<HTML>
<HEAD> <TITLE> S-8 </TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<PRE>
                               As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 16, 2001

                                                                                                          Registration No. 333-________

=======================================================================================================================================

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

                                                               FORM S-8
                                        Registration Statement Under The Securities Act of 1933
                                                   _________________________________

                                                      VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
                                          (Exact Name of Issuer as Specified in Its Charter)

                         DELAWARE                                                   63-1097283
                 (State of Incorporation)                              (IRS Employer Identification Number)

                                                         3760 River Run Drive
                                                       Birmingham, Alabama 35243
                                               (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
                                                  _________________________________

                                                   NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR STOCK PLAN
                                                       (Full Title of the Plan)

                                                          Donald W. Thornton
                                         Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
                                            3760 River Run Drive, Birmingham, Alabama 35243
                                                (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                                                            (205) 970-7000
                                     (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
                                                   ________________________________

                                                    CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
</PRE>
<HR SIZE=5 NOSHADE>

<PRE>
                                                  Proposed Maximum       Proposed Maximum
Title of Securities To       Amount To Be          Offering Price            Aggregate              Amount of
     Be Registered            Registered              Per Share           Offering Price        Registration Fee

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
     Common Stock
    $.01 par value            600,000(1)               5.8125(2)           3,487,500(2)              $872.00
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
</PRE>

<PAGE>



<TABLE WIDTH=100% CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0>
<TR VALIGN=TOP>
<TD WIDTH=5%><FONT SIZE=3>(1)</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH=95%><FONT SIZE=3>
Pursuant to Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the number of
shares of securities registered in this Registration Statement will be increased
as a result of future stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.</FONT></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>

<TABLE WIDTH=100% CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0>
<TR VALIGN=TOP>
<TD WIDTH=5%><FONT SIZE=3>(2)</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH=95%><FONT SIZE=3>
Pursuant to Rule 457 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the offering
price is estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee
and is based on the average of the high and low prices of the common stock of
Vesta Insurance Group, Inc. on January 12, 2001, as reported on the New
York Stock Exchange Composite Tape.</FONT></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>

<HR SIZE=5 NOSHADE>


<PAGE>





<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>PART I</FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2><u>EXPLANATORY NOTE</u></FONT></H1>

<P><FONT SIZE=3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This
Registration Statement is being filed in order to register an additional 600,000
shares of common stock, $.01 par value per share (&#147;Common Stock&#148;), of
Vesta Insurance Group, Inc. (the &#147;Company&#148;), which may be issued
pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Company&#146;s Non-Employee Director
Stock Plan (the &#147;Plan&#148;). </FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A prospectus
meeting the requirements of Part I of Form S-8 and containing the statement
required by Item 2 of Form S-8 has been prepared. Such prospectus is not
included in this Registration Statement but will be delivered to all
participating non-employee directors pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended. </FONT></P>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2><u>STATEMENT OF INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE</u></FONT></H1>

<P><FONT SIZE=3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In accordance
with General Instruction E to Form S-8, the entire contents of the Registration
Statement on Form S-8,filed on December 13,1995, relating to the Plan are
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement. </FONT></P>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>PART II</FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2><u>INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</u></FONT></H1>

Item 5. Interest of Named Experts and Counsel

         The  validity of the  issuance of shares of Common  Stock  hereby has been passed  upon by Donald W.  Thornton,  Esquire.  Mr.
Thornton is Senior Vice President,  General Counsel and Secretary of the Company.  As of September 30, 2000, Mr. Thornton  beneficially
owned an aggregate of 19,489 shares of the Company's Common Stock.


Item 8. <u>Exhibits.</u>

<pre>
           <u> Exhibits</u>          <u>Description</u>


               4                  Vesta Insurance Group, Inc. Non-Employee Director Stock Plan (as amended)
               5                  Opinion and Consent of Donald W. Thornton, Esquire
              23.1                Consent of KPMG LLP
              23.2                Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
              23.3                Consent of Grant Thornton LLP
              24.1                Power of Attorney of the Officers and Directors of the Company
</pre>



<PAGE>


<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2><u>SIGNATURES</u></FONT></H1>

<P><FONT SIZE=3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<U>The
Registrant</U>. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, the Company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Birmingham, State of Alabama, on January 16,
2001. </FONT></P>

<PRE>
                                                              VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
                                                                       (Registrant)

                                                              By:  /s/ Normant W. Gayle, III
                                                                  ______________________________
                                                                       Norman W. Gayle, III
                                                                       Its President and
                                                                       Chief Executive Officer
</PRE>
<P><FONT SIZE=3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities
indicated on January 12, 2001. </FONT></P>

