FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN 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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * ERNST BARRIE W   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol UNITED FIRE GROUP INC [UFCS] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) VP/Chief Investment Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) 118 SECOND AVENUE SE, P.O. BOX 73909 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 01/15/2013 (Street) CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 52407-3909 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 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 Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 01/15/2013 01/18/2013(1) P(2) V(3) 12 (4) A $ 23 (5) 5,352 (6) I By 401(k) Account for Self Common Stock 01/31/2013 01/06/2013(1) P(2) V(3) 15 (4) A $ 23.19 (5) 5,466 (6) I By 401(k) Account for Self Common Stock               400 I By Issuer's Employee Stock Ownership Plan Common Stock               1,027 I By spouse Common Stock               4,658 (7) D

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
ERNST BARRIE W 118 SECOND AVENUE SE P.O. BOX 73909 CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 52407-3909			VP/Chief Investment Officer

Signatures

/s/ Barrie W. Ernst by Dianne M. Lyons, Attorney-in-Fact		02/06/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(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)	The deemed execution date of this transaction is the statement date as provided by the Issuer's 401(k)Plan trustee/administrator.
(2)	Shares acquired through payroll deduction and participation in Issuer's 401(k) Plan.
(3)	This transaction qualifies as a non-discretionary transaction from a tax-qualified plan and is voluntarily reported on Form 4.
(4)	Represents the approximate number of shares acquired by the trustee/administrator of the Issuer's 401(k)Plan for the Reporting Person's benefit, based on a statement of the trustee/administrator.
(5)	The price per share is based on a statement provided by the Issuer's 401(k) Plan trustee/administrator.
(6)	The number of securities shown as being held in or acquired by the Issuer's 401(k) account for the Reporting Person's benefit are the approximate number of shares of common stock for which the Reporting Person has the right to direct the vote under the Issuer's 401(k) plan. Such shares are not directly allocated to 401(k) Plan participants, but are instead held in a unitized fund consisting primarily of common stock, together with a small percentage of short-term investments. 401(k) Plan participants acquire units of this fund.
(7)	The total number of securities beneficially held directly by the Reporting Person following the reported transaction includes: 2,714 share of restricted stock issued under the Issuer's 2008 Stock Plan which vest, subject to certain conditions, on 02/18/201 and 1,944 shares of restricted stock issued under the Issuer's 2008 Stock Plan which vest, subject to certain conditions, on 05/21/2013.

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