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                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.38

                        DISTRIBUTION COMMITMENT AGREEMENT
                              FOR VARIABLE BUSINESS

         THIS DISTRIBUTION COMMITMENT AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is made as of
this 1st day of April, 2002 (the "Effective Date"), by and between AmerUs Group
Co. ("AmerUs Group"), an Iowa corporation, and Ameritas Variable Life Insurance
Company ("AVLIC"), a Nebraska domiciled life insurance company.

                                    RECITALS:

         A. AVLIC is principally engaged in the business of selling variable
life policies and annuity contracts throughout the United States, and is
desirous of expanding its distribution of those variable products. AVLIC is
owned by a joint venture owned by Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. and AmerUs Life
Insurance Company, a subsidiary of AmerUs Group, pursuant to a Joint Venture
Agreement between them dated as of June 30, 1996 (as amended, the "Joint Venture
Agreement").

         B. AmerUs Group is the beneficial owner of all capital stock of
Indianapolis Life Insurance Company, an Indiana stock life insurance company
("ILICO"), IL Annuity & Insurance Company, a Kansas stock life insurance company
("ILA") and Bankers Life Insurance Company of New York, a New York stock life
insurance company ("BLNY"). Each of ILICO, ILA and BLNY has developed a
distribution force of duly licensed insurance agents, many of whom are
appropriately licensed and registered to sell variable products.

         C. ILA has been engaged in the distribution of variable products.
Most of these sales were discontinued as of December 31, 2001. AmerUs Group
desires to consolidate all of its subsidiaries' variable production in AVLIC and
the joint venture.

         D. In return for due consideration, AmerUs Group agrees herein to
commit the distribution force of each of ILICO, ILA and BLNY to accept
appointment with AVLIC and to direct their sales efforts with respect to
variable products, except as otherwise stated herein, only through AVLIC.

                                   AGREEMENTS:

         NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises contained herein, the
parties hereto agree as follows:

         1. Except as otherwise provided in Section 3 below, AmerUs Group shall
cause each of ILICO, ILA and BLNY to use all reasonable efforts and take all
reasonable actions to encourage its respective Distribution Force, consistent
with the requirements of law, to accept appointment by AVLIC and to distribute
the Variable Products of AVLIC.

         2. Except as otherwise provided in Section 3 below, AmerUs Group shall
cause each of ILICO, ILA and BLNY and their respective Subsidiaries not to,
directly or indirectly, or in combination with any other Person, (i) sell,
issue, sponsor or provide any Variable Products

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except Variable Products of AVLIC; or (ii) provide any incentive, value,
inducement, recognition or other reward for any member of its Distribution Force
or any other agent, employee or representative thereof for selling any Variable
Products which are not AVLIC products.

         3. The limitations in Sections 1 and 2 hereof shall not apply to:

            (a) the distribution, following any Corporate Transaction of ILICO,
ILA or BLNY, of Variable Products through marketing channels which do not
include the Distribution Force of the entity entering into such Corporate
Transaction;

            (b) the acquisition and servicing of any existing Variable
Products business originated by a third party, and any associated renewals,
replacements or other continued or increased contributions by holders of such
Variable Products;

            (c) the servicing of ILA's Variable Products business, and any
associated renewals, replacements or other continued or increased contributions
by holders of such Variable Products;

            (d) the sale of Variable Products currently approved for
issuance by ILA to new members of existing qualified plan groups (such as
403(b), 457 and 401(k) accounts);

            (e) activities of BLNY relating to the sale of products in the
State of New York pursuant to that certain Distribution Commitment Agreement for
Variable Business between AmerUs Group and First Ameritas Life Insurance Corp.
of New York ("FALIC") as of even date herewith; and

            (f) the provision by ILICO, ILA or BLNY or a Subsidiary thereof of
any incentive, value, inducement, recognition or other reward for members of its
Distribution Force or any other agent, employee or representative thereof for
selling Variable Products that are not AVLIC products, but only to the extent
sold through Ameritas Investment Corp. or The Advisors Group, Inc. and only to
the extent required by law.

         4. This Agreement becomes effective as of the date first set forth
above and shall remain in effect for so long as the Joint Venture Agreement
remains in effect.

         5. Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined
in the text of this Agreement shall have the meanings set forth below.

            (a) "Affiliate" shall mean any Person that directly, or indirectly
through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under
common control with the Person specified.

