U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 3
INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1.   Name and Address of Reporting Person*

  Daggett                            Dennis                 Gene
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   (Last)                            (First)              (Middle)

                               6000 Grand Avenue
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                                    (Street)

 Des Moines                            IA                   50312
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   (City)                            (State)                (Zip)

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2.   Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)

     06/07/01
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3.   IRS Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an Entity (Voluntary)


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4.   Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

     Acceptance Insurance Companies Inc. (AIF)
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5.   Relationship of Reporting Person to Issuer
     (Check all applicable)

     [_]  Director                             [_]  10% Owner
     [X]  Officer (give title below)           [_]  Other (specify below)

     Chief Marketing Officer
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6.   If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)


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7.   Individual or Joint/Group Filing  (Check applicable line)

     [X]  Form Filed by One Reporting Person

     [_]  Form Filed by More than One Reporting Person

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Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ================================================================================

                                                                 3. Ownership Form:
                                      2. Amount of Securities       Direct (D) or
1. Title of Security                     Beneficially Owned         Indirect (I)       4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
   (Instr. 4)                            (Instr. 4)                 (Instr. 5)            (Instr. 4)
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* If the Form is filed by more than one Reporting Person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

FORM 3 (continued)

Table II -- Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

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                                                                                                        5. Owner-
                                                    3. Title and Amount of Securities                      ship
                                                       Underlying Derivative Security                      Form of
                         2. Date Exercisable           (Instr. 4)                                          Derivative
                            and Expiration Date     ---------------------------------    4. Conver-        Security:
                            (Month/Day/Year)                               Amount           sion or        Direct      6. Nature of
                         ----------------------                            or               Exercise       (D) or         Indirect
                         Date       Expira-                                Number           Price of       Indirect       Beneficial
1. Title of Derivative   Exer-      tion                                   of               Derivative     (I)            Ownership
   Security (Instr. 4)   cisable    Date            Title                  Shares           Security       (Instr. 5)     (Instr. 5)
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Explanation of Responses:

     Dennis G. Daggett                                          07/09/01

      **Signature of Reporting Person                             Date

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations.

See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).