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                                  UNITED STATES


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



Date of report (Date of earliest event reported)               November 18, 2003


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                            CNA FINANCIAL CORPORATION

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)





               DELAWARE                  1-5823              36-6169860
     (State or Other Jurisdiction      (Commission         (IRS Employer
           of Incorporation)           File Number)      Identification No.)

       CNA PLAZA, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS                             60685
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                     (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code         (312) 822-5000

                                 Not Applicable
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)


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Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)  Exhibits:

Exhibit No.    Description
-----------    -----------

99.1           CNA Financial Corporation summary of net reserve development
               issued November 17, 2003, providing information on third
               quarter 2003 results of operations


Item 12.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition

The information in this Current Report is being furnished and shall not be
deemed "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section. The
information in this Current Report shall not be incorporated by reference into
any registration statement or other document pursuant to the Securities Act of
1933, as amended.

On November 17, 2003 CNA Financial Corporation provided a summary of the impact
of net reserve development on its results of operations for the third quarter
2003. The summary of net reserve development is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to
this Form 8-K.

                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                        CNA FINANCIAL CORPORATION



Dated:  November 18, 2003                    /s/ Robert V. Deutsch
                                             --------------------------------
                                        By:  Robert V. Deutsch
                                        Its: Executive Vice President and
                                             Chief Financial Officer





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