Sec Form 4 Filing - SCHARMER NEAL R @ UNITED FIRE GROUP INC - 2013-01-15

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 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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person SCHARMER NEAL R 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/General Counsel/Corp Sec (Last) (First) (Middle) 118 SECOND AVENUE SE, P.O. BOX 73909 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 01/15/2013 (Street) CEDAR RAPIDS, IA52407-3909 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 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 (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 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 01/15/2013 01/25/2013( 1 ) P( 2 ) V( 3 ) 7 ( 4 ) A $ 23 ( 5 ) 610 ( 6 ) I By 401(k) Plan for Self Common Stock 01/28/2013 M( 7 ) 400 A $ 23.41 5,501 ( 8 ) D Common Stock 01/28/2013 S( 7 ) 400 D $ 23.41 5,101 ( 9 ) D Common Stock 786 I By Issuer's Employee Stock Ownership Plan for Self

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 (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 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 (MM/DD/YY) 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 01/28/2013 M( 7 ) 400 ( 10 ) 02/21/2013 Common Stock 400 $ 0 0 D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other SCHARMER NEAL R 118 SECOND AVENUE SE P.O. BOX 73909 CEDAR RAPIDS, IA52407-3909 VP/General Counsel/Corp Sec Signatures /s/ Neal R. Scharmer by Dianne M. Lyons, Attorney-in-Fact 01/29/2013 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )The deemed execution date of this transaction is the statement date as provided by the Issuer's 401(k)Plan trustee/administrator. ( 2 )Shares acquired through payroll deduction and participation in Issuer's 401(k) Plan. ( 3 )This transaction qualifies as a non-discretionary transaction from a tax-qualified plan and is voluntarily reported on Form 4. ( 4 )Represents the approximate number of shares acquired by the trustee/administrator of the Issuer's 401(k)Plan for the Reporting Person's benefit, based on a statement of the 401(k)Plan trustee/administrator. ( 5 )The price per share is based on a statement provided by the Issuer's 401(k) Plan trustee/administrator. ( 6 )The number of securities shown as being held in or acquired or disposed of by the Issuer's 401(k) account 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. ( 7 )This transaction represents the exercise and sale of vested, non-qualified stock options under a preapproved 10b-5 trading plan. ( 8 )The total number of securities beneficially held directly by the reporting person following the reported transaction includes: 1,974 shares of restricted stock issued under the Issuer's 2008 Stock Plan which vest, subject to certain conditions, on 02/18/2016 and 1,268 shares of restricted stock issued under the Issuer's 2008 Stock Plan which vest, subject to certain conditions, on 05/21/2013; and 2,259 shares held directly by the Reporting Person. ( 9 )The total number of securities beneficially held directly by the reporting person following the reported transaction includes: 1,974 shares of restricted stock issued under the Issuer's 2008 Stock Plan which vest, subject to certain conditions, on 02/18/2016 and 1,268 shares of restricted stock issued under the Issuer's 2008 Stock Plan which vest, subject to certain conditions, on05/21/2013; and 1,859 shares held directly by the Reporting Person. ( 10 )All options currently exercisable.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* 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).

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