FORM 5 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b). Form 3 Holdings Reported Form 4 Transactions Reported

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ANNUAL 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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * EVANS JAMES E 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol AMERICAN FINANCIAL GROUP INC [AFG] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Sr. V. Pres. & Gen. Counsel (Last) (First) (Middle) ONE EAST FOURTH STREET 3. Statement for Issuer's Fiscal Year Ended (Month/Day/Year) 12/31/2005 (Street) CINCINNATI, OH 45202 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Reporting (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 at end of Issuer's Fiscal Year (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock             117,319 D   Common Stock             5,963.778 I #1 (1) Common Stock             24.4627 I #2 (2) Common Stock             42,806.36 I #3 (3)

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

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SEC 2270 (9-02)

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 at End of Issuer's Fiscal Year (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Deferred Compensation Plan

$ 38.31

Â

Â

Â

Â

Â

  (4)

  (4)

Common Stock

34,217.091

Â

34,217.091 (4)

D

Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
EVANS JAMES E ONE EAST FOURTH STREET CINCINNATI, OH 45202	  X	Â	  Sr. V. Pres. & Gen. Counsel	Â

Signatures

James E. Evans By: Karl J. Grafe, as Attorney-in-Fact		02/13/2006
**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)	Indirect #1: Shares allocated to the Reporting Person's account under the Issuer's Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "ESPP") in 2005 at prices ranging from $25.84to $32.21 per share. All ESPP information reporting herein is based on a plan statement dated as of December 31, 2005.
(2)	Indirect #2: Additional shares were purchased in 2005 at prices ranging from $30.40 to $37.89 per share in the Issuer's Dividend Reinvestment Plan (the "DRIP"). All DRIP information reported herein is based on a plan statement dated as of December 31, 2005.
(3)	Indirect #3: The Company Retirement and Savings Account. The number of shares of Common Stock which would be represented by the value of the Reporting Person's Company Securities Funds account in the Issuer's Retirement and Savings Plan is based on a statement dated as of 12/31/2005.
(4)	Represents amounts deferred by the Reporting Person in the Issuer's Deferred Compensation Plan. The account value increases or decreases based on the value of the Issuer's common stock. Upon termination of employment or earlier, if so elected, the Reporting Person's account balance may be distributed, at the option of the Issuer, either in cash or in shares of the Issuer's common stock.

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