As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
                     November 14, 1996 Registration No.333-
          -----------------------------------------------------------------
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                                   ----------

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      Under
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                  ------------

                            THE ALLSTATE CORPORATION
               (Exact Name of Issuer as Specified in its Charter)
    DELAWARE                                                     36-3871531
(State of Incorporation)                (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                                2775 Sanders Road
                           Northbrook, Illinois 60062
              (Address and Zip Code of principal executive offices)
                                  -------------

                  THE ALLSTATE CORPORATION AMENDED AND RESTATED
             DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS

                            (Full title of the Plan)
                                  -------------

                                 ROBERT W. PIKE
                  Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel
                            The Allstate Corporation
                              2775 Sanders Road, F8
                           Northbrook, Illinois 60062
                                 (847) 402-6075
           (Name, address, and telephone number of agent for service)
                                  -------------








                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
=============================================================================
               |  Amount       |Proposed       |Proposed       |            |
Title of       |  to be        |Maximum        |Maximum        |Amount of   |
Securities     |  Registered   |Offering Price |Aggregate      |Registration|
               |               |Per Obligation |Offering Price |Fee         |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deferred       |               |               |               |            |
Compensation   |$4,000,000(2)  |  100%         |$4,000,000 (2) |$1,380.00   |
Obligations (1)|               |               |               |            |
               |               |               |               |            |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) The Deferred  Compensation  Obligations  are  unsecured  obligations  of The
Allstate  Corporation to pay deferred  compensation  in the future in accordance
with  the  terms of The  Allstate  Corporation  Amended  and  Restated  Deferred
Compensation Plan For Non-Employee Directors.

(2)  Calculated  pursuant to Rule 457(h).  An  indeterminate  number of Deferred
Compensation  Obligations  may be issued by the  Registrant  under the Plan from
time to time,  based  upon the  level of  director  participation.  The  maximum
aggregate  offering  price is based upon an estimate,  solely for the purpose of
computing the registration fee.













                                     PART I


                    INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a)
                                   PROSPECTUS

         The document containing the information about The Allstate  Corporation
Amended and Restated Deferred Compensation Plan For Non-Employee  Directors (the
"Plan")  specified  in Part I of Form  S-8  will be sent or  given  to  eligible
directors as specified by Securities and Exchange  Commission (the "Commission")
Rule  428(b)(1).  Such document and the documents  incorporated  by reference in
this  Registration  Statement  pursuant  to Item 3 of Part II,  taken  together,
constitute  a prospectus  that meets the  requirements  of Section  10(a) of the
Securities  Act of 1933.  All such  documents  will be dated and maintained in a
"prospectus  file" as required by SEC Rule 428(a) and will contain the following
legend in a conspicuous place as directed by SEC Rule 428(b)(1).

         This document (or  specifically  designated  portions of this document)
         constitutes  (constitute) part of a prospectus covering securities that
         have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933.


                                       3











                                     Part II



               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT


ITEM 3:  INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The following documents filed by The Allstate  Corporation  ("Allstate"
or the "Company")  with the Commission  are  incorporated  in and made a part of
this  Registration  Statement  by  reference,  except  to the  extent  that  any
statement  or  information  therein is  modified,  superseded  or  replaced by a
statement or  information  contained in any other  subsequently  filed  document
incorporated herein by reference:  (1) Allstate's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the fiscal year ended December 31, 1995; (2) Allstate's  Current Reports on Form
8-K dated September 30 and October 8, 1996;(3)  Allstate's  Quarterly Reports on
Form 10-Q for the quarters  ended March 31, June 30, and September 30, 1996; (4)
from the date of filing of such documents,  all documents filed by Allstate with
the Commission  pursuant to Section 13(a),  13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange  Act  of  1934  ("Exchange   Act")  subsequent  to  the  date  of  this
Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective  amendment to
the  Registration  Statement which indicates that all securities  offered hereby
have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold.

