| **Schedule II. Condensed Financial Information of Registrant (Parent Company)**  | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     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| **Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company Only Disclosure [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      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| Schedule II. Condensed Financial Information of Registrant (Parent Company)      | SCHEDULE II. CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT (PARENT COMPANY)CNA Financial CorporationStatements of OperationsYears ended December 31     (In millions)2011 2010 2009Revenues     Net investment income$1 $4 $3Net realized investment gains (losses)(9) (1) 8Other income40 96 101Total revenues32 99 112Expenses     Administrative and general3 5 2Interest167 148 116Total expenses170 153 118Loss from operations before income taxes and equity in net income of subsidiaries(138) (54) (6)Income tax benefit46 19 2Loss before equity in net income of subsidiaries(92) (35) (4)Equity in net income of subsidiaries706 725 423Net income$614 $690 $419See accompanying Notes to Condensed Financial Information as well as the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying Notes.CNA Financial CorporationBalance SheetsDecember 31   (In millions, except share data)2011 2010Assets   Investment in subsidiaries$13,564 $12,780Fixed maturity securities available-for-sale, at fair value (amortized cost of $2 and $3)2 3Short term investments292 215Amounts due from subsidiaries— 11Surplus note due from subsidiary250 500Other assets18 16Total assets$14,126 $13,525Liabilities and equity   Liabilities:   Short term debt$3 $399Long term debt2,525 2,131Other liabilities41 41Total liabilities2,569 2,571Equity:   Common stock ($2.50 par value; 500,000,000 shares authorized; 273,040,243 shares issued;  269,274,900 and 269,139,198 shares outstanding)683 683Additional paid-in capital2,146 2,200Retained earnings8,382 7,876Accumulated other comprehensive income470 326Treasury stock (3,765,343 and 3,901,045 shares), at cost(102) (105)Notes receivable for the issuance of common stock(22) (26)Total equity11,557 10,954Total liabilities and equity$14,126 $13,525See accompanying Notes to Condensed Financial Information as well as the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying Notes.CNA Financial CorporationStatements of Cash FlowsYears ended December 31     (In millions)2011 2010 2009Cash Flows from Operating Activities     Net income$614 $690 $419Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash flows provided (used) by operating activities:     Equity in net income of subsidiaries(706) (725) (423)Dividends received from subsidiaries— 1 —Net realized investment (gains) losses9 1 (8)Other, net55 85 (21)Total adjustments(642) (638) (452)Net cash flows provided (used) by operating activities$(28) $52 $(33)Cash Flows from Investing Activities     Proceeds from fixed maturity securities$1 $(2) $12Change in short term investments(77) 181 145Capital contributions to subsidiaries(38) (6) (3)Return of capital from subsidiaries6 — —Repayment of surplus note by subsidiary250 500 —Other, net1 — (12)Net cash flows provided by investing activities$143 $673 $142Cash Flows from Financing Activities     Dividends paid to common stockholders$(108) $— $—Dividends paid to Loews for 2008 Senior Preferred— (76) (122)Payment to redeem 2008 Senior Preferred— (1,000) (250)Proceeds from the issuance of debt396 495 350Repayment of debt(409) (150) (100)Stock options exercised5 3 1Other, net1 3 12Net cash flows used by financing activities$(115) $(725) $(109)Net change in cash$— $— $—Cash, beginning of year— — —Cash, end of year$— $— $—See accompanying Notes to Condensed Financial Information as well as the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying Notes.Notes to Condensed Financial InformationA. Basis of PresentationThe condensed financial information of CNA Financial Corporation (CNAF or the Parent Company) should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in Item 8 of this Form 10-K. CNAF’s subsidiaries are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. Equity in net income of these subsidiaries is presented on the Condensed Statements of Operations as Equity in net income of subsidiaries. Loews owned approximately 90% of the outstanding common stock of CNAF as of December 31, 2011.B. DebtDebt is composed of the following obligations.DebtDecember 31   (In millions)2011 2010Short term debt:   Senior notes:   6.000%, face amount of $400, due August 15, 2011$— $399Other debt3 —Total short-term debt3 399Long term debt:   Senior notes:   5.850%, face amount of $549, due December 15, 2014548 5486.500%, face amount of $350, due August 15, 2016348 3476.950%, face  amount of $150, due January 15, 2018149 1497.350%, face amount of $350, due November 15, 2019348 3485.875%, face amount of $500, due August 15, 2020495 4955.750%, face amount of $400, due August 15, 2021396 —Debenture, 7.250%, face amount of $243, due November 15, 2023241 241Other debt— 3Total long term debt2,525 2,131Total debt$2,528 $2,530In February of 2011, CNAF issued $400 million of 5.750% senior notes due August 15, 2021 in a public offering.  