Derivative Financial Instruments - Collateral and Credit Default Swaps (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Collateralized financings	$ 1,967	$ 1,047
Fair value of credit default swaps included in Derivatives assets	792	434
Fair value of credit default swaps included in Derivatives liabilities	667	584
Securities pledged
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Collateralized financings	20	38
Fair value of securities delivered as collateral	276	233
Credit contracts \| Not Designated as Hedging Instrument
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Maximum potential future net exposure on sale of credit default swaps	1,516	1,516
Purchased protection on credit default swaps	$ 500
Derivative, term of contract	5 years
Credit contracts \| Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Derivatives
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of credit default swaps included in Derivatives assets	$ 30	26
Fair value of credit default swaps included in Derivatives liabilities	16	10
Over the Counter \| Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Collateralized financings	154	174
Cleared Derivative Contract \| Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Collateralized financings	234	73
Held for sale
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of credit default swaps included in Derivatives assets	992	1,525
Fair value of credit default swaps included in Derivatives liabilities	3,673	4,182
Held for sale \| Securities pledged
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Collateralized financings	52	34
Fair value of securities delivered as collateral	477	477
Held for sale \| Credit contracts \| Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Derivatives
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair value of credit default swaps included in Derivatives assets	3	1
Fair value of credit default swaps included in Derivatives liabilities	0	6
Held for sale \| Over the Counter \| Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Collateralized financings	655	666
Held for sale \| Cleared Derivative Contract \| Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Collateralized financings	$ 23	$ 22

The value of the collateral (typically cash) that the entity receives in a financing transaction in exchange for securities lent. This item represents a liability in the financial statements of the lender of the securities.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(m)(1)(i)(A)(ii))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 25
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64840732&loc=d3e113275-111724

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CollateralizedFinancings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum potential amount of future undiscounted payments that could be required under the credit derivative, before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4K
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5708775-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of purchased credit protection expected to cover future payments under the credit risk derivative.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4K
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5708775-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditDerivativePurchasedCreditProtection
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets elected not to be offset. Excludes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a),(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5624163-113959

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82849420&loc=SL20226000-175313

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82924980&loc=SL51823488-111719

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes liabilities elected not to be offset. Excludes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82924980&loc=SL51823488-111719

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a),(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5624163-113959

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82849420&loc=SL20226000-175313

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Period the derivative contract is outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeTermOfContract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativesFairValueLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value of financial instrument held by the entity for its own account (proprietary securities) for trading or investment purposes that are carried at fair value and pledged to counterparties as collateral for financing transactions.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (b)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64858031&loc=SL6224234-111729

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66007379&loc=d3e113888-111728

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SecurityOwnedAndPledgedAsCollateralFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_SecuritiesPledgedAsCollateralMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis=us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=voya_DerivativesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis=us-gaap_OverTheCounterMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=voya_PayablesUnderSecuritiesLoanAgreementIncludingCollateralHeldMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis=us-gaap_ExchangeClearedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupClassificationAxis=us-gaap_DiscontinuedOperationsHeldforsaleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: