LETTERHEAD OF SULLIVAN & CROMWELL LLP]
[LETTERHEAD
OF XXXXXXXX & XXXXXXXX LLP]
June 7, 2007
American
International Group, Inc.
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
00 Xxxx Xxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Ladies and Gentlemen:
In connection with the several purchases today by the Underwriters named in Schedule I to the Underwriting Agreement, dated May 31,
2007 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), between American International Group,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Citigroup
Global Markets Inc., Xxxxxxx Lynch, Pierce, Xxxxxx & Xxxxx
Incorporated, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated, UBS Securities
LLC and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, as representatives of
the several Underwriters named therein, of $750,000,000
aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6.45% Series A-4 Junior
Subordinated Debentures (the “Securities”) issued pursuant to the Junior
Subordinated Debt Indenture, dated as of March 13, 2007, as supplemented by the
Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated June 7, 2007 (together, the “Indenture”),
between the Company and The Bank of New York, as Trustee (the “Trustee”), we,
as counsel for the Company, have examined such corporate records, certificates
and other documents, and such questions of law, as we have considered necessary
or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion. Upon the basis of such
examination, it is our opinion that:
(1) The Company has
been duly incorporated and is an existing corporation
in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
(2) The Securities constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the
Company, subject to bankruptcy,
-2-
insolvency,
fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar
laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to
general equity principles.
The foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State
of Delaware, and we express no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any
other jurisdiction.
We have relied as to certain matters upon information obtained from public
officials, officers of the Company and other sources believed by us to be
responsible, and we have assumed that the Indenture has been duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the Trustee, that the Securities conform to the
specimen thereof examined by us, that the Trustee’s certificates of
authentication of the Securities have been manually signed by one of the
Trustee’s authorized officers, and that the signatures on all documents
examined by us are genuine, assumptions which we have not independently
verified.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to this
Current Report on Form 8-K. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit
that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section
7 of the Securities Act of 1933.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx LLP