<ARTICLE>                     7
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial informatin extracted from Old Republic
International Corporation's consolidated balance sheet and consolidated state-
ment of income and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial
statements.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER>                  1,000,000
       
                           
<PERIOD-TYPE>                 YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1997
<DEBT-HELD-FOR-SALE>                             2,009
<DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE>                            2,249
<DEBT-MARKET-VALUE>                              2,306
<EQUITIES>                                         117
<MORTGAGE>                                           7
<REAL-ESTATE>                                        0
<TOTAL-INVEST>                                   4,720
<CASH>                                              26
<RECOVER-REINSURE>                                  27
<DEFERRED-ACQUISITION>                             126
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                   6,923
<POLICY-LOSSES>                                  3,713
<UNEARNED-PREMIUMS>                                375
<POLICY-OTHER>                                       0
<POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS>                               61
<NOTES-PAYABLE>                                    142
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          1
<COMMON>                                           103
<OTHER-SE>                                       2,049
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                     6,923
<PREMIUMS>                                       1,464
<INVESTMENT-INCOME>                                270
<INVESTMENT-GAINS>                                  26
<OTHER-INCOME>                                     200
<BENEFITS>                                         787
<UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION>                        214
<UNDERWRITING-OTHER>                               534
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                    426
<INCOME-TAX>                                       129
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                298
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                       298
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     2.22
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     2.10
<RESERVE-OPEN>                                   1,829
<PROVISION-CURRENT>                                713
<PROVISION-PRIOR>                                 (105)
<PAYMENTS-CURRENT>                                 275
<PAYMENTS-PRIOR>                                   316 
<RESERVE-CLOSE>                                  1,845
<CUMULATIVE-DEFICIENCY>                              0