Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets
Fixed income securities	$ 28,117	$ 28,756
Equity securities	970	650
Short-term investments	857	590
Other investments:
Other investments: Free-standing derivatives	2	9	3
Separate account assets	4,396	5,039
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Liability and Obligation to Return Cash, Offset	(2)	(11)
% of total assets at fair value	0.00%	0.00%
Other liabilities:
Other liabilities: Free-standing derivatives	(9)	(14)	(30)
Liabilities held for sale	0	(14,899)
Total liabilities at fair value	2	7
% of total liabilities at fair value	(0.60%)	(0.10%)
U.S. government and agencies
Assets
Fixed income securities	770	766
Municipal
Assets
Fixed income securities	3,662	3,304
Corporate
Assets
Fixed income securities	20,985	21,316
Foreign government
Assets
Fixed income securities	735	792
ABS
Assets
Fixed income securities	765	1,007
RMBS
Assets
Fixed income securities	605	790
CMBS
Assets
Fixed income securities	579	764
Redeemable preferred stock
Assets
Fixed income securities	16	17
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1)
Other investments:
Total assets at fair value	5,561	7,760
% of total assets at fair value	16.20%	16.40%
Other liabilities:
Total liabilities at fair value	0	0
% of total liabilities at fair value	0.00%	0.00%
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2)
Other investments:
Total assets at fair value	27,805	37,962
% of total assets at fair value	80.70%	80.20%
Other liabilities:
Total liabilities at fair value	(24)	(185)
% of total liabilities at fair value	6.80%	1.60%
Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)
Other investments:
Total assets at fair value	1,077	1,635
% of total assets at fair value	3.10%	3.40%
Other liabilities:
Total liabilities at fair value	(332)	(11,655)
% of total liabilities at fair value	93.80%	98.50%
Recurring basis
Other investments:
Free Standing Derivative Assets, Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset and Right to Reclaim Cash, Offset	2	11
Separate account assets		0
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Liability and Obligation to Return Cash, Offset	(2)	(11)
Other liabilities:
Free Standing Derivative Liabilities Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Asset and Right to Reclaim Cash, Offset	2	7
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Gross Asset and Right to Reclaim Cash, Offset		7
Recurring basis | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1)
Assets
Fixed income securities	147	145
Equity securities	927	593
Short-term investments	90	129
Other investments:
Other investments: Free-standing derivatives	0	0
Separate account assets	4,396	5,039
Assets Held-for-sale, Long Lived, Fair Value Disclosure		1,854
Other assets	1
Total assets at fair value	5,561	7,760
Other liabilities:
Other liabilities: Free-standing derivatives	0	0
Liabilities held for sale		0
Total liabilities at fair value		0
Recurring basis | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) | U.S. government and agencies
Assets
Fixed income securities	147	145
Recurring basis | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) | Municipal
Assets
Fixed income securities	0	0
Recurring basis | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) | Corporate
Assets
Fixed income securities	0	0
Recurring basis | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) | Foreign government
Assets
Fixed income securities	0	0
Recurring basis | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) | ABS
Assets
Fixed income securities	0	0
Recurring basis | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) | RMBS
Assets
Fixed income securities	0	0
Recurring basis | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) | CMBS
Assets
Fixed income securities	0	0
Recurring basis | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) | Redeemable preferred stock
Assets
Fixed income securities	0	0
Recurring basis | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2)
Assets
Fixed income securities	26,942	27,370
Equity securities	6	51
Short-term investments	767	461
Other investments:
Other investments: Free-standing derivatives	90	268
Separate account assets	0
Assets Held-for-sale, Long Lived, Fair Value Disclosure		9,812
Other assets	0
Total assets at fair value	27,805	37,962
Other liabilities:
Other liabilities: Free-standing derivatives	(24)	(185)
Liabilities held for sale		0
Total liabilities at fair value		(185)
Recurring basis | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) | U.S. government and agencies
Assets
Fixed income securities	623	621
Recurring basis | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) | Municipal
Assets
Fixed income securities	3,556	3,185
Recurring basis | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) | Corporate
