EXHIBIT 5 and 23.1

NYEMASTER GOODE

NYEMASTER, GOODE, WEST, HANSELL & O’BRIEN P.C.

ATTORNEYS & COUNSELORS AT LAW

James B. West Edgar F. Hansell R. Craig Shives Keith E. Luchtel Robert A. VanOrsdel Richard J. Sapp G. R. Neumann Gregory P. Page Randall G. Horstmann Jay Eaton Bradford L. Austin Sara J. Sersland Hayward L. Draper Michael W. Thrall Mark C. Dickinson Gregory B. Wilcox John F. Lorentzen Rod Kubat Steven J. Roy Frank B. Harty James C. Wine Bruce W. Baker Thomas W. Foley Steven H. Lytle Terry C. Hancock Anthony A. Longnecker Joseph A. Quinn Wade H. Schut Mark D. Aljets G. Thomas Sullivan Thomas H. Walton Willard L. Boyd III Jeffrey W. Courter Hallie E. Still-Caris David W. Benson Brian J. Humke Paula S. Dierenfeld Coreen K. Sweeney Antonio Colacino Jill M. Stevenson Angel A. West Angela L. Watson Cook Mary E. Funk Randall D. Armentrout Thomas M. Cunningham Denise M. Mendt Robert D. Andeweg Debra L. Hulett Mark A. Schultheis John T. Clendenin Neal K. Westin Stephanie L. Marett Jordan B. Hansell Cory R. Harris Stephanie G. Techau Patrick B. White Brad C. Epperly Scott A. Sundstrom Angela C. Brick Benjamin P. Roach Victoria A. Feilmeyer Hannah M. Rogers Kathleen K. Law Jason L. Giles Mitchell R. Kunert Kristina M. Stanger Brian D. Torresi Michael J. Dayton Anna W. Mundy Bridget C. Shapansky Patricia A. Scallon Matthew R. Eslick Sarah J. Hastings Andrew M. Graap Christian P. Walk Vidhya K. Reddy   OF COUNSEL Samuel G. O’Brien L. R. Voigts Gerald L. Newbrough Carlton T. King Drew R. Tillotson Frank B. Comfort Russell E. Schrage Roger L. Ferris Luther L. Hill, Jr. Keri K. Farrell-Kolb   Ray Nyemaster (1914-1995) D.J. Goode (1907-2002)

November 18, 2008

EMC Insurance Group Inc.

717 Mulberry Street

Des Moines, IA 50309

RE: Amended and Restated Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as special counsel to EMC Insurance Group Inc., an Iowa corporation (the “Company”) in connection with the registration of 3,000,000 shares of the common stock, $1.00 par value (the “Shares”) of the Company, being registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to a post-effective amendment No. 4 to registration statement on Form S-3 to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Registration Statement”).  The Shares may be issued and/or sold by the Company from time to time in connection with the Amended and Restated Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan of the Company (the “Plan”).  For purposes of this opinion, we have made such investigations and examined such documents and questions of law as we deemed necessary and appropriate.

Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares, when issued and/or sold and paid for in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Plan, will be legally issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

G. Thomas Sullivan

Direct Number: (515) 283-3126 • Facsimile: (515) 283-8018 • E-Mail: gtsullivan@nyemaster.com

700 Walnut, Suite 1600 • Des Moines, IA 50309-3899 • (515) 283-3100

With offices in Des Moines and Ames

www.nyemaster.com

EMC Insurance Group Inc.

November 18, 2008

Page 2

We hereby consent to the inclusion of this opinion as Exhibit 5 to the Registration Statement and to all references to this law firm in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus included therein.  In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are included in the category of persons where consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

We are admitted to the Bar of the State of Iowa, and express no opinion herein as to the laws of any other jurisdiction, including the laws of the United States of America.

Except as expressly set forth herein, we express no opinion, and no opinion is implied or may be inferred, in connection with the Registration Statement, the Plan or the issuance of the Shares. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, we express no opinion with respect to the securities or blue sky laws of the State of Iowa or any other jurisdiction.

Respectfully,

/s/ G. Thomas Sullivan

G. Thomas Sullivan