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<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS                   6-MOS                   3-MOS                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997             DEC-31-1997             DEC-31-1997             DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-1997             JAN-01-1997             JAN-01-1997             JAN-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1997             JUN-30-1997             MAR-31-1997             DEC-31-1996
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<DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE>                           660843                  674731                  683876                  694351
<DEBT-MARKET-VALUE>                             683388                  689193                  686978                  709168
<EQUITIES>                                       61877                   60660                   74130                   86991
<MORTGAGE>                                      301656                  309943                  300811                  293777
<REAL-ESTATE>                                    37454                   27970                   28081                   28391
<TOTAL-INVEST>                                 3019193                 2928829                 2898697                 2889095
<CASH>                                            2692                    4101                    4535                    3583
<RECOVER-REINSURE>                               39023                   36567                   37669                   38919
<DEFERRED-ACQUISITION>                          180647                  178864                  174865                  166912
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 3555739                 3463001                 3397733                 3368192
<POLICY-LOSSES>                                2251839                 2230353                 2208919                 2193846
<UNEARNED-PREMIUMS>                              30167                   29836                   29344                   26774
<POLICY-OTHER>                                   32195                   32783                   32268                   32952
<POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS>                           232953                  230157                  231360                  226234
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<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0                       0                       0                       0
<PREFERRED>                                       3000                    3000                  100000                  100000
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<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   3555739                 3463001                 3397733                 3368192
<PREMIUMS>                                      143552                   95709                   45051                  169409
<INVESTMENT-INCOME>                             167061                  110841                   54808                  210729
<INVESTMENT-GAINS>                               34486                   23953                   21837                   52793
<OTHER-INCOME>                                   20429                   13357                    6381                   23936
<BENEFITS>                                      184449                  124268                   59021                  227290
<UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION>                      13098                    7924                    4243                   15510
<UNDERWRITING-OTHER>                             41971                   28283                   14088                   50938
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                  91259                   59509                   39157                  116853
<INCOME-TAX>                                     30739                   19653                   13138                   37778
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<RESERVE-OPEN>                                       0                       0                       0                   12774
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<PROVISION-PRIOR>                                    0                       0                       0                  (1130)
<PAYMENTS-CURRENT>                                   0                       0                       0                   18013
<PAYMENTS-PRIOR>                                     0                       0                       0                    5471
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