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

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                                    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): AUGUST 23, 2004


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                                 XL CAPITAL LTD
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


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        CAYMAN ISLANDS                   1-10809                 98-0191089
(State or other jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)      (I.R.S. Employer
      of incorporation)                                      Identification No.)

              XL HOUSE, ONE BERMUDIANA ROAD, HAMILTON, BERMUDA HM11
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

       REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE: (441) 292 8515

                                 NOT APPLICABLE
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

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CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX BELOW IF THE FORM 8-K FILING IS INTENDED TO
SIMULTANEOUSLY SATISFY THE FILING OBLIGATION OF THE REGISTRANT UNDER ANY OF THE
FOLLOWING PROVISIONS:


[ ]  Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
     CFR 230.425)

[ ]  Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
     240.14a-12)

[ ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ]  Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
     Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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ITEM 8.01.        OTHER EVENTS.

         On August 23, 2004, XL Capital Ltd, a Cayman Islands exempted limited
company (the "Company" or the "Registrant"), issued $300,000,000 aggregate
principal amount of 5.25% Senior Notes due 2014 (the "Notes") in a public
offering. The Company sold the Notes pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement and
related Pricing Agreement, each dated as of August 18, 2004, by and among the
Company and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and Lehman Brothers Inc., as
underwriters. The Company received $296,946,000 in proceeds from the sale of the
Notes after deducting underwriting discounts. The Notes were issued under a
Senior Debt Indenture, which the Company entered into with The Bank of New York,
as Trustee, on June 2, 2004, and a First Supplemental Indenture, which the
Company entered into with The Bank of New York, as Trustee, on August 23, 2004.

         This Current Report on Form 8-K is being filed for the purpose of
filing the attached documents in connection therewith as exhibits to the shelf
registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-116245) first filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 7, 2004, and as thereafter
amended by the Registrant, XL Capital Finance (Europe) plc, XL Capital Trust I,
XL Capital Trust II and XL Capital Trust III (the "Registration Statement"),
which became effective on August 6, 2004, and such exhibits are hereby
incorporated into the Registration Statement by reference.


ITEM 9.01.        FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

         (c)      Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed herewith:

      EXHIBIT NO.         DESCRIPTION
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         1.1      Underwriting Agreement, dated August 18, 2004, by and among
                  the Registrant and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and
                  Lehman Brothers Inc., as Underwriters.

         1.2      Pricing Agreement, dated August 18, 2004, by and among the
                  Registrant and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and Lehman
                  Brothers Inc., as Underwriters.

         4.1      First Supplemental Indenture, dated August 23, 2004, to the
                  Indenture, dated June 2, 2004, between the Registrant and The
                  Bank of New York, as Trustee.

         4.2      Form of Senior Note (included in Exhibit 4.1 hereto).




                                   SIGNATURES


                  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.

Date:    August 23, 2004

                                        XL CAPITAL LTD
                                            (Registrant)


                                        By:       /s/ Paul S. Giordano
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                                           Name:  Paul S. Giordano
                                           Title: Executive Vice President,
                                                  General Counsel & Secretary