Exhibit 99.1

                Written Statement of the Chief Executive Officer
                          of CNA Financial Corporation
                          Pursuant to 18 U.S.C.ss.1350
          (As adopted by Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002)


The undersigned, the Chief Executive Officer of CNA Financial Corporation (the
"Company"), hereby certifies that, to his knowledge:

the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2002
filed on the date hereof with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Report") fully complies with the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material
respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.


Dated: August 13, 2002                      By:  /s/ Laurence A. Tisch
       ----------------                          ---------------------------
                                                 Laurence A. Tisch
                                                 Chief Executive Officer


The foregoing certification is being furnished solely pursuant to 18 U.S.C. ss.
1350 and is not being filed as part of the Report or as a separate disclosure
document.