STFC State Auto Financial Corporation

Today the board of directors of State Auto Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:STFC) declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.09 per share, payable December 31, 2005, to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 15, 2005. This is the 58th consecutive quarterly cash dividend declared by the company's board since STFC had its initial public offering of common stock on June 28, 1991. STFC's dividend payments have increased at a compound average annual growth rate of 15% since 1991. State Auto Financial Corporation, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, is a regional property and casualty insurance holding company engaged primarily in writing both personal and commercial lines of insurance. The company currently markets its products through nearly 22,000 independent insurance agents associated with more than 3,100 agencies in 26 central and eastern states, excluding New York, New Jersey and the New England states. The company is included in the 2005 Forbes Magazine's Platinum 400 list of the best-managed companies in America and is one of only 314 publicly traded companies to earn the Mergent Award for having increased its dividends for ten or more years in succession. The State Auto Insurance Companies are rated A+ (Superior) by the A.M. Best Company. Additional information on the company can be found on its web page at www.STFC.com.