ITEM 4:  DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

         Under the Plan, the Company  provides  directors of the Company who are
not officers or employees of the Company or its  subsidiaries the opportunity to
enter into agreements for the deferral of all or any part of their  compensation
as  directors.  The  obligations  of the  Company  under  such  agreements  (the
"Obligations")  will be unsecured general  obligations of the Company to pay the
deferred  compensation  in the future in accordance  with the terms of the Plan,
and will rank PARI PASSU with other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of
the Company from time

                                        4





to time outstanding. The Company's ability to pay its obligations, including the
Obligations described herein, is largely dependent upon the receipt of dividends
from the Company's subsidiary,  Allstate Insurance Company, which are restricted
by Illinois  insurance  laws and  regulations.  Because the Company is a holding
company,  the right of the Company,  hence the right of creditors of the Company
(including  participants in the Plan), to participate in any distribution of the
assets of any subsidiary upon its liquidation or  reorganization or otherwise is
necessarily  subject to the prior claims of creditors of the subsidiary,  except
to the extent that claims of the Company  itself as a creditor of the subsidiary
may be recognized.

         The amount of compensation to be deferred by each  participant  will be
determined  in accordance  with the Plan based on elections by the  participant.
Each  Obligation  will be payable on a date or dates selected by the participant
in accordance with the terms of the Plan. The Obligations will be indexed to one
or more of four indexes (Money Market funds; 90 day Dealer Commercial Paper; the
S&P 500  Index and a  phantom  stock  account  based on the  performance  of the
Company's   common   stock)individually   chosen  by  each   participant.   Each
participant's  Obligation will be adjusted to reflect  interest and dividends on
securities in the selected indexes,  including any appreciation or depreciation.
The Obligations will be denominated and be payable in United States dollars.

         The  participant's  right  or the  right  of any  other  person  to the
Obligations  cannot  be  assigned,  alienated,  sold,  garnished,   transferred,
pledged,  or encumbered  except by a written  designation of a beneficiary under
the Plan, by written will, or by the laws of descent and distribution.

         The  Obligations  are not subject to  redemption,  in whole or in part,
prior to the individual  payment dates specified by the  participants.  However,
the  Company  reserves  the  right to amend or  terminate  the Plan at any time,
except that no such amendment or termination shall adversely affect the right of
a  participant  to the balance of his or her deferred  account as of the date of
such amendment or termination.




                                        5





ITEM 5:  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

          The validity of the Obligations  being registered has been passed upon
          by Joseph T. Kane,  Counsel,  Corporate  Law  Department  of  Allstate
          Insurance Company, a wholly-owned  subsidiary of the Company. Mr. Kane
          is not eligible to participate in the Plan.


ITEM 6:  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL"), inter
alia,  empowers a Delaware  corporation  to indemnify any person who was or is a
party  or is  threatened  to be  made a  party  to any  threatened,  pending  or
completed action, suit or proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of
the  corporation)  by reason of the fact that such  person is or was a director,
officer,  employee  or  agent of the  corporation  or is or was  serving  at the
request of the corporation as a director,  officer, employee or agent of another
corporation or other enterprise,  against expenses (including  attorneys' fees),
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred
by him in  connection  with such action,  suit or proceeding if he acted in good
faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests  of the  corporation,  and,  with  respect to any  criminal  action or
proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. Similar
indemnity is authorized for such persons against expenses (including  attorneys'
fees)  actually  and  reasonably  incurred  in  connection  with the  defense or
settlement of any such  threatened,  pending or completed action or suit if such
person  acted in good faith and in a manner he  reasonably  believed to be in or
not opposed to the best interests of the corporation,  and provided further that
(unless a court of competent  jurisdiction otherwise provides) such person shall
not have been adjudged liable to the corporation.  Any such  indemnification may
be made only as authorized in each  specific  case upon a  determination  by the
shareholders  or  disinterested  directors or by independent  legal counsel in a
written  opinion that  indemnification  is proper because the indemnitee has met
the applicable standard of conduct.


         Section 145 further authorizes a corporation to purchase and
maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a

                                        6





director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at
the  request of the  corporation  as a director,  officer,  employee or agent of
another  corporation or enterprise,  against any liability  asserted against him
and incurred by him in any such capacity,  or arising out of his status as such,
whether or not the  corporation  would otherwise have the power to indemnify him
under  Section  145.  The  Company  maintains  policies  insuring  its  and  its
subsidiaries'  officers and directors  against  certain  liabilities for actions
taken in such capacities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

         Article IV of the By-laws of the Company  provides for  indemnification
of the directors and officers of the Company to the fullest extent  permitted by
law, as now in effect or later  amended.  In addition,  the By-laws  provide for
indemnification against expenses incurred by a director or officer to be paid by
the  Company  in  advance  of the  final  disposition  of such  action,  suit or
proceeding; provided, however, that an advancement of expenses will be made only
upon  receipt of an  undertaking  by or on behalf of the  director or officer to
repay such amount unless it shall be ultimately  determined  that he is entitled
to be indemnified by the Company.  The By-laws further provide for a contractual
cause of  action on the part of  directors  and  officers  of the  Company  with
respect to indemnification claims which have not been paid by the Company.

