UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 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) March 16, 2005


                     OLD REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
             -------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


         Delaware                      001-10607                  36-2678171
----------------------------         ------------            -------------------
(State or other jurisdiction         (Commission             (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation)                    File Number)            Identification No.)


               307 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60601
               ---------------------------------------------------
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

                                 (312) 346-8100
              ----------------------------------------------------
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                       N/A
          ------------------------------------------------------------
          (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 140.14d-2(b))

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







Item 8.01.  Other Events
            ------------

On March 16, 2005, Old Republic International  Corporation announced that it has
filed a Form 12b-25 with the Securities and Exchange Commission for an extension
of time within which to file its Form 10-K Annual Report.  It also announced the
filing of its preliminary  Form 10-K,  which is complete except as to the Report
of the Independent  Registered  Public  Accounting Firm in Item 8,  management's
report on internal  control  over  financial  reporting  and its  evaluation  of
disclosure controls and procedures in Item 9A, and certain exhibits.  The filing
extension was necessary in order to enable  management and the public accounting
firm time to complete  their reviews and  assessments  of the Compan's  internal
control over financial reporting.



Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
            ---------------------------------

            (c) Exhibits

             99.1  Press Release dated March 16, 2005.








                                   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 thereunto duly authorized.



                                         OLD REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
                                         Registrant




Date: March 16, 2005                   By: /s/ A.C. Zucaro
                                            -----------------------------------
                                            A.C. Zucaro
                                            Chairman and Chief Executive Officer








                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS
                                -----------------


         Exhibits

99.1     Press Release dated March 16, 2005.