content: <TABLE>
                                           U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                                   Washington, D.C.  20549
  
                                                          FORM 144
                                                                                                    SEC USE ONLY
                                            NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF SECURITIES                ---------------------
                                    PURSUANT TO RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933        DOCUMENT SEQUENCE NO.
  
  ATTENTION:  Transmit for filing 3 copies of this form concurrently with either placing an      ---------------------
              order with a broker to execute sale or executing a sale directly with a market     CUSIP NUMBER
              maker.
                                                                                                 ---------------------
  1(a) NAME OF ISSUER (Please type or print)       (b) IRS IDENT. NO.    (c) S.E.C. FILE NO.     WORK LOCATION
       Acceptance Insurance Companies Inc.             31-0742926            1-7461
                                                                                                 ---------------------
  1(d) ADDRESS OF ISSUER   STREET   CITY   STATE   ZIP CODE              (e) TELEPHONE NO.
                                                                             AREA
       222 South 15th Street, Suite 600 North, Omaha, NE  68102              CODE   NUMBER
                                                                             (402) 344-8800
  
  
  2(a) NAME OF PERSON FOR WHOSE   (b) SOCIAL        (c) RELATIONSHIP    (d) ADDRESS   STREET   CITY   STATE   ZIP CODE
       ACCOUNT THE SECURITIES         SECURITY          TO ISSUER
       ARE TO BE SOLD                 NO. OR IRS                            4600 East Shea Blvd., Suite 100,
                                      IDENT. NO.           None             Phoenix, AZ  85028
       Robert S. Katz                 ###-##-####
  
        INSTRUCTION:  The person filing this notice should contact the issuer to obtain the IRS Identification Number
                                                 and the S.E.C. File Number.
  <CAPTION>
  3(a) Title of the     (b) Name and Address of Each Broker     SEC USE ONLY     (c) Number of Shares     (d) Aggregate
       Class of             Through Whom the Securities are     -------------        or Other Units           Market
       Securities           to be Offered or Each Market        Broker-Dealer        to be Sold               Value (See
       to be Sold           Maker who is Acquiring the           File Number         (See instr. 3(C))        instr. 3(d))
                            Securities                                                                                     
  - -----------------     ------------------------------------    -------------    ----------------------   ----------------
  <S>                   <C>                                     <C>              <C>                      <C>
  Common                Advest, Inc., Hartford, CT                                       25,000                421,875
  
  <PAGE>
  <CAPTION>
  (e) Number of Shares     (f) Approximate         (g) Name of Each
      or Other Units           Date of Sale            Securities
      Outstanding              (See instr. 3(f))       Exchange (See
      (See instr. 3(e))        (MO.  DAY  YR.)         instr. 3(g))
  - ---------------------    ---------------------   -----------------
  <C>                      <C>                     <C>
       15,143,000          Periodically after      New York Stock
                           filing Form 144         Exchange
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  INSTRUCTIONS:
  1.(a) Name of Issuer                                             3.(a) Title of the class of securities to be sold
    (b) Issuer's I.R.S. Identification Number                        (b) Name and address of each broker through whom the
    (c) Issuer's S.E.C. file number, if any                              Securities are intended to be sold
    (d) Issuer's address, including zip code                         (c) Number of shares or other units to be sold (if
    (e) Issuer's telephone number, including area code                   debt securities, give the aggregate face amount)
                                                                     (d) Aggregate market value of the securities to be
  2.(a) Name of person for whose account the securities                  sold as of a specified date within 10 days prior
        are to be sold                                                   to the filing of this notice
    (b) Such person's Social Security or I.R.S.                      (e) Number or shares or other units of the class
        identification number                                            outstanding, or if debt securities the face
    (c) Such person's relationship to the issuer (e.g.,                  amount thereof outstanding, as shown by the most
        officer, director 10% stockholder, or member of                  recent report or statement published by the
        immediate family of any of the foregoing)                        issuer
    (d) Such person's address, including zip code                    (f) Approximate date on which the securities are to
                                                                         be sold
                                                                     (g) Name of each securities exchange, if any, on
                                                                         which the securities are intended to be sold
  <PAGE>
                                              TABLE I -- SECURITIES TO BE SOLD
               Furnish the following information with respect to the acquisition of the securities to be sold
          and with respect to the payment of all or any part of the purchase price or other consideration therefor:
  <CAPTION>
  Title of     Date You   Nature of Acquisition Transaction    Name of Person from Whom    Amount of    Date of   Nature
  the Class    Acquired                                        Acquired (If gift, also     Securities   Payment   of       
                                                               give date donor acquired)   Acquired               Payment
  - ---------    --------   ---------------------------------    -------------------------   ----------   -------   -------
  <S>          <C>        <C>                                  <C>                         <C>          <C>       <C>
  Common       March      Exchange from Statewide Insurance    Acceptance Insurance         145,460     March     Exchange
  Stock        1994                                            Companies Inc.                           1994
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  INSTRUCTION:  If the securities were purchased and full payment therefor
                was not made in cash at the time of purchase, explain in
                the table or in a note thereto the nature of the consideration
                given.  If the consideration consisted of any note or other
                obligation, or if payment was made in installments describe
                the arrangement and state when the note or other obligation was
                discharged in full or the last installment paid.
  
