SEC FORM 5

SEC Form 5

FORM 5

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Form 3 Holdings Reported.

Form 4 Transactions Reported.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

DALEY VICTOR N

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

699 WALNUT STREET

SUITE 2000

(Street)

DES MOINES

50309

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
AMERUS GROUP CO/IA [ AMH ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

	Director	10% Owner
X	Officer (give title below)	Other (specify below)
	EVP Chief Admin and HR Officer

3. Statement for Issuer's Fiscal Year Ended (Month/Day/Year)
12/31/2003

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)	4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned at end of Issuer's Fiscal Year (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock	10/03/2002	10/03/2003	G	25	D	$0	8,490	D
Common Stock							2,581.5	I	By 401(K) Plan
Common Stock							1,586.25	I	Spouse

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)	5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)		10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Performance Rights	$39.08	02/15/2002	02/15/2002	4A	271⁽¹⁾		⁽²⁾	⁽²⁾	Common Stock	271	⁽¹⁾	271	D

Explanation of Responses:

1. Additional performance rights acquired through the Company's Senior Executive Incentive Plan on units purchased using a portion of their annual bonus in February 1999. The plan, an employee plan exempt under Section 16b-3, provides that employees may purchase phantom stock units at a price per unit equal to the fair market value (FMV) of the Company's common stock on the date of the bonus payment. The company will match a specified percentage of the phantom stock units purchased pursuant to the deferral program. At redeferral, employees who did not meet the Company match maximum of $20,000 in 1999, received addtional units based on the FMV of the Company's common stock on the redeferrel date (2/15/2002).

2. On the third anniversary of the employee's deferral, the Company either will pay to the employee an amount in cash determined by multiplying the number of units times the FMV of the Company's common stock on that date or issue the underlying common stock. Alternatively, on the third anniversary of the employee's deferral, the employee may elect to redefer the bonus units for another three year period and every three years thereafter, until the earlier of normal retirement or termination. The entire Company match is forfeited if the employee's employment terminates prior to the third anniversary of the employee's deferral.

Remarks:

	/s/ Jeananne M. Celander, attorney-in-fact for Mr. Daley	02/17/2004
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
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