<PRE>
              <u>SIGNATURE</u>                     <u>TITLE</u>



    /s/  Norman W. Gayle, III               Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
____________________________________
         Norman W. Gayle, III               (Principal Executive Officer)


   /s/   James E. Tait                      Chairman of the Board of Directors
____________________________________
         James E. Tait


  /s/    William P. Cronin                  Chief Financial Officer
____________________________________
         William P. Cronin                  (Principal Financial Officer)


  /s/    Hopson B. Nance                    Controller
____________________________________
         Hopson B. Nance                    (Principal Accounting Officer)


                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Robert B.D. Batlivala


                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Walter M. Beale, Jr.


                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Ehney A. Camp, III


                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Alan S. Farrior


                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Clifford F. Palmer


                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Larry D. Striplin, Jr.


                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         James A. Taylor


                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Stephen R. Windom

</PRE>
<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>

<TABLE WIDTH=100% CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0>
<TR VALIGN=TOP>
<TD WIDTH=5%><FONT SIZE=3>*</FONT></TD>
<TD WIDTH=95%><FONT SIZE=3>
Donald W. Thornton hereby signs this Registration Statement on Form S-8 on
January 16, 2001, on behalf of each of the indicated persons for whom he is
attorney-in-fact pursuant to a power of attorney filed herein.</FONT></TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<BR>

   /s/   Donald W. Thornton                   Attorney-in-Fact
__________________________________
         Donald W. Thornton



<PAGE>


<PRE>
                                                           <u>INDEX TO EXHIBITS</u>



               <u>Exhibit</u>                              <u> Description</u>                            <u>Page</u>


                   4                     Vesta    Insurance    Group,     Inc.
                                         Non-Employee  Director Stock Plan (as
                                         amended)

                   5                     Opinion  and  Consent  of  Donald  W.
                                         Thornton, Esquire

                 23.1                    Consent of KPMG LLP

                 23.2                    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

                 23.3                    Consent of Grant Thornton LLP

                 24.1                    Power  of  Attorney  of the  Officers
                                         and Directors of the Company
</PRE>

<PAGE>





<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>EXHIBIT 4</FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.</FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR STOCK PLAN</FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>(AS AMENDED)</FONT></H1>

<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>


<PAGE>



<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>EXHIBIT 5</FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>OPINION AND CONSENT</FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>OF DONALD W. THORNTON, ESQUIRE</FONT></H1>

<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>


<PAGE>



                                                         [COMPANY LETTERHEAD]




January 12, 2001

<H2 ALIGN=LEFT><FONT SIZE=2>Board of DirectorsVesta <BR>Insurance Group, Inc.3760
<BR>River Run DriveBirmingham, <BR>Alabama 35243</FONT></H2>

Re:      Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.
         Non-Employee Director Stock Plan

Dear Sirs:

<P><FONT SIZE=3>In connection with the registration under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, of 600,000 shares of the capital stock, $.01 par value (the
&#147;Common Stock&#148;), of Vesta Insurance Group, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the &#147;Corporation&#148;), for issuance and sale in the manner
described in the Corporation&#146;s Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, to which this opinion is an exhibit
(the &#147;Registration Statement&#148;), I, as counsel to the Corporation, have
examined such corporate records, certificates, and other documents as I have
considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. </FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3>On the basis of the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the
Common Stock offered pursuant to the Registration Statement has been duly and
validly authorized and is, or when issued in accordance with the respective
governing documents will be, duly and validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable. </FONT></P>

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.


Yours very truly,


Donald W. Thornton
Senior Vice President,
<H2 ALIGN=LEFT><FONT SIZE=2>General Counsel and Secretary</FONT></H2>


<PAGE>



<HR SIZE=5 NOSHADE>

<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>EXHIBIT 23.1</FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>CONSENT OF KPMG LLP</FONT></H1>

<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>


<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>Independent Accountants&#146; Consent</FONT></H1>

The Board of Directors and Stockholders
Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.
Birmingham, Alabama:


We consent to the use of our report incorporated herein by reference.



