<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 9(i)
[SAGE LETTERHEAD]
August 25, 2000
Board of Directors
Sage Life Assurance of America, Inc.
300 Atlantic Street
Stamford, CT 06901
To the Board of Directors:
In my capacity as Vice President, Legal and Compliance of Sage Life Assurance of
America, Inc. (the "Company"), I have supervised the preparation of
Post-Effective Amendment No. 6 to the registration statement on Form N-4 of The
Sage Variable Annuity Account A (File No. 333-44751) (the "Account"), to be
filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the
Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940. Such registration
statement describes certain flexible payment deferred combination fixed and
variable annuity contracts which will participate in the Account.
I am of the following opinion:
1. The Company has been duly organized under the laws of the State of
Delaware and is a validly existing corporation.
2. The variable annuity contracts, when issued in accordance with the
prospectus contained in the aforesaid registration statement and upon
compliance with applicable local law, will be legal and binding
obligations of the Company in accordance with their terms.
3. The Account is duly created and validly existing as a separate account of
the Company pursuant to Delaware law.
4. The assets held in the Account equal to the reserves and other contract
liabilities with respect to the Account will not be chargeable with
liabilities arising out of any other business the Company may conduct.
In arriving at the foregoing opinion, I have made such examination of law and
examined such records and other documents as in my judgment are necessary or
appropriate.
<PAGE> 2
Board of Directors
August 25, 2000
Page 2
I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to aforesaid
registration statement and to the reference to me under the caption "Legal
Matters" in the Statement of Additional Information contained in said
registration statement.
Very truly yours,
/s/ James F. Bronsdon
-------------------------------
James F. Bronsdon
Vice President
Legal & Compliance
