-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 U19ZcnR8XG3Gm01J/zlDimNUbQirIWoiVJNWfg34cB+YKAimYXZJCMrgJUsn874Y
 80uJ+CVMB+/VjQAZJe0+wg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001209191-03-015016.txt : 20030801
<SEC-HEADER>0001209191-03-015016.hdr.sgml : 20030801
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030801170353
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001209191-03-015016
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030521
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030801

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CNA FINANCIAL CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000021175
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331]
		IRS NUMBER:				366169860
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		CNA PLZ
		STREET 2:		235
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60685
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3128225000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		CNA PLAZA
		STREET 2:		235
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60685

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LILIENTHAL STEPHEN W
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001201422

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-05823
		FILM NUMBER:		03818652

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		CNA
		STREET 2:		CNA PLAZA, 40S
		CITY:			CHICAGO
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60685
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>boc78484_boc3swl.xml
<DESCRIPTION>MAIN DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-21</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000021175</issuerCik><issuerName>CNA FINANCIAL CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>CNA</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001201422</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>LILIENTHAL STEPHEN W</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>CHICAGO</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>60685</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>CEO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransac
tion><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-21</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>100</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>23.59</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>27728</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-22</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transact
ionCode>G</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>200</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>23.29</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>27528</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2064</value></transactionShares><trans
actionPricePerShare><value>25.29</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>25464</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The Company's 2000 Incentive Compensation Plan permits the withholding of shares of common stock to safisfy tax withholding obligations of the participants upon the lapse of restrictions on those sharesl  As previously reported, these shares were granted to Mr. Lilienthal on August 31, 2001.   These shares are not sold on the open market but are retired.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Sehpehn W. Lilienthal</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-01</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----