<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-12
<SEQUENCE>4
<FILENAME>0004.txt
<DESCRIPTION>STATEMENT REGARDING COMPUTATION OF RATIOS
<TEXT>

<PAGE>

                                                                      Exhibit 12

                       Horace Mann Educators Corporation
               Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
       For the Years Ended December 31, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997 and 1996
                             (Dollars in millions)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             Year Ended December 31,
                                      -------------------------------------
                                       2000   1999    1998    1997    1996
                                      -----  ------  ------  ------  ------
<S>                                   <C>    <C>     <C>     <C>     <C>
Income from continuing operations
  before income taxes                 $ 9.7  $ 93.4  $116.8  $119.6  $100.6
Interest expense                       10.2     9.7     9.5     9.4    10.5
                                      -----  ------  ------  ------  ------
     Earnings                         $19.9  $103.1  $126.3  $129.0  $111.1
                                      =====  ======  ======  ======  ======

Fixed charges - interest expense      $10.2  $  9.7  $  9.5  $  9.4  $ 10.5

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges      2.0x   10.6x   13.3x   13.7x   10.6x
</TABLE>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>