         The Company also has provided liability insurance for each director and
officer for certain  losses  arising  from claims or charges  made  against them
while acting in their capacities as directors or officers of the Company.

         Article Ninth of the Company's  Restated  Certificate of  Incorporation
limits, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as the same exists or may be
amended, the personal liability of the Company's directors to the Company or its
stockholders  for  monetary  damages  for a breach  of their  fiduciary  duty as
directors. Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL currently provides that such provisions
do not eliminate the liability of a director (i) for a breach of the  director's
duty of loyalty to the Company or its  stockholders,  (ii) for acts or omissions
not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation
of law,  (iii) under  Section 174 of the DGCL  (relating to the  declaration  of
dividends and purchase or redemption of shares in violation of the DGCL), or

                                        7





     (iv) for any  transaction  from  which the  director  derived  an  improper
personal benefit.


ITEM 7:  EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED

         Not applicable.

ITEM 8:  EXHIBITS

         The Exhibits to this  Registration  Statement are listed in the Exhibit
Index on page E-1 of this  Registration  Statement,  which Index is incorporated
herein by reference.

ITEM 9:  UNDERTAKINGS

         The Company hereby undertakes:

         (1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

          (i) To include  any  prospectus  required  by Section  10(a)(3) of the
          Securities Act;

          (ii) To reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising after
          the effective date of the  Registration  Statement (or the most recent
          post-effective  amendment  thereof)  which,  individually  or  in  the
          aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
          in the Registration Statement;

          (iii)To include any material  information  with respect to the plan of
          distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or
          any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (1)(i)  and  (1)(ii)  do not apply if the
information  required  to be  included in a  post-effective  amendment  by those
paragraphs  is contained in periodic  reports  filed by the Company  pursuant to
Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the

                                        8





Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

         (2) That,  for the  purpose  of  determining  any  liability  under the
Securities Act, each such  post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to be a new
registration  statement  relating to the  securities  offered  therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective  amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

         The Company hereby  undertakes  that,  for purposes of determining  any
liability under the Securities  Act, each filing of the Company's  annual report
pursuant  to  Section  13(a)  or  Section  15(d)  of the  Exchange  Act  that is
incorporated by reference in the Registration  Statement shall be deemed to be a
new registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

         Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
Act may be  permitted to  directors,  officers  and  controlling  persons of the
Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company has been
advised that in the opinion of the Commission  such  indemnification  is against
public  policy  as  expressed  in  the   Securities   Act  and  is,   therefore,
unenforceable.  In the  event  that a claim  for  indemnification  against  such
liabilities  (other than the payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid
by a director,  officer or  controlling  person of the Company in the successful
defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer
or controlling  person in connection with the securities being  registered,  the
Company  will,  unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled
by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate  jurisdiction  the
question  whether  such  indemnification  by  it is  against  public  policy  as
expressed in the Securities  Act and will be governed by the final  adjudication
of such issue.


                                        9





                                   SIGNATURES



         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Company
certifies  that it has  reasonable  grounds to believe  that it meets all of the
requirements  for  filing  on Form S-8 and has  duly  caused  this  Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized, in Cook County, State of Illinois, on November 12, 1996.


                                              THE ALLSTATE CORPORATION


                                              By /s/Robert W. Pike
                                                 ------------------
                                                 Name: Robert W. Pike
                                                 Title: Vice President, 
                                                        Secretary
                                                        and General Counsel


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this report
has been signed below by the  following  persons on behalf of the  Registrant in
the capacities and on the dates indicated.  Each person whose signature  appears
below  constitutes  and appoints Jerry D. Choate,  Edward M. Liddy and Robert W.
Pike, and each of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent with full
power of substitution  and  resubstitution,  for him and in his name,  place and
stead,  in any  and  all  capacities,  to  sign  any or all  amendments  to this
Registration  Statement,  and to file the same, with all exhibits  thereto,  and
other  documents  in  connection  therewith,  with the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission,  granting  unto said  attorneys-in-fact  and  agents  full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he
might or could do in person,  thereby  ratifying  and  confirming  all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes,  may lawfully do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.



