Investments (Details 29) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Trading securities portfolio
Actively traded securities	$ 565	$ 473
FVO general account securities	178	267
FVO contractholder-directed unit-linked investments	15,199	17,411
FVO securities held by consolidated securitization entities	53	117
Trading and other securities, at estimated fair value (includes $565 and $473, respectively, of actively traded securities; and $146 and $280, respectively, relating to variable interest entities)	15,995	18,268
Short sale agreement liabilities at estimated fair value	(121)	(127)
Net long/short position - at estimated fair value	444	346
Investments pledged to secure short sale agreement liabilities	$ 609	$ 558

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

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

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-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.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

-Glossary Trading Securities

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

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

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-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 Implementation Guide (Q and A)

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-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