-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 CJCrYs61eTBb4lNRywAETn53nIpfEM75j7D3bWNizkjBgRwFFK4kbS2lrB9DYVzP
 0BqLSqohSFhBIlAk4g3F9g==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001260760-03-000005.txt : 20030924
<SEC-HEADER>0001260760-03-000005.hdr.sgml : 20030924
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030924152028
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001260760-03-000005
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030923
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030924

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			RLI CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000084246
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331]
		IRS NUMBER:				370889946
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			IL
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		9025 N LINDBERGH DR
		CITY:			PEORIA
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			61615
		BUSINESS PHONE:		3096921000

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			LENROW GERALD I
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001192700
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331]
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-09463
		FILM NUMBER:		03907848

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O RLI CORP
		STREET 2:		9025 N LINDBERGH DR
		CITY:			PEORIA
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			61615-1431
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6106885540

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		4052 MANSION DR N.W.
		CITY:			WASHINGTON
		STATE:			DC
		ZIP:			20007
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001192700d20030924f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-23</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000084246</issuerCik><issuerName>RLI CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>RLI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001192700</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>LENROW GERALD I</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>4052 MANSION DRIVE N.W.</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>WASHINGTON</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>DC</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>20007</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivat
iveHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>902.694</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust for Daughter</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-23</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>J</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>293.647</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>34.1922</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDispo
sedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>32299.9964</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Directors' Irrev. Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>9.15</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1997-05-02</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2006-05-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5700</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>5700</value></sharesOwnedFollowing
Transaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>13.95</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1998-02-03</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2007-02-03</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><v
alue>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>16.5938</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2000-02-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-02-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>19.6</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1999-02-02</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-02-02</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><und
erlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>22.7</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2001-02-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-02-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3600</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3600</value></sharesOwn
edFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>22.75</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-02-01</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-02-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1800</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1800</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding><derivativeHolding><secur
ityTitle><value>Stock Option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>27.51</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>2003-02-03</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-02-03</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1800</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1800</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeHolding></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The securities herein were allocated to my account pursuant to the RLI Corp. Directors' Irrevocable Trust Agreement.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Gerald I. Lenrow</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-24
</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
