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
                                    04/11/05
                Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)

                               SAFECO CORPORATION
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in Charter)

   WASHINGTON                    1-6563                        91-0742146
(State or other                 (Commission                  (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of                  File Number)              Identification No.)
incorporation)

   Safeco Plaza, Seattle, Washington                          98185
 (Address of principal executive officers)                  (Zip Code)

                                 (206) 545-5000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation to the registrant under any of the
following provisions:


|_| 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))

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal  Officers;  Election of Directors;
Appointment of Principal Officers

Jeffrey Roe, 40, has been appointed president, Distribution, Sales and Marketing
of the Safeco insurance companies,  effective April 18, 2005. Mr. Roe has served
as president and chief  executive  officer of LifeWise Health Plan of Washington
(a subsidiary of Premera Blue Cross) and vice  president and general  manager of
Premera Blue Cross,  a health-care  insurer,  since 2002.  Prior to that Mr. Roe
served as vice  president of Marketing  from 1998 to 2002 and vice  president of
Communications  from  1996 to 1998.  There is no  arrangement  or  understanding
between Mr. Roe and any other  persons  pursuant to which Mr. Roe was  appointed
president of  Distribution,  Sales and  Marketing and there are no related party
transactions between Mr. Roe and Safeco.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits

Exhibit    99.1   -   Press    release    "Safeco    Names    Jeffrey   Roe   as
President-Distribution, Sales and Marketing" dated April 11, 2005.


Signature

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 thereunto duly authorized.


                                        SAFECO CORPORATION
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                        Registrant

           Dated:  April 11, 2005
                                        /s/ Stephanie Daley-Watson
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                        Stephanie Daley-Watson
                                        Vice President and Secretary