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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2022-03-01</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000874977</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>State Auto Financial CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>STFC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001480001</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Lantow Michelle</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1195 SUNNINGDALE CT.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LAKE OSWEGO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97034</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Director of Parent</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares without Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2022-03-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </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">This Form 4 reports securities disposed of pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and Plan of Merger and Combination (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;), dated as of July 12, 2021, by and among State Auto Financial Corporation, an Ohio corporation (&quot;STFC&quot;), State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company, an Ohio mutual insurance company (&quot;SAM&quot;), Liberty Mutual Holding Company, Inc., a Massachusetts mutual holding company (&quot;LMHC&quot;), Pymatuning, Inc., an Ohio corporation and wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of LMHC (&quot;Merger Sub I&quot;), and Andover, Inc., an Ohio corporation and wholly-owned direct subsidiary of LMHC, a copy of which was filed as Exhibit 2.1 to STFC's Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 12, 2021.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, on March 1, 2022, LMHC effected the acquisition of STFC through the merger of Merger Sub I with and into STFC (the &quot;Merger&quot;) with STFC surviving the Merger as the surviving corporation and as an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of LMHC. At the effective time of the Merger (the &quot;Effective Time&quot;), each issued and outstanding share of common stock of STFC (each, a &quot;Share&quot;) (other than the SAM Owned Shares, the Cancelled Shares and the Dissenting Shares, as such terms are defined in the Merger Agreement) was cancelled and converted into the right to receive $52.00 in cash (the &quot;Merger Consideration&quot;) without interest and subject to applicable withholding taxes</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Michelle M. Lantow by Melissa A. Centers, attorney in fact pursuant to POA filed with the Commission on 3/08/19.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2022-03-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
