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


       Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): December 18, 2003


                         ALLMERICA FINANCIAL CORPORATION
                         -------------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


              Delaware                  1-13754                  04-3263626
       (State or other jurisdic-   (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer
        tion of incorporation)                               Identification No.)



               440 Lincoln Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01653
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
                                   (Zip Code)

                                 (508) 855-1000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)






Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(a.)     Not applicable.

(b.)     Not applicable.

(c.)     Exhibits.


Exhibit 99.1  Notice to  Directors and Section 16 Officers,  dated  December 18,
              2003.

Item 11. Temporary  Suspension Of Trading Under  Registrant's  Employee Benefit
         Plan

On or after October 28, 2003,  Allmerica  Financial  Corporation (the "Company")
received notice required under Section 101(i)(2)(E) of the Employment Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 with regard to blackout  periods under the Allmerica
Financial  Employees' 401(k) Matched Savings Plan,  Allmerica  Financial Agents'
Retirement  Plan,  Allmerica  Financial Cash Balance Pension Plan, The Allmerica
Financial Cash Balance Pension Plan Excess Benefit Plan, The Allmerica Financial
Progress Sharing Excess Benefit Plan, The Allmerica Financial Agents' Retirement
Excess  Benefit Plan,  The Allmerica  Financial  Agents'  Pension Excess Benefit
Plan,  The  Allmerica  Financial  Executive  Deferred   Compensation  Plan,  The
Allmerica  Financial  Short Term Deferred  Management  Incentive  Comp Plan, The
Allmerica Financial Long Term Deferred  Management  Incentive Comp Plan, and The
Allmerica Financial Deferred Dividends Plan (the "Blackout Period").

On December 18, 2003,  the Company sent a notice to its  directors  and officers
subject  to Section  16 of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  as  amended,
informing  them that the  Blackout  Period  will  commence  after 4:00 p.m.  ET,
Monday,  December  29,  2003 and is  expected  to end during the week of Sunday,
January 18, 2004, and restricting them from trading in any AFC stock during such
period and until the end of the regularly scheduled year end trading blackout. A
copy of the notice  sent to  directors  and  executive  officers  is attached as
Exhibit 99.1 hereto and is incorporated by reference.

During  the  Blackout  Period  and for a two year  period  after  the end of the
Blackout  Period,  a security  holder or other  interested  person  may  obtain,
without  charge,  the  actual  start  and end  dates of the  Blackout  Period by
contacting the Secretary of Allmerica Financial Corporation, 440 Lincoln Street,
Worcester, MA 01653, (508) 855-2319.



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SIGNATURES


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 hereunto duly authorized.

                                                 Allmerica Financial Corporation
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                 Registrant

                                                 By: /s/ Edward J. Parry III
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                 Edward J. Parry, III
                                                 Chief Financial Officer,
                                                 Executive Vice President and
                                                 Principal Accounting Officer







Date: December 18, 2003



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Exhibit Index

Exhibit 99.1  Notice to  Directors  and Section 16 Officers, dated  December 18,
              2003.




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