  
                                    TABLE II -- SECURITIES SOLD DURING THE PAST 3 MONTHS
      Furnish the following information as to all securiites of the issuer sold during the past 3 months by the person
                                      for whose account the securities are to be sold.
  <CAPTION>
  Name and Address of Seller     Title of Securities Sold      Date of Sale    Amount of Securities Sold    Gross Proceeds
  - --------------------------     ------------------------      ------------    -------------------------    --------------
  <S>                            <C>                           <C>             <C>                          <C>
  None                                                                                                      
  
  
  
  
  <PAGE>
  REMARKS:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  INSTRUCTIONS:                                                    ATTENTION:
  See the definition of "person" in paragraph (a) of Rule          The person for whose account the securities to which
  144.  Information is to be given not only as to the person       this notice relates are to be sold hereby represents by
  for whose account the securities are to be sold but also         signing this notice that he does not know any material
  as to all other persons included in that definition.  In         adverse information in regard to the current and
  addition, information shall be given as to sales by all          prospective operations of the Issuer of the securities
  persons whose sales are required by paragraph(e) of Rule         to be sold which has not been publicly disclosed.
  144 to be aggregated with sales for the account of the
  person filing this notice.
  
  
  
                         5/29/96                                                  /s/ Robert S. Katz
       --------------------------------------------                     -------------------------------------------
                     DATE OF NOTICE                                                    (SIGNATURE)
  
     The notice shall be signed by the person for whose account the securities are to be sold.  At least one copy of the
          notice shall be manually signed.  Any copies not manually signed shall bear typed or printed signatures.
  
              ATTENTION:  Intentional misstatements or omission of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations
                                                    (See 18 U.S.C. 1001).
  </TABLE>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 9659}]
text: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                                   Washington, D.C.  20549
  
                                                          FORM 144
                                                                                                    SEC USE ONLY
                                            NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF SECURITIES                ---------------------
                                    PURSUANT TO RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933        DOCUMENT SEQUENCE NO.
  
  ATTENTION:  Transmit for filing 3 copies of this form concurrently with either placing an      ---------------------
              order with a broker to execute sale or executing a sale directly with a market     CUSIP NUMBER
              maker.
                                                                                                 ---------------------
  1(a) NAME OF ISSUER (Please type or print)       (b) IRS IDENT. NO.    (c) S.E.C. FILE NO.     WORK LOCATION
       Acceptance Insurance Companies Inc.             31-0742926            1-7461
                                                                                                 ---------------------
  1(d) ADDRESS OF ISSUER   STREET   CITY   STATE   ZIP CODE              (e) TELEPHONE NO.
                                                                             AREA
       222 South 15th Street, Suite 600 North, Omaha, NE  68102              CODE   NUMBER
                                                                             (402) 344-8800
  
  2(a) NAME OF PERSON FOR WHOSE   (b) SOCIAL        (c) RELATIONSHIP    (d) ADDRESS   STREET   CITY   STATE   ZIP CODE
       ACCOUNT THE SECURITIES         SECURITY          TO ISSUER
       ARE TO BE SOLD                 NO. OR IRS                            4600 East Shea Blvd., Suite 100,
                                      IDENT. NO.           None             Phoenix, AZ  85028
       Robert S. Katz                 ###-##-####
  
