year 2000. The USTs expected to remain
at the year 2000 are currently anticipated to consist primarily of waste oil
tanks not required to be removed under current laws and regulations and gasoline
tanks located at its remote rental locations where their use is deemed necessary
to service the Company's moving customers. The Company has budgeted $7.0 million
for fiscal 1997 for UST testing, removal, and remediation. Removal and
remediation costs are capitalized to the extent these costs improve the safety
or efficiency of the properties or are incurred in preparing the properties for
sale.
 
     FEDERAL SUPERFUND SITES
 
     The Company has been named as a "potentially responsible party" (PRP) with
respect to the disposal of hazardous wastes at fourteen federal superfund
hazardous waste sites located in eleven states. Under applicable laws and
regulations the Company could be held jointly and severally liable for the costs
to clean up these sites. Currently, the Company has entered into settlements for
nine of the sites for de minimis amounts. One of the sites has been disputed by
the Company with no response for eight years. Based upon the information
currently available to the Company regarding these fourteen sites, the current
anticipated magnitude of the cleanup, the number of PRPs, and the volumes of
hazardous waste currently anticipated to be attributed to the Company and other
PRPs, the Company believes its share of the cost of investigation and cleanup at
the fourteen superfund sites will not have a material adverse effect on the
Company's financial condition or operating results.
 
     WASHINGTON STATE HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES
 
     A subsidiary of U-Haul owns one property located within two different state
hazardous waste sites in the State of Washington. The property is located in
Yakima, Washington and is believed to contain elevated levels of pesticide and
other contaminant residue as a result of onsite operations conducted by one or
more former owners. The State of Washington has designated the property as a
state hazardous waste site known as the "Yakima Valley Spray Site". The
subsidiary, U-Haul Co. of Inland Northwest (Inland Northwest), has been named by
the State of Washington as a "potentially liable party" (PLP) under state law
with respect to this site, along with approximately 100 other companies and
individuals. Inland Northwest, together with eight other companies and persons,
has formed a committee that has retained an environmental consultant. The
process of site assessment on the Yakima Valley Spray Site is ongoing and, based
upon the information currently available to Inland Northwest regarding the
volume and nature of wastes present, Inland Northwest is unable to reasonably
assess the potential investigation and cleanup costs, but the costs could be
substantial. Although Inland Northwest has entered into an agreement with such
other companies and persons under which Inland Northwest has assumed
responsibility for 20% of the costs to investigate the site, no agreement among
the parties with respect to cleanup costs has been entered into at the date
hereof.
 
     In addition, Inland Northwest has been named by the State of Washington as
a PLP along with 300 other PLPs with respect to another state-listed hazardous
waste site known as the "Yakima Railroad Site". The
 
                                       16
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Yakima Valley Spray Site is located within the Yakima Railroad Site. Inland
Northwest has been notified that the Yakima Railroad Site involves potential
groundwater contamination in an area of approximately two square miles. Inland
Northwest has contested its designation as a PLP at this site, but, at the date
hereof, no formal ruling has been issued in this matter.
 
     In February 1992, the State of Washington issued an enforcement order to
Inland Northwest and eight other parties requiring an interim remedial action
and the provision of bottled water to households that obtain drinking water from
wells within the Yakima Railroad Site. Without conceding any liability, Inland
Northwest and several of the other PLPs have implemented the bottled water
program. Over the past four years, Inland Northwest has incurred an average
annual expense of $720 for the bottled water program. The State of Washington
has stated its intention to expand the existing municipal water system to supply
municipal water to those households currently receiving bottled water, and it is
estimated that the cost thereof will be approximately $6 million, with such cost
being allocated among the 300 PLPs.
 
     In addition, there will be costs associated with remedial measures to
address the regional groundwater contamination issue. The process of site
assessment on the Yakima Railroad Site is ongoing and, based upon the
information currently available to Inland Northwest regarding the volume and
nature of wastes present, Inland Northwest is unable to reasonably assess the
potential investigation and clean-up costs, but the costs could be substantial.
Moreover, the investigative and remedial costs incurred by the State can be
imposed upon Inland Northwest and any other PLP as a joint and several
liability. At the date of this report, other than the indication of the
expansion of the municipal water system, there has been no formal indication
from the State of Washington of its intentions regarding future cost recoveries
at the Yakima Railroad Site.
 
     OTHER
 
     Subsidiaries of the Company own twelve facilities that manufacture and
assemble various components of the Company's equipment. In addition, the
subsidiaries own various facilities engaged in the maintenance and servicing of
its equipment. Various individual properties owned and operated by the Company
are subject to various state and local laws and regulations relating to the
methods of disposal of solvents, tires, batteries, antifreeze, waste oils and
other materials. Compliance with these requirements is monitored and enforced at
the local level. Based upon information currently available to the Company,
compliance with these local laws and regulations has not had, and is not
expected to have, a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition
or operating results.
 
     AREC currently leases approximately 200 properties to various businesses.
AREC has a policy of leasing properties subject to an environmental
indemnification from the lessee for operations conducted by the lessee. It
should be recognized, however, that such indemnifications do not cover
pre-existing conditions and may be limited by the lessee's financial
capabilities. In any event, to the extent that any lessee does not perform any
of its obligations under applicable environmental laws and regulations, the
Company may remain potentially liable to governmental authorities and other
third parties for environmental conditions at the leased properties.
Furthermore, as between the Company and its lessees, disputes may arise as to
allocation of liability with respect to environmental conditions at the leased
properties.
 
                                SHOEN LITIGATION
 
     A judgment was entered on February 21, 1995, in an action in the Superior
Court of the State of Arizona, Maricopa County, entitled Samuel W. Shoen, M.D.,
et al. v. Edward J. Shoen, et al., No. CV88-20139, instituted August 2, 1988
(the "Shoen Litigation") against Edward J. Shoen, James P. Shoen, Aubrey K.
Johnson, John M. Dodds, and William E. Carty, who are current members of the
Board of Directors of the Company and against Paul F. Shoen, who is a former
director. The Company was also a defendant in the action as originally filed,
but was dismissed from the action on August 15, 1994. The plaintiffs alleged,
among other things, that certain of the individual plaintiffs were wrongfully
excluded from sitting on the Company's Board of Directors in 1988 through the
sale of Company Common Stock to certain key employees. That sale allegedly
prevented the plaintiffs from gaining a majority position in the Company's
Common Stock and control of the Company's Board of Directors. The plaintiffs
alleged various breaches of fiduciary duty and
 
                                       17
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other unlawful conduct by the individual defendants and sought equitable relief,
compensatory damages, punitive damages, and statutory post-judgment interest.
 
     Based on the plaintiffs' theory of damages, the court ruled that the
plaintiffs elected as their remedy in this lawsuit to transfer their shares of
stock in the Company to the defendants upon the satisfaction of the judgment.
The judgment was entered against the defendants in the amount of approximately
$461.8 million plus interest and taxable costs. In addition, on February 21,
1995, judgment was entered against Edward J. Shoen in the amount of $7 million
as punitive damages. On March 23, 1995, Edward J. Shoen filed a notice of appeal
with respect to the award of punitive damages.
 
     Pursuant to separate indemnification agreements, the Company has agreed to
indemnify the defendants to the fullest extent permitted by law or the Company's
Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws, for all expenses and damages incurred by
the defendants in this proceeding, subject to certain exceptions. In addition,
the transfer of Common Stock from the plaintiffs to the defendants would
implicate rights held by the Company. For example, pursuant to the Company's
By-Laws, the Company has certain rights of first refusal with respect to the
transfer of the plaintiffs' stock. Furthermore, the defendants' rights to
acquire the plaintiffs' stock may present a corporate opportunity which the
Company is entitled to exercise.
 
     On February 21, 1995, Edward J. Shoen, James P. Shoen, Aubrey K. Johnson,
John M. Dodds, and William E. Carty (the "Director-Defendants") filed for
protection under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy laws, resulting in the
issuance of an order automatically staying the execution of the judgment against
those defendants. In late April 1995, the Director-Defendants, in cooperation
with the Company, filed plans of reorganization in the United States Bankruptcy
Court for the District of Arizona, all of which propose the same funding and
treatment of the plaintiffs' claims resulting from the judgment in the Shoen
Litigation. The plans of reorganization, as amended and restated on February 29,
1996, were confirmed by the bankruptcy court on March 15, 1996. The plans, as
confirmed, shall collectively be referred to as the "Plan".
 
     On April 25, 1995, the Director-Defendants filed an action in the
bankruptcy court seeking injunctive relief to prevent the Company from
conducting its annual meetings of stockholders until the Plan is confirmed
and/or to prevent the plaintiffs from voting the common stock that they are
required to transfer pursuant to the Shoen Litigation. On June 8, 1995, the
bankruptcy court issued a memorandum decision and an order enjoining the Company
from holding its 1994 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (which was originally
delayed as a result of litigation initiated by Paul F. Shoen) or any subsequent
annual meeting of stockholders until the court enters an order confirming or
denying confirmation of the Plan or until further order of the court. On June
21, 1996, the bankruptcy court issued an order enjoining the annual meetings
until consummation of the Plan. The Company has not scheduled the 1994, 1995, or
1996 Annual Meetings of Stockholders. However, the Company anticipates that such
meetings will occur as soon as practicable after the consummation of the Plan.
 
