Edgar Filing: MARKEL STEVEN A

Ownership Submission

FORM 4

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

MARKEL STEVEN A

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
MARKEL CORP [MKL]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

__X__ Director	_____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below)	_____ Other (specify below)
Vice Chairman

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

C/O MARKEL CORPORATION, 4521 HIGHWOODS PKWY

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/12/2009

(Street)

GLEN ALLEN, VA 23060

4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock								229,976.894 ⁽¹⁾	D
Common Stock								20,000 ⁽²⁾	I	By Trust ⁽²⁾
Common Stock								1,889.233	I	401(K) Plan ⁽³⁾
Common Stock								4,375	I	By Trust ⁽⁴⁾

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)

Code

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
MARKEL STEVEN A C/O MARKEL CORPORATION 4521 HIGHWOODS PKWY GLEN ALLEN, VA 23060	X		Vice Chairman

Signatures

Linda S. Rotz, Attorney-in-fact for Steven A. Markel		01/12/2009
^**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Mr. Markel is a Trustee and partial beneficiary of Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts. End of period holdings reflect change in form of beneficial ownership by reason of distribution of 9,926 shares from a GRAT to Mr. Markel.
(2)	Mr. Markel is a Trustee and partial beneficiary of Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts. End of period holdings reflect change in form of beneficial ownership by reason of distribution of 9,926 shares from a GRAT to Mr. Markel.
(3)	Holdings under the Markel Corporation 401(K) Plan are reported in units. The information reported herein is based on a plan statement dated as of December 31, 2008 and utilizes the closing stock price on that date of $299.00. As of 12/31/2008, a unit under the Plan represented one share of Common Stock.
(4)	Mr. Markel is trustee and retains a partial interest in the trust. The amount reported reflects all the securities held by the trust but Mr. Markel disclaims beneficial ownership except with respect to his interest in the trust.

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