Investments (excluding Consolidated Investment Entities) - Fixed Maturities and Equity Securities, Repurchase Agreements and Securities Lending (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Securities received as collateral	$ 146	$ 91
Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held	1,373	1,366
Securities pledged
Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Securities Pledged under repurchase agreements, carrying value	66	45
Fair value of loaned securities	1,159	1,237
Short-term investments
Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Securities received as collateral	1,055	1,190
Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held
Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Obligation to repay loans related to repurchase agreement transaction	66	45
Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held	$ 1,055	$ 1,190
CMOs
Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Percent collateralized mortgage backed securities including interest-only strip or principal-only strip	43.40%	46.00%
U.S. Treasuries
Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held	$ 213	$ 180
U.S. Government agencies and authorities
Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held	15	7
U.S. corporate public securities
Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held	684	813
Equity securities
Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held	0	1
Foreign corporate public securities and foreign governments
Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held	289	280
Payables under securities loan agreements
Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreement, including collateral held	$ 1,201	$ 1,281

The fair value of collateral received by the entity associated with securities borrowed that must be returned if the counterparty fulfills its obligations. It appears on the balance sheet as a liability and has a corresponding asset that appears on the balance sheet called Securities Received as Collateral.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119400593&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fair value of the securities pledged as collateral against securities loaned.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393222&loc=SL20226013-175313

+ Details

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

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the assets received as collateral against securities loaned to other broker-dealers. Borrowers of securities generally are required to provide collateral to the lenders of securities, commonly cash but sometimes other securities or standby letters of credit, with a value slightly higher than that of the securities borrowed. In instances where the entity is permitted to sell or re-pledge these securities, the entity reports the fair value of the collateral received and the related obligation to return the collateral as a liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109249958&loc=SL6224234-111729

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 10
-Section 05
-Paragraph 17
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109246787&loc=d3e93645-111703

+ Details

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

- Definition

Carrying amount of liabilities associated with financial assets accounted for as secured borrowings recognized in the transferor's statement of financial position at the end of each period presented.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (b)(1)(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109249958&loc=SL6224234-111729

+ Details

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

- Definition

Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	voya_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesIncludingSecuritiesPledgedLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	voya_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percent Collateralized Mortgage Backed Securities including Interest-Only Strip or Principal-Only Strip

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	voya_PercentCollateralizedMortgageBackedSecuritiesIncludingInterestOnlyStripOrPrincipalOnlyStrip
Namespace Prefix:	voya_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Securities Pledged under repurchase agreements, carrying value

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	voya_SecuritiesPledgedunderrepurchaseagreementscarryingvalue
Namespace Prefix:	voya_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_ShortTermInvestmentsMember
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_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=voya_U.S.CorporatePublicSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=voya_ForeignCorporatePublicSecuritiesandForeignGovernmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=voya_PayablesUnderSecuritiesLoanAgreementsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: