FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF 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 *   RIFE JOHN A 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 02/25/2009 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol UNITED FIRE & CASUALTY CO [UFCS] (Last) (First) (Middle) 118 SECOND AVENUE SE, P.O. BOX 73909 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Pres - United Life Ins. Co. 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 02/25/2009 (Street) CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 52407-3909 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 Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Stock 22,561 D   Common Stock 745 I By spouse Common Stock 202,058 (1) I By self as co-trustee of company defined benefit pension plan Common Stock 241,796 (2) I By self as co-trustee of company employee stock ownership plan

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (3)	02/21/2013	Common Stock	2,500	$ 15.85	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (4)	02/20/2014	Common Stock	12,000	$ 21.66	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (5)	02/18/2015	Common Stock	20,000	$ 32.39	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (5)	02/17/2016	Common Stock	20,000	$ 39.13	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (5)	02/16/2017	Common Stock	20,000	$ 35.23	D	Â
Stock Option (right to buy)	  (6)	02/15/2018	Common Stock	3,000	$ 34.39	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
RIFE JOHN A 118 SECOND AVENUE SE P.O. BOX 73909 CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 52407-3909	  X	Â	  Pres - United Life Ins. Co.	Â

Signatures

John A. Rife Individually and as Trustee of the United Fire Group Pension Plan and as Trustee of the United Fire Group Emloyee Stock Ownership Plan by Dianne M. Lyons, Attorney-in-Fact		02/25/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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)	The reporting person serves as co-trustee of this employee benefit plan and disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities. None of the shares are allocated to the reporting person's individual account. The reporting person will receive a pension benefit from the plan. This report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of such securities for purposes of Section 16 or any other purpose.
(2)	The reporting person serves as co-trustee of the plan. 3,719 shares are allocated to the reporting person's individual account. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of all shares that are not allocated to his individual account, and this report shall not be deemed an admission that the reporting person is the beneficial owner of such securities for purposes of Section 16 or any other purpose.
(3)	2,500 options currently exercisable.
(4)	12,000 options currently exercisable.
(5)	20,000 options currently exercisable.
(6)	3,000 options currently exercisable.

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