     In early October 1995, the Director-Defendants made written demand upon the
Company to make them whole for losses resulting from the judgment in the Shoen
Litigation. The Director-Defendants also asserted substantial claims against the
Company related to or arising from the Shoen Litigation, including, but not
limited to, claims for financial losses, emotional distress, loss of business
and/or professional reputation, loss of credit standing and breach of contract.
The Director-Defendants claim that their actions that form the basis for the
judgment in the Shoen Litigation were actions within the scope of the
Director-Defendants' duties and that such actions were undertaken in good faith
and for the benefit of the Company.
 
     In addition, the Director-Defendants had retained unexpired appeal rights
with respect to the Shoen Litigation. If the Director-Defendants exercised such
appeal rights, the damage award may have increased and the Company may have been
exposed to increased liability to the Director-Defendants under existing
indemnity agreements.
 
     In recognition of the foregoing and of the substantial risks associated
with an appeal of the Shoen Litigation, on October 17, 1995, the Company entered
into an agreement ("the Agreement") with the Director-Defendants resolving the
foregoing issues. Under the Agreement, the Company agreed, among other things,
to fund the Plan and to release the Director-Defendants from all claims the
Company may have against
 
                                       18
   20
 
them arising from the Shoen Litigation. In addition, the Director-Defendants
agreed, (i) to release, subject to certain exceptions, the Company from any
claim they may have against it pursuant to any indemnification agreements, (ii)
to assign all rights they have under the Shoen Litigation to the Company, (iii)
to waive all appeal rights related to the Shoen Litigation (not including Edward
J. Shoen's appeal of the punitive damage award), and (iv) not to oppose the
Company should it elect to exercise its right of first refusal on any Common
Stock to be transferred by the plaintiffs upon satisfaction of the judgment in
the Shoen Litigation.
 
     On September 19, 1995, the Director-Defendants entered into a Stock
Purchase Agreement with one of the plaintiffs in the Shoen Litigation, Maran,
Inc., a Nevada corporation ("Maran"). All of Maran's voting stock was held by
Mary Anna Shoen Eaton ("Shoen Eaton"), who was also a plaintiff in the Shoen
Litigation. Under the Stock Purchase Agreement, the Director-Defendants agreed
to purchase 3,343,076 shares of Common Stock held by Maran in exchange for
approximately $22.7 million. The Stock Purchase Agreement was approved by the
bankruptcy court on October 10, 1995. On October 18, 1995, the Company exercised
its right of first refusal and repurchased the Common Stock that was the subject
of the Stock Purchase Agreement for the price set forth therein. In addition, on
September 19, 1995, the Director-Defendants, Shoen Eaton, Maran, and the Company
entered into a Settlement Agreement, providing for the payment to Shoen Eaton of
approximately $41.4 million in exchange for a full release of all claims against
the Company and the Director-Defendants, including all claims asserted by her in
the Shoen Litigation. The Settlement Agreement was approved by the bankruptcy
court on October 10, 1995, and the payment was made on October 18, 1995. As a
result of the foregoing, and after giving effect to the discount achieved
through settlement, approximately $84.6 million of the judgment in the Shoen
Litigation was satisfied.
 
     Pursuant to the judgment in the Shoen Litigation, on January 30, 1996, the
Company acquired 833,420 shares of Common Stock held by L.S.S., Inc. ("L.S.S.")
in exchange for approximately $5.7 million and paid damages to L.S. Shoen of
approximately $15.4 million. The Company also funded a total of approximately
$2.1 million of statutory post-judgment interest on the above amounts. In
addition, on February 7, 1996, the Company acquired 1,651,644 shares of Common
Stock held by Thermar, Inc. ("Thermar") by paying Thermar approximately $41.8
million, including damages of approximately $30.6 million. The Company also paid
to Thermar approximately $4.1 million of statutory post-judgment interest on
such amount. Finally, on July 19, 1996, the Company paid CEMAR, Inc. ("Cemar")
approximately $15.9 million to repurchase 2,331,984 shares of Common Stock held
by Cemar. On the same date, the Company paid damages to Cecilia M. Hanlon of
approximately $43.1 million and statutory post-judgment, pre-petition date
interest of $129,000. On August 6, 1996, the Company funded approximately $8.3
million of post-petition date interest by depositing such amount into an escrow
account pending the outcome of a dispute involving the entitlement of the
plaintiffs in the Shoen Litigation to post-petition date interest. Upon the
funding of the above-mentioned escrow account, the Common Stock held by Cemar
was transferred into the Company treasury. As a result of the foregoing
transactions, the balance of the judgment has been reduced to approximately
$256.0 million, plus post-petition date interest claimed by the plaintiffs.
 
     With respect to the remaining plaintiffs in the Shoen Litigation, the Plan
provides for the payment by the Company of approximately $68.6 million in
exchange for 10,094,852 shares of Common Stock held by five of the plaintiffs
and for the payment by the Company of approximately $187.4 million to three of
the plaintiffs as damages.
 
     As of the date hereof, an issue remains regarding whether or not the
remaining plaintiffs and Cecilia M. Hanlon are entitled to statutory
post-judgment interest at the rate of 10% per year for the period following the
Director-Defendants' bankruptcy filings. As of September 5, 1996, total accrued
post-petition date interest on the outstanding balance of the judgment is
approximately $39.2 million and is accruing at the rate of approximately $70,000
per day. On July 19, 1996 the bankruptcy court ruled that the plaintiffs are
entitled to such post-petition date interest. The Director-Defendants and the
Company intend to appeal the bankruptcy court's decision following the entry of
a final order on this issue by the bankruptcy court. Pending the final
resolution of the post-petition date interest dispute (including all appeals by
either side), the Company intends, if necessary, to deposit either cash or, in
appropriate circumstances, an irrevocable letter of credit into an escrow
account to secure payment of the post-petition date interest. The amount of the
escrow deposit
 
                                       19
   21
 
would be in such case equal to the accrued interest to the date funds are
deposited into escrow. As provided in the Plan, the escrow deposit, plus
interest thereon, will remain until all aspects of the post-petition date
interest dispute have been finally decided, including dischargeability
litigation which the plaintiffs filed against the Director-Defendants in the
bankruptcy court as an alternative means of trying to collect post-petition date
interest. The dischargeability litigation has not been set for trial and is
likely to await the outcome of the other aspects of the post-petition date
interest dispute.
 
     On March 15, 1996, the bankruptcy court issued a Confirmation Order in each
Director-Defendant's Chapter 11 case. This order provided that the effective
date for the Plan (i.e., the date on which the Company will pay the plaintiffs
an aggregate of approximately $256.0 million and the remaining plaintiffs will
surrender their Common Stock) will be no later than October 1, 1996 (absent
compelling circumstances justifying an extension of that date).
 
     The Company has sold mortgage notes for proceeds of $83.5 million and has
completed a $97.4 million sale and subsequent leaseback of rental trailers to
raise a portion of the cash needed to fund the Plan. The remainder of the cash
will be raised from the sale of surplus or non-essential assets including real
estate and mortgage notes, from internally generated funds and, to the extent
necessary, from additional borrowings under the Company's existing credit
agreements.
 
     In order to comply with covenants in the Company's current credit
agreements and to improve the likelihood that its existing debt ratings will be
maintained, the Company increased its equity by selling $100.0 million of its
Series B Convertible Preferred Stock in a private placement.
 
     As a result of funding the Plan, the Company will incur additional costs in
the future in the form of lease payments and/or interest. Furthermore, following
the repurchase, the Company's outstanding Common Stock will be reduced by
10,094,852 shares in addition to the 3,343,076 shares repurchased from Maran on
October 18, 1995, the 833,420 shares repurchased from L.S.S. on January 30,
1996, the 1,651,644 shares repurchased from Thermar on February 7, 1996, and the
2,331,984 shares repurchased from Cemar on August 6, 1996. In addition, the
Company plans to deduct for income tax purposes approximately $324.3 million of
the payments already made and remaining to be made by the Company to the
plaintiffs, which will reduce the Company's income tax liability. While the
Company believes that such income tax deductions are appropriate, there can be
no assurance that any such deductions ultimately will be allowed in full.
 
     Furthermore, in the event the fair value of the consideration paid by the
Company to the plaintiffs is in excess of the fair value of the stock
repurchased by the Company, the Company will be required to record an expense
equal to that difference. No such expense was recorded for the previous
transactions with the plaintiffs and no provision has been made in the Company's
financial statements for any payments to be made to the plaintiffs in the
future. For the reasons set forth above, the repurchase could result in material
changes in the Company's financial condition, results of operations, cash flow,
capital expenditure plans, net income, or earnings per common share.
 
