FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN 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(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * HEITZ MARK V   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol AMERUS GROUP CO/IA [AMH] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) President&CEO AmerUs Annuity (Last) (First) (Middle) ONE AMVESTORS PLACE, 555 S. KANSAS AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/24/2006 (Street) TOPEKA, KS 66601-2039 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 02/27/2006 02/27/2006 M   2,336.45 A $ 25.68 43,583.45 D   Common Stock 02/27/2006 02/27/2006 F   725.92 D $ 61.1 42,857.53 D   Common Stock 02/27/2006 02/27/2006 D   33.53 D $ 61.1 42,824 D   Common Stock               11,435.31 I By 401(K) Plan

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

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Performance Rights (1)

$ 61.25

02/24/2006

02/24/2006

A

163.27 (2)

(3)

(3)

Common Stock

163.27

$ 0

163.27

D

Performance Rights (1)

$ 61.25

02/24/2006

02/24/2006

A

326.53

(3)

(3)

Common Stock

326.53

$ 0

489.8

D

Performance Rights (1)

$ 25.68

02/27/2006

02/27/2006

M

2,336.45

(3)(4)

(3)

Common Stock

2,336.45

$ 0

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
HEITZ MARK V ONE AMVESTORS PLACE 555 S. KANSAS AVENUE TOPEKA, KS 66601-2039			President&CEO AmerUs Annuity

Signatures

/s/ Jeananne M. Celander, attorney-in-fact for Mr. Heitz		02/28/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The Company's Management Incentive Plan (MIP), an employee plan exempt under Section 16b-3, provides that employees participating in the plan are eligible to defer a portion of their annual bonus to purchase phantom stock units at a price per unit equal to the fair market value (FMV) of the Company's common stock on the date of purchase. The company will match a specified percentage of the phantom stock units purchased pursuant to the deferral program. Upon vesting, the Company will issue the underlying common stock.
(2)	Company's match on the phantom stock units acquired under the MIP Deferral program.
(3)	On the third anniversary of the employee's deferral, the Company will issue the underlying common stock. The entire Company match is forfeited if the employee's employment terminates prior to the third anniversary of the employee's deferral.
(4)	These units have vested and have been converted under the terms of the plan.

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