Consolidated Supplementary Insurance Information (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC and VOBA	$ 27,971	$ 27,092	$ 19,083	$ 20,001
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	202,770	187,538	142,211
Policyholder Account Balances	217,700	210,757	138,515
Policyholder Dividends Payable	774	830	761
Unearned Revenue	2,316	2,088	2,040
U.S. Business [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC and VOBA	14,396	15,145	16,382
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	141,722	131,196	126,026
Policyholder Account Balances	135,193	133,697	130,495
Policyholder Dividends Payable	659	722	761
Unearned Revenue	1,044	1,144	1,264
International [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC and VOBA	13,573	11,944	2,697
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	54,463	50,121	10,353
Policyholder Account Balances	82,473	77,018	7,970
Policyholder Dividends Payable	115	108	0
Unearned Revenue	1,272	944	776
Japan [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC and VOBA	8,498	6,988	0
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	31,871	28,394	0
Policyholder Account Balances	58,195	53,161	0
Policyholder Dividends Payable	0	0	0
Unearned Revenue	200	12	0
International Other Regions [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC and VOBA	5,075	4,956	2,697
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	22,592	21,727	10,353
Policyholder Account Balances	24,278	23,857	7,970
Policyholder Dividends Payable	115	108	0
Unearned Revenue	1,072	932	776
Insurance Products [Member] \| U.S. Business [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC and VOBA	8,609	9,080	10,103
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	83,309	79,643	76,948
Policyholder Account Balances	30,196	29,407	28,118
Policyholder Dividends Payable	659	722	761
Unearned Revenue	872	988	1,123
Retirement Products [Member] \| U.S. Business [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC and VOBA	5,489	5,800	6,024
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	10,616	8,975	8,348
Policyholder Account Balances	48,689	46,517	46,855
Policyholder Dividends Payable	0	0	0
Unearned Revenue	123	103	79
Corporate Benefit Funding [Member] \| U.S. Business [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC and VOBA	104	75	74
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	44,652	39,371	37,574
Policyholder Account Balances	56,308	57,773	55,522
Policyholder Dividends Payable	0	0	0
Unearned Revenue	49	53	62
Auto Home [Member] \| U.S. Business [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC and VOBA	194	190	181
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	3,145	3,207	3,156
Policyholder Account Balances	0	0	0
Policyholder Dividends Payable	0	0	0
Unearned Revenue	0	0	0
Corporate & Other [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
DAC and VOBA	2	3	4
Future Policy Benefits, Other Policy-related Balances and Policyholder Dividend Obligation	6,585	6,221	5,832
Policyholder Account Balances	34	42	50
Policyholder Dividends Payable	0	0	0
Unearned Revenue	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

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.

+ References+ Details

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liability for dividends that are payable to the policyholders based upon the terms of the underlying insurance contracts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 7

-Section 03

-Paragraph 14

-Subparagraph a

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.14(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 60

-Paragraph 60

-Subparagraph g

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 50

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6483535&loc=d3e16392-158451

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 120

-Paragraph 5, 6

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Statement of Position (SOP)

-Number 95-1

-Paragraph 14-18

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details