                                       20
   22
 
                           DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
 
     The following is a description of certain general terms of the Securities
to which any Prospectus Supplement may relate. The particular terms of the
Securities offered by any Prospectus Supplement (the "Offered Securities") and
the extent, if any, to which such general provisions may apply to the Securities
so offered will be described in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such
Offered Securities.
 
     The Offered Securities are to be issued under an indenture (the
"Indenture"), between the Company and The First National Bank of Chicago, as
trustee (the "Trustee"), a copy of which is filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement. The following summaries of certain provisions of the
Indenture do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and are qualified in
their entirety by reference to, all provisions of the Indenture, including the
definitions therein of certain terms. Wherever particular provisions or defined
terms of the Indenture are referred to, such provisions or defined terms are
incorporated herein by reference. Certain defined terms in the Indenture are
capitalized herein.
 
GENERAL
 
     Unless otherwise indicated in the Prospectus Supplement relating to Offered
Securities, the Securities will be unsecured obligations of the Company.
 
     The Indenture does not limit the amount of Securities that may be issued
thereunder and provides that Securities may be issued thereunder from time to
time in one or more series.
 
     Reference is made to the Prospectus Supplement relating to the Offered
Securities for the following terms, where applicable, of the Offered Securities:
(1) the title of the Offered Securities; (2) any limit on the aggregate
principal amount of the Offered Securities; (3) the Person to whom any interest
on any Offered Security will be payable, if other than the Person in whose name
such Offered Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at
the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest; (4) the date
or dates on which the Offered Securities will mature; (5) the rate or rates
(which may be fixed or variable) at which the Offered Securities will bear
interest, if any, and the date or dates from which such interest will accrue;
(6) the dates on which such interest, if any, will be payable and the Regular
Record Dates for such Interest Payment Dates; (7) the place or places where the
principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Offered Securities shall
be payable, where any Offered Securities may be surrendered for registration of
transfer or exchange and where notices to or demand upon the Company may be
delivered; (8) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which,
and the terms and conditions upon which, the Offered Securities may be redeemed
in whole or in part, at the option of the Company; (9) the obligation, if any,
of the Company to redeem or purchase such Offered Securities pursuant to any
sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of a Holder thereof and the
period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, and the terms and
conditions upon which, such Offered Securities shall be redeemed or purchased,
in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation; (10) the denominations in
which such Offered Securities will be issuable, if other than denominations of
$1,000 and any integral multiples thereof; (11) the portion of the principal
amount of the Offered Securities, if other than the entire principal amount
thereof, payable upon acceleration of maturity thereof; (12) the right of the
Company to defease the Offered Securities or certain restrictive covenants and
certain Events of Default under the Indenture; (13) the currency or currencies
in which payment of principal and premium, if any, and interest on the Offered
Securities will be payable, if other than United States dollars; (14) if the
principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on such Offered
Securities is to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof,
in a currency or currencies other than that in which such Offered Securities are
stated to be payable, the currency or currencies in which payment of the
principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on such Offered
Securities as to which such election is made will be payable and the period or
periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may
be made; (15) any index used to determine the amount of payments of principal of
and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Offered Securities; (16) if
the Offered Securities will be issuable only in the form of a Global Security as
described under "Book-Entry Securities," the Depository or its nominee with
respect to the Offered Securities, and the circumstances under which the Global
Security may be registered for transfer or exchange in the name of a
 
                                       21
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Person other than the Depository or its nominee; (17) any additional Events of
Default; and (18) any other terms of the Offered Securities.
 
     Unless otherwise indicated in the Prospectus Supplement relating to Offered
Securities, principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the
Securities will be payable, and the Securities will be exchangeable and
transfers thereof will be registrable, at the office of the Trustee at One First
National Plaza, Chicago, Illinois 60670-0126, provided that, at the option of
the Company, payment of interest may be made by: (1) wire transfer on the date
of payment in immediately available federal funds or next day funds to an
account specified by written notice to the Trustee from any Holder of
Securities; (2) any similar manner that such Holder may designate in writing to
the Trustee; or (3) by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled
thereto as it appears in the Security Register. Any payment of principal and
premium, if any, and interest, if any, required to be made on an Interest
Payment Date, Redemption Date, or at Maturity that is not a Business Day need
not be made on such day, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day
with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date,
Redemption Date, or at Maturity, as the case may be, and no interest shall
accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption
Date, or Maturity.
 
     Unless otherwise indicated in the Prospectus Supplement relating to Offered
Securities, the Securities will be issued only in fully registered form, without
coupons, in denominations of $1,000 or any integral multiple thereof. No service
charge will be made for any transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company
may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other government
charge payable in connection therewith.
 
     Securities may be issued under the Indenture as Original Issue Discount
Securities to be offered and sold at a substantial discount from their stated
principal amount. In addition, under Treasury Regulations, it is possible that
Securities that are offered and sold at their stated principal amount would,
under certain circumstances, be treated as issued at an original issue discount
for federal income tax purposes. Federal income tax consequences and other
special considerations applicable to any such Original Issue Discount Securities
(or other Securities treated as issued at an original issue discount) and to
"investment units" will be described in the Prospectus Supplement relating
thereto. "Original Issue Discount Security" means any security that provides for
an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a
declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof upon the occurrence of an
Event of Default and the continuation thereof.
 
BOOK-ENTRY SYSTEM
 
     The Securities will be represented by one or more permanent global notes
(each, a "Global Security") deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository
Trust Company, as Depository under the Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture
(the "Depository"), and registered in the name of the Depository's nominee.
Except as set forth below, (1) owners of beneficial interests in a Global
Security will not be entitled to have Securities represented by such Global
Security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive
physical delivery of Securities in definitive form and will not be considered
the owners or holders thereof under the Securities Indenture and the
Supplemental Indenture and (2) each Global Security may be transferred, in whole
and not in part, only to another nominee of the Depository or to a successor of
the Depository or its nominee. Accordingly, beneficial interests in the
Securities will be shown on, and transfers thereof will be effected only
through, records maintained by the Depository and its participants. The laws of
some states require certain purchasers of securities to take physical delivery
thereof in definitive form. The depository arrangements described above and such
laws may impair the ability to own or transfer beneficial interests in a Global
Security. Owners of beneficial interests in any Global Security will not be
entitled to receive Securities in definitive form and will not be considered
holders of Securities unless (1) the Depository notifies the Company that it is
unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for such Global Security or if at
any time the Depository ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the
Exchange Act, (2) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company
Order that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable or (3) there shall have
occurred and be continuing an Event of Default or an event which, with the
giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default
with respect to the Securities (a "Default"). In such
 
                                       22
   24
 
circumstances, upon surrender by the Depository or a successor depository of any
Global Security, Securities in definitive form will be issued to each person
that the Depository or a successor depository identifies as the beneficial owner
of the related Securities. Upon such issuance, the Trustee is required to
register such Securities in the name of, and cause such Securities to be
delivered to, such person or persons (or nominees thereof). Such Securities
would be issued in fully registered form without coupons, in denominations of
$1,000 and integral multiples thereof.
 
     The Depository has advised the Company as follows: The Depository is a
limited-purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York
Uniform Commercial Code, and a "clearing agency" registered pursuant to the
provisions of section 17A of the Exchange Act. The Depository was created to
hold securities for its participants (the "Participants") and to facilitate the
clearance and settlement of securities transactions among its participants in
such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the
Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities
certificates. The Depository's direct Participants include securities brokers
and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other
organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own the Depository.
Access to the Depository's book-entry system is also available to others (the
"Indirect Participants"), such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies
that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Participant,
either directly or indirectly. The Depository agrees with and represents to its
Participants that it will administer its book-entry system in accordance with
its rules and by-laws and requirements of law.
 
     Principal and interest payments on Securities registered in the name of or
held by the Depository or its nominee will be made to the Depository or its
nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner of the Global Security
representing such Securities. Under the terms of the Securities Indenture and
the Supplemental Indenture, the Company and the Trustee will treat the persons
in whose names the Securities are registered as the holders of such Securities
for the purpose of receiving payment of principal and interest on such
Securities and for all other purposes whatsoever. Therefore, none of the
Company, the Trustee or any paying agent has any direct responsibility or
liability for the payment of principal of or interest on the Securities to
owners of beneficial interests in any Global Security. The Depository has
advised the Company and the Trustee that its current practice is to credit the
accounts of Participants with payments of principal or interest on the date
payable in amounts proportionate to their respective holdings in principal
amount of beneficial interests in a Global Security as shown in the records of
the Depository, unless the Depository has reason to believe that it will not
receive payment on such date. The Depository's current practice is to credit
such accounts, as to interest, in next-day funds and, as to principal, in
same-day funds. Payments by Participants and Indirect Participants to owners of
beneficial interests in a Global Security will be governed by standing
instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held
for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in "street name" and
will be the responsibility of the Participants and Indirect Participants.
 
