Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 6,888	$ 6,921
Cash flows from investing activities
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities	77,865	56,794
Sales, maturities and repayments of equity securities	184	320
Sales, maturities and repayments of mortgage loans	6,494	6,557
Sales, maturities and repayments of real estate and real estate joint ventures	503	385
Sales, maturities and repayments of other limited partnership interests	582	383
Purchases of fixed maturity securities	(72,892)	(62,844)
Purchases of equity securities	(227)	(452)
Purchases of mortgage loans	(10,545)	(6,021)
Purchases of real estate and real estate joint ventures	(334)	(912)
Purchases of other limited partnership interests	(669)	(852)
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives	1,524	703
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives	(2,600)	(2,003)
Cash received under repurchase agreements (Note 5)	199	0
Cash paid under reverse repurchase agreements (Note 5)	(199)	0
Sales of businesses, net of cash and cash equivalents disposed of $0 and $262, respectively	0	452
Purchases of investments in insurance joint ventures	0	(249)
Net change in policy loans	(5)	(5)
Net change in short-term investments	(6,233)	1,374
Net change in other invested assets	(257)	(220)
Other, net	(150)	(110)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(6,760)	(6,700)
Cash flows from financing activities
Policyholder account balances: Deposits	44,433	46,847
Policyholder account balances: Withdrawals	(46,372)	(47,621)
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions	205	2,891
Net change in short-term debt	0	(75)
Long-term debt issued	1,492	1,000
Long-term debt repaid	(1,020)	(2,484)
Collateral financing arrangements repaid	(32)	0
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases	(1,000)	(4)
Preferred stock issued, net of issuance costs	1,485	0
Repurchase of preferred stock	(905)	0
Preferred stock repurchase premium	(27)	0
Dividends on preferred stock	(61)	(61)
Dividends on common stock	(814)	(706)
Other, net	52	(221)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(2,564)	(434)
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents balances	(298)	21
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(2,734)	(192)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	10,808	7,585
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	8,074	7,393
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Net cash paid for Interest	587	623
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax	344	332
Non-cash transactions:
Reduction of redeemable noncontrolling interests	0	774
Reduction of long-term debt	0	413
Reduction of real estate and real estate joint ventures	$ 0	$ 1,132