Disposition (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Apr. 02, 2014
Assets
Total assets held for sale	$ 0	$ 15,593,000,000
Liabilities
Deferred income taxes	0	151,000,000
Total liabilities held for sale	0	14,899,000,000
Disposition of operations	345,000,000	0	13,000,000
(Loss) gain on disposition of operations	(68,000,000)	(687,000,000)	18,000,000
Lincoln Benefit Life Company
Assets
Investments		11,983,000,000
Cash		0
Deferred policy acquisition costs		743,000,000
Reinsurance recoverables, net		1,660,000,000
Accrued investment income		109,000,000
Other assets		79,000,000
Separate Accounts		1,701,000,000
Assets held for sale		16,275,000,000
Less: Loss accrual		(682,000,000)
Total assets held for sale		15,593,000,000
Liabilities
Reserve for life-contingent contract benefits		1,894,000,000
Contractholder funds		10,945,000,000
Unearned premiums		12,000,000
Deferred income taxes		151,000,000
Other liabilities and accrued expenses		196,000,000
Separate Accounts		1,701,000,000
Total liabilities held for sale		14,899,000,000
Disposition of operations				797,000,000
Proceeds from divestiture of businesses, net of cash divested				596,000,000
(Loss) gain on disposition of operations	(79,000,000)
Disposal group not discontinued operation gain (loss) on disposal after tax	(38,000,000)
Investments held by trust	5,280,000,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income related to assets held for sale		85,000,000
Lincoln Benefit Life Company | Fixed income securities
Assets
Investments		10,167,000,000
Lincoln Benefit Life Company | Mortgage loans
Assets
Investments		1,367,000,000
Lincoln Benefit Life Company | Short-term investments
Assets
Investments		160,000,000
Lincoln Benefit Life Company | Policy loans
Assets
Investments		198,000,000
Lincoln Benefit Life Company | Other investments
Assets
Investments		$ 91,000,000