-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 3XHtOFbmAQY2pfWrvN/tcA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000867579-03-000195.txt : 20030620
<SEC-HEADER>0000867579-03-000195.hdr.sgml : 20030620
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030620171159
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000867579-03-000195
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030618
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030620

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SAFECO CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000086104
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331]
		IRS NUMBER:				910742146
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			WA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4333 BROOKLYN AVE NE
		STREET 2:		SAFECO PLAZA
		CITY:			SEATTLE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98185
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2065455000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4333 BROOKLYN AVE NE
		CITY:			SEATTLE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98185

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	GENERAL AMERICA CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19680529

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SKINNER PAUL W
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001205177

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-06563
		FILM NUMBER:		03752290

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O SAFECO
		STREET 2:		4333 BROOKLYN AVENUE NE
		CITY:			SEATTLE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98185
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2065455000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O SAFECO
		STREET 2:		4333 BROOKLYN AVENUE NE
		CITY:			SEATTLE
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98185
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-18</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000086104</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SAFECO CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SAFC</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205177</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SKINNER PAUL W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Director Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>40.625</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>1999-05-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>40.625</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-05-03</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-05-06</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecur
ityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Director Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>20.00</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2000-05-03</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>20.00</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</va
lue></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2001-05-02</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-05-03</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Director Stock Option Grant (right to buy)</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>27.29</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2001-05-02</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A
</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>27.29</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2002-05-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-05-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Director Stock Option Grant (right to buy)<
/value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>33.32</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2002-05-01</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2000</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>33.32</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2003-05-07</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-05-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock </value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><owne
rshipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Mr. Skinner's departure from the Board of Directors of Safeco has been deemed a &amp;quot;retirement&amp;quot; under the Terms of the Stock Option Grant Program for Non-Employee Directors.  Accordingly, the exercise periods for these vested options is the term of each stock option grant (in each case, ten years from the date of grant).</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Stephanie Daley-Watson,  Attorney-in-Fact for Paul W. Skinner </signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-20</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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