            (b) "Corporate Transaction" shall mean any bona fide merger,
consolidation, acquisition of a substantial portion of the capital stock of
another Person, acquisition of a substantial portion of the business or assets
of another Person, or other similar transaction made or entered into by ILICO,
ILA or BLNY (as applicable) or any Subsidiary thereof, provided that such Person
is

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engaged in the business of insurance, has its own Distribution Force or other
distribution system and was not previously an Affiliate of such party.

            (c) "Distribution Force" shall mean those Persons appointed by a
life insurance company to distribute life insurance and annuity products,
including without limitation career agents and personal producing general
agents, as those terms are generally understood in the life insurance industry;
provided, however, that this term shall not include those individuals described
above who are appointed by such life insurance company in connection with and
substantially contemporaneous with a Corporate Transaction occurring after the
date hereof, or thereafter, if the party engaging in such Corporate Transaction
maintains a separate Distribution Force of the other party to such Corporate
Transaction.

            (d) "Person" shall mean any natural person, corporation, general
partnership, limited partnership, proprietorship, trust, union, association,
court, tribunal, agency, government, department, commission, self-regulatory
organization, arbitrator, board, bureau, instrumentality, or other entity,
enterprise, authority or business organization.

            (e) "Subsidiary" shall mean each of those Persons, regardless of
jurisdiction of organization, of which a specified Person, directly or
indirectly through one or more Subsidiaries, owns beneficially securities having
more than 50% of the voting power in the election of directors (or Persons
fulfilling similar functions or duties) of such Person, without giving effect to
any contingent voting rights.

            (f) "Variable Products" shall mean life insurance products and/or
annuities under which (i) the policyholder has the right to assume the
investment risk (including loss of principal), in whole or in part, and (ii) the
policyholder has the right to direct the manner in which the policy or annuity
funds shall be invested and the policyholder's options shall include at least
one separate account.

         6. Arbitration.

            (a) Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this
Agreement or any breach of this Agreement, including any controversy or claim as
to its arbitrability or rescission, shall be finally settled by arbitration
administered by the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") in accordance with
its Commercial Arbitration Rules and the Federal Arbitration Act. If the AAA is
not then in existence, the arbitration shall be governed by the Commercial
Arbitration Rules last in effect. Any party seeking arbitration must give the
other 30 days written notice of that intent. A single United States arbitrator
or, in the case of a dispute in which the amount in controversy exceeds
$100,000, a panel of 3 United States arbitrators (one chosen by each party and
the third selected by the 2 arbitrators so chosen) shall interpret this
Agreement pursuant to Nebraska law and shall base any decision or award on
applicable law and judicial precedent. Any arbitration shall be conducted in
Lincoln, Nebraska, unless the parties mutually agree to another location. The
arbitrator(s) shall not, under any circumstances, have any authority to award
punitive or exemplary damages.

            (b) All expenses associated with obtaining and utilizing the
services of the AAA and the arbitrator(s), and as otherwise provided in the
Commercial Arbitration Rules, shall be shared

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equally by the parties hereto, and the arbitrator(s) shall request payment
separately from each party for said expenses. Each party shall bear its own
expenses of preparing for and participating in the arbitration, including
attorney and witness fees and discovery costs.

            (c) The parties may engage in discovery, pursuant to the Federal
Rules of Civil Procedure, to the extent such discovery is consistent with the
purpose of the arbitration and is permitted by the arbitrator(s).

            (d) The decision or award of the arbitrator(s) shall be final,
binding, and enforceable. The decision of the arbitrator(s) shall be in writing
and shall set forth in reasonable detail the basis for the decision. Application
may be made to any court of competent jurisdiction for judicial acceptance of
the arbitration award and enforcement, as the law of the state having
jurisdiction may require or allow.

         7. Miscellaneous.

            (a) This Agreement may not be assigned by any party.

            (b) No amendment to this Agreement  will be effective  unless it
is in writing and signed by all the parties hereto.

            (c) AmerUs Group (for itself and its Subsidiaries) and AVLIC
acknowledge that each may receive nonpublic personal information, whether
financial information or health information of the customers and/or consumers of
one or both of the parties, and that the parties hereby agree that they will not
further disseminate such information for any purposes not arising from and
necessary to the performance of their respective obligations under this
Agreement; that they will restrict access to such information to those who are
performing work under this Agreement and take steps and measures to assure that
such information remains confidential; and will comply with the privacy and
security requirements of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act and all other
applicable federal and state laws and regulations respecting the privacy and
security of customer/consumer personal information to the extent applicable.

