Consolidated Supplementary Insurance Information (Balance Sheet Items) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC & VOBA	$ 26,706	$ 24,761	$ 24,619
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	204,927	211,642	202,793
Policyholder account balances	212,885	225,821	217,700
Policyholder Dividends Payable	675	728	774
Unearned Premiums	4,403	3,931	3,374
Unearned Revenue	2,865	2,678	2,316
Retail [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC & VOBA	12,882	11,500	11,681
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	73,953	74,887	72,238
Policyholder account balances	62,733	67,023	69,553
Policyholder Dividends Payable	601	610	659
Unearned Premiums	918	873	791
Unearned Revenue	860	911	995
Group, Voluntary and Worksite Benefits [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC & VOBA	382	382	377
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	20,946	21,078	19,626
Policyholder account balances	8,575	8,918	9,273
Policyholder Dividends Payable	0	0	0
Unearned Premiums	886	852	822
Unearned Revenue	0	0	0
Corporate Benefit Funding [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC & VOBA	99	96	89
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	50,548	53,542	49,858
Policyholder account balances	62,043	63,523	56,367
Policyholder Dividends Payable	0	0	0
Unearned Premiums	0	0	0
Unearned Revenue	32	39	49
Corporate & Other [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC & VOBA	26	0	2
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	6,928	6,697	6,699
Policyholder account balances	1,201	2,476	2,374
Policyholder Dividends Payable	0	0	0
Unearned Premiums	9	9	10
Unearned Revenue	0	0	0
Latin America [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC & VOBA	2,201	1,231	1,050
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	8,985	8,856	7,731
Policyholder account balances	7,177	7,199	6,159
Policyholder Dividends Payable	0	0	4
Unearned Premiums	499	428	284
Unearned Revenue	678	627	514
Asia [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC & VOBA	9,077	9,554	9,554
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	35,863	39,061	38,528
Policyholder account balances	57,203	64,003	59,739
Policyholder Dividends Payable	65	65	53
Unearned Premiums	1,895	1,554	1,267
Unearned Revenue	1,035	831	655
Europe, the Middle East and Africa [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC & VOBA	2,039	1,998	1,866
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	7,704	7,521	8,113
Policyholder account balances	13,953	12,679	14,235
Policyholder Dividends Payable	9	53	58
Unearned Premiums	196	215	200
Unearned Revenue	$ 260	$ 270	$ 103

- Definition

The sum of the following as of the balance sheet date: 1) The known and estimated amounts payable as of the balance sheet date to policyholders pertaining to insured events for long-duration contracts, which can be viewed as either (a) the present value of future benefits to be paid to or on behalf of policyholders and expenses less the present value of future net premiums payable under the insurance contracts or (b) the accumulated amount of net premiums already collected less the accumulated amount of benefits and expenses already paid to or on behalf of policyholders, 2) The liability to the policyholders for funds held that are returnable under the terms of insurance contracts that were not separately reported and 3) The excess of the cumulative actual closed block earnings over the cumulative expected (actuarially determined) closed block earnings (each) for the period from the actuarial calculation date to the date of measurement. The excess will result in future dividends to closed block policyholders, unless offset by less favorable than expected future performance of the closed block. The policyholder dividend obligation, which may not have a negative balance, recognizes that a portion of earnings in certain cases will not inure to the stockholders of the insurance entity.

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