CNAF used the net proceeds of the offering, together with cash on hand, to redeem the outstanding $400 million aggregate principal amount of 6.000% senior notes due August 15, 2011, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, along with a call premium.On August 1, 2007, CNAF entered into a five-year credit agreement with a syndicate of banks and other lenders. The credit agreement established a $250 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility which is intended to be used for general corporate purposes.  Borrowings under the revolving credit facility bear interest at the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus CNAF’s credit risk spread.  Under the credit agreement, CNAF is required to pay certain fees, including a facility fee and a utilization fee, both of which would adjust automatically in the event of a change in CNAF’s financial ratings.  The credit agreement includes covenants regarding maintenance of a minimum consolidated net worth and a specified ratio of consolidated indebtedness to consolidated total capitalization. The full limit of $250 million is available as of December 31, 2011.CNAF's remaining debt obligations contain customary covenants for investment grade insurers. CNAF is in compliance with all covenants as of and for the year ended December 31, 2011.C. Commitments, Contingencies and GuaranteesIn the normal course of business, CNAF guarantees the indebtedness of certain of its subsidiaries to the debt maturity or payoff, whichever comes first.  These guarantees arise in the normal course of business and are given to induce a lender to enter into an agreement with CNAF’s subsidiaries.  CNAF would be required to remit prompt and complete payment when due, should the primary obligor default.  The maximum potential amount of future payments that CNAF could be required to pay under these guarantees are approximately $10 million at December 31, 2011.  The Parent Company does not believe that a payable is likely under these guarantees.In the course of selling business entities and assets to third parties, CNAF has agreed to indemnify purchasers for losses arising out of breaches of representation and warranties with respect to the business entities or assets being sold, including, in certain cases, losses arising from undisclosed liabilities or certain named litigation.  Such indemnification provisions generally survive for periods ranging from nine months following the applicable closing date to the expiration of the relevant statutes of limitation.  As of December 31, 2011, the aggregate amount of quantifiable indemnification agreements in effect for sales of business entities and assets was $258 million.In addition, CNAF has agreed to provide indemnification to third party purchasers for certain losses associated with sold business entities or assets that are not limited by a contractual monetary amount.  As of December 31, 2011, CNAF had outstanding unlimited indemnifications in connection with the sales of certain of its business entities or assets that included tax liabilities arising prior to a purchaser’s ownership of an entity or asset, defects in title at the time of sale, employee claims arising prior to closing and in some cases losses arising from certain litigation and undisclosed liabilities.  These indemnification agreements survive until the applicable statutes of limitation expire, or until the agreed upon contract terms expire.As of December 31, 2011 and 2010, CNAF has recorded liabilities of approximately $8 million and $9 million related to indemnification agreements and management believes that it is not likely that any future indemnity claims will be significantly greater than the amounts recorded.In the normal course of business, CNAF has provided guarantees to holders of structured settlement annuities (SSA) provided by certain of its subsidiaries, which expire through 2120.  CNAF would be required to remit SSA payments due to claimants if the primary obligor failed to perform on these contracts.  The maximum potential amount of future payments that CNAF could be required to pay under these guarantees are approximately $1.9 billion at December 31, 2011.  The Parent Company does not believe that a payable is likely under these guarantees. |

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| - Definition
The entire disclosure for condensed financial information, including the financial position, cash flows, and the results of operations of the registrant (parent company) as of the same dates or for the same periods for which audited consolidated financial statements are being presented. Alternatively, the details of this disclosure can be reported by the specific parent company taxonomy elements, indicating the appropriate date and period contexts in an instance document.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Article 9 -Section 06Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Article 7 -Section 05 -Paragraph cReference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph c -Article 5Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-04) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e24072-122690Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB) -Number 51 -Paragraph 24 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.  This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 12Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 11 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6921628&loc=d3e5283-111683
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