            (d) Should any provision of this Agreement be held
unenforceable, those provisions not affected by the determination of
unenforceability shall remain in full force and effect.

            (e) This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of
  which shall constitute an original and both of which together shall be deemed
  to be one and the same instrument.

            (f) This  Agreement is subject to and shall be construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Nebraska.

            (g) The parties acknowledge that they and their respective
counsel have worked together closely drafting, negotiating and reviewing this
Agreement and that any rule of construction

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to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party
shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Agreement.

         8. Notices

         All notices or communications required or permitted under this
Agreement will be in writing and be deemed given: (i) five (5) business days
after having been sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt
requested, postage prepaid; (ii) one (1) business day after deposit with a
commercial overnight carrier, with written verification of receipt; (iii) when
sent via facsimile with confirmation. Notice sent by any other method shall be
effective only upon actual receipt. All communications will be sent to the
parties at the addresses set forth below:

         * If to AmerUs Group: Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel,
         AmerUs Group Co., 699 Walnut, 20th Floor, Des Moines, Iowa 50309.

         * If to AVLIC: Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel, Ameritas
         Variable Life Insurance Corp., 5900 "O" Street, Lincoln, Nebraska
         68501.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be
executed and do hereby warrant and represent to the other that their respective
signatories whose signatures appear below are duly authorized by all necessary
and appropriate corporate actions to execute this Agreement.

AMERITAS VARIABLE LIFE
INSURANCE COMPANY                           AMERUS GROUP CO.

By:      /s/ William J. Atherton            By:    /s/ Thomas C. Godlasky
    ----------------------------------             ----------------------------
         William J. Atherton                       Thomas C. Godlasky

Title:   President and Chief Operating      Title: Executive Vice President and
         Officer                                   Chief Investment Officer

Date:    April 30, 2002                            Date:  April 30, 2002
         -----------------------------             ----------------------------

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                                                                   Exhibit 10.39

                      AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO FACILITY AGREEMENT

     This AMENDMENT NO. 4 TO FACILITY AGREEMENT (this "Amendment") is entered
into as of June 30, 2002 by and among AmerUs Group Co. (successor by merger to
AmerUs Life Holdings, Inc.) (the "Company"), Bank One, NA (f/k/a The First
National Bank of Chicago), individually and as agent ("Agent"), and the other
financial institutions signatory hereto (the "Lenders").

                                    RECITALS

     A. The Company, the Agent and the Lenders are party to that certain
Facility and Guaranty Agreement dated as of February 12, 1999 (as previously
amended, the "Facility Agreement"). Unless otherwise specified herein,
capitalized terms used in this Amendment shall have the meanings ascribed to
them by the Facility Agreement.

     B. The Company, the Agent and the undersigned Lenders wish to amend the
Facility Agreement on the terms and conditions set forth below.

     Now, therefore, in consideration of the mutual execution hereof and other
good and valuable consideration, the parties hereto agree as follows:

          1. Amendment to Facility Agreement. Upon the Effective Date (as
defined below), Section 5.01(h) of the Facility Agreement shall be amended in
its entirety to read as follows:

          Minimum Risk-Based Capital. The Company will not permit the Risk-Based
Capital for any Material Regulated Insurance Company (other than IL Annuity and
Insurance Company) to be less than 350% nor shall it permit the Risk-Based
Capital of IL Annuity and Insurance Company (so long as IL Annuity and Insurance
Company is a Material Regulated Insurance Company) to be less than 300%. For
purposes of this Section 5.01(h), "Risk-Based Capital" and "Material Regulated
Insurance Subsidiary" shall have the meanings ascribed to them by the Existing
Credit Agreement.

