PAGE



                                                    Registration No. 333-

                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549

                                     FORM S-8

                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                           ---------------------------
                         Selective Insurance Group, Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            New Jersey                                22-2168890
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of                    (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                    Identification No.)

                40 Wantage Avenue, Branchville, New Jersey 07890
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

              Selective Insurance Group, Inc. Stock Option Plan II
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             (Full title of the plan)

                              Thornton R. Land, Esq.
           Executive Vice President, Administration and General Counsel
                         Selective Insurance Group, Inc.
                               40 Wantage Avenue
                          Branchville, New Jersey 07890
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                (973) 948-3000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
        (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:
                             Stewart E. Lavey, Esq.
                             Shanley & Fisher, P.C.
                               131 Madison Avenue
                          Morristown, New Jersey 07962
                             ---------------------

                        Calculation of Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Proposed     Proposed
Title of                           maximum      maximum
securities          Amount         offering     aggregate      Amount of
to be               to be          price per    offering       registra-
registered          registered     share(1)     price(1)       tion fee 
----------          ----------     ---------    -----------    ----------
Common Stock,       1,000,000      $   54.25    $54,250,000    $   16,439
$2.00 par value     shares
(including
Series A Junior
Preferred Stock
purchase rights)(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee 
in accordance with Rule 457(h) based on the average of the high and low 
price per share as reported on the Nasdaq National Market on 
October 7, 1997.

(2)  Prior to the occurrence of certain events, purchase rights for units 
of Series A Junior Preferred Stock will not be evidenced separately from 
the Common Stock.


PAGE


This Registration Statement covers the registration of an additional 
1,000,000 shares of the common stock, $2.00 par value ("Common Stock")
(including Series A Junior Preferred Stock purchase rights) of Selective
Insurance Group, Inc. (the "Company") under the Company's Stock Option 
Plan II (the "Plan").  The Company previously registered shares of its 
Common Stock under the Plan pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form 
S-8 (Registration No. 33-87534), the contents of which are hereby 
incorporated by reference in accordance with General Instruction E of 
Form S-8.



PAGE

                                  Part II

             INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 9.     Undertakings.
            ------------
            (a)   The undersigned registrant 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 of 1933;

                        (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.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase 
or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value 
of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and 
any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering 
range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and 
price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering
price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the 
effective 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 (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not 
apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, 
and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment 
by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished 
to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in 
the registration statement.

                  (2)   That, for the purposes of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, 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.


                                  II-2

PAGE


                  (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.

            (b)   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for 
the purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 
each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each 
filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in 
the registration statement shall be deemed a new registration statement 
relating to the securities offered herein, 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 of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons 
of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, 
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities 
and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy 
as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that
a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment 
by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the registrant 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 registrant 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 Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.


                                    II-3


PAGE

                               SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the 
registrant 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 the Borough of Branchville, State of New 
Jersey on the 8 day of October, 1997.

     SELECTIVE INSURANCE GROUP, INC.


     By: /s/James W. Entringer 
         ---------------------
         James W. Entringer
         Chairman of the Board,
         Chief Executive
         Officer and Director

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 
this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons 
in the capacities and on the date indicated.

          Signature                        Capacity in Which Signed


    /s/James W. Entringer                  Chairman of the Board,
    ---------------------------            Chief Executive Officer and
    James W. Entringer                     Director


    /s/David B. Merclean                   Senior Vice President and Chief
    ---------------------------            Financial Officer 
    David B. Merclena                      (principal financial and
                                           accounting officer)



    /s/A. David Brown*                     Director
    ---------------------------
    A. David Brown



    /s/William A. Dolan, II*               Director
    ---------------------------
    William A. Dolan, II



    /s/William C. Gray, D.V.M.*            Director
    ---------------------------
    William C. Gray, D.V.M.



