Item 32.2 Section 1350 Certifications










                        CERTIFICATION OF PERIODIC REPORT
                        --------------------------------


     I,  Karl  W.  Mueller,   the  Chief  Financial   Officer  of  Old  Republic
International  Corporation (the "Company"),  certify, pursuant to Section 906 of
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that:

(1)  the Annual  Report on Form 10-K of the  Company  for the fiscal  year ended
     December 31, 2004 (the "Report")  fully complies with the  requirements  of
     Section  13(a) or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C.
     78m or 78o(d)); and

(2)  the  information  contained in the Report  fairly  presents  the  financial
     condition and results of operations of the Company.


Dated:   March 31, 2005



                                                /s/ Karl W. Mueller
                                            --------------------------------
                                                    Karl W. Mueller, Senior
                                                    Vice President and Chief
                                                    Financial Officer