Report Of The Directors Financial Review Risk Report - Balance sheet of insurance manufacturing subsidiaries by geographical region (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018	Jan. 01, 2018	[1]	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items]
Financial assets	$ 2,471,203			$ 2,433,785
Trading assets	238,130	$ 254,410		287,995
Derivatives	207,825	219,818		219,818
Financial investments at amortised cost	404,111			384,280
Other financial assets	10,086			14,353
Total assets	2,558,124	2,518,430		2,521,771	$ 2,374,986
Liabilities under insurance contracts	84,824			83,196
Deferred tax	2,619	1,614		1,982
Other liabilities	19,905			21,202
Total liabilities	2,363,875	2,322,206		2,323,900
Total equity	194,249	196,224		197,871	$ 182,578	$ 197,518
Total liabilities and equity	2,558,124	$ 2,518,430		2,521,771
Insurance Manufacturing Subsidiaries
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items]
Financial assets	96,744			95,704
Trading assets	0			0
Financial assets designated and otherwise mandatorily measured at fair value through profit or loss	29,242
Financial assets designated at fair value				28,557
Derivatives	237			340
Financial investments at amortised cost	49,413
Financial investments at fair value through other comprehensive income	13,334
Financial investments – HTM				39,029
Financial investments – AFS				21,993
Other financial assets	4,518			5,785
Reinsurance assets	2,692			2,536
PVIF	7,149			6,610
Other assets and investment properties	3,360			3,267
Total assets	109,945			108,117
Liabilities under investment contracts designated at fair value	5,458			5,635
Liabilities under insurance contracts	87,330			85,667
Deferred tax	1,266			1,259
Other liabilities	3,659			3,325
Total liabilities	97,713			95,886
Total equity	12,232			12,231
Total liabilities and equity	109,945			108,117
Insurance Manufacturing Subsidiaries | Europe
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items]
Financial assets	28,631			30,231
Trading assets	0			0
Financial assets designated and otherwise mandatorily measured at fair value through profit or loss	13,142
Financial assets designated at fair value				12,430
Derivatives	121			169
Financial investments at amortised cost	296
Financial investments at fair value through other comprehensive income	12,453
Financial investments – HTM				0
Financial investments – AFS				15,144
Other financial assets	2,619			2,488
Reinsurance assets	249			469
PVIF	832			773
Other assets and investment properties	1,053			1,666
Total assets	30,765			33,139
Liabilities under investment contracts designated at fair value	780			739
Liabilities under insurance contracts	26,375			28,416
Deferred tax	209			217
Other liabilities	1,690			2,043
Total liabilities	29,054			31,415
Total equity	1,711			1,724
Total liabilities and equity	30,765			33,139
Insurance Manufacturing Subsidiaries | Asia
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items]
Financial assets	66,793			63,973
Trading assets	0			0
Financial assets designated and otherwise mandatorily measured at fair value through profit or loss	15,774
Financial assets designated at fair value				15,633
Derivatives	116			171
Financial investments at amortised cost	48,595
Financial investments at fair value through other comprehensive income	440
Financial investments – HTM				38,506
Financial investments – AFS				6,393
Other financial assets	1,868			3,270
Reinsurance assets	2,438			2,063
PVIF	6,195			5,709
Other assets and investment properties	2,280			1,577
Total assets	77,706			73,322
Liabilities under investment contracts designated at fair value	4,678			4,896
Liabilities under insurance contracts	59,829			56,047
Deferred tax	1,050			1,033
Other liabilities	1,911			1,209
Total liabilities	67,468			63,185
Total equity	10,238			10,137
Total liabilities and equity	77,706			73,322
Insurance Manufacturing Subsidiaries | Latin America
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items]
Financial assets	1,320			1,500
Trading assets	0			0
Financial assets designated and otherwise mandatorily measured at fair value through profit or loss	326
Financial assets designated at fair value				494
Derivatives	0			0
Financial investments at amortised cost	522
Financial investments at fair value through other comprehensive income	441
Financial investments – HTM				523
Financial investments – AFS				456
Other financial assets	31			27
Reinsurance assets	5			4
PVIF	122			128
Other assets and investment properties	27			24
Total assets	1,474			1,656
Liabilities under investment contracts designated at fair value	0			0
Liabilities under insurance contracts	1,126			1,204
Deferred tax	7			9
Other liabilities	58			73
Total liabilities	1,191			1,286
Total equity	283			370
Total liabilities and equity	$ 1,474			$ 1,656

[1] Balances at 1 January 2018 have been prepared in accordance with accounting policies referred to on page 263. 31 December 2017 balances have not been re-presented. Information regarding the effects of adoption of IFRS 9 can be found in Note 37.