SIGNATURE TITLE DATE /s/Jerry D. Choate Director, Chairman of the November 12, 1996 - ------------------ Jerry D. Choate Board of Directors, and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) 10 SIGNATURE TITLE DATE /s/Thomas J. Wilson Vice President and November 12, 1996 - ------------------- Thomas J. Wilson Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) /s/ Samuel H. Pilch Controller November 12, 1996 - ------------------- Samuel H. Pilch (Principal Accounting Officer) /s/James G. Andress Director November 12, 1996 James G. Andress /s/ Warren L. Batts Director November 12, 1996 - ------------------- Warren L. Batts /s/ Edward A. Brennan Director November 12, 1996 - --------------------- Edward A. Brennan Director November 12, 1996 James M. Denny /s/Christopher F. Edley Director November 12, 1996 Christopher F. Edley /s/Michael A. Miles Director November 12, 1996 Michael A. Miles /s/Nancy C. Reynolds Director November 12, 1996 Nancy C. Reynolds /s/Mary Alice Taylor Director November 12, 1996 Mary Alice Taylor
11 Exhibit EXHIBIT INDEX Sequentially Number Numbered Page - ------ ------------- Description of Exhibit ---------------------- 4 Text of The Allstate Corporation Amended and Restated Deferred Compensation Plan For Non-Employee Directors. 5 Opinion of Joseph T. Kane. 15 Acknowledgement of Deloitte & Touche LLP regarding unaudited interim financial information. 23(a) Consent of Joseph T. Kane (included in Exhibit 5). 23(b) Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP. 24 Power of Attorney (included in signature page). 28 Information from Reports Furnished to State Insurance Regulatory Authorities (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 28 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1995, File No. 1-11840). E-1 Exhibit 4 THE ALLSTATE CORPORATION AMENDED AND RESTATED DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS I. PURPOSE. The purpose of this Plan is to offer non-employee members of the Board of Directors of the Company the opportunity to defer receipt of cash compensation to which they would otherwise be entitled for services rendered as directors of the Company, as an incentive to their continued participation as such directors. The amendment and restatement of this Plan shall be effective as to Compensation earned and Deferred Amounts credited on and after June 1, 1996. II. DEFINITIONS. A. "BENEFICIARY" shall mean the person or persons designated from time to time in writing by a Participant to receive payments under the Plan after the death of such Participant, or, in the absence of any such designation or in the event that such designated person or persons shall predecease such Participant, his estate. B. "COMMON SHARE UNIT" shall mean a Deferred Amount which is converted into a unit or fraction of a unit for purposes of the Plan by dividing a dollar amount by the Fair Market Value of one share of the Company's Common Stock. C. "COMMON STOCK" shall mean the Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company. D. "COMPANY" shall mean The Allstate Corporation. E. "COMPENSATION" shall mean cash payments which the Participant would otherwise receive from the Company for services rendered as a Non-Employee Director, including retainer fees and meeting fees. F. "DEFERRED AMOUNT" shall mean an amount of Compensation deferred under the Plan and carried during the deferral period in any Account provided for in the Plan. G. "DISTRIBUTION DATE" shall mean the date designated by a Participant in the Notice of Election form for commencement of distribution of Accounts. H. "DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT" shall mean an amount equal to the cash dividend paid on one share of the Company's Common Stock credited to an Account for each Common Share Unit credited to such Account. I. "FAIR MARKET VALUE" as of any applicable date shall be the mean between the high and low prices of the Company's Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange Composite Tape or, if no such reported sale of the Common Stock shall have occurred on such date, on the next succeeding date on which there was such a reported sale. J. "HARDSHIP" shall mean an emergency or unexpected situation in the Participant's financial affairs including, but not limited to, illness or accident involving the Participant or his/her dependents which, in the opinion of the Compensation and Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, presents a severe economic difficulty to the Participant, due to which a distribution of the balance of any Account (as defined below) other than a Common Share Unit Account (a "Non-CSU Account") is appropriate. K. "NON-EMPLOYEE Director" shall mean any member of the Board of Directors of the Company who is not an officer or employee of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. L. "NOTICE OF ELECTION" shall mean a notice in writing signed by a Non-Employee Director which specifies the type and amount of Compensation to be deferred (or to be discontinued from deferral), the Account or Accounts to which any Deferred Amount is to be credited, the date and manner of distribution of any Deferred Amount and such other information as may be requested by the Company. M. "PARTICIPANT" shall mean any Non-Employee Director who elects to defer any amount of Compensation under the Plan. N. "PLAN" shall mean The Allstate Corporation Amended and Restated Deferred Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors. O. "S&P 500 INDEX" shall mean the Standard & Poor's 500 Composite Stock Price Index which is a market value-weighted index consisting of 500 common stocks of large U.S. domiciled companies selected by Standard and Poor's Corporation ("S&P") through a detailed screening process starting on a macro-economic level and working toward a micro-economic level dealing with company specified information such as market value, industry group classification, capitalization and trading activity. S&P's primary objective for the S&P index is to represent the segment of the U.S. equity securities markets consisting of large market capitalization stocks. However, companies are not selected by S&P for inclusion because 2 they are expected to have superior stock price performance relative to the market in general or other stocks in particular. P. "SECRETARY" shall mean the duly elected Secretary of the Company. Q. "SUBSIDIARY" means any partnership, corporation, association, limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, joint venture, unincorporated organization or other business entity of which (i) if a corporation, a majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of the Company or a combination thereof, or (ii) if a partnership, association, limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, joint venture, unincorporated organization or other business entity, a majority of the partnership or other similar equity ownership interest thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the Company or one or more Subsidiaries of the Company or a combination thereof. For purposes hereof, the Company or a Subsidiary shall be deemed to have a majority ownership interest in a partnership, association, limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, joint venture, unincorporated organization or other business entity if the Company or such Subsidiary shall be allocated a majority of partnership, association, limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, joint venture, unincorporated organization or other business entity gains or losses or shall be or control the managing director, the trustee, the manager or the general partner of such partnership, association, limited liability company, joint stock company, trust, joint venture, unincorporated organization or other business entity. III. ELECTION TO DEFER COMPENSATION. Each Non-Employee Director may elect to defer the payment of all or any part of his or her Compensation into a specified Account by executing and delivering to the Secretary a Notice of Election. Subject to the next sentence, an election to defer payment of Compensation shall continue in effect with respect to all future Compensation until revoked or revised by the execution and delivery to the Secretary of a subsequent Notice of Election. Each Notice of Election (whether initial or subsequent) shall be effective only as to Compensation payable on or after the first day of the month following the month in which such Notice of Election is received by the Secretary; provided, that if such Notice of Election is received less than 30 days prior to the date on which any such Compensation is payable, then such election shall be effective only as to Compensation payable on or after the first day of the next month following such date. IV. TREATMENT OF DEFERRED AMOUNTS. The Company shall establish on its books the necessary accounts ("Account" or collectively, "Accounts") to accurately reflect the Company's liability to each Participant. To each Account shall be credited, as applicable, Deferred Amounts, Dividend Equivalents, and interest. Payments to the 3 Participant or amounts transferred to another Account under the Plan shall be debited to the appropriate Account. A. ACCOUNT #1 - INTEREST-BEARING ACCOUNT. Compensation deferred into an Interest-Bearing Account shall be credited to the Account on the same date when it would otherwise be payable to the Participant. Deferred Amounts carried in this Account shall earn interest from the date of credit to the date of payment. On the last day of each calendar month, interest at a rate equal to one-twelfth of the per annum interest rate as reported for Dealer Commercial Paper - 90 day in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL for the first business day of such month shall be credited to the amounts previously accrued in each Account for the period from and including the first day of such month to and including the last day of such month. B. ACCOUNT #2 - COMMON SHARE UNIT ACCOUNT. Compensation deferred into a Common Share Unit Account shall be credited to the Account on the same date when it would otherwise by payable to the Participant. Such Deferred Amounts shall be converted into a number of Common Share Units on the date credited to the Account by dividing the Deferred Amount by the Fair Market Value on such date. If Common Share Units exist in a Participant's Account on a dividend record date for the Company's common shares, Dividend Equivalents shall be credited to the Participant's Account on the related dividend payment date, and shall be converted on such date into the number of Common Share Units which could be purchased with the amount of Dividend Equivalents so credited. In the event of any change in the Company's common shares outstanding, by reason of any stock split or dividend, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, combination or exchange of stock or similar corporate change, the Secretary shall make such equitable adjustments, if any, by reason of any such change, deemed appropriate in the number of