     The Depository has advised the Company that it will take any action
permitted to be taken by an owner or Holder of Securities only at the direction
of one or more Participants to whose account with the Depository such Holder's
Securities are credited. Additionally, the Depository has advised the Company
that it will take such actions with respect to any percentage of the beneficial
interest of holders who hold Securities through Participants only at the
direction of and on behalf of Participants whose account holders include
undivided interests that satisfy any such percentage. The Depository may take
conflicting actions with respect to other undivided interests to the extent that
such actions are taken on behalf of Participants whose account Holders include
such undivided interests.
 
PURCHASE AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS UPON A CHANGE OF CONTROL
 
     Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, each Holder
shall have the right to require the Company to purchase all or any part (equal
to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof) of such Holder's Securities pursuant
to the offer described below (the "Change of Control Offer") at a purchase price
equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest
thereon, if any, to the purchase date (the "Change of Control Purchase Price").
Without the appropriate consent of the Holders of the Securities, neither the
Board of Directors of the Company nor the Trustee may waive the provisions of
the Indenture
 
                                       23
   25
 
requiring the Company to make a Change of Control Offer upon a Change of Control
Triggering Event. Events that constitute a Change of Control may not require
approval by the Company's Board of Directors.
 
     Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the
Company shall (i) cause a notice of the Change of Control Offer to be sent at
least once to the Dow Jones News Service or similar business news service in the
United States and (ii) mail a notice to the Trustee and each Holder stating: (1)
that a Change of Control Triggering Event has occurred and a Change of Control
Offer is being made pursuant to the covenant in the Indenture entitled "Purchase
of Securities at the Option of Holders Upon a Change of Control" and that all
Securities timely tendered will be accepted for payment; (2) the purchase price
and the purchase date, which date shall be, subject to any contrary requirements
of applicable law, a business day no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days
from the date such notice is mailed (the "Change of Control Payment Date"); (3)
that any Securities (or portion thereof) accepted for payment (and duly paid on
the Change of Control Payment Date) pursuant to the Change of Control Offer
shall cease to accrue interest after the Change of Control Payment Date; (4)
that any Securities (or portions thereof) not tendered will continue to accrue
interest; (5) a description of the transaction or transactions constituting the
Change of Control Triggering Event; and (6) the procedures that holders of
Securities must follow in order to tender their Securities (or portions thereof)
for payment and the procedures that Holders of Securities must follow in order
to withdraw an election to tender Securities (or portions thereof) for payment.
 
     The Company will comply, to the extent then applicable and required by law,
with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act, and any other
securities laws and regulations thereunder in connection with the purchase of
Notes pursuant to the Change of Control Offer. To the extent that the provisions
of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions relating to
the Change of Control Offer, the Company will comply with the applicable
securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its
obligations described above by virtue thereof.
 
     Except as described above with respect to a Change of Control Triggering
Event, the Indenture does not contain any other provisions that permit the
Holders of the Securities to require that the Company purchase or redeem the
Securities in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or similar
restructuring.
 
     Management has no present intention to engage in a transaction involving a
Change of Control, although it is possible that the Company would decide to do
so in the future. Subject to the limitations discussed below, the Company could,
in the future, enter into certain transactions, including acquisitions,
refinancings or other recapitalizations, that would not constitute a Change of
Control under the Indenture, but that could increase the amount of indebtedness
for money borrowed outstanding at such time or otherwise affect the Company's
capital structure or credit ratings. The Indenture does not contain any
covenants or provisions that may afford holders of the Securities protection in
the event of a highly leveraged transaction.
 
     The Company may not currently have adequate financial resources to effect a
repurchase of the Securities upon a Change of Control Triggering Event and there
can be no assurance that the Company will have such resources in the future. The
inability of the Company to repurchase the Securities upon a Change of Control
Triggering Event would constitute an Event of Default.
 
     The occurrence of certain of the events that would constitute a Change of
Control could trigger a prepayment obligation under certain of the Company's
credit agreements and debt obligations, and failure to effect such prepayment
could constitute an event of default under such credit agreements and debt
obligations. If the Company is not able to obtain requisite consents or waivers
from the lenders under such credit agreements and the holders of such debt
obligations, the Company may be unable to fulfill its repurchase obligations
following a Change of Control Triggering Event, thereby resulting in a default
under the Indenture and permitting the pursuit of remedies under the Indenture
in the manner described under "Events of Default." Future indebtedness of the
Company may also contain prohibitions of certain events that would constitute a
Change of Control or require such indebtedness to be repurchased upon a Change
of Control. Moreover, the exercise by the holders of Securities of their right
to require the Company to repurchase the Securities could cause a default under
such indebtedness, even if the Change of Control Triggering Event itself does
not, due to the financial effect of such repurchase on the Company. Finally, the
Company's ability to pay cash to the holders upon a repurchase may be limited by
the Company's then existing financial
 
                                       24
   26
 
resources. In the event that a Change of Control Offer occurs at a time when the
Company does not have sufficient available funds to pay the Change of Control
Purchase Price for all Securities tendered pursuant to such offer or a time when
the Company is prohibited from purchasing the Securities (and the Company is
unable either to obtain the consent of the holders of the relevant indebtedness
or to repay such indebtedness), an Event of Default would occur under the
Indenture.
 
COVENANTS
 
     The Indenture contains certain restrictive covenants that are set forth
below. Any additional restrictive covenants relating to any series of Securities
will be described in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such series. If any
such covenants are described, the Prospectus Supplement will also state whether
the "covenant defeasance" provisions described below will apply.
 
     Limitation on Liens Securing Indebtedness.  The Company will not, and will
not permit any Consolidated Subsidiary to, create or incur, or suffer to be
incurred or to exist, at any time, any Lien on its or their property, whether
now owned or hereafter acquired, or upon any income or profits therefrom, to
secure the payment of any indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company or of
any Consolidated Subsidiary or of any other Person, unless all obligations of
the Company on or in respect of the Securities are equally and ratably and
validly secured by such Lien by proceedings and documents reasonably
satisfactory to the Trustee, except that the provisions of this paragraph shall
not prohibit the following:
 
          (a) Liens existing as of the Issue Date securing indebtedness for
     money borrowed of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries outstanding
     on such date;
 
          (b) Liens (i) incurred after the Issue Date given (on or within 120
     days of the date of acquisition, construction or improvement) to secure the
     payment of the purchase price or construction costs incurred by the Company
     or a Consolidated Subsidiary in connection with the acquisition,
     construction or improvement of real and personal property useful and
     intended to be used in carrying on the business of the Company or such
     Consolidated Subsidiary, or (ii) on fixed assets useful and intended to be
     used in carrying on the business of the Company or a Consolidated
     Subsidiary existing at the time of acquisition or construction thereof by
     the Company or such Consolidated Subsidiary or at the time of acquisition
     by the Company or a Consolidated Subsidiary of any business entity then
     owning such fixed assets, whether or not such existing Liens were given to
     secure the payment of the purchase price or construction costs of the fixed
     assets to which they attach, so long as Liens permitted by this clause (ii)
     were not incurred, extended or renewed in contemplation of such acquisition
     or construction, provided that any such Liens permitted by this clause (b)
     shall attach solely to the property acquired, constructed, improved or
     purchased;
 
          (c) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental levies or
     charges not yet due or which are subject to a good faith contest;
 
          (d) Liens incidental to the conduct of the Company's and its
     Subsidiaries' businesses or their ownership of property and other assets
     not securing any indebtedness for money borrowed and not otherwise incurred
     in connection with the borrowing of money or obtaining of credit, and which
     do not in the aggregate materially diminish the value of the Company's or
     Subsidiaries' property or assets when taken as a whole, or materially
     impair the use thereof in the operation of their businesses;
 
          (e) Liens in respect of any interest or title of a lessor in any
     property subject to a Capitalized Lease permitted under "-- Limitation on
     Sale and Leaseback";
 
          (f) Liens arising in respect of judgments against the Company, except
     for any judgment in an amount in excess of $1,000,000 which is not
     discharged or execution thereof stayed pending appeal within 45 days after
     entry thereof;
 
          (g) Liens in favor of the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary of
     the Company;
 
          (h) Liens consisting of minor survey exceptions or minor encumbrances,
     easements or reservations, or rights of others for rights-of-way, utilities
     and other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as
 
                                       25
   27
 
     to use of real property, that are necessary for the conduct of the
     operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries or that customarily exist on
     properties of corporations engaged in similar businesses and are similarly
     situated and that do not in any event materially impair their use in the
     operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries; and
 
          (i) Liens renewing, extending or refunding any Lien permitted by the
     preceding clauses of this paragraph; provided, however, that the principal
     amount of indebtedness for money borrowed secured by such Lien immediately
     prior thereto is not increased and such Lien is not extended to any other
     assets or property.
 
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary
may create or assume Liens, in addition to those otherwise permitted by the
preceding clauses of this paragraph, securing indebtedness for money borrowed of
the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary issued or incurred after the Issue
Date, provided that at the time of such issuance or incurrence, the aggregate
amount of all Secured Indebtedness and Attributable Debt would not exceed 15% of
Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.
 
     In the event that any property of the Company or any Consolidated
Subsidiary is subjected to a Lien not otherwise permitted by this paragraph, the
Company will make or cause to be made a provision whereby the Securities will be
secured (together with other indebtedness for money borrowed then entitled
thereto and equal in rank to the Securities), to the full extent permitted under
applicable law, equally and ratably with all other obligations secured thereby,
and in any case the Securities shall (but only in such event) have the benefit,
to the full extent that the holders of the Securities may be entitled thereto
under applicable law, of an equitable Lien on such property equally and ratably
securing the Securities and such other obligations.
 
     Limitation on Sale and Leaseback.  The Company will not, and will not
permit any Consolidated Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement, directly or
indirectly, whereby the Company or such Consolidated Subsidiary shall, in one
transaction or a series of related transactions, (i) sell, transfer or otherwise
dispose of any property owned by the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary and
(ii) more than 120 days after the later of the date of initial acquisition of
such property or completion or occupancy thereof, as the case may be, by the
Company or such Consolidated Subsidiary, rent or lease, as lessee, such property
or substantially identical property or any material part thereof (a "Sale and
Leaseback Transaction"), provided that the foregoing restriction shall not apply
to any Sale and Leaseback Transaction if (a) immediately after the consummation
of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction and after giving effect thereto, no
Default or Event of Default shall exist and (b) any one of the following
conditions is satisfied:
 
          (i) the lease concerned constitutes a Capitalized Lease and at the
     time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction and after giving
     effect thereto and to any Liens incurred pursuant to "-- Limitation on
     Liens Securing Indebtedness", the aggregate amount of all Secured
     Indebtedness and Attributable Debt would not exceed 15% of Consolidated Net
     Tangible Assets; or
 
          (ii) the lease has a term which in the aggregate would not exceed 36
     months (including any extensions or renewals thereof at the option of the
     lessee); or
 
          (iii) the sale of such property is for cash consideration which equals
     or exceeds the fair market value thereof (as determined in good faith by
     the Company) and the net proceeds from such sale are applied, within 30
     days of the date of the sale thereof, to the payment (other than payments
     due at maturity or in satisfaction of, or applied to, any mandatory or
     scheduled payment or prepayment obligation) of indebtedness for money
     borrowed of the Company which ranks, in right of payment, on a parity with
     or senior to the Securities.
 
     Restrictive Agreements.  The Company will not and will not permit any of
its Consolidated Subsidiaries to enter into any indenture, agreement, instrument
or other arrangement which, directly or indirectly, prohibits or restrains, or
has the effect of prohibiting or restraining, or imposes materially adverse
conditions upon, the ability of any Consolidated Subsidiary to make loans or
advances to the Company or to declare and pay dividends or make distribution on
shares of such Consolidated Subsidiary's capital stock (whether now or hereafter
outstanding); provided, however, that any agreement to subordinate indebtedness
for money borrowed owing from any Consolidated Subsidiary to the Company or
owing between Consolidated
 
                                       26
   28
 
Subsidiaries pursuant to any Priority Debt or to any guarantee of such
indebtedness for money borrowed shall not be deemed to violate this paragraph so
long as any such agreement to subordinate does not directly or indirectly
prohibit or restrain the ability of any such Consolidated Subsidiary to make
loans or advances to the Company or to declare and pay dividends or make
distributions on shares of such Consolidated Subsidiary's capital stock (whether
now or hereafter outstanding).
 
     Corporate Existence.  The Company will do or cause to be done all things
necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence
and material rights (charter and statutory) and material franchises of the
Company; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve
any such right or franchise if the Board of Directors shall determine that the
preservation of such rights and franchises is no longer desirable in the conduct
of the business of the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries considered as a
whole, and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect
to the holders of the Securities.
 
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
 
     The following are Events of Default under the Indenture with respect to
Securities of any series: (a) failure to pay principal of or premium, if any, on
any Security of that series when due; (b) failure to pay any interest on any
Security of that series when due, continued for 30 days; (c) (i) the failure by
the Company or any Subsidiary to pay indebtedness for money borrowed (including
Securities of other series) in an aggregate principal amount exceeding
$10,000,000 at the later of final maturity or upon the expiration of any
applicable period of grace with respect to such principal amount or (ii)
acceleration of the maturity of any indebtedness for money borrowed of the
Company or any Subsidiary in excess of $10,000,000, if such failure to pay or
acceleration is not discharged or such acceleration is not annulled within 15
days after due notice; (d) the failure to perform any covenant or warranty of
the Company in the Indenture described herein under "Purchase at the Option of
Holders Upon a Change of Control" (including the failure to purchase the
Securities required to be purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer in
accordance with the terms of such Change of Control Offer); (e) failure to
deposit any sinking fund payment, when due, in respect of any Security of that
series; (f) failure to perform any other covenant or warranty of the Company in
the Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty included in the Indenture
solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than that series),
continued for 60 days after written notice as provided in the Indenture; (g)
certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization; and (h) any other
Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that series.
 
     If an Event of Default specified in clause (g) above occurs and is
continuing with respect to Securities, then the principal amount of the
Outstanding Securities shall become immediately due and payable without any
declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. If an Event
of Default (other than one specified in clause (g) in the immediately preceding
paragraph) with respect to Outstanding Securities of any series shall occur and
be continuing, either the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal
amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal
amount (or, if the Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount
Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the
terms of that series) of all the Securities of that series to be due and payable
immediately by written notice to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the
Holders). At any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to
Securities of any series has been made, but before a judgment or decree based on
acceleration has been obtained, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of
the Outstanding Securities of that series may, under certain circumstances,
rescind and annul such acceleration. For information as to waiver of defaults,
see "Modification and Waiver" below.
 
     Reference is made to the Prospectus Supplement relating to each series of
Offered Securities that are Original Issue Discount Securities for the
particular provisions relating to acceleration of the Maturity of a portion of
the principal amount of such Original Issue Discount Securities upon the
occurrence of an Event of Default and the continuation thereof.
 
     The Indenture provides that the Trustee will be under no obligation,
subject to the duty of the Trustee during default to act with the required
standard of care, to exercise any of its rights or powers under the
 
                                       27
   29
 
Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders, unless such Holders
shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity. Subject to such
provisions for indemnification of the Trustee, the Holders of a majority in
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series will have the right
to direct the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any
remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on
the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of that series.
 
     The Company will furnish to the Trustee annually a certificate as to
compliance by the Company with all terms, provisions, and conditions of the
Indenture.
 
DEFEASANCE
 
     The Prospectus Supplement will state if any defeasance provision will apply
to the Offered Securities.
 
     DEFEASANCE AND DISCHARGE
 
     The Indenture provides that, if applicable, the Company will be discharged
from any and all obligations in respect of the Securities of any series (except
for certain obligations to register the transfer or exchange of Securities of
such series, to replace stolen, lost, or mutilated Securities of such series, to
maintain paying agencies and to hold monies for payment in trust) upon the
irrevocable deposit with the Trustee, in trust, of money and/or U.S. Government
Obligations (as defined), which through the payment of interest and principal in
respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount
sufficient to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and each installment of
interest on the Securities of such series on the Stated Maturity of such
payments in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities of
such series. Such a trust may only be established if, among other things, the
Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel (who may be an
employee of or counsel for the Company) to the effect that Holders of the
Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain, or loss for federal
income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance, and discharge and
will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner
and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance,
and discharge had not occurred.
 
     DEFEASANCE OF CERTAIN COVENANTS AND CERTAIN EVENTS OF DEFAULT
 
     The Indenture provides that the Company may omit to comply with the
covenants described under "Purchase at the Option of Holders Upon a Change of
Control", "Certain Covenants -- Limitation on Liens Securing Indebtedness",
"Certain Covenants -- Limitation on Sale and Leaseback", and "Certain
Covenants -- Restrictive Agreements" and that violations of such covenants will
not be deemed to be an Event of Default under the Indenture to the extent that
the conditions described herein are met. The Indenture also provides with
respect to the Securities of any series, to the extent provided for in the
Prospectus Supplement, that the Company may omit to comply with certain
restrictive covenants provided for in this Prospectus or the Prospectus
Supplement and, to the extent provided in the Prospectus Supplement, that
violations of certain restrictive covenants provided for in the Prospectus
Supplement shall not be deemed to be an Event of Default under the Indenture and
the Securities of such series, upon the deposit with the Trustee, in trust, of
money and/or U.S. Government Obligations (as defined) which through the payment
of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will
provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of and premium, if
any, and each installment of interest on the Securities of such series on the
Stated Maturity of such payments in accordance with the terms of the Indenture
and the Securities of such series. The obligations of the Company under the
Indenture and the Securities of such series other than with respect to the
covenants referred to above and the Events of Default other than the Event of
Default referred to above shall remain in full force and effect. Such a trust
may only be established if, among other things, the Company has delivered to the
Trustee an Opinion of Counsel (who may be an employee of or counsel for the
Company) to the effect that the Holders of the Securities of such series will
not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result
of such deposit and defeasance of certain covenants and Events of Default and
will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner
and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance
had not occurred.
 
