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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549


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                                    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)              July 24, 1997


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                            CNA FINANCIAL CORPORATION





               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

          DELAWARE                             1-5823             36-6169860
(State or Other Jurisdiction                 (Commission        (IRS Employer
      of Incorporation)                     File Number)     Identification No.)

      CNA PLAZA, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS                                   60685
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                          (Zip Code)

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

          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)



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ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS




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

99.01               On July 30,  1997,  CNA  Financial  Corporation  issued
                    a press release  announcing  that W. James  MacGinnitie  has
                    been named chief financial officer and senior vice president
                    of  CNA.  MacGinnitie  replaces  Peter  E.  Jokiel,  who was
                    promoted  to  president  of CNA Life in April of this  year.
                    MacGinnitie  comes to CNA from Ernst & Young LLP.,  where he
                    has  been a  partner  and  national  director  of  actuarial
                    services  since 1994.  He will assume his new  position on a
                    full  time  basis October 1. A copy of the press  release is
                    attached hereto as Exhibit 99.01 and is incorporated  herein
                    by reference.


99.02               On July 24, 1997, CNA Financial  Corporation  issued a press
                    release  announcing  that  Carolyn L.  Murphy,  senior  vice
                    president and head of CNA's Commercial Operations, announced
                    her  retirement  effective  October 1, 1997.  With  Murphy's
                    retirement,  Commercial  Insurance and Risk  Management will
                    then become separate operating departments of CNA, replacing
                    the current Commercial Operations structure.Peter P. Conway,
                    president of CNA Risk  Management,  and Michael S. McGavick,
                    president  of CNA  Commercial  Insurance,  will  immediately
                    assume  additional  duties as  senior  vice  presidents  and
                    members of CNA's senior management team. A copy of the press
                    release  is  attached   hereto  as  Exhibit   99.02  and  is
                    incorporated herein by reference.


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                                   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.

                                            CNA FINANCIAL CORPORATION


Date:   August 4, 1997                      By:  S/PATRICIA L. KUBERA
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                                                 Patricia L. Kubera
                                                 Group Vice President and
                                                 Controller