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<edgarSubmission xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common" xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/thirteenffiler">
  <headerData>
    <submissionType>13F-HR</submissionType>
    <filerInfo>
      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
      <flags>
        <confirmingCopyFlag>false</confirmingCopyFlag>
        <returnCopyFlag>false</returnCopyFlag>
        <overrideInternetFlag>false</overrideInternetFlag>
      </flags>
      <filer>
        <credentials>
          <cik>0000021175</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
        </credentials>
      </filer>
      <periodOfReport>09-30-2019</periodOfReport>
    </filerInfo>
  </headerData>
  <formData>
    <coverPage>
      <reportCalendarOrQuarter>09-30-2019</reportCalendarOrQuarter>
      <filingManager>
        <name>CNA FINANCIAL CORP</name>
        <address>
          <com:street1>CNA</com:street1>
          <com:street2>151 N. FRANKLIN</com:street2>
          <com:city>CHICAGO</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>IL</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>60606</com:zipCode>
        </address>
      </filingManager>
      <reportType>13F HOLDINGS REPORT</reportType>
      <form13FFileNumber>028-00346</form13FFileNumber>
      <provideInfoForInstruction5>Y</provideInfoForInstruction5>
      <additionalInformation>Assets reported herein are described as having shared investment
discretion among Loews Corporation, CNA Financial Corporation,
The Continental Corporation and Continental Casualty Company.
Each of the foregoing entities specifically disclaims ownership of
any securities in this report which are not beneficially owned by
that entity and states that such assets are solely under the control of
its board of directors. The characterization of shared investment
discretion with parent holding companies is made solely as a consequence of SEC interpretations regarding control of the
subsidiary through share ownership. Loews Corporation owns
approximately 89% of the outstanding shares of CNA Financial
Corporation; CNA Financial Corporation owns 100% of the
outstanding shares of The Continental Corporation; and The
Continental Corporation owns 100% of the outstanding shares of
Continental Casualty Company. Loews Corporation will report
separately on securities over which it has investment discretion
which are not part of this report.</additionalInformation>
    </coverPage>
    <signatureBlock>
      <name>Lawrence J. Boysen</name>
      <title>Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller</title>
      <phone>312-822-5653</phone>
      <signature>Lawrence J. Boysen</signature>
      <city>Chicago</city>
      <stateOrCountry>IL</stateOrCountry>
      <signatureDate>11-04-2019</signatureDate>
    </signatureBlock>
    <summaryPage>
      <otherIncludedManagersCount>3</otherIncludedManagersCount>
      <tableEntryTotal>176</tableEntryTotal>
      <tableValueTotal>447604</tableValueTotal>
      <isConfidentialOmitted>false</isConfidentialOmitted>
      <otherManagers2Info>
        <otherManager2>
          <sequenceNumber>1</sequenceNumber>
          <otherManager>
            <form13FFileNumber>28-217</form13FFileNumber>
            <name>Loews Corporation</name>
          </otherManager>
        </otherManager2>
        <otherManager2>
          <sequenceNumber>2</sequenceNumber>
          <otherManager>
            <form13FFileNumber>28-172</form13FFileNumber>
            <name>The Continental Corporation</name>
          </otherManager>
        </otherManager2>
        <otherManager2>
          <sequenceNumber>3</sequenceNumber>
          <otherManager>
            <form13FFileNumber>28-387</form13FFileNumber>
            <name>Continental Casualty Company</name>
          </otherManager>
        </otherManager2>
      </otherManagers2Info>
    </summaryPage>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
