-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, Vj5j3RcY4QaOLrFR1PZYTTdlVXE1KBbsbOm0TTBm4v/F4Ov/omFYdZwF/eMgqwil vISIoBcSld3PgpoYuIC6sg== 0000916641-01-000186.txt : 20010223 0000916641-01-000186.hdr.sgml : 20010223 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000916641-01-000186 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13G PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 1 FILED AS OF DATE: 20010214 SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: AMWEST INSURANCE GROUP INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000780118 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: SURETY INSURANCE [6351] IRS NUMBER: 952672141 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13G SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-36908 FILM NUMBER: 1542427 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 5230 LAS VIRGENES RD CITY: CALABASAS STATE: CA ZIP: 91302 BUSINESS PHONE: 8188712000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 5230 LAS VIRGENES RD CITY: CALABASAS STATE: CA ZIP: 91302 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: MARKEL CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001096343 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331] IRS NUMBER: 541959284 STATE OF INCORPORATION: VA FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13G BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4521 HIGHWOODS PARKWAY CITY: GLEN ALLEN STATE: VA ZIP: 23060-3382 BUSINESS PHONE: 8047470136 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 4551 COX RD CITY: GLEN ALLEN STATE: VA ZIP: 23060 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: MARKEL HOLDINGS INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19991005 SC 13G 1 0001.txt STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13G UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 Amwest Insurance Group Inc. --------------------------------------------------- (Name of Issuer) Common Stock -------------------------------------------------- (Title of Class of Securities) 032345100 ------------------------------------------------- (CUSIP Number) December 31, 2000 ------------------------------------------------- (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement) Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed: [X] Rule 13d-1(b) [ ] Rule 13d-1(c) [ ] Rule 13d-1(d) The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). CUSIP NO. 032345100 (1) Name of Reporting Person S.S. or I.R.S. Identification No. of Above Person Markel Corporation 54-1959284 (2) Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions) (a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (3) SEC Use Only . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (4) Citizenship or Place of Organization Virginia Corporation Number of Shares (5) Sole Voting Power 223,245 Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting (6) Shared Voting Power -0- Person With (7) Sole Dispositive Power 223,245 (8) Shared Dispositive Power 17,328 (9) Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person 240,573 (10) Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See Instructions)................................... (11) Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9) 5.6% (12) Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions) HC, CO CUSIP NO. 032345100 Item 1 (a). Name of Issuer: Amwest Insurance Group, Inc. Item 1 (b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: 5230 Las Virgenes Road Calabasas, California 91302 Item 2 (a). Name of Person Filing: Markel Corporation Item 2 (b). Address or Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence: 4521 Highwoods Parkway Glen Allen, Virginia 23060 Item 2 (c). Citizenship: Virginia Corporation Item 2 (d). Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock Item 2 (e). CUSIP Number: 032345100 Item 3. This statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b) or 13d-2(b) and the person filing, Markel Corporation, is a parent holding company in accordance with Rule 13-1(b)(1)(ii) (G). (Note: See Item 7). Item 4. Ownership (a) Amount Beneficially Owned: 240,573 (b) Percent of Class: 5.6% CUSIP NO. 032345100 (c) Number of shares as to which such person has: (i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote: 223,245 (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 0 (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 223,245 (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of: 17,328 Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class. Not applicable. Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person. Essex Insurance Company, Evanston Insurance Company (each subsidiaries of Markel North America, Inc., itself a subsidiary of Markel Corporation) and certain other investors advised by Markel Gayner Asset Management Corporation, have the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the common stock of Amwest Insurance Group, Inc. The interest of each of such persons relates to less than five percent of the common stock of Amwest Insurance Group Inc. Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company. See attached Exhibit(s) A and B. Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group. Not applicable, see attached Exhibit A. Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group. Not applicable. CUSIP NO. 032345100 Item 10. Certification. By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect. SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Date: February 14, 2001 Signature: /s/ Alan I. Kirshner ---------------------- Title: Chairman CUSIP NO. 032345100 EXHIBIT A SCHEDULE 13G Pursuant to the instructions in Item 7 of Schedule 13G, Markel Gayner Asset Management Corporation ("Markel Gayner"), 4521 Highwoods Parkway, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060, a Virginia corporation and an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, is the beneficial owner of 240,573 shares or 5.6% of the outstanding common stock of Amwest Insurance Group Inc. (the "Company") as a result of acting as investment adviser to Essex Insurance Company, Evanston Insurance Company and certain other investors. Markel Gayner, Essex Insurance Company and Evanston Insurance Company are subsidiaries of a holding company named Markel North America, Inc. ("MNA"), a Virginia corporation located at 4521 Highwoods Parkway, Glen Allen, Virginia 23060. MNA, through its control of Markel Gayner, Essex Insurance Company and Evanston Insurance Company, is the beneficial owner of 240,573 shares or 5.6% of the outstanding common stock of the Company. Markel Corporation, through its control of MNA and, in turn, Markel Gayner, Essex Insurance Company and Evanston Insurance Company, has sole power to direct the voting and disposition of shares of common stock of the Company held by those entities. Markel Corporation, through its control of MNA and, in turn, Markel Gayner, has shared power to direct the disposition, but not the voting, of shares of common stock of the Company held by certain other investors advised by Markel Gayner. CUSIP NO. 032345100 EXHIBIT B RULE 13d-1(k) AGREEMENT The undersigned persons on this 14 day of February, 2001, agree and consent to the joint filing on their behalf of this Schedule 13G in connection with their beneficial ownership of the common stock of Amwest Insurance Group, Inc. MARKEL CORPORATION By: /s/ Alan I. Kirshner --------------------- Title: Chairman MARKEL NORTH AMERICA, INC. By: /s/ Alan I. Kirshner --------------------- Title: Chairman MARKEL GAYNER ASSET MANAGEMENT CORPORATION By: /s/ Thomas S. Gayner --------------------- Title: President -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----