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 June 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: August 14, 2002


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