Common Share Units credited to each Participant's Account. No Common Stock shall be issued or issuable at any time in connection with any Common Share Unit Account. C. ACCOUNT #3 - S&P 500 INDEX ACCOUNT. Compensation deferred into the S&P 500 Index Account shall be credited to the Account on the same date when it would otherwise by payable to the Participant. On the last day in each calendar month the amounts in the Participant's Account shall be adjusted by a percentage factor based on the total return (including dividends) of the S&P 500 Index from the date the amounts were credited to the Account for amounts credited during such month or from the last day of the preceding month for amounts in the Account on such day. Similar adjustments shall also be made on any date the Account is debited by reason of any transfer of an amount to another Account or distribution to the Participant. In the event that the S&P 500 Index is not published for any date referred to above, the S&P 500 Index for the closest day preceding such date for which such Index is published shall be used. 4 D. ACCOUNT #4 - MONEY MARKET ACCOUNT. Compensation deferred into a Money Market Account shall be credited to the Account on the same date when it would otherwise be payable to the Participant. Deferred Amounts credited to the Account shall earn additional amounts which will be credited to the Account on the last day of each calendar month based upon the average yield on the Dean Witter InterCapital Liquid Asset Fund for such month, pro rata for the portion of such month when such Deferred Amounts were carried in the Account. E. TRANSFERS BETWEEN ACCOUNTS. Transfers between Non-CSU Accounts may be made at any time requested by the Participant upon application to the Secretary. No transfers may be made between a Common Share Unit Account and any Non-CSU Account. V. DISTRIBUTION. A. Subject to Section V.C and, in the case of Non-CSU Accounts, Section V.D, distribution of Accounts shall commence as of the Distribution Date specified by the Participant in said Participant's applicable Notice of Election form. Any such Distribution Date shall, in the case of Common Share Units and Dividend Equivalents in Common Share Unit Accounts, be no earlier than six months after the date on which such Common Share Units or Dividend Equivalents were credited to such Accounts, and shall in the case of any Account be no later than one year after the Participant's termination from the Board of Directors of the Company. The Participant may revise the terms of distribution of the Participant's Non-CSU Accounts by submitting a revised Notice of Election, provided that (i) the revised Notice of Election form shall be filed by the Participant with the Secretary not later than twelve months prior to the Participant's normal retirement date from the Board of Directors of the Company, and (ii) in any event, distribution of the Participant's Non-CSU Accounts shall not commence earlier than twelve months after the Participant's revised Notice of Election form is filed with the Secretary. The Participant may not revise any terms of distribution of any Deferred Amounts credited to the Participant's Common Share Unit Account. B. Subject to Section V.C and, in the case of Non-CSU Accounts, Section V.D, payment of the amount in each Account (whether a Common Share Unit Account or a Non-CSU Account) shall be either in the form of a lump sum or in annual installments over a period of years not to exceed ten (10) years as selected by the Participant in the applicable Notice of Election form. The amount of any installment payment shall be determined by multiplying the amount to which the Participant would be entitled as a lump sum on the installment date by a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is the number of remaining unpaid installments. C. In the event of the Participant's death or disability prior to the Distribution Date or after annual installments to the Participant have commenced but before full distribution has been made, the then remaining balance in each Account shall be paid in a lump-sum to the Beneficiary or contingent Beneficiary designated in the Notice of Election form, or to the 5 estate of the deceased Participant if there is no surviving Beneficiary or contingent Beneficiary. In either such event the lump sum payment shall be valued as of the first day of the month following the Participant's date of death. A Participant may change the Beneficiary or contingent Beneficiary from time to time by filing with the Secretary a written notice of such change; provided, however, that no such notice of change of Beneficiary shall be effective unless it had been received by the Secretary prior to the date of the Participant's death. D. Upon demonstration of Hardship by the Participant to the Compensation and Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, distribution of a Participant's Non- CSU Account, or the remaining balance of any unpaid installments, as the case may be, may be made in a lump sum. No distribution of any Participant's Common Share Unit Account may be made in connection with any Hardship. VI. MISCELLANEOUS. A. The Board of Directors of the Company may amend or terminate the Plan at any time; however, any amendment or termination of the Plan shall not affect the rights of Participants or Beneficiaries to payment, in accordance with Section V of the Plan, of amounts credited to Participants' Accounts at the time of such amendment or termination. The Board of Directors of the Company