Exhibit 5 and 23.1
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April 10, 2003



EMC Insurance Group Inc.
717 Mulberry Street
Des Moines, IA  50309

     Re:  2003 Employers Mutual Casualty Company Non-Employee Director Stock
          Option Plan (the "Plan")

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel with respect to the Registration Statement on
Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") being filed by EMC Insurance Group
Inc. (the "Company") with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), relating to the
registration of 200,000 shares of Common Stock, $1.00 par value, of the
Company (the "Shares") which have been reserved for issuance upon the exercise
of options issuable to eligible directors of Employers Mutual Casualty Company
and its subsidiaries and affiliates pursuant to the Plan.

In rendering our opinion, we have examined and relied upon a copy of the Plan
and the Registration Statement relating to the Plan.  We have also examined
such records, documents and questions of law as we have considered relevant
and necessary as a basis for this opinion.  As to matters of fact material to
our opinion, we have with your agreement relied upon certificates of officers
of the Company.  We have assumed with your agreement the authenticity of all
documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity with the original
documents of any copies submitted to us for our examination and the
authenticity of the original of any such copies.

Based on the foregoing, and subject to the foregoing qualifications and
limitations, it is our opinion that the Shares will be legally issued, fully
paid and non-assessable when: (i) the Registration Statement shall have become
effective under the Securities Act; (ii) the Shares shall have been duly
issued and sold in the manner contemplated by the Plan; and (iii) certificates
representing Shares shall have been duly executed, countersigned and
registered and duly delivered to the purchasers thereof against payment of the
agreed consideration therefor in accordance with the terms of the Plan.

We are admitted to the Bar of the State of Iowa, and express no opinion herein
as to the laws of any other jurisdiction, including the laws of the United
States of America.

Except as expressly set forth herein, we express no opinion, and no opinion is
implied or may be inferred, in connection with the Registration Statement, the
Plan or the issuance of the Shares.  Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, we express no opinion with respect to the securities or blue sky
laws of the State of Iowa or any other jurisdiction.

The undersigned law firm also hereby consents to the filing of this opinion as
an Exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of its name in the
Registration Statement.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       Nyemaster, Goode, Voigts, West, Hansell
                                        & O'Brien, P.C.


                                       By: /s/ G. Thomas Sullivan
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                                           G. Thomas Sullivan