Assets
Fixed income securities	20,193	20,308
Recurring basis | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) | Foreign government
Assets
Fixed income securities	735	792
Recurring basis | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) | ABS
Assets
Fixed income securities	636	895
Recurring basis | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) | RMBS
Assets
Fixed income securities	605	790
Recurring basis | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) | CMBS
Assets
Fixed income securities	578	763
Recurring basis | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) | Redeemable preferred stock
Assets
Fixed income securities	16	16
Recurring basis | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)
Assets
Fixed income securities	1,028	1,241
Equity securities	37	6
Short-term investments	0	0
Other investments:
Other investments: Free-standing derivatives	2	9
Separate account assets	0	0
Assets Held-for-sale, Long Lived, Fair Value Disclosure		362
Other assets	1
Total assets at fair value	1,068	1,618
Other liabilities:
Other liabilities: Free-standing derivatives	(9)	(14)
Liabilities held for sale		(246)
Total liabilities at fair value		(567)
Recurring basis | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) | U.S. government and agencies
Assets
Fixed income securities	0	0
Recurring basis | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) | Municipal
Assets
Fixed income securities	106	119
Recurring basis | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) | Corporate
Assets
Fixed income securities	792	1,008
Recurring basis | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) | Foreign government
Assets
Fixed income securities	0	0
Recurring basis | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) | ABS
Assets
Fixed income securities	129	112
Recurring basis | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) | RMBS
Assets
Fixed income securities	0	0
Recurring basis | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) | CMBS
Assets
Fixed income securities	1	1
Recurring basis | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) | Redeemable preferred stock
Assets
Fixed income securities	0	1
Non-recurring basis | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1)
Other investments:
Total assets at fair value	0
Other liabilities:
Total liabilities at fair value		0
Non-recurring basis | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2)
Other investments:
Total assets at fair value	0	0
Other liabilities:
Total liabilities at fair value		0
Non-recurring basis | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)
Other investments:
Total assets at fair value	9	17
Other liabilities:
Total liabilities at fair value		(11,088)
Fair value
Other investments:
Assets Held-for-sale, Long Lived, Fair Value Disclosure		15,593
Total assets at fair value	34,441	47,346
% of total assets at fair value	100.00%	100.00%
Mortgage loans	6	8
Limited partnership interests	3	9
Other liabilities:
Liabilities held for sale	0	(7,298)
Total liabilities at fair value	(354)	(11,833)
% of total liabilities at fair value	100.00%	100.00%
Fair value | Recurring basis
Assets
Fixed income securities	28,117	28,756
Equity securities	970	650
Short-term investments	857	590
Other investments:
Other investments: Free-standing derivatives	90	266
Separate account assets	4,396	5,039
Assets Held-for-sale, Long Lived, Fair Value Disclosure		12,028
Other assets	2
Total assets at fair value	34,432	47,329
Contract holder funds:
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts	(323)	(307)
Other liabilities:
Other liabilities: Free-standing derivatives	(31)	(192)
Liabilities held for sale		(246)
Total liabilities at fair value		(745)
Fair value | Non-recurring basis
Other investments:
Total assets at fair value	9	17
Other liabilities:
Total liabilities at fair value		(11,088)
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts | Recurring basis | Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1)
Contract holder funds:
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts	0	0
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts | Recurring basis | Significant other observable inputs (Level 2)
Contract holder funds:
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts	0	0
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts | Recurring basis | Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)
Contract holder funds:
Contractholder funds: Derivatives embedded in life and annuity contracts	(323)	(307)
Lincoln Benefit Life Company
Other liabilities:
Liabilities held for sale		(14,899)
Lincoln Benefit Life Company | Recurring basis
Other investments:
Assets Held-for-sale, Long Lived, Fair Value Disclosure		12,028
Other liabilities:
Liabilities held for sale		$ (246)