                                     II-4


PAGE


    /s/C. Edward Herder*                   Director
    ---------------------------
    C. Edward Herder


    /s/Frederick H. Jarvis*                Director
    ---------------------------
    Frederick H. Jarvis



    /s/William M. Kearns, Jr.*             Director
    ---------------------------
    William M. Kearns, Jr.


    /s/Joan Lamm-Tennant, Ph.D.*           Director
    ---------------------------
    Joan Lamm-Tennant, Ph.D.


    /s/S. Griffin McClellan III*           Director
    ---------------------------
    S. Griffin McClellan III


    /s/Russell R. Moffett*                 Director
    ---------------------------
    Russell R. Moffett


    /s/Gregory E. Murphy*                  Director
    ---------------------------
    Gregory E. Murphy


    /s/William M. Rue*                     Director
    ---------------------------
    William M. Rue


    /s/Thomas D. Sayles, Jr.*              Director
    ---------------------------
    Thomas D. Sayles, Jr.


    /s/J. Brian Thebault*                  Director
    ---------------------------
    J. Brian Thebault

*James W. Entringer hereby signs this Registration Statement on Form S-8 
on behalf of each of the indicated persons for whom he is attorney-in-fact 
on October 8, 1997 pursuant to a power of attorney filed herewith.

By: /s/James W. Entringer
     --------------------
     James W. Entringer
     Attorney-in-Fact

Dated: October 8, 1997

                                      II-5




PAGE


                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit
-------

4.1   Selective Insurance Group, Inc. Stock Option Plan II, as amended

5     Opinion of Shanley & Fisher, P.C.

23.1  Consent of Shanley & Fisher, P.C. (included in Exhibit 5)

23.2  Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

24    Powers of Attorney
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 12158}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SELECTIVE INSURANCE GROUP INC", "cik": "0000230557", "assigned-sic": "6331", "irs-number": "222168890", "state-of-incorporation": "NJ", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-37501", "film-number": "97692974"}, "business-address": {"street1": "40 WANTAGE AVENUE", "city": "BRANCHVILLE", "state": "NJ", "zip": "07890", "phone": "2019483000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "40 WANTAGE AVE", "street2": "40 WANTAGE AVE", "city": "BRANCHVILLE", "state": "NJ", "zip": "07890"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "SRI CORP", "date-changed": "19860508"}}
PAGE

                                                    Registration No. 333-

                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C.  20549

                                     FORM S-8

                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                           ---------------------------
                         Selective Insurance Group, Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            New Jersey                                22-2168890
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of                    (I.R.S. Employer
 incorporation or organization)                    Identification No.)

                40 Wantage Avenue, Branchville, New Jersey 07890
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

              Selective Insurance Group, Inc. Stock Option Plan II
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             (Full title of the plan)

                              Thornton R. Land, Esq.
           Executive Vice President, Administration and General Counsel
                         Selective Insurance Group, Inc.
                               40 Wantage Avenue
                          Branchville, New Jersey 07890
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                (973) 948-3000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
        (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

                                   Copies to:
                             Stewart E. Lavey, Esq.
                             Shanley & Fisher, P.C.
                               131 Madison Avenue
                          Morristown, New Jersey 07962
                             ---------------------

                        Calculation of Registration Fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                   Proposed     Proposed
Title of                           maximum      maximum
securities          Amount         offering     aggregate      Amount of
to be               to be          price per    offering       registra-
registered          registered     share(1)     price(1)       tion fee 
----------          ----------     ---------    -----------    ----------
Common Stock,       1,000,000      $   54.25    $54,250,000    $   16,439
$2.00 par value     shares
(including
Series A Junior
Preferred Stock
purchase rights)(2)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee 
in accordance with Rule 457(h) based on the average of the high and low 
price per share as reported on the Nasdaq National Market on 
October 7, 1997.

(2)  Prior to the occurrence of certain events, purchase rights for units 
of Series A Junior Preferred Stock will not be evidenced separately from 
the Common Stock.

