State Auto Financial Announces Dividend Increase

August 19, 2002

The board of directors of Ohio-based State Auto Financial Corporation voted to increase the quarterly cash dividend to $0.035 per share, payable Sept. 30, 2002, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Sept. 12, 2002.

The previous cash dividend was $0.0325 per share. This represents an 8 percent increase and marks STFC's 11th annual dividend increase and 45th consecutive cash dividend since the company's initial public offering of common stock on June 28, 1991.