Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 9,527	$ 10,950
Cash flows from investing activities
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities	109,308	85,187
Sales, maturities and repayments of equity securities	478	455
Sales, maturities and repayments of mortgage loans	9,775	10,917
Sales, maturities and repayments of real estate and real estate joint ventures	1,644	532
Sales, maturities and repayments of other limited partnership interests	859	555
Purchases of fixed maturity securities	(105,128)	(94,085)
Purchases of equity securities	(431)	(455)
Purchases of mortgage loans	(13,814)	(11,772)
Purchases of real estate and real estate joint ventures	(977)	(1,382)
Purchases of other limited partnership interests	(935)	(1,338)
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives	2,376	977
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives	(2,887)	(2,530)
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	(277)
Net change in policy loans	10	(19)
Net change in short-term investments	(6,644)	1,496
Net change in other invested assets	(350)	(251)
Other, net	(191)	(131)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(6,907)	(11,669)
Cash flows from financing activities
Policyholder account balances: Deposits	69,383	73,855
Policyholder account balances: Withdrawals	(72,940)	(71,301)
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions	2,664	3,481
Net change in short-term debt	0	(75)
Long-term debt issued	1,578	1,000
Long-term debt repaid	(1,078)	(2,802)
Collateral financing arrangements repaid	(44)	0
Cash received (paid) in connection with collateral financing arrangements	6	0
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases	(1,107)	(443)
Preferred stock issued, net of issuance costs	1,483	0
Repurchase of preferred stock	(1,460)	0
Preferred stock repurchase premium	(42)	0
Dividends on preferred stock	(67)	(91)
Dividends on common stock	(1,234)	(1,101)
Other, net	6	(546)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(2,852)	1,977
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents balances	(360)	(60)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(592)	1,198
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	10,808	7,585
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	10,216	8,783
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Net cash paid for Interest	836	841
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax	904	413
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
Fixed maturity securities received in connection with pension closeout transactions	$ 903	$ 0