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 *
Lyons Dianne M
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
UNITED FIRE GROUP INC [UFCS]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
VP/Chief Financial Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
118 SECOND AVENUE SE, P.O. BOX 73909
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/14/2012
(Street)

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 52407-3909
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)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 12/14/2012   M(1)   1,600 A $ 15.85 8,238 (2) D  
Common Stock 12/14/2012   S(1)   1,600 D $ 21.36 6,638 (3) D  
Common Stock               3,645 (4) I By 401(k) Plan for self
Common Stock               1,328 I By Issuer's Employee Stock Ownership Plan for Self

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 V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (right to buy) $ 15.85 12/14/2012   M(1)     1,600   (5) 02/21/2013 Common Stock 1,600 $ 0 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Lyons Dianne M
118 SECOND AVENUE SE
P.O. BOX 73909
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 52407-3909
      VP/Chief Financial Officer  

Signatures

 /s/ Dianne M. Lyons   12/14/2012
**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) This transaction represents the exercise and sale of vested, non-qualified stock options under a preapproved 10b-5 trading plan.
(2) The total number of securities beneficially held directly by the Reporting Person following the reported transaction includes: 3,580 shares of restricted stock issued under the Issuer's 2008 Stock Plan which vest, subject to certain conditions, on 02/18/2016; 2,151 shares of restricted stock issued under the Issuer's 2008 Stock Plan which vest, subject to certain conditions, on 05/21/2013; and 2,507 shares held of record by the Reporting Person.
(3) The total number of securities beneficially held directly by the Reporting Person following the reported transaction includes: 3,580 shares of restricted stock issued under the Issuer's 2008 Stock Plan which vest, subject to certain conditions, on 02/18/2016; 2,151 shares of restricted stock issued under the Issuer's 2008 Stock Plan which vest, subject to certain conditions, on 05/21/2013; and 907 shares held of record by the Reporting Person.
(4) The number of securities shown as being held in or acquired by the Issuer's 401(k) Plan for the Reporting Person's benefit are the approximate number of shares of common stock for which the Reporting Person has the right to direct the vote under the Issuer's 401(k) Plan. Such shares are not directly allocated to 401(k) Plan participants, but are instead held in a unitized fund consisting primarily of common stock, together with a small percentage of short-term investments. 401(k) Plan participants acquire units of this fund.
(5) All options currently exercisable.

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