UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549

                                    FORM 13F

                              FORM 13F COVER PAGE


                  Report for the Quarter Ended September 30, 2004



                          AMERICAN FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
                 One East Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
     -------------------------------------------------------------------------
     (Name and Address of Institutional Investment Manager Filing this Report)


                         Form 13F File Number:  28-4389


The institutional investment manager filing this report and the person by whom
it is signed hereby represent that the person signing the report is authorized
to submit it, that all information contained herein is true, correct and
complete, and that it is understood that all required items, statements,
schedules, lists, and tables, are considered integral parts of this form.

                                 Fred J. Runk
                     Senior Vice President and Treasurer
                                (513) 579-2489
                -----------------------------------------------
                (Name, Title and Phone Number of Person Signing
                 this Report on Behalf of Reporting Manager)



Signature:

s/Fred J. Runk                        Cincinnati, Ohio     November 15, 2004
- ----------------------------------
Fred J. Runk
Senior Vice President and Treasurer


Report Type:
     [X]  13F HOLDINGS REPORT.
     [ ]  13F NOTICE.
     [ ]  13F COMBINATION REPORT.








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FORM 13F SUMMARY PAGE --------------------- Number of Other Included Managers: 2 ----------- Form 13F Information Table Entry Total: 91 ----------- Form 13F Information Table Value Total (thousands): $ 1,094,097 ----------- Name and 13F file numbers of all Institutional Investment Managers with respect to which this schedule is filed (other than American Financial Group, Inc.): Number 13F File Number Name of Subsidiary ------ --------------- ------------------------------------ 1. 28-498 Great American Insurance Company 2. Unassigned Great American Financial Resources, Inc. Page 2

FORM 13F INFORMATION TABLE Column 4: Column 5: Column 8: Column 2: Market Shares or Column 6: Column 7: Voting Authority Column 1: Title of Column 3: Value Principal Investment Other --------------------------- Name of Issuer Class CUSIP (000's) Amount Discretion Managers Sole Shared None -------------- ---------------- ----------- --------- ------------ ---------- -------- ---------- ------ --------- HOLDINGS OF GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY - -------------------------------------------- GLOBAL CROSSING LTD SHS NEW G3921A 17 5 108 6,521SH Defined 1 6,521 AMERICAN ELEC PWR INC COM 025537 10 1 4,251 133,000SH Defined " 133,000 BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION COM 060505 10 4 16,491 380,588SH Defined " 380,588 CABLEVISION SYS CORP CL A NY CABLVS 12686C 10 9 1,886 93,000SH Defined " 93,000 CITIGROUP INC COM 172967 10 1 12,354 280,000SH Defined " 280,000 COMCAST CORP NEW CL A 20030N 10 1 569 20,153SH Defined " 20,153 COMCAST CORP NEW CL A SPL 20030N 20 0 1,529 54,760SH Defined " 54,760 DPL INC COM 233293 10 9 8,800 427,600SH Defined " 427,600 ENERGY EAST CORP COM 29266M 10 9 2,022 80,300SH Defined " 80,300 FIFTH THIRD BANCORP COM 316773 10 0 2,363 48,000SH Defined " 48,000 GREAT AMERN FINL RES INC COM 389915 10 9 589,674 38,565,995SH Defined " 38,565,995 INTERNATIONAL STL GROUP INC COM 460377 10 4 1,156 34,300SH Defined " 34,300 JPMORGAN & CHASE & CO COM 46625H 10 0 3,178 80,000SH Defined " 80,000 KROGER CO COM 501044 10 1 116 7,500SH Defined " 7,500 MARSH SUPERMARKETS INC CL B 571783 20 8 6,750 602,644SH Defined " 602,644 MARSH SUPERMARKETS INC CL A 571783 30 7 7,879 709,844SH Defined " 709,844 MERCK & CO INC COM 589331 10 7 1,650 50,000SH Defined " 50,000 NTL INC DEL COM 62940M 10 4 5,837 94,040SH Defined " 92,040 NATIONAL CITY CORP COM 635405 10 3 254,111 6,579,789SH Defined " 6,579,789 NISOURCE INC COM 65473P 10 5 3,257 155,000SH Defined " 155,000 PNC FINL SVCS GROUP INC COM 693475 10 5 3,462 64,000SH Defined " 64,000 PEPCO HOLDINGS INC COM 713291 10 2 1,801 90,500SH Defined " 90,500 PFIZER INC COM 717081 10 3 5,202 170,000SH Defined " 170,000 PROGRESS ENERGY INC COM 743263 10 5 4,010 94,700SH Defined " 94,700 QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTL IN COM 749121 10 9 60 17,902SH Defined " 17,902 SBC COMMUNICATIONS INC COM 78387G 10 3 1,557 60,000SH Defined " 60,000 SARA LEE CORP COM 803111 10 3 1,143 50,000SH Defined " 50,000 SEABULK INTL INC COM 81169P 10 1 543 52,456SH Defined " 52,456 SUNTERRA CORP COM NEW 86787D 20 8 619 65,000SH Defined " 65,000 SUNTRUST BKS INC COM 867914 10 3 2,816 40,000SH Defined " 40,000 TIME WARNER INC COM 887317 10 5 422 26,149SH Defined " 26,149 TORTOISE ENERGY INFRSTRCTR C COM 89147L 10 0 1,300 50,000SH Defined " 50,000 TYCO INTL LTD NEW COM 902124 10 6 1,380 45,000SH Defined " 45,000 US BANCORP DEL COM NEW 902973 30 4 3,757 130,000SH Defined " 130,000 UNITED AUTO GROUP INC COM 909440 10 9 994 39,600SH Defined " 39,600 VIACOM INC CL B 925524 30 8 1,510 45,000SH Defined " 45,000 WACHOVIA CORP 2ND NEW COM 929903 10 2 1,291 27,500SH Defined " 27,500 WALTER INDS INC COM 93317Q 10 5 1,900 118,600SH Defined " 118,600 WASHINGTON MUT INC COM 939322 10 3 4,558 116,634SH Defined " 116,634 ZENITH NATL INS CORP COM 989390 10 9 1,045 24,700SH Defined " 24,700

