8-K

                                  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) AUGUST 26, 2004


                            CNA FINANCIAL CORPORATION
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


          DELAWARE                      1-5823                   36-6169860
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(State or other jurisdiction          (Commission              (IRS Employer
       of incorporation)              File Number)           Identification No.)


      CNA CENTER, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS                               60685
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 (Address of principal executive offices)                       (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (312)822-5000


                                 NOT APPLICABLE
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         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
    230.425)

[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
    240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange
    Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange
    Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))



ITEM 7.01 REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.

On August 26, 2004, Registrant issued a press release announcing its preliminary
estimate of net losses related to Hurricane Charley. The press release is
furnished as exhibit 99.1 to this Form 8-K.

ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

 (c) Exhibits:

Exhibit No.       Description
- -----------       -----------

99.1              CNA Financial  Corporation press release,  issued August 26,
                  2004 (furnished  pursuant to Item 7.01 of Form 8-K).



                                   SIGNATURES

      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.

                                                CNA FINANCIAL CORPORATION
                                                       (Registrant)

Date     August 26, 2004                          /s/ Robert V. Deutsch
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                                      (Signature)*
                                       By:   Robert V. Deutsch
                                       Its:  Executive Vice President and Chief
                                             Financial Officer

*Print name and title of the signing officer under his signature.

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

                                                                      [CNA LOGO]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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CONTACT:

MEDIA:                                      ANALYSTS:
Charles M. Boesel, 312/822-2592                    Dawn M. Jaffray, 312/822-7757
Katrina W. Parker, 312/822-5167                    Ken DeVries, 312/822-1111

  CNA ANNOUNCES PRELIMINARY LOSS EXPOSURE ESTIMATE RELATED TO HURRICANE CHARLEY


CHICAGO, AUGUST 26, 2004 - CNA Financial Corporation (NYSE: CNA) today reported
its preliminary estimate of net losses related to Hurricane Charley. While it is
too early to estimate precisely the financial impact on CNA of this catastrophe,
based upon information currently available to CNA management, CNA estimates its
losses net of anticipated reinsurance recoveries will be in the range of $40 to
$60 million after-tax. Industry loss estimates currently range from $6 to $8
billion.

The loss estimate is subject to considerable uncertainty, particularly given the
short period of time since the hurricane occurred, the pace of claims made to
date and the possibility of unknown damage theories and amounts. CNA's actual
losses from this catastrophe could exceed CNA's estimate.

CNA is the country's fourth largest commercial insurance writer and the 14th
largest property and casualty company. CNA's insurance products include standard
commercial lines, specialty lines, surety, marine and other property and
casualty coverages. CNA's services include risk management, information
services, underwriting, risk control and claims administration. For more
information, please visit CNA at www.cna.com. CNA is a registered service mark,
trade name and domain name of CNA Financial Corporation.


                            FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT

This press release includes statements which relate to anticipated future events
(forward-looking statements) rather than actual present conditions or historical
events. You can identify forward-looking statements because generally they
include words such as "believes", "expects", "intends", "anticipates",
"estimates", and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements, by their
nature, are subject to a variety of inherent risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to differ materially from the results projected. Many of
these risks and uncertainties cannot be controlled by CNA. For a detailed
description of these risks and uncertainties please refer to CNA's filings with
the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at www.cna.com.

Any forward-looking statements made in this press release are made by CNA as of
the date of this press release. CNA does not have any obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statement contained in this press release, even if
CNA's expectations or any related events, conditions or circumstances change.

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