8-K

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                     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)   September 13, 2001
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                         CNA FINANCIAL CORPORATION
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           (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)



                                  Delaware
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               (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)


        1-5823                                        36-6169860
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(Commission File Number)                  (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)


         CNA Plaza, Chicago, Illinois                                60685
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  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                         (Zip Code)


                               (312) 822-5000
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            (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)


                               Not Applicable
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       (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)


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Item 5.  Other Events

On September 13, 2001, CNA Financial Corporation issued a press release
announcing it is extending the expiration date for its pending rights
offering. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

         (a)      Not applicable.

         (b)      Not applicable.

         (c)      A list of exhibits filed herewith is contained on the
                  Exhibit Index which immediately precedes such exhibits
                  and is incorporated herein by reference.






                                 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:  September 13, 2001                   /s/ Robert V. Deutsch
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                                             By:   Robert V. Deutsch
                                             Its:  Senior Vice President and
                                                   Chief Financial Officer







                               EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit No.            Description
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99.1                   CNA Financial Corporation press release, issued
                       September 13, 2001, extending the expiration date of
                       CNA's pending rights offering.

EX-99.1

                                           CNA Insurance In Touch With Business

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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MEDIA:     Charles M. Boesel, 312/822-2592
           Katrina W. Parker, 312/822-5167

ANALYSTS:  Donald P. Lofe, Jr., 312/822-3993
           Robert V. Deutsch, 312/822-4242

               CNA EXTENDS EXPIRATION DATE OF RIGHTS OFFERING

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, September 13, 2001 - CNA Financial Corporation (NYSE:
CNA) announced today that it has extended the expiration of its rights
offering to 5:00 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday, September 19, 2001. CNA intends
to consider additional extensions of the Expiration Date for each trading
day beyond Thursday, September 13, 2001 that trading has not resumed on the
New York Stock Exchange. The rights offering was to expire on September 14,
2001. The rights trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol
CNA.RT.

A copy of the prospectus may be obtained from Georgeson Shareholder
Communications by calling (800) 223-2064, if you are not a bank or broker,
or (212) 440-9800, if you are a bank or broker.


CNA is a leading insurance organization serving businesses and individuals
with a broad range of insurance products and insurance-related services.
Since 1897, CNA has built on a foundation of financial strength, stability
and commitment to customers and business partners. Visit CNA at www.cna.com.
CNA is a registered service mark, trade name, and domain name of CNA Financial
Corporation.


                         FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT


The statements contained in this press release, which are not historical
facts, are forward-looking statements. When included in this press release,
the words "believe," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "estimates," and
analogous expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.
Such statements inherently are subject to a variety of risks and
uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those projected. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the
impact of competitive products, policies and pricing; product and policy
demand and market responses; development of claims and the effect on loss
reserves; the performance of reinsurance companies under reinsurance
contracts with CNA Financial Corporation and its subsidiaries (the
Company); general economic and business conditions; changes in financial
markets (interest rate, credit, currency, commodities and stocks); changes
in foreign, political, social and economic conditions; regulatory
initiatives and compliance with governmental regulations; judicial
decisions and rulings; changes in rating agency policies and practices; the
results of financing efforts; changes in the Company's composition of
operating segments; the actual closing of contemplated transactions and
agreements and various other matters and risks (many of which are beyond
the Company's control) detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange
Commission filings. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the
date of this press release. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation
or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any
forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in the
Company's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events,
conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.


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