Investments (Details 29) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Trading securities portfolio
Actively traded securities	$ 473	$ 463
FVO general account securities	267	131
FVO contractholder-directed unit-linked investments	17,411	17,794
FVO securities held by consolidated securitization entities	117	201
Trading and other securities, at estimated fair value (includes $473 and $463, respectively, of actively traded securities;and $280 and $387, respectively, relating to variable interest entities)	18,268	18,589
Short sale agreement liabilities at estimated fair value	(127)	(46)
Net long/short position - at estimated fair value	346	417
Investments pledged to secure short sale agreement liabilities	$ 558	$ 465

The total of financial instruments that are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term (thus held for only a short period of time) or for debt and equity securities formerly categorized as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity which the entity held as of the date it opted to account for such securities at fair value. An enterprise may also categorize such a security as trading without the intent to sell it in the near term assuming the decision to categorize the security as trading occurred at acquisition.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Trading Securities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6526789

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 12

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 159

-Paragraph 29

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.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 Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 13

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26626-111562

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Implementation Guide (Q and A)

-Number FAS115

-Paragraph 35

-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 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26610-111562

+ Details