                                       28
   30
 
     DEFEASANCE AND CERTAIN OTHER EVENTS OF DEFAULT
 
     In the event the Company exercises its option to omit compliance with
certain covenants of the Indenture with respect to the Securities of any series
as described above and the Securities of such series are declared due and
payable because of the occurrence of any Event of Default other than the Event
of Default described in clause (f) under "Events of Default," the amount of
money and U.S. Government Obligations on deposit with the Trustee will be
sufficient to pay amounts due on the Securities of such series at the time of
their Stated Maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the
Securities of such series at the time of the acceleration resulting from such
Event of Default. However, the Company shall remain liable for such payments.
 
MODIFICATION AND WAIVER
 
     Modifications and amendments of the Indenture may be made by the Company
and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal
amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such
modification or amendment; provided, however, that no such modification or
amendment may, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security
affected thereby, (a) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any
installment of principal of or interest on, any Security, (b) reduce the
principal amount of, or the premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any
Security, (c) reduce the amount of principal of an Original Issue Discount
Security payable upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof, (d) change the place
or currency of payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest, if any,
on, any Security, (e) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of
any payment on or with respect to any Security, or (f) reduce the percentage in
principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of the
Holders of which is required for modification or amendment of the Indenture or
for waiver of compliance with certain provisions of the Indenture or for waiver
of certain defaults.
 
     The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities
of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of that series
waive, insofar as that series is concerned, compliance by the Company with
certain restrictive provisions of the Indenture. The Holders of a majority in
principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of
the Holders of all Securities of that series waive any past default under the
Indenture with respect to that series, except a default in the payment of the
principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Security of that series or
in respect of a provision that under the Indenture cannot be modified or amended
without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of that series
affected. In addition, a modification or amendment to the Indenture may not
waive the Company's obligation to make a Change of Control Offer without the
written consent of the holders of at least two-thirds in aggregate principal
amount of the then outstanding Securities.
 
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, AND SALE OF ASSETS
 
     The Company, without the consent of any Holders of Outstanding Securities,
may consolidate or merge with or into, or transfer or lease its assets as an
entirety to, any corporation, provided that (i) the corporation (if other than
the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or
that acquires or leases the assets of the Company substantially as an entirety
is a corporation, partnership or trust, is organized and existing under the laws
of any United States jurisdiction and expressly assumes the Company's
obligations on the Securities and under the Indenture, (ii) after giving effect
to such transaction no Event of Default, and no event that, after notice or
lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and
be continuing (provided that a transaction will only be deemed to be in
violation of this condition (ii) as to any series of Securities as to which such
Event of Default or such event shall have occurred and be continuing), and (iii)
certain other conditions are met.
 
CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
 
     Set forth below is a summary of certain of the defined terms used in the
covenants contained in the Indenture. Reference is made to the Indenture for the
full definition of all such terms as well as any other capitalized terms used
herein for which no definition is provided.
 
                                       29
   31
 
     "Attributable Debt" means indebtedness for money borrowed deemed to be
incurred in respect of a Sale and Leaseback Transaction and shall be, at the
date of determination, the present value (discounted at the actual rate of
interest implicit in such transaction, compounded annually), of the total
obligations of the lessee for rental payments during the remaining term of the
lease included in such Sale and Leaseback Transaction.
 
     "Capital Stock" means, with respect to any person, any and all shares or
other equivalents (however designated) of corporate stock, partnership
interests, or any other participation, right, warrant, option, or other interest
in the nature of an equity interest in such person, but excluding debt
securities convertible or exchangeable into such equity interest.
 
     "Capitalized Lease" means any lease the obligation for Rentals with respect
to which is required to be capitalized on a consolidated balance sheet of the
lessee and its subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.
 
     "Change of Control" means the occurrence of any of the following events:
(i) any "person" or "group" (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of
the Exchange Act or any successor provision to either of the foregoing,
including any group acting for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of
securities within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act;
provided, however, that a group formed solely for the purpose of voting
securities shall not be deemed to be a group for purpose of this definition),
other than the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary, or Permitted Persons, is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as
defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 35% or
more of the total voting power of the fully diluted Voting Stock of the Company,
(ii) during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the
beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors of the Company
(together with any new directors whose election by the Board of Directors of the
Company or whose nomination for election by the shareholders of the Company was
approved by a vote of 66-2/3% of the directors of the Company then still in
office who were either directors at the beginning of such period or whose
election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any
reason to constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company then in
office, (iii) the Company consolidates or merges with or into any other person
or any other person consolidates or merges with or into the Company, in either
case, other than a consolidation or merger (a) with a Wholly-Owned Consolidated
Subsidiary in which all of the Voting Stock of the Company outstanding
immediately prior to the effectiveness thereof is changed into or exchanged for
substantially the same consideration or (b) (1) pursuant to a transaction in
which the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company is changed into or exchanged
for cash, securities or other property with the effect that the "beneficial
owners" of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company, immediately prior to
such transaction, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the
total voting power of the fully diluted Voting Stock of the surviving
corporation immediately following such transaction and (2) no "person" or
"group", other than the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any
Subsidiary, or Permitted Persons, beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 35%
or more of the total voting power of the fully diluted Voting Stock of the
surviving corporation immediately following such transaction, or (iv) the
Company sells, conveys, transfers or leases, directly or indirectly, all or
substantially all of its assets to any Person other than a Wholly-Owned
Consolidated Subsidiary.
 
     "Change of Control Triggering Event" means the occurrence of both a Change
of Control and a Rating Decline with respect to the Securities.
 
     "Consolidated Net Tangible Assets" means, as of the date of any
determination thereof, the total amount of all assets of the Company and its
Consolidated Subsidiaries (less depreciation, depletion and other properly
deductible valuation reserves) after deducting Intangibles.
 
     "Consolidated Subsidiary" means any Subsidiary of the Company or of any
Consolidated Subsidiary which is consolidated with the Company for financial
reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP.
 
     "GAAP" means United States generally accepted accounting principles as in
effect as of the date of determination, unless otherwise stated.
 
     "indebtedness for money borrowed", when used with respect to the Company or
any Subsidiary, means any obligation of, or any obligation guaranteed by, the
Company or any Subsidiary for the repayment of borrowed money, whether or not
evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other written instruments, and any
 
                                       30
   32
 
deferred obligation of, or any such obligation guaranteed by, the Company for
the payment of the purchase price of property or assets.
 
     "Intellectual Properties" means all material patents, patent applications,
copyrights, copyright applications, trade secrets, trade names and trademarks,
technologies, methods, processes or other proprietary properties or information
which are used by the Company and its Consolidated Subsidiaries in the conduct
of their business and are either owned by them or are used, employed or
practiced by them under valid and existing licenses, grants, "shop rights", or
other rights.
 
     "Intangibles" means all Intellectual Properties and all goodwill, patents,
trade names, trademarks, copyrights, franchises, experimental expense,
organization expense, unamortized debt discount and expense, deferred assets
(other than prepaid insurance, prepaid taxes, prepaid advertising, prepaid
licensing and other similar expenses prepaid in the ordinary course of
business), amounts invested in or advanced to or equity in the Company's
Subsidiaries other than Consolidated Subsidiaries less any writedowns thereof,
the excess of cost of shares acquired over book value of related assets, any
increase in the value of a fixed asset arising from a reappraisal, revaluation
or write-up thereof, and such other assets as are properly classified as
"intangible assets" in accordance with GAAP.
 
     "Investment Grade Rating" means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or
the equivalent) by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. (or any successor to the
rating agency business thereof), BBB- (or the equivalent) by Standard & Poor's
Rating Group (or any successor to the rating agency business thereof), and BBB-
(or the equivalent) by Duff & Phelps Credit Rating Co. (or any successor to the
rating agency business thereof).
 
     "Issue Date" means, with respect to any series of Securities, the date of
initial issuance of such series.
 
     "Lien" means any interest in property securing an obligation owed to, or a
claim by, a person other than the owner of the property, whether such interest
is based on the common law, statute or contract, and including but not limited
to the security interest or lien arising from a mortgage, encumbrance, pledge,
conditional sale or trust receipt or a lease, consignment or bailment for
security purposes. The term "Lien" shall include reservations, exceptions,
encroachments, easements, rights-of-way, covenants, conditions, restrictions,
bankers' liens, setoffs and similar arrangements, leases and other title
exceptions and encumbrances (including, with respect to stock, stockholder
agreements, voting trust agreements, buy-back agreements and all similar
arrangements) affecting property. For the purposes hereunder, the Company or a
Consolidated Subsidiary shall be deemed to be the owner of any property which it
has acquired or holds subject to a conditional sale agreement, Capitalized Lease
or other arrangement pursuant to which title to the property has been retained
by or vested in some other person for security purposes and such retention or
vesting shall constitute a Lien.
 
     "Permitted Persons" means (i) Edward J. Shoen, Mark V. Shoen, James P.
Shoen, Paul F. Shoen, Sophia M. Shoen (and during the Plan Consummation Period
only, Samuel W. Shoen, Michael L. Shoen, and Katrina Shoen Carlson) and the
spouse and lineal descendants of each such individual, the spouses of each such
lineal descendants and the lineal descendants of such spouses, (ii) any trusts
for the primary benefit of, the executor or administrator of the estate of, or
other legal representative of, any of the individuals referred to in the
foregoing clause (i), and (iii) any corporation with respect to which all the
Voting Stock thereof is, directly or indirectly, owned by any of the individuals
referred to in the preceding clause (i).
 
     "Plan Consummation Period" means the period beginning on the Issue Date and
ending on the date of purchase by the Company (directly or indirectly) of Common
Stock of the Company held by Samuel W. Shoen, Michael L. Shoen, and Katrina
Shoen Carlson or any corporation with respect to which all the Voting Stock
thereof is, directly or indirectly, owned by any of the foregoing individuals.
 
     "Priority Debt" means (i) indebtedness for money borrowed of any
Consolidated Subsidiary, except indebtedness for money borrowed issued to and
held by the Company or a Wholly-Owned Consolidated Subsidiary, and (but without
duplication) (ii) Secured Indebtedness.
 
     "Rating Agencies" means Standard & Poor's Rating Group, Duff & Phelps
Credit Rating Co., and Moody's Investors Service, Inc. or any successor to the
respective rating agency businesses thereof.
 
                                       31
   33
 
     "Rating Date" means the date which is 90 days prior to the earlier of (i) a
Change of Control and (ii) public notice of the occurrence of a Change of
Control or of the intention of the Company to effect a Change of Control.
 
     "Rating Decline" means, with the respect to the Securities, the occurrence
of the following on, or within 90 days after, the date of public notice of the
occurrence of a Change of Control or of the intention by the Company to effect a
Change of Control (which period shall be extended so long as the rating of such
Securities is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by
any of the Rating Agencies): (a) in the event the Securities were assigned an
Investment Grade Rating by at least two of the three Rating Agencies on the
Rating Date, the rating of the Securities by both Standard & Poor's Rating Group
and Moody's Investors Service, Inc. shall decrease below an Investment Grade
Rating; or (b) in the event the Securities were rated below an Investment Grade
Rating by at least two of the three Rating Agencies on the Rating Date, the
rating of the Securities by both Standard & Poor's Rating Group and Moody's
Investors Service, Inc. shall decrease by one or more gradations (including
gradations within rating categories as well as between rating categories).
 
     "Rentals" means and includes, as of the date of any determination thereof,
all fixed payments (including as such all payments which the lessee is obligated
to make to the lessor on termination of the lease or surrender of the property)
payable by the Company or a Consolidated Subsidiary, as lessee or sublessee
under a lease of real or personal property, but shall be exclusive of any
amounts required to be paid by the Company or a Consolidated Subsidiary (whether
or not designated as rents or additional rents) on account of maintenance,
repairs, insurance, taxes and similar charges. Fixed rents under any so-called
"percentage leases" shall be computed solely on the basis of the minimum rents,
if any, required to be paid by the lessee regardless of sales volume or gross
revenues.
 
     "Secured Indebtedness" means any indebtedness for money borrowed, whether
of the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary, secured by any Lien on any
property of the Company or any Consolidated Subsidiary.
 
     "Subsidiary" means a person more than 50% of the outstanding Voting Stock
of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one or more
other Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or more other Subsidiaries.
 
     "Voting Stock" of a person means all classes of Capital Stock of such
person then outstanding and normally entitled to vote in the election of
directors (or persons performing similar functions) or to direct the business
and affairs of the issuer of such Capital Stock in the absence of contingencies.
 
     "Wholly-Owned Consolidated Subsidiary" means any Consolidated Subsidiary
all of the outstanding Capital Stock of which (except for directors' qualifying
shares to the extent required by applicable law) is owned by the Company and/or
its Wholly-Owned Consolidated Subsidiaries.
 
                                       32
   34
 
                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
 
     The Company may sell the Securities in and/or outside the United States:
(i) through underwriters or dealers; (ii) directly to a limited number of
purchasers or to a single purchase; or (iii) through agents. The Prospectus
Supplement with respect to the Securities being offered will set forth the terms
of the offering of the Offered Securities, including the name or names of any
underwriters or agents, the purchase price of the Offered Securities and the
proceeds to the Company from such sale, any delayed delivery arrangements, any
underwriting discounts and other items constituting underwriters' compensation,
any initial public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or
reallowed or paid to dealers. Any initial public offering price and any
discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers may be changed
from time to time.
 
     If underwriters are used in the sale, the Offered Securities will be
acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time
to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a
fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale.
The Securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting
syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one
or more underwriters. The underwriter or underwriters with respect to a
particular underwritten offering of Securities, or, if an underwriting syndicate
is used, the managing underwriter or underwriters, will be set forth on the
cover of the applicable Prospectus Supplement. Unless otherwise set forth in the
Prospectus Supplement relating thereto, the obligations of the underwriters to
purchase the Offered Securities will be subject to conditions precedent and the
underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the Offered Securities if any
are purchased.
 
     If dealers are utilized in the sale of Offered Securities in respect of
which this Prospectus is delivered, and if so specified in the applicable
Prospectus Supplement, the Company will sell such Offered Securities to the
dealers as principals. The dealers may then sell such Offered Securities to the
public at varying prices to be determined by such dealers at the time of resale.
The names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction will be set forth in
the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
 
     The Securities may be sold directly by the Company or through agents
designated by the Company from time to time. Any agent involved in the offer or
sale of the Offered Securities in respect to which this Prospectus is delivered
will be named, and any commissions payable by the Company to such agent will be
set forth, in the Prospectus Supplement.
 
     Underwriters, dealers and agents may be entitled under agreements entered
into with the Company to indemnification by the Company against certain civil
liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution
with respect to payments which the underwriters, dealers or agents may be
required to make in respect thereof. Underwriters, dealers and agents may be
customers of, may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, the
Company in the ordinary course of business.
 
                                 LEGAL OPINIONS
 
     The validity of the Securities offered hereunder will be passed upon for
the Company by Lionel, Sawyer & Collins, 300 S. 4th Street, Suite 1700, Las
Vegas, Nevada 89101. Certain legal matters in connection with this offering will
be passed upon for the underwriters or agents, if any, by the counsel named in
the applicable Prospectus Supplement.
 
                                    EXPERTS
 
     The consolidated financial statements of the Company as of March 31, 1996
and 1995 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended March 31, 1996
incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 1996 have been so incorporated in
reliance on the report of Price Waterhouse LLP, independent accountants, given
upon the authority of said firm as experts in auditing and accounting.
 
                                       33
   35
========================================================= 

     NO DEALER, SALESPERSON, OR OTHER PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY
INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION NOT CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS AND,
IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATION MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS
HAVING BEEN AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY, ANY UNDERWRITER OR AGENT, OR ANY OTHER
PERSON. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER OF ANY SECURITIES OTHER
THAN THOSE TO WHICH THEY RELATE OR AN OFFER TO SELL, OR A SOLICITATION OF AN
OFFER TO BUY, TO ANY PERSON IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE SUCH AN OFFER OR
SOLICITATION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR ANY
SALE MADE HEREUNDER AND THEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY
IMPLICATION THAT THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS CORRECT AS OF ANY TIME
SUBSEQUENT TO THE DATE HEREOF.
 
                            ------------------------
 
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
                                   PROSPECTUS
 


                                          PAGE
                                          ----
                                       
Available Information...................     2
Information Incorporated by Reference...     2
Company Summary.........................     3
Risk Factors............................     5
Use of Proceeds.........................     6
Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges......     6
Selected Consolidated Financial Data....     7
Business................................     8
Shoen Litigation........................    17
Description of Securities...............    21
Plan of Distribution....................    33
Legal Opinions..........................    33
Experts.................................    33


=========================================================




=========================================================
 
                                  $600,000,000
 
                                  A M E R C O
 
                                      LOGO
 
                                DEBT SECURITIES
 
                          ---------------------------
                                   PROSPECTUS
                          ---------------------------
                            Dated September   , 1996
 
=========================================================
   36
                                    PART II
 
                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 14.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION
 

                                                                
Securities and Exchange Commission Registration Fee..............  $206,897
Printing and Engraving Expenses..................................    20,000*
Legal Fees and Expenses..........................................    90,000*
Accounting Fees and Expenses.....................................    50,000*
Other Expenses...................................................     3,103*
                                                                   --------
          Total Expenses.........................................  $370,000*
                                                                   ========

- ---------------
* Estimated.
 