HOLDINGS OF OTHER ENTITIES EACH HAVING LESS THAN $100 MILLION IN 13F SECURITIES - ------------------------------ GLOBAL CROSSING LTD SHS NEW G3921A 17 5 235 14,224SH Defined 1,2 14,224 ALLIANCE RES PARTNER L P UT LTD PART 01877R 10 8 1,130 20,302SH Defined " 20,302 BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION COM 060505 10 4 2 48SH Sole 48 BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION COM 060505 10 4 1,733 40,000SH Defined 1,2 40,000 BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB CO COM 110122 10 8 237 10,000SH Defined 1 10,000 BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB CO COM 110122 10 8 237 10,000SH Other 10,000 CABLEVISION SYS CORP CL A NY CABLVS 12686C 10 9 7,352 362,500SH Defined 1,2 362,500 CABLEVISION SYS CORP CL A NY CABLVS 12686C 10 9 896 44,177SH Other 44,177 CITIGROUP INC COM 172967 10 1 3,088 70,000SH Defined 1,2 70,000 COMCAST CORP NEW CL A 20030N 10 1 1,548 54,800SH Other 54,800 COMCAST CORP NEW CL A SPL 20030N 20 0 7,790 279,000SH Defined 1,2 279,000 CONAGRA FOODS INC COM 205887 10 2 563 21,900SH Defined 1 21,900 DPL INC COM 233293 10 9 1,852 90,000SH Defined " 90,000 DPL INC COM 233293 10 9 206 10,000SH Other 10,000 DOMINION RES INC VA NEW COM 25746U 10 9 1,520 23,300SH Defined 1 23,300 ENERGY EAST CORP COM 29266M 10 9 2,014 80,000SH Defined " 80,000 FIFTH THIRD BANCORP COM 316773 10 0 4,336 88,100SH Defined 1,2 88,100 JOHN HANCOCK BK &THRIFT OPP SH BEN INT 409735 10 7 661 67,200SH Other 67,200 HOST MARRIOTT CORP NEW COM 44107P 10 4 142 10,110SH Other 10,110 INTERNATIONAL STL GROUP INC COM 460377 10 4 2,224 66,000SH Defined 1,2 66,000 KROGER CO COM 501044 10 1 39 2,500SH Defined " 2,500 LAIDLAW INTL INC COM 50730R 10 2 1,128 68,543SH Defined " 68,543 LEUCADIA NATL CORP COM 527288 10 4 1,493 26,352SH Sole 26,352 MERCK & CO INC COM 589331 10 7 330 10,000SH Defined 1 10,000 METLIFE INC COM 59156R 10 8 1,898 49,115SH Sole 49,115 NRG ENERGY INC COM NEW 629377 50 8 1,169 43,411SH Defined 1,2 43,411 NTL INC DEL COM 62940M 10 4 16,391 264,065SH Defined " 264,065 NATIONAL CITY CORP COM 635405 10 3 23,503 608,563SH Defined " 608,563 NATIONAL CITY CORP COM 635405 10 3 1,993 51,603SH Other 51,603 NISOURCE INC COM 65473P 10 5 630 30,000SH Defined 1 30,000 PEPCO HOLDINGS INC COM 713291 10 2 398 20,000SH Defined " 20,000 PFIZER INC COM 717081 10 3 1,530 50,000SH Defined 1,2 50,000 PIMCO HIGH INCOME FD COM SHS 722014 10 7 6,161 417,700SH Defined " 417,700 POPULAR INC COM 733174 10 6 9,958 378,640SH Defined " 378,640 SBC COMMUNICATIONS INC COM 78387G 10 3 519 20,000SH Defined 1 20,000 SANTANDER BANCORP COM 802809 10 3 832 33,275SH Defined 1,2 33,275 SEABULK INTL INC COM 81169P 10 1 203 19,600SH Sole 19,600 SEABULK INTL INC COM 81169P 10 1 2,206 213,201SH Defined 1,2 213,201 SEABULK INTL INC COM 81169P 10 1 1,014 98,000SH Other 98,000 SUNTERRA CORP COM NEW 86787D 20 8 1,430 150,000SH Defined 1,2 150,000 SUNTRUST BKS INC COM 867914 10 3 2,816 40,000SH Defined " 40,000 TORTOISE ENERGY INFRSTRCTR C COM 89147L 10 0 1,300 50,000SH Defined " 50,000 US BANCORP DEL COM NEW 902973 30 4 1,445 50,000SH Defined " 50,000 US BANCORP DEL COM NEW 902973 30 4 823 28,462SH Other 28,462 UNITED AUTO GROUP INC COM 909440 10 9 1,463 58,300SH Defined 1,2 58,300 VIACOM INC CL B 925524 30 8 4,531 135,000SH Defined " 135,000 VIACOM INC CL B 925524 30 8 336 10,000SH Other 10,000 WACHOVIA CORP 2ND NEW COM 929903 10 2 1,291 27,500SH Defined 1,2 27,500 WALTER INDS INC COM 93317Q 10 5 2,049 127,900SH Defined " 127,900 WASHINGTON MUT INC COM 939322 10 3 2,684 68,679SH Defined " 68,679 ZENITH NATL INS CORP COM 989390 10 9 1,417 33,500SH Other 33,500 ---------- REPORT TOTAL $1,094,097 ==========