AmerUs Group Elects Six Independent Directors At Its Annual Shareholder Meeting.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- AmerUs Group Co. (NYSE:AMH), a leading producer of life insurance and annuity products, today announced the election of six independent directors to positions on the company's board. Elected were: Thomas F. Gaffney, Louis A. Holland, Ward M. Klein, Andrew J. Paine, Jr., Jack C. Pester and Heidi L. Steiger. The announcement was made following the company's 2005 annual meeting of shareholders.

Also, three additional proposals on the proxy were approved. The proposals were: to amend the company's 2003 Stock Incentive Plan to increase the number of shares of restricted stock that can be issued by the Company from 225,000 to 450,000; approve performance-based procedures to be followed in granting executive incentive compensation awards; and ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as independent auditors of the company for fiscal year 2005.

AmerUs Group Co. is located in Des Moines, Iowa, and is engaged through its subsidiaries in the business of marketing individual life insurance and annuity products in the United States. Its major subsidiaries include: AmerUs Life Insurance Company, American Investors Life Insurance Company, Inc., Bankers Life Insurance Company of New York and Indianapolis Life Insurance Company.

As of March 31, 2005, AmerUs Group's total assets were $23.5 billion and shareholders' equity totaled $1.6 billion, including accumulated other comprehensive income.