          2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company
represents and warrants that:

               (a) The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of
     this Amendment has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
     on the part of the Company and that this Amendment is the legal, valid and
     binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
     accordance with its respective terms, except as the enforcement thereof may
     be subject to the effect of any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
     reorganization, moratorium or similar law affecting creditors' rights
     generally;

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               (b) Neither the execution, delivery and performance by the
     Company of this Amendment, nor compliance with the terms and provisions
     hereof, nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein, (i)
     will contravene any applicable provision of any law, statute, rule,
     regulation, order, writ, injunction or decree of any court or governmental
     instrumentality, (ii) will conflict or be inconsistent with or result in
     any breach of any of the terms, covenants, conditions or provisions of, or
     constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of (or
     the obligation to create or impose) any lien upon any of the property or
     assets of the Company or any of its respective Subsidiaries pursuant to the
     terms of, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, credit
     agreement (including without limitation the Existing Credit Agreement) or
     any other material instrument to which the Company or any of its respective
     Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its respective
     property or assets are bound or to which the Company may be subject or
     (iii) will violate any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation or
     By-Laws of the Company or any of its respective Subsidiaries.

               (c) No order, consent, approval, license, authorization, or
     validation of, or filing, recording or registration with, or exemption by,
     any Governmental Authority (including without limitation the Iowa Insurance
     Division) is required to authorize or is required in connection with (i)
     the execution, delivery and performance of this Amendment or (ii) the
     legality, validity, binding effect or enforceability of this Amendment,
     other than those which shall have been obtained and shall be in effect as
     of the Effective Date in connection with this Amendment.

               (d) Immediately after giving effect to this Amendment, each of
     the representations and warranties contained in the Facility Agreement
     (other than Sections 4.01(f), (h), (i) and (j)) will be true and correct in
     all material respects as if made at such time (it being understood and
     agreed that any representation or warranty which by its terms is made as of
     a specified date shall be required to be true and correct in all material
     respects only as of such specified date); and

               (e) Immediately after giving effect to this Amendment, no Program
     Event of Default or Unmatured Default will have occurred and be continuing.

          3. Effective Date. This Amendment shall become effective as of June
30, 2002 upon the date (the "Effective Date") of the execution and delivery of
this Amendment by the Company, the Agent and the Required Lenders and the
payment of a $2,500 amendment fee by the Company to the Agent for the ratable
account of the Lenders.

          4. Reference to and Effect Upon the Facility Agreement.

               (a) Except as specifically amended above, the Facility Agreement
(including without limitation the Guaranty) and the other Loan Documents shall
remain in full force and effect and are hereby ratified and affirmed. Without
limiting the foregoing, the Company acknowledges and agrees that, as between the
Company and the Agent and Lenders, this Amendment shall be binding and
enforceable as to all Loan Documents without respect to its effect on any other
Person.

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               (b) The execution, delivery and effectiveness of this Amendment
shall not operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Agent or any
Lender under the Facility Agreement or any Loan Document, nor constitute a
waiver of any provision of the Facility Agreement or any Loan Document, except
as specifically set forth herein. Upon the effectiveness of this Amendment, each
reference in the Facility Agreement to "this Agreement", "hereunder", "hereof",
"herein" or words of similar import shall mean and be a reference to the
Facility Agreement as amended hereby.

          5. Costs and Expenses. The Company hereby affirms its obligations
under Section 12.08 of the Facility Agreement to reimburse the Agent for all
reasonable costs, internal charges and out-of-pocket expenses paid or incurred
by the Agent in connection with the preparation, negotiation, execution and
delivery of this Amendment, including but not limited to the attorneys' fees and
time charges of attorneys for the Agent with respect thereto.

          6. CHOICE OF LAW. THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH
THE INTERNAL LAWS (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, 735 ILCS SECTION 105/5-1 ET
SEQ, BUT OTHERWISE WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAWS PROVISIONS) OF THE
STATE OF ILLINOIS, BUT GIVING EFFECT TO FEDERAL LAWS APPLICABLE TO NATIONAL
BANKS.

          7. Headings. Section headings in this Amendment are included herein
for convenience of reference only and shall not constitute a part of this
Amendment for any other purposes.

          8. Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed an original but all
such counterparts shall constitute one and the same instrument.

                           [signature page to follow]

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          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the
date and year first above written.

                                            AMERUS GROUP CO.

                                            By: /s/ Melinda S. Urion
                                               ---------------------------------

                                            Name: Melinda S. Urion
                                                 -------------------------------

                                            Title: Executive Vice President and
                                                   Chief Financial Officer

                                            BANK ONE, NA,
                                            Individually and as Agent

                                            By: /s/ Cynthia Priest
                                               ---------------------------------
                                                     Cynthia Priest
                                                     Director

                       Signature Page to Amendment No. 4
                             to Facility Agreement

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