-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001140361-08-027414.txt : 20081209
<SEC-HEADER>0001140361-08-027414.hdr.sgml : 20081209
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20081209184233
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001140361-08-027414
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20081205
FILED AS OF DATE:		20081209
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20081209

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000005272
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331]
		IRS NUMBER:				132592361
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		70 PINE ST
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10270
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2127707000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		70 PINE STREET
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10270

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL ENTERPRISES INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19700507

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			C V STARR & CO INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001340459

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08787
		FILM NUMBER:		081239489

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		399 PARK AVE 17TH FL
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10022
		BUSINESS PHONE:		212-230-5050

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		399 PARK AVE 17TH FL
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10022
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc1.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-12-05</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000005272</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AIG</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001340459</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>C V STARR &amp; CO INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>399 PARK AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>17TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-12-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2917916</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10507832</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8580850</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Variable Prepaid Forward Contract</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-12-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2917916</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2917916</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On November 21, 2005, C. V. Starr &amp; Co., Inc. (?CV Starr?) entered into a variable prepaid forward sale contract (the ?Citi Contract?) for up to 2,917,916 shares (the ?Maximum Number?) of American International Group, Inc. common stock (the ?Common Stock?) pursuant to a Master Terms and Conditions for Pre-Paid Forward Contracts, dated as of November 15, 2005, by and between CV Starr and Citibank, N.A. (?Citibank?).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Citi Contract provided that the number of shares of Common Stock deliverable to Citibank by CV Starr at settlement would be based upon the Relevant Price (as defined in the Citi Contract) for each of the 10 Scheduled Trading Days (as defined in the Citi Contract) prior to and including December 5, 2008 (the ?Valuation Dates?) as follows: (a) if the Relevant Price of the Common Stock (the ?Settlement Price?) were less than or equal to $66.8540 (the ?Forward Floor Price?), a delivery of 1/10 of the Maximum Number of shares of Common Stock, subject to rounding; -- CONTINUES ONTO THE NEXT FOOTNOTE</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS FOOTNOTE -- (b) if the Settlement Price were greater than the Forward Floor Price but less than or equal to $86.9102 (the ?Forward Cap Price?), a delivery of shares equal to (i) the Forward Floor Price divided by the Settlement Price times (ii) 1/10 of the Maximum Number of shares of Common Stock, subject to rounding; and (c) if the Settlement Price is greater than the Forward Cap Price, a delivery of shares equal to (i) (A) the Forward Floor Price plus (B) the Settlement Price minus the Forward Cap Price, divided by (ii) the Settlement Price, times (iii) 1/10 of the Maximum Number of shares of Common Stock, subject to rounding.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The Settlement Price on each of the Valuation Dates ranged from a high of $1.98 to a low of $1.56, resulting in CV Starr delivering to Citibank the Maximum Number of shares of Common Stock</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">CV Starr may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of, and to have a pecuniary interest in, the shares of Common Stock held by the C.V. Starr &amp; Co., Inc. Trust, of which CV Starr is a beneficiary.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>CV Starr may be deemed to beneficially own more than 10% of the Common Stock under Rule 16a-1(a)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &quot;Exchange Act&quot;), as a result of it being deemed a member of a group under Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Bertil P-H Lundqvist, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-12-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Mike F. Huang, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-12-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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