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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 AAVYIpMlgypdZ+XaHj8wCjuyWKwCIC88NQuBaGRYnmO/bz7DyBXSwgL2m0KzPbPx
 /r+07XflEb10572Tz/gXhQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001260760-03-000036.txt : 20031218
<SEC-HEADER>0001260760-03-000036.hdr.sgml : 20031218
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031218134734
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001260760-03-000036
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031217
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031218

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:			OVERMAN EDWIN S
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001036840
		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:		031061910

	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:		573 BOB WHITE RD
		CITY:			WAYNE
		STATE:			PA
		ZIP:			19087
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001036840d20031218f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
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<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-12-17</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000084246</issuerCik><issuerName>RLI CORP</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>RLI</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001036840</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>OVERMAN EDWIN S</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>573 BOB WHITE ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>WAYNE</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>19087</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransac
tion><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-12-17</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>226.6473</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>36.87</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>66755.8576</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTab
le><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>7500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></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><value>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><share
sOwnedFollowingTransaction><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><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></owner
shipNature></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></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></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><securityTitle><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><postTransactionAmoun
ts><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/ Edwin S. Overman</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-18</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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