<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>/s/ KPMG LLP</FONT></H1>

<H2 ALIGN=LEFT><FONT SIZE=2>Birmingham, AlabamaJanuary <BR>12, 2001</FONT></H2>


<PAGE>



<HR SIZE=5 NOSHADE>

<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>EXHIBIT 23.2</FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>CONSENT OF PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP</FONT></H1>

<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>

<H2 ALIGN=LEFT><FONT SIZE=2><u>Exhibit 23.2</u></FONT></H2>


<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>Consent of Independent Accountants</FONT></H1>

<P><FONT SIZE=3>We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this
Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated March 12, 2000 (except
for Note V for which the date is November 28, 2000) relating to the financial
statements and financial statement schedules, which appears in the Vesta
Insurance Group, Inc.&#145;s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended
December 31, 1999. </FONT></P>


                                                              /s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP








January 12, 2001































<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2><u>EXHIBIT 23.3</u></FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>CONSENT OF GRANT THORNTON LLP</FONT></H1>

<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>


<H2 ALIGN=LEFT><FONT SIZE=2>Exhibit 23.3</FONT></H2>


<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANTS</FONT></H1>

<P><FONT SIZE=3>We have issued our report dated April 14, 2000 on the consolidated
financial statements of Securus Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries as of
December 31, 1999 and 1998 and for each of the three years in the period ended
December 31, 1999, appearing in the Current Report on Form 8-K of Vesta
Insurance Group, Inc. dated September 12, 2000, which is incorporated by
reference in this Registration Statement. We consent to the incorporation by
reference in this Registration Statement of the aforementioned report. </FONT></P>

/s/  GRANT THORNTON LLP

Oklahoma City, OklahomaJanuary <BR>12, 2001


<PAGE>
















<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>EXHIBIT 24.1</FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>POWER OF ATTORNEY OF THE OFFICERS</FONT></H1>

<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=2>AND DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY</FONT></H1>

<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=15% ALIGN=CENTER NOSHADE>


<PAGE>




<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT SIZE=3>POWER OF ATTORNEY</FONT></H1>

<P><FONT SIZE=3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;WHEREAS, Vesta
Insurance Group, Inc. (the &#147;Company&#148;) has agreed to file a
registration statement and amendments thereto under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, with respect to the issuance and sale of shares of common stock of
the Company in connection with the amendment of the Company&#146;s Non-Employee
Director Stock Plan; </FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;NOW, THEREFORE,
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the Company and the undersigned directors
and officers of said Company, individually as a director and/or as an officer of
the Company, hereby make, constitute and appoint each of Donald W. Thornton, W.
Perry Cronin, and Hopson B. Nance their true and lawful attorney-in-fact for
each of them and in each of their names, places and steads to sign and cause to
be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission said registration statement
and any appropriate amendments thereto, to be accompanied by any necessary
exhibits. </FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Company
hereby authorizes said persons or any one of them to execute said registration
statement and amendments thereto on its behalf as attorney-in-fact for it and
its authorized officers, and to file the same as aforesaid. </FONT></P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The undersigned
directors and officers of the Company hereby authorize said persons or any one
of them to sign said registration statements on their behalf as attorney-in-fact
and to amend, or remedy any deficiencies with respect to, said registration
statements by appropriate amendment or amendments and to file the same as
aforesaid. </FONT></P>

         DONE as of this the 10th day of November, 2000.

<PRE>
                                                     VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.

                                                     By:        /s/    Norman W. Gayle, III
                                                              ___________________________________________
                                                                       Norman W. Gayle, III
                                                                       Its President

                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       James E. Tait

                                                                /s/    William P. Cronin
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       William P. Cronin

                                                                /s/    Hoposn B. Nance
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Hopson B. Nance

                                                                /s/    Robert B.D. Batlivala
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Robert B.D. Batlivala

                                                                /s/    Walter M. Beale, Jr.
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Walter M. Beale, Jr.

                                                                /s/    Ehney A. Camp, III
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Ehney A. Camp, III

                                                                /s/     Alan S. Farrior
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                        Alan S. Farrior

                                                                /s/    Clifford F. Palmer
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Clifford F. Palmer

                                                                /s/    Larry D. Striplin, Jr.
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Larry D. Striplin, Jr.

                                                                /s/     James A. Taylor
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       James A. Taylor

                                                                /s/    Stephen P. Windom
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Stephen R. Windom


</PRE>
</BODY>
</HTML>
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S-8
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 16, 2001

                                                                                                          Registration No. 333-________

=======================================================================================================================================

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

                                                               FORM S-8
                                        Registration Statement Under The Securities Act of 1933
                                                   _________________________________

                                                      VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
                                          (Exact Name of Issuer as Specified in Its Charter)

                         DELAWARE                                                   63-1097283
                 (State of Incorporation)                              (IRS Employer Identification Number)

                                                         3760 River Run Drive
                                                       Birmingham, Alabama 35243
                                               (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
                                                  _________________________________

                                                   NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR STOCK PLAN
                                                       (Full Title of the Plan)

