Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 10,950	$ 9,984
Cash flows from investing activities
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities	85,187	95,972
Sales, maturities and repayments of equity securities	455	567
Sales, maturities and repayments of mortgage loans	10,917	8,000
Sales, maturities and repayments of real estate and real estate joint ventures	532	323
Sales, maturities and repayments of other limited partnership interests	555	546
Purchases of fixed maturity securities	(94,085)	(93,304)
Purchases of equity securities	(455)	(812)
Purchases of mortgage loans	(11,772)	(9,570)
Purchases of real estate and real estate joint ventures	(1,382)	(991)
Purchases of other limited partnership interests	(1,338)	(1,077)
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives	977	1,333
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives	(2,530)	(5,593)
Sales of businesses, net of cash and cash equivalents disposed of $262 and $13, respectively	452	386
Sale of bank deposits	0	(6,395)
Purchases of investments in insurance joint ventures	(277)	0
Net change in policy loans	(19)	(93)
Net change in short-term investments	1,496	4,272
Net change in other invested assets	(251)	(121)
Other, net	(131)	(18)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(11,669)	(6,575)
Cash flows from financing activities
Policyholder account balances: Deposits	73,855	60,168
Policyholder account balances: Withdrawals	(71,301)	(65,141)
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions	3,481	(1,821)
Net change in bank deposits	0	8
Net change in short-term debt	(75)	0
Long-term debt issued	1,000	0
Long-term debt repaid	(2,802)	(765)
Common stock issued, net of issuance costs	0	1,000
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases	(443)	0
Dividends on preferred stock	(91)	(91)
Dividends on common stock	(1,101)	(808)
Other, net	(546)	(134)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	1,977	(7,584)
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents balances	(60)	(187)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	1,198	(4,362)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	7,585	15,738
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	8,783	11,376
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Net cash paid for interest	841	891
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax	413	539
Non-cash transactions:
Real estate and real estate joint ventures acquired in satisfaction of debt	3	55
Reduction of redeemable noncontrolling interests	774	0
Reduction of long-term debt	413	0
Reduction of real estate and real estate joint ventures	$ 1,132	$ 0