        INSTRUCTION:  The person filing this notice should contact the issuer to obtain the IRS Identification Number
                                                 and the S.E.C. File Number.
  3(a) Title of the     (b) Name and Address of Each Broker     SEC USE ONLY     (c) Number of Shares     (d) Aggregate
       Class of             Through Whom the Securities are     -------------        or Other Units           Market
       Securities           to be Offered or Each Market        Broker-Dealer        to be Sold               Value (See
       to be Sold           Maker who is Acquiring the           File Number         (See instr. 3(C))        instr. 3(d))
                            Securities                                                                                     
  - -----------------     ------------------------------------    -------------    ----------------------   ----------------
  Common                Advest, Inc., Hartford, CT                                       25,000                421,875
  (e) Number of Shares     (f) Approximate         (g) Name of Each
      or Other Units           Date of Sale            Securities
      Outstanding              (See instr. 3(f))       Exchange (See
      (See instr. 3(e))        (MO.  DAY  YR.)         instr. 3(g))
  - ---------------------    ---------------------   -----------------
  15,143,000          Periodically after      New York Stock
                           filing Form 144         Exchange
  
  INSTRUCTIONS:
  1.(a) Name of Issuer                                             3.(a) Title of the class of securities to be sold
    (b) Issuer's I.R.S. Identification Number                        (b) Name and address of each broker through whom the
    (c) Issuer's S.E.C. file number, if any                              Securities are intended to be sold
    (d) Issuer's address, including zip code                         (c) Number of shares or other units to be sold (if
    (e) Issuer's telephone number, including area code                   debt securities, give the aggregate face amount)
                                                                     (d) Aggregate market value of the securities to be
  2.(a) Name of person for whose account the securities                  sold as of a specified date within 10 days prior
        are to be sold                                                   to the filing of this notice
    (b) Such person's Social Security or I.R.S.                      (e) Number or shares or other units of the class
        identification number                                            outstanding, or if debt securities the face
    (c) Such person's relationship to the issuer (e.g.,                  amount thereof outstanding, as shown by the most
        officer, director 10% stockholder, or member of                  recent report or statement published by the
        immediate family of any of the foregoing)                        issuer
    (d) Such person's address, including zip code                    (f) Approximate date on which the securities are to
                                                                         be sold
                                                                     (g) Name of each securities exchange, if any, on
                                                                         which the securities are intended to be sold
  TABLE I -- SECURITIES TO BE SOLD
               Furnish the following information with respect to the acquisition of the securities to be sold
          and with respect to the payment of all or any part of the purchase price or other consideration therefor:
  Title of     Date You   Nature of Acquisition Transaction    Name of Person from Whom    Amount of    Date of   Nature
  the Class    Acquired                                        Acquired (If gift, also     Securities   Payment   of       
                                                               give date donor acquired)   Acquired               Payment
  - ---------    --------   ---------------------------------    -------------------------   ----------   -------   -------
  Common       March      Exchange from Statewide Insurance    Acceptance Insurance         145,460     March     Exchange
  Stock        1994                                            Companies Inc.                           1994
  
  INSTRUCTION:  If the securities were purchased and full payment therefor
                was not made in cash at the time of purchase, explain in
                the table or in a note thereto the nature of the consideration
                given.  If the consideration consisted of any note or other
                obligation, or if payment was made in installments describe
                the arrangement and state when the note or other obligation was
                discharged in full or the last installment paid.
  
                                    TABLE II -- SECURITIES SOLD DURING THE PAST 3 MONTHS
      Furnish the following information as to all securiites of the issuer sold during the past 3 months by the person
                                      for whose account the securities are to be sold.
  Name and Address of Seller     Title of Securities Sold      Date of Sale    Amount of Securities Sold    Gross Proceeds
  - --------------------------     ------------------------      ------------    -------------------------    --------------
  None
  REMARKS:
  
  INSTRUCTIONS:                                                    ATTENTION:
  See the definition of "person" in paragraph (a) of Rule          The person for whose account the securities to which
  144.  Information is to be given not only as to the person       this notice relates are to be sold hereby represents by
  for whose account the securities are to be sold but also         signing this notice that he does not know any material
  as to all other persons included in that definition.  In         adverse information in regard to the current and
  addition, information shall be given as to sales by all          prospective operations of the Issuer of the securities
  persons whose sales are required by paragraph(e) of Rule         to be sold which has not been publicly disclosed.
  144 to be aggregated with sales for the account of the
  person filing this notice.
  
                         5/29/96                                                  /s/ Robert S. Katz
       --------------------------------------------                     -------------------------------------------
                     DATE OF NOTICE                                                    (SIGNATURE)
  
     The notice shall be signed by the person for whose account the securities are to be sold.  At least one copy of the
          notice shall be manually signed.  Any copies not manually signed shall bear typed or printed signatures.
  
              ATTENTION:  Intentional misstatements or omission of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations
                                                    (See 18 U.S.C. 1001).