-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, Vms7qqJQWbDN8Mkhdr9ncMkeGp5wiPzTwTdyqwaUNkbdmvrTWbPBxkr8Jh9zNvmp QOECEoI1iLOTlQyOeF6Xvg== 0000899140-01-000003.txt : 20010122 0000899140-01-000003.hdr.sgml : 20010122 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000899140-01-000003 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 13G PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 FILED AS OF DATE: 20010104 GROUP MEMBERS: BEDFORD OAK ADVISORS, LLC GROUP MEMBERS: BEDFORD OAK PARTNERS LP GROUP MEMBERS: BEDFORD OAK PARTNERS, L.P. GROUP MEMBERS: HARVEY P. EISEN SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: ACCEPTANCE INSURANCE COMPANIES INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000074783 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331] IRS NUMBER: 310742926 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13G SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-19421 FILM NUMBER: 1501933 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 222 S 15TH ST STREET 2: STE 600 N CITY: OMAHA STATE: NE ZIP: 68102 BUSINESS PHONE: 4023448800 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 225 SOUTH 15TH STREET STREET 2: SUITE 600 N CITY: OMAHA STATE: NE ZIP: 68102 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: STONERIDGE RESOURCES INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: ORANGE CO INC DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19870506 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: NFF CORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19730919 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: BEDFORD OAK PARTNERS LP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0001066753 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: [] IRS NUMBER: 061504646 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 13G BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 100 SOUTH BEDFORD ROAD CITY: MT KISCO STATE: NY ZIP: 10549 BUSINESS PHONE: 9142425725 SC 13G 1 0001.txt INITIAL FILING ON SCHEDULE 13G UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934* Acceptance Insurance Companies Inc. ----------------------------------- (Name of Issuer) Common Stock, $.40 par value ---------------------------- (Title of Class of Securities) 004308102 --------- (CUSIP Number) December 27, 2000 ----------------- (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement) Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed: [ ] Rule 13d-1(b) [X] Rule 13d-1(c) [ ] Rule 13d-1(d) *The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page. The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). - ------------------- ----------------- CUSIP No. 004308102 13G Page 2 of 9 Pages - ------------------- ----------------- - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Bedford Oak Partners, L.P. 06-1504646 - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [ ] - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware - -------------------- ------ ---------------------------------------------------- 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 ------ ---------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 6 SHARED VOTING POWER SHARES BENEFICIALLY 793,000 OWNED BY EACH ------ ---------------------------------------------------- REPORTING 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER PERSON WITH 0 ------ ---------------------------------------------------- 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 793,000 - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 793,000 - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* N/A - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 5.5% - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* PN - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT! -2- - ------------------- ----------------- CUSIP No. 004308102 13G Page 3 of 9 Pages - ------------------- ----------------- - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Bedford Oak Advisors, LLC 13-4007123 - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [ ] - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Delaware - -------------------- ------ ---------------------------------------------------- 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 ------ ---------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 6 SHARED VOTING POWER SHARES BENEFICIALLY 828,400 OWNED BY EACH ------ ---------------------------------------------------- REPORTING 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER PERSON WITH 0 ------ ---------------------------------------------------- 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 828,400 - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 828,400 - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* N/A - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 5.8% - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* 00 - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT! -3- - ------------------- ----------------- CUSIP No. 004308102 13G Page 4 of 9 Pages - ------------------- ----------------- - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Harvey P. Eisen - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [ ] (b) [ ] - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION United States - -------------------- ------ ---------------------------------------------------- 5 SOLE VOTING POWER 0 ------ ---------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF 6 SHARED VOTING POWER SHARES BENEFICIALLY 828,400 OWNED BY EACH ------ ---------------------------------------------------- REPORTING 7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER PERSON WITH 0 ------ ---------------------------------------------------- 8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 828,400 - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 828,400 - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES* N/A - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9 5.8% - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON* IN - ---------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT! -4- Item 1(a): Name of Issuer: - ---------- --------------- Acceptance Insurance Companies Inc. (the "Company"). Item 1(b): Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: - ---------- ------------------------------------------------ 222 South 15th Street, Suite 600 North Omaha, Nebraska 68102 Items 2(a) Name of Person Filing; Address of Principal - ---------- ------------------------------------------- and 2(b): Business Office: - --------- ---------------- This statement is filed by and on behalf of (i) Bedford Oak Partners, L.P. ("BOP"), (ii) Bedford Oak Advisors, LLC ("BOA"), in its capacity as investment manager of BOP and Bedford Oak Capital, L.P. ("BOC"), and (iii) Harvey Eisen, in his capacity as managing member of BOA. The principal business address of each reporting person is 100 South Bedford Road, Mt. Kisco, New York, 10549. 793,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $.40, of the Company are held directly by BOP. An additional 35,400 shares are held directly by BOC. Item 2(c): Citizenship: - ---------- ------------ BOP is a Delaware limited partnership. BOA is a Delaware limited liability company. Mr. Eisen is a United States citizen. Item 2(d): Title of Class of Securities: - ---------- ----------------------------- Common Stock, par value $.40 per share ("Common Stock") Item 2(e): CUSIP Number: - ---------- ------------- 004308102 Item 3: If this statement is filed pursuant toss. 240.13d-1(c), - ------- ------------------------------------------------------- check this box. [X] --------------- Items 4(a)-(c): Ownership: - --------------- ---------- As of the date of this statement: (i) BOP is deemed to have beneficial ownership for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 ("Beneficial Ownership") of 793,000 shares of Common Stock. Such shares represent 5.5% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock. BOP -5- shares voting and dispositive power over its holdings of Common Stock with BOA and Mr. Eisen. (ii) BOA is deemed to have Beneficial Ownership of 828,400 shares of Common Stock by virtue of its position as investment manager of BOP and BOC. Such shares represent 5.8% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock. BOA shares voting and dispositive power over 793,000 of such shares with BOP and Mr. Eisen. BOA shares voting and dispositive power over the remaining 35,400 shares with BOC and Mr. Eisen. (iii) Mr. Eisen is deemed to have Beneficial Ownership of 828,400 shares of Common Stock by virtue of his position as the managing member of BOA. Such shares represent 5.8% of the issued and outstanding Common Stock. Mr. Eisen shares voting power and dispositive power over 793,000 of such shares with BOP and BOA. Mr. Eisen shares voting power and dispositive power over the remaining 35,400 shares with BOC and BOA. The percentages used herein are calculated based upon the 14,310,739 shares of Common Stock stated to be issued and outstanding as of November 7, 2000, as reflected in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2000. Item 5: Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class: - ------- --------------------------------------------- Not Applicable. Item 6: Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another - ------- -------------------------------------------------------- Person: ------- No person other than BOP, BOA or Mr. Eisen, with respect to 793,000 shares of Common Stock, and BOC, BOA and Mr. Eisen with respect to an additional 35,400 shares of Common Stock, is known to have the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from or the proceeds of sale of such shares of Common Stock. Item 7: Identification and Classification of the - ------- ---------------------------------------- Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being -------------------------------------------- Reported on By the Parent Holding Company: ------------------------------------------ Not Applicable. -6- Item 8: Identification and Classification of - ------ ------------------------------------- Members of the Group: -------------------- Not Applicable. Item 9: Notice of Dissolution of Group: - ------ ------------------------------ Not Applicable. Item 10: Certification: - ------- ------------- By signing below each of the undersigned certifies that, to the best of the undersigned's knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect. -7- SIGNATURE --------- After reasonable inquiry and to the best of the undersigned's knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Dated: January 3, 2001 BEDFORD OAK PARTNERS, L.P. By: BEDFORD OAK MANAGEMENT, LLC, its general partner By: /s/ Harvey P. Eisen ------------------------------ Harvey P. Eisen Chairman and Managing Member BEDFORD OAK ADVISORS, LLC By: /s/ Harvey P. Eisen ------------------------------ Harvey P. Eisen Chairman and Managing Member /s/ Harvey P. Eisen ---------------------------------- Harvey P. Eisen -8- EXHIBIT INDEX ------------- Exhibit A: Joint Filing Agreement, dated January 3, 2001, between Bedford Oak Partners, L.P., Bedford Oak Advisors, LLC and Harvey P. Eisen. -9- EX-99.A 2 0002.txt JOINT FILING AGREEMENT Exhibit A --------- JOINT FILING AGREEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(k)(1) ---------------------------- The undersigned acknowledge and agree that the foregoing statement on Schedule 13G is filed on behalf of each of the undersigned and that all subsequent amendments to this statement on Schedule 13G shall be filed on behalf of each of the undersigned without the necessity of filing additional joint filing agreements. The undersigned acknowledge that each shall be responsible for the timely filing of such amendments, and for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning it contained therein, but shall not be responsible for the completeness and accuracy of the information concerning the others, except to the extent that it knows or has reason to believe that such information is inaccurate. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and all of such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Dated: January 3, 2001 BEDFORD OAK PARTNERS, L.P. By: BEDFORD OAK MANAGEMENT, LLC, its general partner By: /s/ Harvey P. Eisen ------------------------------ Harvey P. Eisen Chairman and Managing Member BEDFORD OAK ADVISORS, LLC By: /s/ Harvey P. Eisen ------------------------------ Harvey P. Eisen Chairman and Managing Member /s/ Harvey P. Eisen ---------------------------------- Harvey P. Eisen -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----