Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 15,288	$ 9,034
Cash flows from investing activities
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities	78,296	81,918
Sales, maturities and repayments of equity securities	1,011	1,342
Sales, maturities and repayments of mortgage loans	6,696	8,784
Sales, maturities and repayments of real estate and real estate joint ventures	669	856
Sales, maturities and repayments of other limited partnership interests	690	852
Purchases of fixed maturity securities	(91,998)	(95,660)
Purchases of equity securities	(499)	(869)
Purchases of mortgage loans	(7,585)	(12,248)
Purchases of real estate and real estate joint ventures	(595)	(608)
Purchases of other limited partnership interests	(1,017)	(849)
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives	1,560	2,841
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives	(2,534)	(3,102)
Net change in securitized reverse residential mortgage loans	(1,198)	0
Sale of interest in joint venture	0	265
Net change in policy loans	(116)	(84)
Net change in short-term investments	2,825	(6,508)
Net change in other invested assets	(206)	(169)
Other, net	(74)	(104)
Net cash used in investing activities	(14,075)	(23,343)
Cash flows from financing activities
Policyholder account balances: Deposits	69,438	69,911
Policyholder account balances: Withdrawals	(64,718)	(67,001)
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions	4,777	7,661
Net change in bank deposits	(4,052)	296
Net change in short-term debt	(586)	145
Long-term debt issued	750	1,346
Long-term debt repaid	(1,106)	(1,192)
Collateral financing arrangements repaid	(349)	0
Cash received in connection with collateral financing arrangements	0	100
Cash paid in connection with collateral financing arrangements	(44)	0
Debt issuance costs	(7)	(1)
Net change in liability for securitized reverse residential mortgage loans	1,198	0
Common stock issued, net of issuance costs	0	2,950
Stock options exercised	89	77
Redemption of convertible preferred stock	0	(2,805)
Preferred stock redemption premium	0	(146)
Dividends on preferred stock	(91)	(91)
Other, net	(47)	(68)
Net cash provided by financing activities	5,252	11,182
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents balances	24	133
Change in cash and cash equivalents	6,489	(2,994)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	10,461	13,046
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	16,950	10,052
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	51
Cash and cash equivalents, from continuing operations, beginning of period	10,461	12,957
Cash and cash equivalents, from continuing operations, end of period	16,950	10,001
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Net cash paid during the period for Interest	946	1,184
Net cash paid during the period for Income tax	442	668
Non-cash transactions during the period:
Real estate and real estate joint ventures acquired in satisfaction of debt	334	106
Collateral financing arrangements repaid	102	0
Redemption of advances agreements in long-term debt	3,806	0
Issuance of funding agreements in policyholder account balances	$ 3,806	$ 0