<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-11-23</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000847431</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NYMAGIC INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NYM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001192834</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SHAW WILLIAM DWIGHT JR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O NYMAGIC INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>919 THIRD AVENUE, 10TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock-Deferred Share Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-23</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>13649</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>25.75</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock- Restricted Share Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-11-23</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>25.75</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposed of pusuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger by and among ProSight Specialty Insurance Holdings, Inc. (&quot;ProSight&quot;), PSI Merger Sub Inc. (&quot;Merger Sub&quot;)and NYMAGIC, INC. (the &quot;Company&quot;), dated as of July 15, 2010, which provided for a merger in which the Company would become a wholly-owned subsidiary of ProSight and would cease to be in independent, publicaly- treated company (the &quot;Merger&quot;). the Merger became effective on November 23, 2010. At the Effective time of the Merger, each outstanding share of the Companies common stock(other than shares owned by the Company, its subsidiaries,ProSight or Merger Sub) converted into the right to receive $25.75 in cash, without interest and less any aplicable withholding taxes
(the &quot;Merger Consideration&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">As of the effective time of the Merger, Each restricted stock unit whether vested or unvested (&quot;Company RSU&quot;), each deferred stock unit (&quot;Company DSU&quot;), and each performance stock unit for which the performance target have been achieved (&quot;Company PSU&quot;) were cancelled and converted into the right to receive an amount of cash, equal to (A) the number of shares of Company common stock issuable upon conversion of such Company RSU, Company DSU or Company PSU multiplied by the Merger Consideration, plus (B) any interest and the value of any dividend rights credited with respect to any such Company RSU, Company DSU or Company PSU minus (C) any required withholding taxes.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Paul J. Hart Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-11-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
