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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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Jones Scott Alan   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol State Auto Financial CORP [STFC] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Vice President (Last) (First) (Middle) 518 E. BROAD STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 03/01/2018 (Street) COLUMBUS, OH 43215 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 Shares without par value 03/01/2018   M   790 A $ 25.81 7,751.538 (1) D   Common Shares without par value 03/01/2018   S   790 D $ 27.59 6,961.538 (1) D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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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

Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy) NQ

$ 25.81

03/01/2018

M

790

03/06/2009

03/05/2018

Common Shares

790

$ 0 (2)

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Jones Scott Alan 518 E. BROAD STREET COLUMBUS, OH 43215			Vice President

Signatures

/s/Scott Alan Jones by Melissa A. Centers, attorney in fact pursuant to POA filed with the Commission 3/07/16.		03/02/2018
**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)	Includes the following acquisitions: 14.980 shares acquired on 3/30/17, 16.453 shares acquired on 6/30/17, 17.216 shares acquired on 9/30/17 and 15.685 shares acquired on 12/31/17 through the State Auto Financial 401(k) plan; 332.704 shares acquired on 6/30/17 and 346.163 shares acquired on 12/31/17 through the State Auto Employee Stock Purchase Plan; .472621, 10.495359 and 9.668329 shares acquired as Restricted dividend reinvestment. Also includes 1.693 shares acquired as dividend reinvestment and indirect holdings by spouse of 8.268 shares.
(2)	Field should be left blank, but due to a software defect, requires input.

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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