UNITED STATES`

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 9, 2021

STATE AUTO FINANCIAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

Ohio	000-19289	31-1324304
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

518 East Broad Street Columbus, Ohio		43215-3976
(Address of principal executive offices)		(Zip Code)

(614) 464-5000

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

☐	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

☐	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

☐	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading symbol	Name of each exchange on which registered
Common shares, without par value	STFC	The NASDAQ Global Select Market

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (17 CFR §230.405) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (17 CFR §240.12b-2)

Emerging growth company

☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

ITEM 7.01.

REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.

On December 9, 2021, State Auto Financial Corporation (“STFC”) issued a press release (the “Press Release”) announcing the intention of Liberty Mutual Insurance (“Liberty Mutual”) to appoint Kim Garland, currently senior vice president of personal & commercial lines and managing director of State Auto Labs, as president of STFC following the completion of Liberty Mutual’s pending acquisition (the “Transactions”) pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger and Combination (the “Merger Agreement”), dated as of July 12, 2021, by and between STFC, State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company, an Ohio mutual insurance company, Liberty Mutual Holding Company Inc., a Massachusetts mutual holding company (“LMHC”), Pymatuning, Inc., an Ohio corporation and wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of LMHC, and Andover, Inc., an Ohio corporation and wholly-owned direct subsidiary of LMHC. As disclosed in the Press Release, the Transactions are expected to close in 2022, pending receipt of required regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. A copy of the Press Release is filed herewith as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

The information in this Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing made by STFC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.

Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information, all other information in this communication consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, and related oral statements STFC may make, are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied. For example, (1) conditions to the closing of the Transactions may not be satisfied; (2) regulatory approvals required for the Transactions may not be obtained, or required regulatory approvals may delay the Transactions or result in the imposition of conditions that could have a material adverse effect on LMHC, SAM or STFC or cause the parties to abandon the Transactions; (3) uncertainty as to the timing of completion of the Transactions; (4) the business of LMHC, SAM or STFC may suffer as a result of uncertainty surrounding the Transactions; (5) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Merger Agreement; (6) risks related to disruption of management’s attention from the ongoing business operations of LMHC, SAM or STFC due to the Transactions; (7) the effect of the announcement of the Transactions on the relationships of LMHC, SAM or STFC with its clients, operating results and business generally; (8) the outcome of any legal proceedings to the extent initiated against LMHC, SAM or STFC following the announcement of the Transactions; and (9) LMHC, SAM or STFC may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors as well as management’s response to any of the aforementioned factors. The foregoing review of important factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors included in STFC’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, STFC’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the definitive proxy statement filed by STFC with the Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on Aug. 27, 2021, and other documents of STFC on file with the SEC. STFC undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

ITEM 9.01.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

(d) Exhibits.

Exhibit No.		Description
99.1		Press Release issued by State Auto Financial Corporation, dated December 9, 2021

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	STATE AUTO FINANCIAL CORPORATION

December 9, 2021	/s/ Melissa A. Centers
	Senior Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel

State Auto Financial CORP 8-K