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

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 3, 2003

                             ERIE INDEMNITY COMPANY
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           PENNSYLVANIA                   0-24000                 25-0466020
  -------------------------------       -------------        -------------------
  (State or other jurisdiction of       (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
  incorporation)                         File Number)        Identification No.)


100 Erie Insurance Place, Erie, Pennsylvania                      16530
--------------------------------------------                ----------------
  (Address of principal executive offices)                     (Zip Code)

          Registrant's telephone number, including area code (814) 870-2000

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ITEM 4. CHANGES IN REGISTRANT'S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT

On September 10, 2002, the Erie Indemnity  Company's  (Company)  Audit Committee
selected  Ernst & Young,  LLP to be the Company's  independent  auditors for the
fiscal year  ending December 31, 2003. Malin,  Bergquist & Company,  LLP (M,B&C)
continued  as the  Company's  independent  auditors  for the  fiscal  year ended
December 31, 2002. On March 3, 2003 Ernst & Young, LLP will succeed M,B&C as the
Company's independent auditors.

The Audit  Committee  of the Company  annually  considers  the  selection of the
Company's  independent  auditors.  In previous years,  the Audit Committee would
recommend the appointment of the independent  auditors to the Company's Board of
Directors for shareholder ratification. At its meeting of September 9, 2002, the
Company's Board of Directors  amended the Bylaws of the Company  consistent with
the provisions of the  Sarbanes-Oxley  Act of 2002, to give the Audit  Committee
sole authority to engage the Company's independent auditors.

M,B&C's reports on the Company's  consolidated financial statements for the past
two years did not contain an adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion,  nor were
they  qualified  or  modified  as to  uncertainty,  audit  scope  or  accounting
principles.

During the  Company's  two most recent fiscal years and through the date of this
Form 8-K,  there were no  disagreements  with M,B&C on any matter of  accounting
principles or practices,  financial statement  disclosure,  or auditing scope or
procedure which, if not resolved to M,B&C's satisfaction, would have caused them
to make reference to the subject  matter in connection  with their report on the
Company's  consolidated  financial  statements for such years; and there were no
reportable events, as listed in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

The Company provided M,B&C with a copy of the foregoing disclosures. Attached as
Exhibit 16.1 is  a  copy  of  M,B&C's letter, dated March 3, 2003,  stating  its
agreement with such statements.

During the  Company's  two most recent fiscal years and through the date of this
Form 8-K,  the Company did not consult  Ernst & Young,  LLP with  respect to the
application  of  accounting  principles  to  a  specified  transaction,   either
completed  or proposed,  or the type of audit  opinion that might be rendered on
the  Company's  consolidated  financial  statements,  or any  other  matters  or
reportable events listed in Items 304(a)(2)(i) and (ii) of Regulation S-K.

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ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

       c)       Exhibits.  The following exhibits are filed with this document:

         Exhibit Number                Description
         --------------                -----------

            16.1                       Letter from Malin, Bergquist  &  Company,
                                       LLP  to   the  Securities  and   Exchange
                                       Commission dated March 3, 2003


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EXHIBIT 16.1                     [LETTERHEAD OF MALIN, BERGQUIST & COMPANY, LLP]



March 3, 2003



Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C.  20549



We were previously  Independent Auditors for Erie Indemnity Company, Inc. and on
February 7, 2003 we reported on the  consolidated  financial  statements of Erie
Indemnity  Company,  Inc. and  Consolidated  Subsidiaries as of and for the year
ended December 31, 2002. We have read Erie Indemnity Company,  Inc.'s statements
included  in Item 4 of Form 8-K  dated  March 3,  2003  and we agree  with  such
statements.


Very truly yours,



/S/MALIN, BERGQUIST & COMPANY, LLP
Certified Public Accountants




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SIGNATURE

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



                                    ERIE INDEMNITY COMPANY


                                    Erie Indemnity Company
                                ------------------------------
                                       (Registrant)

Date: March 3, 2003         /s/ Philip A. Garcia
                                -------------------------------
                              (Philip A. Garcia, Executive Vice President & CFO)



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