Fair Value (Details 10) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Mortgage loans [Abstract]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Commercial and Consumer, Net	$ 56,641	$ 56,915
Held-for-sale	9,204	10,716
Policy loans	11,896	11,892
Other Limited Partnership Interests	6,487	6,378
Other Investments	20,172	23,581
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances	220,813	217,700
Bank deposits	10,478	10,507
Long-term Debt	23,389	23,692
Collateral financing arrangements	4,647	4,647
Junior subordinated debt securities	3,192	3,192
Other Liabilities	33,144	30,914
Separate account liabilities	221,975	203,023
Mortgage Loan Commitments [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	4,300	4,100
Commitments to Extend Credit [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	1,500	1,400
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member]
Mortgage loans [Abstract]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Commercial and Consumer, Net	56,188	56,422
Held-for-sale	2,743	4,462
Mortgage loans, net	58,931	60,884
Policy loans	14,069	14,213
Real estate joint ventures	181	183
Other Limited Partnership Interests	1,464	1,656
Other Investments	924	1,434
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	4,902	5,232
Other assets	352	308
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances	160,074	153,304
Bank deposits	10,478	10,507
Long-term Debt	22,561	22,514
Collateral financing arrangements	4,156	4,136
Junior subordinated debt securities	3,582	3,491
Other Liabilities	5,968	4,087
Separate account liabilities	52,769	49,610
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Mortgage Loan Commitments [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	0	3
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Commitments to Extend Credit [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	44	51
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Mortgage loans [Abstract]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Commercial and Consumer, Net	0
Held-for-sale	0
Mortgage loans, net	0
Policy loans	0
Real estate joint ventures	0
Other Limited Partnership Interests	0
Other Investments	65
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	0
Other assets	0
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances	0
Bank deposits	0
Long-term Debt	0
Collateral financing arrangements	0
Junior subordinated debt securities	0
Other Liabilities	0
Separate account liabilities	0
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Mortgage Loan Commitments [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	0
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Level 1 [Member] | Commitments to Extend Credit [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	0
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Mortgage loans [Abstract]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Commercial and Consumer, Net	0
Held-for-sale	0
Mortgage loans, net	0
Policy loans	1,695
Real estate joint ventures	0
Other Limited Partnership Interests	0
Other Investments	0
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	447
Other assets	279
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances	0
Bank deposits	5,573
Long-term Debt	18,422
Collateral financing arrangements	0
Junior subordinated debt securities	3,582
Other Liabilities	3,195
Separate account liabilities	52,769
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Mortgage Loan Commitments [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	0
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Level 2 [Member] | Commitments to Extend Credit [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	44
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Mortgage loans [Abstract]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Commercial and Consumer, Net	56,188
Held-for-sale	2,743
Mortgage loans, net	58,931
Policy loans	12,374
Real estate joint ventures	181
Other Limited Partnership Interests	1,464
Other Investments	859
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	4,455
Other assets	73
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances	160,074
Bank deposits	4,905
Long-term Debt	4,139
Collateral financing arrangements	4,156
Junior subordinated debt securities	0
Other Liabilities	2,773
Separate account liabilities	0
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Mortgage Loan Commitments [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	0
Estimate of Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Commitments to Extend Credit [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	0
Carrying Value [Member]
Mortgage loans [Abstract]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Commercial and Consumer, Net	53,617	53,777
Held-for-sale	2,743	4,462
Mortgage loans, net	56,360	58,239
Policy loans	11,896	11,892
Real estate joint ventures	122	130
Other Limited Partnership Interests	1,272	1,318
Other Investments	924	1,434
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	4,484	4,639
Other assets	314	310
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances	150,903	146,890
Bank deposits	10,478	10,507
Long-term Debt	20,437	20,587
Collateral financing arrangements	4,647	4,647
Junior subordinated debt securities	3,192	3,192
Other Liabilities	5,965	4,087
Separate account liabilities	52,769	49,610
Carrying Value [Member] | Mortgage Loan Commitments [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	0	0
Carrying Value [Member] | Commitments to Extend Credit [Member]
Commitments [Abstract]
Commitments to fund bank credit facilities, bridge loans and private corporate bond investments	$ 0	$ 0