                                                          Donald W. Thornton
                                         Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
                                            3760 River Run Drive, Birmingham, Alabama 35243
                                                (Name and Address of Agent for Service)

                                                            (205) 970-7000
                                     (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
                                                   ________________________________

                                                    CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Proposed Maximum       Proposed Maximum
Title of Securities To       Amount To Be          Offering Price            Aggregate              Amount of
     Be Registered            Registered              Per Share           Offering Price        Registration Fee

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
     Common Stock
    $.01 par value            600,000(1)               5.8125(2)           3,487,500(2)              $872.00
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(1)
Pursuant to Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the number of
shares of securities registered in this Registration Statement will be increased
as a result of future stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
(2)
Pursuant to Rule 457 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the offering
price is estimated solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee
and is based on the average of the high and low prices of the common stock of
Vesta Insurance Group, Inc. on January 12, 2001, as reported on the New
York Stock Exchange Composite Tape.
PART I
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This
Registration Statement is being filed in order to register an additional 600,000
shares of common stock, $.01 par value per share ("Common Stock"), of
Vesta Insurance Group, Inc. (the "Company"), which may be issued
pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Company's Non-Employee Director
Stock Plan (the "Plan").
A prospectus
meeting the requirements of Part I of Form S-8 and containing the statement
required by Item 2 of Form S-8 has been prepared. Such prospectus is not
included in this Registration Statement but will be delivered to all
participating non-employee directors pursuant to Rule 428(b)(1) under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
STATEMENT OF INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
In accordance
with General Instruction E to Form S-8, the entire contents of the Registration
Statement on Form S-8,filed on December 13,1995, relating to the Plan are
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.
PART II
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 5. Interest of Named Experts and Counsel

         The  validity of the  issuance of shares of Common  Stock  hereby has been passed  upon by Donald W.  Thornton,  Esquire.  Mr.
Thornton is Senior Vice President,  General Counsel and Secretary of the Company.  As of September 30, 2000, Mr. Thornton  beneficially
owned an aggregate of 19,489 shares of the Company's Common Stock.

Item 8.
Exhibits.
Exhibits
Description
4                  Vesta Insurance Group, Inc. Non-Employee Director Stock Plan (as amended)
               5                  Opinion and Consent of Donald W. Thornton, Esquire
              23.1                Consent of KPMG LLP
              23.2                Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
              23.3                Consent of Grant Thornton LLP
              24.1                Power of Attorney of the Officers and Directors of the Company
SIGNATURES
The
Registrant
. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, the Company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Birmingham, State of Alabama, on January 16,
2001.
VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
                                                                       (Registrant)

                                                              By:  /s/ Normant W. Gayle, III
                                                                  ______________________________
                                                                       Norman W. Gayle, III
                                                                       Its President and
                                                                       Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities
indicated on January 12, 2001.
SIGNATURE
TITLE
/s/  Norman W. Gayle, III               Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
____________________________________
         Norman W. Gayle, III               (Principal Executive Officer)

   /s/   James E. Tait                      Chairman of the Board of Directors
____________________________________
         James E. Tait

  /s/    William P. Cronin                  Chief Financial Officer
____________________________________
         William P. Cronin                  (Principal Financial Officer)

  /s/    Hopson B. Nance                    Controller
____________________________________
         Hopson B. Nance                    (Principal Accounting Officer)

                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Robert B.D. Batlivala

                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Walter M. Beale, Jr.

                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Ehney A. Camp, III

                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Alan S. Farrior

                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Clifford F. Palmer

                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Larry D. Striplin, Jr.

                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         James A. Taylor

                  *                         Director
____________________________________
         Stephen R. Windom
*
Donald W. Thornton hereby signs this Registration Statement on Form S-8 on
January 16, 2001, on behalf of each of the indicated persons for whom he is
attorney-in-fact pursuant to a power of attorney filed herein.
/s/   Donald W. Thornton                   Attorney-in-Fact
__________________________________
         Donald W. Thornton
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit
Description
Page
4                     Vesta    Insurance    Group,     Inc.
                                         Non-Employee  Director Stock Plan (as
                                         amended)

                   5                     Opinion  and  Consent  of  Donald  W.
                                         Thornton, Esquire

                 23.1                    Consent of KPMG LLP

                 23.2                    Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

                 23.3                    Consent of Grant Thornton LLP

                 24.1                    Power  of  Attorney  of the  Officers
                                         and Directors of the Company
EXHIBIT 4
VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTOR STOCK PLAN
(AS AMENDED)
EXHIBIT 5
OPINION AND CONSENT
OF DONALD W. THORNTON, ESQUIRE
[COMPANY LETTERHEAD]

