March 28, 1995




SAFECO Corporation
SAFECO Plaza
4333 Brooklyn Avenue Northeast
Seattle, Washington  98185


Ladies and Gentlemen:

     In connection with registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, of unsecured notes in the aggregate principal amount of $200,000,000
(the "Notes") of SAFECO Corporation (the "Company") and specifically with
respect to the certain Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 33-
52863) and amendments thereto filed by the Company with the Securities and
Exchange Commission for the purpose of such registration, you have asked us to
render certain opinions in connection with the issuance of the Debt Securities.

     In connection with the opinions expressed below, we have examined and are
familiar with:

     (a)  the form of Trust Indenture between SAFECO Corporation, SAFECO Credit
Company, Inc. and The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A., as Trustee;

     (b)  the form of Note filed as an exhibit to Form 8-K and incorporated by
reference into the Registration Statement;

     (c)  the resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company pertaining to
the offering of the Notes and the Registration Statement adopted at meetings of
the Board on February 2, 1994; and

     (d)  the Registration Statement and amendments 1, 2 and 3 thereto, the
Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement.

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SAFECO Corporation
March 28, 1995
Page 2


     Based upon the foregoing examination, and after consideration of applicable
law, it is our opinion that the Notes have been duly authorized and, when sold
and after receipt of payment therefor, will constitute valid and binding
obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their respective
terms, except as may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization,
moratorium, liquidation, receivership, conservatorship, rehabilitation and other
similar laws relating to or affecting creditors' rights generally or by general
equitable principles (regardless of whether such enforceability is in a
proceeding in equity or at law).

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit on Form 8-K
and to the incorporation by reference of such opinion into the Registration
Statement and to the references to our firm under the caption "Legal Matters" in
the Prospectus included as part of the Registration Statement.


                                        Very truly yours,

                                        /s/ FOSTER PEPPER & SHEFELMAN
                                        ------------------------------------
                                        FOSTER PEPPER & SHEFELMAN


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