ITEM 15.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
 
     The Nevada General Corporation Law requires the Company to indemnify
officers and directors for any expenses incurred by any officer or director in
connection with any actions or proceedings, whether civil, criminal,
administrative, or investigative, brought against such officer or director
because of his or her status as an officer or director, to the extent that the
director or officer has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of
the action or proceeding. The Nevada General Corporation Law permits a
corporation to indemnify an officer or director, even in the absence of an
agreement to do so, for expenses incurred in connection with any action or
proceeding if such officer or director acted in good faith and in a manner in
which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the corporation and such indemnification is authorized by the
stockholders, by a quorum of disinterested directors, by independent legal
counsel in a written opinion authorized by a majority vote of a quorum of
directors consisting of disinterested directors, or by independent legal counsel
in a written opinion if a quorum of disinterested directors cannot be obtained.
The Company's Restated Articles of Incorporation eliminate personal liability of
directors and officers, to the Company or its stockholders, for damages for
breach of their fiduciary duties as directors or officers, except for liability
(i) for acts or omissions that involve intentional misconduct, fraud, or a
knowing violation of law, or (ii) for the unlawful payment of dividends. In
addition, the Company's By-Laws provide that the Company shall indemnify, to the
fullest extent authorized or permitted by law, any person made, or threatened to
be made, a defendant in any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or
proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she was a director or officer of the
Company. The Company has also executed Indemnification Agreements that provide
that certain of the Company's directors and officers shall be indemnified and
held harmless by the Company to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law
or the Restated Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Company. The Company
has established a trust fund with Harris Trust and Savings Bank as trustee in
order to fund its obligations under the Indemnification Agreements. The Company
has agreed to maintain a minimum balance in the trust fund of $1,000,000. The
Nevada General Corporation Law prohibits indemnification of a director or
officer if a final adjudication establishes that the officer's or director's
acts or omissions involved intentional misconduct, fraud, or a knowing violation
of the law and were material to the cause of action. Despite the foregoing
limitations on indemnification, the Nevada General Corporation Law may permit an
officer or director to apply to the court for approval of indemnification even
if the officer or director is adjudged to have committed intentional misconduct,
fraud, or a knowing violation of the law. The Nevada General Corporation Law
also provides that indemnification of directors is not permitted for the
unlawful payment of distributions, except for those directors registering their
dissent to the payment of the distribution.
 
                                      II-1
   37
ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS
 


EXHIBIT
NUMBER                                  EXHIBIT
- ------                                  -------
       
  1.1      Form of Underwriting Agreement for Debt Securities
  1.2      Form of Distribution Agreement for Debt Securities*
  2.1      Order Confirming Plan(1)
  2.2      Second Amended and Restated Debtor's Plan of Reorganization 
           Proposed by Edward J. Shoen(1)
  4.1      Form of Indenture
  4.2      Form of Debt Securities (included in Exhibit 4.1)
  4.3      Form(s) of Supplemental Indenture relating to Debt Securities*
  4.4      Restated Articles of Incorporation(2)
  4.5      Restated By-Laws of AMERCO dated September 27, 1996
  5        Opinion re Legality+
 12        Statement re Computation of Ratios+
 23.1      Consent of Independent Accountants
 23.2      Consent of Lionel, Sawyer & Collins (included in Exhibit 5)+
 24        Power of Attorney (included on signature page of Registration Statement)
 25        Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
           amended, of The First National Bank of Chicago, as Trustee under the Indenture+
 28        Information from Reports Furnished to State Insurance Regulatory Authorities(4)

- ---------------
  * To be filed by means of Form 8-K.
  + Previously filed.
 
(1) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration Statement on Form
    S-3, Registration No. 333-1195
 
(2) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
    the quarter ended December 31, 1992, File No. 0-7862.
 
(3) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
    the quarter ended September 30, 1995, File No. 0-7862.
 
(4) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
    the year ended March 31, 1996, File No. 0-7862.
 
ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS
 
     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
 
          (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
     made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include
     any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
     previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change
     to such information in the registration statement.
 
          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
     to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
     therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
     to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
     any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of the offering.
 
          (4) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each such filing of the registrant's annual report
     pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
     of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement
     shall be deemed to be a new
 
                                      II-2
   38
 
     registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
     offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
     bona fide offering thereof.
 
          (5) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus
     filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and
     contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule
     424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be
     part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared
     effective.
 
          (6) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form
     of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating
     to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at
     that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
          (7) To file an application for the purpose of determining the
     eligibility of the Trustee to act under subsection (a) of section 310 of
     the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 in accordance with the rules and
     regulations prescribed by the Commission under section 305(b)(2) of the
     Trust Indenture Act of 1939.
 
     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
registrant pursuant to the provisions described in Item 15 above, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event
that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person
in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless
in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether
such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.
 
                                      II-3
   39
                                   SIGNATURES
 
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Pre-Effective
Amendment No. 1 to this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Phoenix, State of
Arizona, on the 5th day of September, 1996.
 
                                          AMERCO
 
                                          By:       /s/ EDWARD J. SHOEN
                                            ------------------------------------
                                                      Edward J. Shoen
                                            Chairman of the Board and President
 
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to this Registration Statement has been signed by
the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 


            NAME AND SIGNATURE                          TITLE                      DATE
- ------------------------------------------    --------------------------    -------------------
                                                                      
           /s/ EDWARD J. SHOEN                Chairman of the Board and     September 5, 1996
- ------------------------------------------    President (Principal
             Edward J. Shoen                  executive officer)

                    *                         Treasurer (Principal          September 5, 1996
- ------------------------------------------    financial and accounting
              Gary B. Horton                  officer)

                                              Director                      September  , 1996
- ------------------------------------------
              Mark V. Shoen

                    *                         Director                      September 5, 1996
- ------------------------------------------
              James P. Shoen

                    *                         Director                      September 5, 1996
- ------------------------------------------
             William E. Carty

                    *                         Director                      September 5, 1996
- ------------------------------------------
              John M. Dodds

                    *                         Director                      September 5, 1996
- ------------------------------------------
             Charles J. Bayer

                    *                         Director                      September 5, 1996
- ------------------------------------------
            Richard J. Herrera
                                              Director                      September  , 1996
- ------------------------------------------
            Aubrey K. Johnson


      By:        /s/ EDWARD J. SHOEN
- ------------------------------------------
             *Edward J. Shoen
            (Attorney-in-fact)

                                      II-4
   40
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
 


                                                                                        SEQUENTIAL
    EXHIBIT                                                                              NUMBERED
    NUMBER                                       TITLE                                     PAGE
    ------        --------------------------------------------------------------------  ----------
                                                                               
      1.1         Form of Underwriting Agreement for Debt Securities..................
      1.2         Form of Distribution Agreement for Debt Securities*.................
      2.1         Order Confirming Plan(1)............................................
      2.2         Second Amended and Restated Debtor's Plan of Reorganization Proposed
                  by Edward J. Shoen(1)...............................................
      4.1         Form of Indenture...................................................
      4.2         Form of Debt Securities (included in Exhibit 4.1)...................
      4.3         Form(s) of Supplemental Indenture relating to Debt Securities*......
      4.4         Restated Articles of Incorporation(2)...............................
      4.5         Restated By-Laws of AMERCO dated September 27, 1996.................
      5           Opinion re Legality+................................................
     12           Statement re Computation of Ratios+.................................
     23.1         Consent of Independent Accountants..................................
     23.2         Consent of Lionel, Sawyer & Collins (included in Exhibit 5)+........
     24           Power of Attorney (included on signature page of Registration
                  Statement)..........................................................
     25           Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of
                  1939,
                  as amended, of The First National Bank of Chicago, as Trustee under
                  the
                  Indenture+..........................................................
     28           Information from Reports Furnished to State Insurance Regulatory
                  Authorities(4)......................................................

 
- ---------------
  * To be filed by means of Form 8-K.
 
  + Previously filed.
 
(1) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Registration Statement on Form
    S-3, Registration No. 333-1195
 
(2) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
    the quarter ended December 31, 1992, File No. 0-7862.
 
(3) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
    the quarter ended September 30, 1995, File No. 0-7862.
 
(4) Incorporated by reference to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
    the year ended March 31, 1996, File No. 0-7862.
   41
 
                                   APPENDIX A
 
                        DESCRIPTION OF GRAPHIC MATERIAL
 

                 
1.    Location:        Outside Front and Back Covers of Prospectus
      Item:
                       Company Logo
      Description:
                       Registered Logo U-Haul International, Inc.
2.    Location:
                       Page 4 of the Prospectus
      Item:
                       Corporate Structure
      Description:
                       A chart showing the corporate structure of the Company and its major
                       subsidiaries. The chart shows the Company on top, above its three
                       principal subsidiaries; Ponderosa Holdings, Inc., U-Haul International,
                       Inc., and Amerco Real Estate Company situated horizontally beside one
                       another. Directly below Ponderosa Holdings, Inc. are its subsidiaries,
                       Oxford Life Insurance Company and Republic Western Insurance Company,
                       situated horizontally beside one another.