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 *
GAYNER THOMAS SINNICKSON
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
MARKEL CORP [MKL]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Pres. & Chief Investment Off.
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O MARKEL CORPORATION, 4521 HIGHWOODS PARKWAY
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
12/31/2012
(Street)

GLEN ALLEN, VA 23060
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 12/31/2012   P   100 A $ 430.3399 (1) 31,589.091 (2) D  
Common Stock               2,000 I By Spouse
Common Stock               2,456.97 I 401(K) Plan (3)
Common Stock               446.66 I By Trust

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

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
GAYNER THOMAS SINNICKSON
C/O MARKEL CORPORATION
4521 HIGHWOODS PARKWAY
GLEN ALLEN, VA 23060
      Pres. & Chief Investment Off.  

Signatures

 /s/ Donna L. Strauss, Attorney-in-fact for Thomas Sinnickson Gayner   01/03/2013
**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) Mr. Gayner will provide upon request by the Securities and Exchange Commission staff, the Issuer, or any security holder of the Issuer, full information regarding the number of shares purchased at each separate price.
(2) The total includes 2,224 Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to the Markel Corporation Omnibus Incentive Plan that will vest, subject to certain conditions, on May 10, 2015, and 1,071 Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to the Markel Corporation Omnibus Incentive Plan that will vest on December 31, 2015.
(3) Holdings under the Markel Corporation 401(K) Plan are reported in units. The information reported herein is based on a plan statement dated as of December 31, 2012 and utilizes the closing stock price on that date of $433.32 per share. As of December 31, 2012, a unit under the Plan represented one share of Common Stock.

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