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 * GAYNER THOMAS SINNICKSON   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol MARKEL CORP [MKL] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Pres. & Chief Investment Off. (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O MARKEL CORPORATION, 4521 HIGHWOODS PARKWAY 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/31/2012 (Street) GLEN ALLEN, VA 23060 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 12/31/2012   P   100 A $ 430.3399 (1) 31,589.091 (2) D   Common Stock               2,000 I By Spouse Common Stock               2,456.97 I 401(K) Plan (3) Common Stock               446.66 I By Trust

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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

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
GAYNER THOMAS SINNICKSON C/O MARKEL CORPORATION 4521 HIGHWOODS PARKWAY GLEN ALLEN, VA 23060			Pres. & Chief Investment Off.

Signatures

/s/ Donna L. Strauss, Attorney-in-fact for Thomas Sinnickson Gayner		01/03/2013
**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)	Mr. Gayner will provide upon request by the Securities and Exchange Commission staff, the Issuer, or any security holder of the Issuer, full information regarding the number of shares purchased at each separate price.
(2)	The total includes 2,224 Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to the Markel Corporation Omnibus Incentive Plan that will vest, subject to certain conditions, on May 10, 2015, and 1,071 Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to the Markel Corporation Omnibus Incentive Plan that will vest on December 31, 2015.
(3)	Holdings under the Markel Corporation 401(K) Plan are reported in units. The information reported herein is based on a plan statement dated as of December 31, 2012 and utilizes the closing stock price on that date of $433.32 per share. As of December 31, 2012, a unit under the Plan represented one share of Common Stock.

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