Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Berkey Jason Earl
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
11/10/2017
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
State Auto Financial CORP [STFC]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
518 EAST BROAD STREET
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Senior Vice President
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

COLUMBUS, OH 43215
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Shares without par value 2,846.219 (1)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) Non-qualified 11/05/2016 11/04/2025 Common Shares 591 $ 25.32 D  
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) Non-qualified 03/03/2017 03/02/2026 Common Shares 3,378 $ 21.54 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Berkey Jason Earl
518 EAST BROAD STREET
COLUMBUS, OH 43215
      Senior Vice President  

Signatures

/s/Jason Earl Berkey by Melissa A. Centers attorney in fact, per POA attached. 11/13/2017
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Includes the following restricted stock awards: an award of 140 shares issued on 11/5/15 and 776 shares issued on 3/3/16 which both have a 3-year cliff vest based on service only.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, See Instruction 6 for procedure.

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