January 12, 2001
Board of DirectorsVesta
Insurance Group, Inc.3760
River Run DriveBirmingham,
Alabama 35243
Re:      Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.
         Non-Employee Director Stock Plan

Dear Sirs:
In connection with the registration under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, of 600,000 shares of the capital stock, $.01 par value (the
"Common Stock"), of Vesta Insurance Group, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Corporation"), for issuance and sale in the manner
described in the Corporation's Registration Statement on Form S-8 filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, to which this opinion is an exhibit
(the "Registration Statement"), I, as counsel to the Corporation, have
examined such corporate records, certificates, and other documents as I have
considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion.
On the basis of the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the
Common Stock offered pursuant to the Registration Statement has been duly and
validly authorized and is, or when issued in accordance with the respective
governing documents will be, duly and validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.
I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

Yours very truly,

Donald W. Thornton
Senior Vice President,
General Counsel and Secretary
EXHIBIT 23.1
CONSENT OF KPMG LLP
Independent Accountants' Consent
The Board of Directors and Stockholders
Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.
Birmingham, Alabama:

We consent to the use of our report incorporated herein by reference.
/s/ KPMG LLP
Birmingham, AlabamaJanuary
12, 2001
EXHIBIT 23.2
CONSENT OF PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
Exhibit 23.2
Consent of Independent Accountants
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this
Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated March 12, 2000 (except
for Note V for which the date is November 28, 2000) relating to the financial
statements and financial statement schedules, which appears in the Vesta
Insurance Group, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended
December 31, 1999.
/s/ PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

January 12, 2001
EXHIBIT 23.3
CONSENT OF GRANT THORNTON LLP
Exhibit 23.3
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC
ACCOUNTANTS
We have issued our report dated April 14, 2000 on the consolidated
financial statements of Securus Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries as of
December 31, 1999 and 1998 and for each of the three years in the period ended
December 31, 1999, appearing in the Current Report on Form 8-K of Vesta
Insurance Group, Inc. dated September 12, 2000, which is incorporated by
reference in this Registration Statement. We consent to the incorporation by
reference in this Registration Statement of the aforementioned report.
/s/  GRANT THORNTON LLP

Oklahoma City, OklahomaJanuary
12, 2001
EXHIBIT 24.1
POWER OF ATTORNEY OF THE OFFICERS
AND DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY
POWER OF ATTORNEY
WHEREAS, Vesta
Insurance Group, Inc. (the "Company") has agreed to file a
registration statement and amendments thereto under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended, with respect to the issuance and sale of shares of common stock of
the Company in connection with the amendment of the Company's Non-Employee
Director Stock Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE,
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the Company and the undersigned directors
and officers of said Company, individually as a director and/or as an officer of
the Company, hereby make, constitute and appoint each of Donald W. Thornton, W.
Perry Cronin, and Hopson B. Nance their true and lawful attorney-in-fact for
each of them and in each of their names, places and steads to sign and cause to
be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission said registration statement
and any appropriate amendments thereto, to be accompanied by any necessary
exhibits.
The Company
hereby authorizes said persons or any one of them to execute said registration
statement and amendments thereto on its behalf as attorney-in-fact for it and
its authorized officers, and to file the same as aforesaid.
The undersigned
directors and officers of the Company hereby authorize said persons or any one
of them to sign said registration statements on their behalf as attorney-in-fact
and to amend, or remedy any deficiencies with respect to, said registration
statements by appropriate amendment or amendments and to file the same as
aforesaid.
DONE as of this the 10th day of November, 2000.
VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.

                                                     By:        /s/    Norman W. Gayle, III
                                                              ___________________________________________
                                                                       Norman W. Gayle, III
                                                                       Its President

                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       James E. Tait

                                                                /s/    William P. Cronin
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       William P. Cronin

                                                                /s/    Hoposn B. Nance
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Hopson B. Nance

                                                                /s/    Robert B.D. Batlivala
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Robert B.D. Batlivala

                                                                /s/    Walter M. Beale, Jr.
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Walter M. Beale, Jr.

                                                                /s/    Ehney A. Camp, III
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Ehney A. Camp, III

                                                                /s/     Alan S. Farrior
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                        Alan S. Farrior

                                                                /s/    Clifford F. Palmer
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Clifford F. Palmer

                                                                /s/    Larry D. Striplin, Jr.
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Larry D. Striplin, Jr.

                                                                /s/     James A. Taylor
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       James A. Taylor

                                                                /s/    Stephen P. Windom
                                                              ____________________________________________
                                                                       Stephen R. Windom