<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 24.1

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, being a director of
Delphi Financial Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Robert Rosenkranz and Robert M. Smith, Jr. or either
of them his true and lawful attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s), with full power
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his place and stead in any
and all capacities, to execute one or more Annual Reports for the Company's
fiscal year ended December 31, 1997, on Form 10-K pursuant to the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or such other form as such
attorney(s)-in-fact may deem necessary or desirable, any amendments thereto,
and all additional amendments thereto in such form as either of them may
approve, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto and other documents in
connection therewith with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto
said attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s) full power and authority to do and perform
each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done to the end that
such Annual Report or Annual Reports shall comply with the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, and the applicable rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission adopted or issued pursuant thereto, as fully
and to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s) or his
substitute or resubstitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 3rd day
of February, 1998.



                                                                /s/EDWARD A. FOX
                                                                ----------------
                                                                   Edward A. Fox
                                                                   Director
<PAGE>   2
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, being a director of
Delphi Financial Group, Inc.,  a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Robert Rosenkranz and Robert M. Smith, Jr. or either of
them his true and lawful attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s), with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his place and stead in any and
all capacities, to execute one or more Annual Reports for the Company's fiscal
year ended December 31, 1997, on Form 10-K pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, or such other form as such attorney(s)-in-fact may deem
necessary or desirable, any amendments thereto, and all additional amendments
thereto in such form as either of them may approve, and to file the same with
all exhibits thereto  and other documents in connection therewith with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney(s)-in-fact and
agent(s) full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done to the end that such Annual Report or Annual
Reports shall comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
adopted or issued pursuant thereto, as fully and to all intents and purposes as
he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s) or his substitute or resubstitute, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 30th
day of January, 1998.

                                                          /s/ CHARLES P. O'BRIEN
                                                          ----------------------
                                                              Charles P. O'Brien
                                                              Director
<PAGE>   3
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, being a director of
Delphi Financial Group, Inc.,  a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Robert Rosenkranz and Robert M. Smith, Jr. or either of
them his true and lawful attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s), with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his place and stead in any and
all capacities, to execute one or more Annual Reports for the Company's fiscal
year ended December 31, 1997, on Form 10-K pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, or such other form as such attorney(s)-in-fact may deem
necessary or desirable, any amendments thereto, and all additional amendments
thereto in such form as either of them may approve, and to file the same with
all exhibits thereto  and other documents in connection therewith with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney(s)-in-fact and
agent(s) full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done to the end that such Annual Report or Annual
Reports shall comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
adopted or issued pursuant thereto, as fully and to all intents and purposes as
he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s) or his substitute or resubstitute, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 11th
day of February, 1998.

                                                          /s/ LEWIS S. RANIERI
                                                          ----------------------
                                                              Lewis S. Ranieri
                                                              Director
<PAGE>   4
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, being a director of
Delphi Financial Group, Inc.,  a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Robert Rosenkranz and Robert M. Smith, Jr. or either of
them his true and lawful attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s), with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his place and stead in any and
all capacities, to execute one or more Annual Reports for the Company's fiscal
year ended December 31, 1997, on Form 10-K pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, or such other form as such attorney(s)-in-fact may deem
necessary or desirable, any amendments thereto, and all additional amendments
thereto in such form as either of them may approve, and to file the same with
all exhibits thereto  and other documents in connection therewith with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney(s)-in-fact and
agent(s) full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done to the end that such Annual Report or Annual
Reports shall comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
adopted or issued pursuant thereto, as fully and to all intents and purposes as
he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s) or his substitute or resubstitute, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 29th
day of January, 1998.

                                                          /s/ THOMAS L. RHODES
                                                          ----------------------
                                                              Thomas L. Rhodes
                                                              Director
<PAGE>   5
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, being a director of
Delphi Financial Group, Inc.,  a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Robert Rosenkranz and Robert M. Smith, Jr. or either of
them his true and lawful attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s), with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his place and stead in any and
all capacities, to execute one or more Annual Reports for the Company's fiscal
year ended December 31, 1997, on Form 10-K pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, or such other form as such attorney(s)-in-fact may deem
necessary or desirable, any amendments thereto, and all additional amendments
thereto in such form as either of them may approve, and to file the same with
all exhibits thereto  and other documents in connection therewith with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney(s)-in-fact and
agent(s) full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done to the end that such Annual Report or Annual
Reports shall comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
adopted or issued pursuant thereto, as fully and to all intents and purposes as
he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s) or his substitute or resubstitute, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 3rd
day of February, 1998.

                                                          /s/ THOMAS A. SULLIVAN
                                                          ----------------------
                                                              Thomas A. Sullivan
                                                              Director
<PAGE>   6
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, being a director of
Delphi Financial Group, Inc.,  a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Robert Rosenkranz and Robert M. Smith, Jr. or either of
them his true and lawful attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s), with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his place and stead in any and
all capacities, to execute one or more Annual Reports for the Company's fiscal
year ended December 31, 1997, on Form 10-K pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, or such other form as such attorney(s)-in-fact may deem
necessary or desirable, any amendments thereto, and all additional amendments
thereto in such form as either of them may approve, and to file the same with
all exhibits thereto  and other documents in connection therewith with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney(s)-in-fact and
agent(s) full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done to the end that such Annual Report or Annual
Reports shall comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
adopted or issued pursuant thereto, as fully and to all intents and purposes as
he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s) or his substitute or resubstitute, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hand this 30th
day of February, 1998.

                                                          /s/ B. K. WERNER
                                                          ----------------------
                                                              B. K. Werner
                                                              Director
<PAGE>   7
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, being a director of
Delphi Financial Group, Inc.,  a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), hereby
constitutes and appoints Robert Rosenkranz and Robert M. Smith, Jr. or either of
them his true and lawful attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s), with full power of
substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his place and stead in any and
all capacities, to execute one or more Annual Reports for the Company's fiscal
year ended December 31, 1997, on Form 10-K pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended, or such other form as such attorney(s)-in-fact may deem
necessary or desirable, any amendments thereto, and all additional amendments
thereto in such form as either of them may approve, and to file the same with
all exhibits thereto  and other documents in connection therewith with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney(s)-in-fact and
agent(s) full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing
requisite and necessary to be done to the end that such Annual Report or Annual
Reports shall comply with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and
the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
adopted or issued pursuant thereto, as fully and to all intents and purposes as
he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorney(s)-in-fact and agent(s) or his substitute or resubstitute, may lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand this 
3rd day of February, 1998.



                                                   /s/ LAWRENCE C. DAURELLE
                                                   ----------------------------
                                                   Lawrence C. Daurelle
                                                   Principal Financial Officer
                                                   and Principal Accounting
                                                   Officer