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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)    July 29, 2004

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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 press release, issued July 29, 2004,
               providing information on second quarter 2004 results of
               operations

   99.2        CNA Financial Corporation financial supplement, issued July 29,
               2004, providing supplemental financial information for the second
               quarter 2004


Item 12. Results of Operations and Financial Condition

On July 29, 2004, CNA Financial Corporation issued a press release and posted a
financial supplement providing information on its results of operations for the
second quarter of 2004. The press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and the
financial supplement is furnished as Exhibit 99.2 to this Form 8-K.

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.

                                   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: July 29, 2004                     /s/ Robert V. Deutsch
                                             -----------------------------------
                                        By:  Robert V. Deutsch
                                        Its: Executive Vice President and
                                             Chief Financial Officer

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