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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?> |
<ownershipDocument> |
| <schemaVersion> X0306 </schemaVersion> |
| <documentType> 4 </documentType> |
| <periodOfReport> 2020-03-31 </periodOfReport> |
| <issuer> |
| | <issuerCik> 0000775368 </issuerCik> |
| | <issuerName> ALLEGHANY CORP /DE </issuerName> |
| | <issuerTradingSymbol> Y </issuerTradingSymbol> |
| | </issuer> |
| <reportingOwner> |
| | <reportingOwnerId> |
| | | <rptOwnerCik> 0001801722 </rptOwnerCik> |
| | | <rptOwnerName> Shannon John F </rptOwnerName> |
| | | </reportingOwnerId> |
| | <reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet1> C/O ALLEGHANY CORPORATION </rptOwnerStreet1> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet2> 1411 BROADWAY, 34TH FLOOR </rptOwnerStreet2> |
| | | <rptOwnerCity> NEW YORK </rptOwnerCity> |
| | | <rptOwnerState> NY </rptOwnerState> |
| | | <rptOwnerZipCode> 10018 </rptOwnerZipCode> |
| | | <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription> |
| | | </reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | <reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | | <isDirector> 0 </isDirector> |
| | | <isOfficer> 1 </isOfficer> |
| | | <isTenPercentOwner> 0 </isTenPercentOwner> |
| | | <isOther> 0 </isOther> |
| | | <officerTitle> SVP, chief investment officer </officerTitle> |
| | | </reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | </reportingOwner> |
| <nonDerivativeTable> |
| | <nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 75 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeHolding> |
| | </nonDerivativeTable> |
| <derivativeTable> |
| | <derivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Phantom Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2020-03-31 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> A </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 18.1524 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 554.335 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> A </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 18.1524 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 73.0842 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F2"/> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </derivativeTransaction> |
| | </derivativeTable> |
| <footnotes> |
| | <footnote id="F1"> Each phantom stock unit is the economic equivalent of one share of the registrant's common stock. Phantom stock units are payable in cash on the date elected by the reporting person. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F2"> Pursuant to the applicable agreement between the registrant and the reporting person, when the registrant pays a cash dividend on its common stock, the reporting person is credited with a corresponding dividend on his phantom stock units in the form of additional phantom stock units. As a result, this reflects 1.4930 phantom stock units received as dividends in connection with a special cash dividend of $15.00 per share of common stock paid on March 16, 2020. </footnote> |
| | </footnotes> |
| <remarks></remarks> |
| <ownerSignature> |
| | <signatureName> /s/ Antonio Celii, Attorney-in-fact </signatureName> |
| | <signatureDate> 2020-04-01 </signatureDate> |
| | </ownerSignature> |
| </ownershipDocument> |