Exhibit 99(a)GENERALGUARANTEE AGREEMENT     GENERALGUARANTEE AGREEMENT, dated January 4, 1999 (the“Guarantee”), by American Home Assurance Company, a NewYork corporation (the “Guarantor”) in favor of eachparty (individually, a “Party” and collectively,“Parties”) insured under policies issued by FirstSunAmerica Life Insurance Company, a New York corporation (the“Company”).     1.  Guarantee. For value received, and to induce Parties to purchaseinsurance from the Company, the Guarantor unconditionally andirrevocably guarantees to each Party, its successors, endorsees andassigns, the prompt payment when due of all present and futureobligations and liabilities of any kind whatsoever of the Company tosuch Party arising from policies of insurance issued by the Company,including but not limited to payments for claims, losses and returnpremiums whether due or to become due, secured or unsecured, absoluteor contingent, joint or several (the “Obligations”).     2.  Nature of Guarantee. The Guarantor’s obligationshereunder with respect to any Obligation shall not be affected by theexistence, validity, enforceability, perfection or extent of anycollateral for such Obligation. No Party shall be obligated to fileany claim relating to the Obligations owing to it in the event thatthe Company becomes subject to a bankruptcy, reorganization orsimilar proceeding, and the failure of any Party to so file shall notaffect the Guarantor’s obligations hereunder. In the event thatany payment to any Party in respect to any Obligations is rescindedor must otherwise be returned for any reason whatsoever, theGuarantor shall remain liable hereunder in respect to such Obligationsas if such payment had not been made. The Guarantor reserves theright to assert defenses which the Company may have to payment of anyObligation other than defenses arising from the bankruptcy orinsolvency of the Company and other defenses expressly waivedhereby.     3.  Consents, Waivers and Renewals. The Guarantor agrees that aParty may at any time and from time to time, either before or afterthe maturity thereof, without notice to or further consent of theGuarantor extend the time of payment of, exchange or surrender anycollateral for, or renew any of the Obligations owing to it, and mayalso make any agreement with the Company or with any other party toor person liable on any of the Obligations, or interested therein, forthe extension, renewal, payment, compromise, discharge or releasethereof, in whole or in
 

 
part, orfor any modification of the terms thereof or of any agreement betweensuch Party and the Company or any of such other party or person,without in any way impairing or affecting this Guarantee. TheGuarantor agrees that a Party may resort to the Guarantor for paymentof any of the Obligations, whether or not the Party shall haveresorted to any collateral security, or shall haveproceeded against any other obligor principally or secondarily obligatedwith respect to any of the Obligations.     4.   Expenses.  TheGuarantor agrees to pay on demand all out-of-pocket expenses(including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel) in anyway relating to the enforcement or protection of the rights of aParty hereunder; provided, that the Guarantor shall not be liable forany expenses of a Party if no payment under this Guarantee is due.     5.   Subrogation.  Uponpayment of all the Obligations owing to any Party, the Guarantor shallbe subrogated to the rights of such Party against the Company, andsuch Party agrees to take at the Guarantor’s expense such stepsas the Guarantor may reasonably request to implement such subrogation.     6.   Third-PartyBeneficiary Contract.  The Guarantor herebyacknowledges that Parties insured under policies issued by theCompany prior to the termination of the Guarantee are intendedthird-party beneficiaries of the Guarantee who may enforce thisGuarantee directly against the Guarantor.     7.   Termination.  ThisGuarantee may be terminated after 30 days notice given by theGuarantor by publication in The Wall Street Journal;provided, however, that in the event that a Party hasrequested, by written notice to the Secretary of the Guarantor at70 Pine Street, New York, New York 10270, prior to thedate of such publication, that such Party be given notice of anytermination of this Guarantee (specifying the address to which suchnotice to the Party shall be sent), this Guarantee shall remain infull force and effect with respect to such Party until receipt bysuch Party of written notice of termination in accordance with suchrequest. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, this Guarantee shallremain in full force and effect with respect to Obligations of theCompany outstanding or contracted or committed for (whether or notoutstanding) prior to the 30th day after publication of noticeof such termination in The Wall Street Journal, or, in theevent that a Party has requested notice of termination as providedabove, prior to receipt by such Party of written notice oftermination in accordance with such request, until such Obligationsshall be finally and irrevocably paid in full.
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          8.     Governing Law. ThisGuarantee shall be governed by and construed in accordance withthe laws of the State of New York.
 AMERICAN HOME ASSURANCE COMPANY
 By: /s/ Edward E. Matthew 
 By: /s/ Elizabeth M. Tuck 
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