Consolidated Supplementary Insurance Information (Details 1) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
Premium Revenue and Policy Charges	$ 46,531	$ 44,167	$ 33,099
Net investment income	21,984	19,585	17,493
Policyholder Benefits and Interest Credited	45,716	41,074	34,106
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	4,199	4,898	2,477
Other Operating Expenses	14,925	15,085	11,935
Premiums Written (Excluding Life)	15,878	14,822	9,998
Latin America [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
Premium Revenue and Policy Charges	3,438	3,371	2,599
Net investment income	1,354	1,105	940
Policyholder Benefits and Interest Credited	3,014	2,899	2,483
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	228	211	144
Other Operating Expenses	1,047	1,056	683
Premiums Written (Excluding Life)	732	817	519
Asia [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
Premium Revenue and Policy Charges	9,835	9,059	2,218
Net investment income	3,421	1,954	505
Policyholder Benefits and Interest Credited	8,246	6,360	1,664
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	1,567	1,505	290
Other Operating Expenses	1,933	1,862	635
Premiums Written (Excluding Life)	4,776	4,293	412
Europe, the Middle East and Africa [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
Premium Revenue and Policy Charges	2,718	2,792	489
Net investment income	1,348	535	205
Policyholder Benefits and Interest Credited	2,088	1,385	307
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	644	613	87
Other Operating Expenses	1,060	1,119	320
Premiums Written (Excluding Life)	821	823	198
Retail [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
Premium Revenue and Policy Charges	11,411	11,077	10,357
Net investment income	7,275	7,156	7,348
Policyholder Benefits and Interest Credited	11,247	10,447	10,134
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	1,603	2,365	1,758
Other Operating Expenses	4,941	4,902	4,764
Premiums Written (Excluding Life)	2,037	1,975	1,972
Group, Voluntary and Worksite Benefits [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
Premium Revenue and Policy Charges	15,456	14,579	14,716
Net investment income	1,628	1,631	1,600
Policyholder Benefits and Interest Credited	13,858	13,193	13,308
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	133	186	181
Other Operating Expenses	2,215	2,022	2,007
Premiums Written (Excluding Life)	7,474	6,887	6,897
Corporate Benefit Funding [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
Premium Revenue and Policy Charges	3,462	3,080	2,571
Net investment income	5,765	5,639	5,461
Policyholder Benefits and Interest Credited	7,105	6,664	6,177
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	22	17	16
Other Operating Expenses	457	497	481
Premiums Written (Excluding Life)	0	0	0
Corporate & Other [Member]
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items]
Premium Revenue and Policy Charges	211	209	149
Net investment income	1,193	1,565	1,434
Policyholder Benefits and Interest Credited	158	126	33
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	2	1	1
Other Operating Expenses	3,272	3,627	3,045
Premiums Written (Excluding Life)	$ 38	$ 27	$ 0