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

                                    FORM 13F

                              FORM 13F COVER PAGE


                 Report for the Quarter Ended September 30, 2001


                          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:

Fred J. Runk                            Cincinnati, Ohio     November 9, 2001
- ----------------------------------
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: 3 ----------- Form 13F Information Table Entry Total: 42 ----------- Form 13F Information Table Value Total (thousands): $869,016 ----------- 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. 28-5042 AFC Holding Company 2. 28-497 American Financial Corporation 3. 28-498 Great American Insurance Company 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 - ------------------------------- AOL TIME WARNER INC COM 00184A 10 5 866 26,149SH Defined 1,2,3 26,149 ADELPHIA COMMUNICATIONS CORP CL A 006848 10 5 577 26,000SH Defined " 26,000 AT HOME CORP COM SER A 045919 10 7 2 10,000SH Defined " 10,000 CHIQUITA BRANDS INTL INC COM 170032 10 6 14,133 17,235,424SH Defined " 17,235,424 COMCAST CORP CL A 200300 10 1 675 19,000SH Defined " 19,000 COMCAST CORP CL A SPL 200300 20 0 1,255 35,000SH Defined " 35,000 GREAT AMERN FINL RES INC COM 389915 10 9 636,339 35,059,995SH Defined " 35,059,995 MARSH SUPERMARKETS INC CL B 571783 20 8 2,599 189,543SH Defined " 189,543 MARSH SUPERMARKETS INC CL A 571783 30 7 565 39,543SH Defined " 39,543 METRICOM INC COM 591596 10 1 4 15,000SH Defined " 15,000 OAKWOOD HOMES CORP COM 674098 20 7 73 17,500SH Defined " 17,500 PROVIDENT FINL GROUP INC COM 743866 10 5 140,700 5,572,271SH Defined " 5,572,271 QWEST COMMUNICATIONS INTL INC COM 749121 10 9 299 17,902SH Defined " 17,902 RCN CORP COM 749361 10 1 67 21,000SH Defined " 21,000 SEABULK INTL INC COM 81169P 10 1 292 77,904SH Defined " 77,904 SEPRACOR INC COM 817315 10 4 1,321 36,800SH Defined " 36,800 WASHINGTON MUT INC COM 939322 10 3 775 20,134SH Defined " 20,134 HOLDINGS OF OTHER SUBSIDIARIES OF AFG EACH HAVING LESS THAN $100 MILLION IN 13F SECURITIES - ------------------------------- ADELPHIA COMMUNICATIONS CORP CL A 006848 10 5 1,168 52,605SH Defined 1,2 52,605 AT HOME CORP COM SER A 045919 10 7 12 84,018SH Defined " 84,018 BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB CO COM 110122 10 8 1,111 20,000SH Defined 1,2,3 20,000 BROADWING INC COM 111620 10 0 524 32,611SH Defined 1,2 32,611 CABLEVISION SYS CORP CL A NY CABLVS 12686C 10 9 205 5,000SH Defined " 5,000 CABLEVISION SYS CORP CL A RAINB MED 12686C 84 4 51 2,500SH Defined " 2,500 CHIQUITA BRANDS INTL INC COM 170032 10 6 5,544 6,760,871SH Defined 1,2,3 6,760,871 COMCAST CORP CL A 200300 10 1 527 14,800SH Defined 1,2 14,800 COMCAST CORP CL A SPL 200300 20 0 494 13,760SH Defined " 13,760 JOHN HANCOCK BK &THRIFT OPP FD SH BEN INT 409735 10 7 427 52,200SH Defined " 52,200 HOST MARRIOTT CORP NEW COM 44107P 10 4 71 10,110SH Defined " 10,110 LEUCADIA NATL CORP COM 527288 10 4 822 26,352SH Defined " 26,352 MARSH SUPERMARKETS INC CL B 571783 20 8 7,318 533,801SH Defined " 533,801 MARSH SUPERMARKETS INC CL A 571783 30 7 9,871 690,301SH Defined " 690,301 METRICOM INC COM 591596 10 1 6 20,000SH Defined " 20,000 OAKWOOD HOMES CORP COM 674098 20 7 194 46,700SH Defined " 46,700 POPULAR INC COM 733174 10 6 5,907 189,320SH Defined 1,2,3 189,320 PROVIDENT FINL GROUP INC COM 743866 10 5 17,598 696,943SH Defined " 696,943 RCN CORP COM 749361 10 1 225 70,250SH Defined " 70,250 SEABULK INTL INC COM 81169P 10 1 1,437 383,294SH Defined " 383,294 SEPRACOR INC COM 817315 10 4 2,671 74,400SH Defined " 74,400 US BANCORP DEL COM NEW 902973 30 4 631 28,462SH Defined 1,2 28,462 WASHINGTON MUT INC COM 939322 10 3 1,738 45,179SH Defined 1,2,3 45,179 WESTPOINT STEVENS INC COM 961238 10 2 52 29,400SH Defined 1,2 29,400 ZENITH NATL INS CORP COM 989390 10 9 9,870 401,200SH Defined " 401,200 -------- REPORT TOTAL $869,016 ========