UNITED STATES
                       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): January 29, 2004

                             ERIE INDEMNITY COMPANY
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           PENNSYLVANIA                   0-24000                 25-0466020
  -------------------------------       -------------        -------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction of       (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
   incorporation)                        File Number)        Identification No.)


100 Erie Insurance Place, Erie, Pennsylvania                      16530
- --------------------------------------------                ----------------
  (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)

          Registrant's telephone number, including area code (814) 870-2000

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Item 5. OTHER EVENTS.

On January 22, 2004,  Erie  Indemnity  Company  issued a press release which is
filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS

Exhibit Number        Description
- --------------        -----------
99.1                  Press release dated January 22, 2004


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                                    SIGNATURE

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.



                                    ERIE INDEMNITY COMPANY


                                    Erie Indemnity Company
                                ------------------------------
                                       (Registrant)

Date: January 29, 2004            /s/ Jan R. Van Gorder
                                -------------------------------
                         (Jan R. Van Gorder, Senior Executive Vice President,
                          Secretary & General Counsel)

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            Erie Indemnity Announces Nominees for Board of Directors

Erie, Pa., January 22, 2004 - The Nominating Committee of Erie Indemnity Company
(Nasdaq: ERIE) has unanimously agreed on its nominees for the Company's Board of
Directors.  Members of the Board of Directors  will be elected at the  Company's
Annual  Meeting of  Shareholders  scheduled for April 27, 2004, at the Company's
headquarters in Erie, Pennsylvania.

The following individuals,  who are currently Directors, were renominated by the
Nominating Committee: Kaj Ahlmann, John T. Baily, Samuel P. Black, III, J. Ralph
Borneman, Jr., Wilson C. Cooney, Patricia Garrison-Corbin, John R. Graham, Susan
Hirt Hagen,  C. Scott Hartz, F. William Hirt,  Samuel P. Katz,  Claude C. Lilly,
III, Jeffrey A. Ludrof, Jan R. Van Gorder and Robert C. Wilburn.

The  Nominating  Committee  based its  nominations  on the general  needs of the
Company as well as the specific  attributes of candidates  that would add to the
overall  effectiveness of the Board. The committee also unanimously  recommended
that the size of the Board remain at 15 to  effectively  meet the needs of Board
committees.

Information  on each of the  nominees  will be included in the  Company's  Proxy
Statement to be mailed to Shareholders prior to the Annual Meeting.

In accordance with the Company's Bylaws, Class B (voting)  shareholders are also
given the opportunity to nominate  directors no later than 60 days preceding the
anniversary of the 2003 Annual Meeting (which was held on April 29, 2003), or 30
days after the Nominating  Committee has given public notice of its  recommended
slate of nominees for election as  directors.  This Press Release shall serve as
public notice of the Nominating Committee's recommendation.



Erie Indemnity Company provides  management  services to the member companies of
the Erie Insurance Group, which includes the Erie Insurance  Exchange,  Flagship
City Insurance  Company,  Erie Insurance  Company,  Erie Insurance  Property and
Casualty  Company,  Erie  Insurance  Company  of New York and Erie  Family  Life
Insurance Company.

According  to  A.M.  Best  Company,   Erie  Insurance  Group,   based  in  Erie,
Pennsylvania,  is the 17th largest automobile insurer in the United States based
on direct premiums written and the 20th largest property/casualty insurer in the
United  States  based on total lines net premium  written.  The Group,  rated A+
(Superior) by A.M. Best Company, has more than 3.7 million policies in force and
operates in 11 states and the District of Columbia.  Erie Insurance Group ranked
454 on the FORTUNE 500 and is included in Forbes Magazine's PLATINUM 400 list of
the best-managed companies in America.