PAGE

This Registration Statement covers the registration of an additional 
1,000,000 shares of the common stock, $2.00 par value ("Common Stock")
(including Series A Junior Preferred Stock purchase rights) of Selective
Insurance Group, Inc. (the "Company") under the Company's Stock Option 
Plan II (the "Plan").  The Company previously registered shares of its 
Common Stock under the Plan pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form 
S-8 (Registration No. 33-87534), the contents of which are hereby 
incorporated by reference in accordance with General Instruction E of 
Form S-8.

PAGE

                                  Part II

             INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 9.     Undertakings.
            ------------
            (a)   The undersigned registrant 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 of 1933;

                        (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.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase 
or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value 
of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and 
any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering 
range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and 
price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering
price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the 
effective 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 (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not 
apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, 
and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment 
by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished 
to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in 
the registration statement.

                  (2)   That, for the purposes of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, 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.

                                  II-2

PAGE

                  (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.

            (b)   The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for 
the purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, 
each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 
15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each 
filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) 
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in 
the registration statement shall be deemed a new registration statement 
relating to the securities offered herein, 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 of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons 
of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, 
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities 
and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy 
as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that
a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment 
by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the registrant 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 registrant 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 Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.

                                    II-3

PAGE

                               SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the 
registrant 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 the Borough of Branchville, State of New 
Jersey on the 8 day of October, 1997.

     SELECTIVE INSURANCE GROUP, INC.

     By: /s/James W. Entringer 
         ---------------------
         James W. Entringer
         Chairman of the Board,
         Chief Executive
         Officer and Director

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 
this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons 
in the capacities and on the date indicated.

          Signature                        Capacity in Which Signed

    /s/James W. Entringer                  Chairman of the Board,
    ---------------------------            Chief Executive Officer and
    James W. Entringer                     Director

    /s/David B. Merclean                   Senior Vice President and Chief
    ---------------------------            Financial Officer 
    David B. Merclena                      (principal financial and
                                           accounting officer)

    /s/A. David Brown*                     Director
    ---------------------------
    A. David Brown

    /s/William A. Dolan, II*               Director
    ---------------------------
    William A. Dolan, II

    /s/William C. Gray, D.V.M.*            Director
    ---------------------------
    William C. Gray, D.V.M.

                                     II-4

PAGE

    /s/C. Edward Herder*                   Director
    ---------------------------
    C. Edward Herder

    /s/Frederick H. Jarvis*                Director
    ---------------------------
    Frederick H. Jarvis

    /s/William M. Kearns, Jr.*             Director
    ---------------------------
    William M. Kearns, Jr.

    /s/Joan Lamm-Tennant, Ph.D.*           Director
    ---------------------------
    Joan Lamm-Tennant, Ph.D.

    /s/S. Griffin McClellan III*           Director
    ---------------------------
    S. Griffin McClellan III

    /s/Russell R. Moffett*                 Director
    ---------------------------
    Russell R. Moffett

    /s/Gregory E. Murphy*                  Director
    ---------------------------
    Gregory E. Murphy

    /s/William M. Rue*                     Director
    ---------------------------
    William M. Rue

    /s/Thomas D. Sayles, Jr.*              Director
    ---------------------------
    Thomas D. Sayles, Jr.

    /s/J. Brian Thebault*                  Director
    ---------------------------
    J. Brian Thebault

*James W. Entringer hereby signs this Registration Statement on Form S-8 
on behalf of each of the indicated persons for whom he is attorney-in-fact 
on October 8, 1997 pursuant to a power of attorney filed herewith.

By: /s/James W. Entringer
     --------------------
     James W. Entringer
     Attorney-in-Fact

Dated: October 8, 1997

                                      II-5

PAGE

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
-------

4.1   Selective Insurance Group, Inc. Stock Option Plan II, as amended

5     Opinion of Shanley & Fisher, P.C.

23.1  Consent of Shanley & Fisher, P.C. (included in Exhibit 5)

23.2  Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP

24    Powers of Attorney