Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended					6 Months Ended				6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011 Commitments to Fund Bank Credit Facilities, Bridge Loans and Private Corporate Bond Investments [Member] Commitments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Commitments to Fund Bank Credit Facilities, Bridge Loans and Private Corporate Bond Investments [Member] Commitments [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Other Mortgage Loan Commitments Held for Investment [Member] Commitments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Other Mortgage Loan Commitments Held for Investment [Member] Commitments [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Commitments to Fund Partnership Investments [Member] Commitments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Commitments to Fund Partnership Investments [Member] Commitments [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Residential mortgage loan applications [Member] Commitments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Residential mortgage loan applications [Member] Commitments [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Superfund Site Settlement Agreements [Member] Regulatory Matters [Member]	Jan. 07, 2011 Scott Jackson and Maria Jackson v. EME Homer City LP, et. Al [Member] Regulatory Matters [Member]	Jun. 22, 2011 Merrill Haviland, et al. v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Roberts, et. Al. v. tishman Speyer Properties, et. Al. [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Asbestos Related Claims [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Asbestos Related Claims [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Asbestos Related Claims [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Guarantees [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Guarantees [Member]
Contingencies, Commitments and Guarantees (Textuals) [Abstract]
Number of regulatory matters and other claims										2
Asbestos-Related Claims														2,306	2,076	5,670
Unfunded commitments to fund partnership investments, mortgage loans, bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments		$ 2,300,000,000	$ 2,400,000,000	$ 4,400,000,000	$ 3,800,000,000	$ 4,000,000,000	$ 3,800,000,000
Number of years over which commitments will be invested in partnerships						5 years
Interest rate lock commitments issued on certain residential mortgage loan applications								2,900,000,000	2,500,000,000
Liabilities for indemnities, guarantees and commitments																	5,000,000	5,000,000
Individual plaintiffs											2	45
Alleged damages by tenants													over 200 million
Additional liabilities for indemnities, guarantees and commitments																	0
Payment request by Environmental Protection Agency										less than 1 million and an additional amount
Percentage of Principal Amount of Mortgage Loans Serviced in United States	1.00%
The approximate minimum amount of the aggregate range of reasonably possible losses in excess of amounts accrued for matters as to which an estimate can be made	0
The approximate maximum amount of the aggregate range of reasonably possible losses in excess of amounts accrued for matters as to which an estimate can be made	355,000,000
Company estimate of aggregate costs to resolve Environmental Protection Agency matter										$ 1,000,000