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 *
  Brown Joel Edward
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
03/04/2011		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
State Auto Financial CORP [STFC]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
518 EAST BROAD STREEET		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Vice President
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

COLUMBUS, OH 43215		 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 Shares without par value 5,472.7
D
 

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)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) NQ 05/27/2005(1) 05/26/2014 Common Shares 2,250 $ 30.86 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) NQ 05/10/2006(1) 05/09/2015 Common Shares 2,250 $ 26.45 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) NQ 05/17/2007(1) 05/16/2016 Common Shares 6,300 $ 33.5 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy NQ 05/03/2008(1) 05/02/2017 Common Shares 4,205 $ 29.53 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) NQ 03/06/2009(1) 03/05/2018 Common Shares 3,627 $ 25.81 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) NQ 03/05/2010(1) 03/04/2019 Common Shares 3,672 $ 14.49 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) NQ 03/04/2011(1) 03/03/2020 Common Shares 5,743 $ 18.78 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) NQ 03/03/2012(1) 03/02/2021 Common Shares 9,627 $ 17.03 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) ISO 05/22/2004(1) 05/21/2013 Common Shares 2,250 $ 18.74 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) ISO 05/27/2005(1) 05/26/2014 Common Shares 2,250 $ 30.86 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) ISO 05/10/2006(1) 05/09/2015 Common Shares 2,250 $ 26.45 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Brown Joel Edward
518 EAST BROAD STREEET
COLUMBUS, OH 43215		       Vice President  

Signatures

/s/ Joel E. Brown by James A. Yano, attorney in fact, per POA attached 03/07/2011
**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 options vest in three equal annual installments from date of grant.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

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