Kingsway Financial Services Inc. has filed a preliminary short form prospectus with securities regulatory authorities in Canada for a proposed public offering of common shares.

The offering covers the issuance of 7.5 million common shares and up to an additional 1.125 million common shares for over- allotments. On Wednesday, Kingsway shares were trading in the $16 to $17 range on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

The common shares will be sold in the United States and Canada through a group of underwriters led by HSBC Securities and CIBC World Markets.