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                                                                 Exhibit 99.CERT

                      CAPITAL APPRECIATION VARIABLE ACCOUNT

         CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT

I, Richard M. Hisey, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Capital Appreciation Variable
   Account;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a
   material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
   statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
   were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
   information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects
   the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and
   cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement
   of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
   this report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
   establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
   in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant
   and have:

     a. designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
        disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision,
        to ensure that material information relating to the registrant,
        including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others
        within those entities, particularly during the period in which this
        report is being prepared;

     b. evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and
        procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
        effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of a date
        within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such
        evaluation; and

     c. disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control
        over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most
        recent fiscal half-year (the registrant's second fiscal half-year in the
        case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably
        likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over
        financial reporting; and

5. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed to the
   registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of
   directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

     a.   all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
          operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
          reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
          record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and

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     b.   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
          employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
          control over financial reporting.


Date: August 23, 2004                 RICHARD M. HISEY
      ---------------                 ------------------------------------------
                                      Richard M. Hisey
                                      Treasurer (Principal Financial Officer and
                                      Accounting Officer)

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                      CAPITAL APPRECIATION VARIABLE ACCOUNT

         CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT


I, Robert J. Manning, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of Capital Appreciation Variable
   Account;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a
   material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the
   statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
   were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
   information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects
   the financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and
   cash flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement
   of cash flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
   this report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
   establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
   in Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant
   and have:

     a. designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
        disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision,
        to ensure that material information relating to the registrant,
        including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others
        within those entities, particularly during the period in which this
        report is being prepared;

     b. evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls and
        procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
        effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures as of a date
        within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based on such
        evaluation; and

     c. disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal control
        over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's most
        recent fiscal half-year (the registrant's second fiscal half-year in the
        case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably
        likely to materially affect, the registrant's internal control over
        financial reporting; and

5. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed to the
   registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of
   directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

     a.   all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
          operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
          reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
          record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and

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     b.   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
          employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
          control over financial reporting.


Date: August 23, 2004                 ROBERT J. MANNING
      ---------------                 ------------------------------------------
                                      Robert J. Manning
                                      President (Principal Executive Officer)