and the Secretary may in their discretion prescribe such provisions and interpretations of the Plan as they shall deem necessary or advisable. Expenses of the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Subsidiaries. B. The Plan does not create a trust in favor of a Participant, a Participant's designated Beneficiary or Beneficiaries, or any other person claiming on a Participant's behalf, and the obligation of the Company is solely a contractual obligation to make payments due hereunder. In this regard, the balance in any Account shall be considered a liability of the Company and a Participant's right thereto shall be the same as any unsecured general creditor of the Company. Neither a Participant nor any other person shall acquire any right, title, or interest in or to any amount outstanding to a Participant's credit under the Plan other than the actual payment of such portions thereof in accordance with the terms of the Plan. C. No right or benefit under or interest in the Plan shall be transferable by a Participant, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or to a revocable inter vivos trust in which such participant is sole settlor, trustee and beneficiary. D. Construction of the Plan shall be governed by the laws of Delaware. E. The terms of the Plan shall be binding upon the heirs, executors, administrators, personal representatives, successors and assigns of all parties in interest. 6 F. The headings have been inserted for convenience only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of the Plan. G. Any amount payable to or for the benefit of a minor, an incompetent person or other person incapable of receipting therefor shall be deemed paid when paid to such person's guardian or to the party providing or reasonably appearing to provide for the care of such person, and such payment shall fully discharge the Company and the Board of Directors with respect thereto. H. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Non- Employee Director any right to be retained in the service of the Company. 7 Exhibit 5 THE ALLSTATE CORPORATION ------------------------ 2775 Sanders Road Northbrook, Illinois 60062-6127 ------------------------ Joseph T. Kane Counsel November 12, 1996 The Allstate Corporation Allstate Plaza Northbrook, IL 60062 Ladies and Gentlemen: A Registration Statement on Form S-8 ("Registration Statement") is being filed on or about the date of this letter with the Securities and Exchange Commission to register $4,000,000 of Deferred Compensation Obligations which represent unsecured obligations of the Company to pay deferred compensation in the future in accordance with the terms of The Allstate Corporation Amended and Restated Deferred Compensation Plan For Non-Employee Directors (the "Plan"). This opinion is delivered in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In connection with this opinion, I have examined and am familiar with originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of (i) the Registration Statement, (ii) the Plan, (iii) the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company as currently in effect, (iv) the By-laws of the Company as currently in effect, and (v) resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company relating to the filing of the Registration Statement and related matters. I have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of such records of the Company and such other agreements, instruments, and documents of the Company, and have made such other investigations, as I have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth herein. Based upon the foregoing, I advise you that, in my opinion, when issued in accordance with the provisions of the Plan, the Deferred Compensation Obligations will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting enforcement of creditors' rights or by general equity principles. I consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of my name wherever appearing in the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto. Very truly yours, Joseph T. Kane Exhibit 15 The Allstate Corporation Allstate Plaza Northbrook, IL We have reviewed, in accordance with standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the unaudited interim financial information of The Allstate Corporation and subsidiary for the periods ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 1996 and 1995, as indicated in our reports dated May 13, 1996, August 14, 1996, and November 13, 1996, respectively; because we did not perform an audit, we expressed no opinion on that information. We are aware that our reports referred to above, which were included in your Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, June 30 and September 30, 1996, are being used in this Registration Statement. We also are aware that the aforementioned reports, pursuant to Rule 436(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, are not considered a part of the Registration Statement prepared or certified by an accountant or a report prepared or certified by an accountant within the meaning of Sections 7 and 11 of that Act. Deloitte & Touche LLP Chicago, Illinois November 14, 1996 Exhibit 23(b) INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of The Allstate Corporation on Form S-8 of our reports dated March 1, 1996, appearing in and incorporated by reference in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of The Allstate Corporation for the year ended December 31, 1995. Deloitte & Touche LLP Chicago, Illinois November 14, 1996