Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 5,758	$ 3,499
Cash flows from investing activities
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities	25,815	25,149
Sales, maturities and repayments of equity securities	166	473
Sales, maturities and repayments of mortgage loans	2,160	2,411
Sales, maturities and repayments of real estate and real estate joint ventures	251	106
Sales, maturities and repayments of other limited partnership interests	188	320
Purchases of fixed maturity securities	(27,657)	(32,954)
Purchases of equity securities	(108)	(271)
Purchases of mortgage loans	(1,802)	(2,678)
Purchases of real estate and real estate joint ventures	(117)	(159)
Purchases of other limited partnership interests	(278)	(211)
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives	417	1,070
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives	(1,566)	(1,916)
Net change in securitized reverse residential mortgage loans	(561)	0
Net change in policy loans	(53)	(87)
Net change in short-term investments	5,522	774
Net change in other invested assets	(170)	(66)
Other, net	(40)	(53)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	2,167	(8,092)
Cash flows from financing activities
Policyholder account balances: Deposits	25,069	25,042
Policyholder account balances: Withdrawals	(23,247)	(23,363)
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions	(1,220)	1,353
Net change in bank deposits	(50)	(1,027)
Net change in short-term debt	(585)	266
Long-term debt issued	0	280
Long-term debt repaid	(349)	(249)
Net change in liability for securitized reverse residential mortgage loans	561	0
Common stock issued, net of issuance costs	0	2,950
Stock options exercised	75	47
Redemption of convertible preferred stock	0	(2,805)
Preferred stock redemption premium	0	(146)
Dividends on preferred stock	(30)	(30)
Other, net	16	(56)
Net cash provided by financing activities	240	2,262
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents balances	41	93
Change in cash and cash equivalents	8,206	(2,238)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	10,461	13,046
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	18,667	10,808
Cash and cash equivalents, subsidiaries held-for-sale, beginning of period	0	89
Cash and cash equivalents, subsidiaries held-for-sale, end of period	0	116
Cash and cash equivalents, from continuing operations, beginning of period	10,461	12,957
Cash and cash equivalents, from continuing operations, end of period	18,667	10,692
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Net cash paid during the period for Interest	266	333
Net cash paid during the period for Income tax	83	415
Non-cash transactions during the period:
Real estate and real estate joint ventures acquired in satisfaction of debt	$ 123	$ 0