SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                            ------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):    May 24, 1996

                            RELIASTAR FINANCIAL CORP.

             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)



         Delaware                  0-17441                    41-1620373
(State of Incorporation)    (Commission File Number)     (IRS Employer 
                                                          Identification Number)

20 Washington Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota                                           55401
(Address of principal executive                                (Zip Code)
   offices)





                                 (612) 372-5432
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


                                                                     Page 1 of 4

<PAGE>


Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)   Exhibits

EXHIBIT
NUMBER
- ------


23(a)    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP



                                       2
<PAGE>

                                    SIGNATURE
                                    ---------

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                            RELIASTAR FINANCIAL CORP.
                            (Registrant)

                               
                            By  /s/ Richard R. Crowl
                              ------------------------------------------
                                  Richard R. Crowl
                                  Senior Vice President, General Counsel
                                  and Secretary


                              Dated: May 24, 1996.

                                       3
<PAGE>

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT


We consent to the incorporation by reference in  Post-Effective  Amendment No. 3
to Registration  Statement No. 33-60902 of ReliaStar Financial Corp. on Form S-3
of our  reports  dated  February  1,  1996,  appearing  in and  incorporated  by
reference in the Annual  Report on Form 10-K of ReliaStar  Financial  Corp.  and
subsidiaries  for the year ended  December  31, 1995 and to the  reference to us
under  the  heading  "Experts"  in  the  Prospectus,   which  is  part  of  this
Registration Statement.


/s/ Deliotte & Touche LLP

Minneapolis, Minnesota
May 24, 1996
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2782}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "RELIASTAR FINANCIAL CORP", "cik": "0000841528", "assigned-sic": "6311", "irs-number": "411620373", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-10640", "film-number": "96573132"}, "business-address": {"street1": "PO BOX 20", "city": "MINNEAPOLIS", "state": "MN", "zip": "55440-0020", "phone": "6123725597"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "PO BOX 20", "city": "MINNEAPOLIS", "state": "MN", "zip": "55440-0020"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "NWNL COMPANIES INC", "date-changed": "19920703"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                            ------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):    May 24, 1996

                            RELIASTAR FINANCIAL CORP.

             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

         Delaware                  0-17441                    41-1620373
(State of Incorporation)    (Commission File Number)     (IRS Employer 
                                                          Identification Number)

20 Washington Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota                                           55401
(Address of principal executive                                (Zip Code)
   offices)

                                 (612) 372-5432
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                                                     Page 1 of 4
Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)   Exhibits

EXHIBIT
NUMBER
- ------

23(a)    Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP

                                       2
SIGNATURE
                                    ---------

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                            RELIASTAR FINANCIAL CORP.
                            (Registrant)

                               
                            By  /s/ Richard R. Crowl
                              ------------------------------------------
                                  Richard R. Crowl
                                  Senior Vice President, General Counsel
                                  and Secretary

                              Dated: May 24, 1996.

                                       3
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the incorporation by reference in  Post-Effective  Amendment No. 3
to Registration  Statement No. 33-60902 of ReliaStar Financial Corp. on Form S-3
of our  reports  dated  February  1,  1996,  appearing  in and  incorporated  by
reference in the Annual  Report on Form 10-K of ReliaStar  Financial  Corp.  and
subsidiaries  for the year ended  December  31, 1995 and to the  reference to us
under  the  heading  "Experts"  in  the  Prospectus,   which  is  part  of  this
Registration Statement.

/s/ Deliotte & Touche LLP

Minneapolis, Minnesota
May 24, 1996