Edgar Filing: PONTARELLI THOMAS

Ownership Submission

FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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 ^*

Â PONTARELLI THOMAS

2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
02/04/2009

3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CNA FINANCIAL CORP [CNA]

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

333 S. WABASH AVE.

4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

_____ Director	_____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below)	_____ Other (specify below)
Executive Vice President

5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)

(Street)

CHICAGO,Â ILÂ 60604

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 Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock $2.50 par value	400	D	Â

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security		6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Stock Appreciation Rights ⁽¹⁾	02/04/2010⁽¹⁾	02/04/2019	Common Stock	15,000	$ 11.51	D	Â
Stock Appreciation Rights ⁽²⁾	02/06/2009⁽²⁾	02/06/2018	Common Stock	15,000	$ 32.54	D	Â
Stock Appreciation Rights ⁽³⁾	02/07/2008⁽³⁾	02/07/2017	Common Stock	15,000	$ 41.86	D	Â
Stock Appreciation Rights ⁽⁴⁾	02/08/2007⁽⁴⁾	02/08/2016	Common Stock	15,000	$ 30.98	D	Â
Stock Options ⁽⁵⁾	02/09/2006⁽⁵⁾	02/09/2015	Common Stock	7,500	$ 27.27	D	Â
Stock Options ⁽⁶⁾	04/28/2005⁽⁶⁾	04/28/2014	Common Stock	7,500	$ 26.27	D	Â
Stock Options ⁽⁷⁾	05/07/2004⁽⁷⁾	05/07/2013	Common Stock	3,750	$ 24.69	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
PONTARELLI THOMAS 333 S. WABASH AVE. CHICAGO,Â ILÂ 60604	Â	Â	Â Executive Vice President	Â

Signatures

Thomas Pontarelli		02/04/2009
^**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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)	The stock appreciation rights paid in CNA Financial Corporation Common Stock vests annually in four equal installments commencing February 4, 2010.
(2)	The stock appreciation rights paid in CNA Financial Corporation Common Stock vests annually in four equal installments commencing February 6, 2009.
(3)	The stock appreciation rights paid in CNA Financial Corporation Common Stock vests annually in four equal installments commencing February 7, 2008.
(4)	The stock appreciation rights paid in CNA Financial Corporation Common Stock vests annually in four equal installments commencing February 8, 2007.
(5)	The stock options paid in CNA Financial Corporation Common Stock vests annually in four equal installments commencing February 9, 2006.
(6)	The stock options paid in CNA Financial Corporation Common Stock vests annually in four equal installments commencing April 28, 2005.
(7)	The stock options paid in CNA Financial Corporation Common Stock vests annually in four equal installments commencing May 7, 2004.

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