Safeco Corporation Certification Pursuant to
                             18 U.S.C. Section 1350
                       As Adopted Pursuant to Section 906
                        of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002


     I, Michael S.  McGavick,  President and Chief  Executive  Officer of SAFECO
Corporation   (the  "Company"),   certify,   pursuant  to  Section  906  of  the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, that:

     (1) the Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the quarter ended
September  30, 2002 (the  "Report")  fully  complies  with the  requirements  of
Section  13(a) or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (15
U.S.C. 78m or 78o(d)); and

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

Dated: November 6, 2002

                             /s/ MICHAEL S. MCGAVICK
                             ------------------------
                             Michael S. McGavick
                             President and Chief Executive Officer