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 * BLACKBURN MARK A   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol State Auto Financial CORP [STFC] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Executive Vice President (Last) (First) (Middle) 518 E. BROAD STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 12/15/2008 (Street) COLUMBUS, OH 43215 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 Shares without par value 12/15/2008   A(4)   5 (4) A $ 0 35,066.478 (3) D

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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

Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) NQ

$ 14.49

03/05/2009

A

27,035

03/05/2010(1)

03/04/2019

Common shares

27,035

$ 0 (2)

27,035

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
BLACKBURN MARK A 518 E. BROAD STREET COLUMBUS, OH 43215			Executive Vice President

Signatures

Mark A. Blackburn by James A. Yano, attorney in fact pursuant to POA filed with commission 5/7/07.		03/09/2009
**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)	The options vest in three equal annual installments beginning on March 5, 2010.
(2)	Field should be left blank, but due to a software defect, requires imput.
(3)	Includes the following acquisitions: 2.129 shares acquired in June 2008, 1.733 shares acquired in September 2008 and 1.822 shares acquired in December 2008 through the STFC non-qualified plan; 40.192 shares acquired in June 2008 under the dividend reinvestment feature of the STFC Employee Stock purchase plan; 0.336 shares acquired in June 2008 under the dividend reinvestment feature of the STFC Pride in Ownership Plan; 128.600 shares acquired in September 2008 and 131.671 shares acquired in December 2008 under the STFC Dividend Reinvestment Plan; 398.138 shares acquired in November 2008 through the STFC Employee Stock Purchase Plan; 30.688 shares acquired in September 2008 and 38.775 shares acquired in December 2008 as dividend reinvestment.
(4)	Transaction reflects an annual stock bonus award made to the reporting person and to all full time employees of the Issuer.

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