Name:	all_CededLifeAndAnnuityPremiumsAndContractCharges
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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The gross amount of life insurance in force as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	all_GrossLifeInsuranceInForce
Namespace Prefix:	all_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Represents the carrying amount of the investments held by trust.

No definition available.

Name:	all_InvestmentsHeldByTrust
Namespace Prefix:	all_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

The percentage of morbidity risk ceded to reinsurers on term life insurance policies prior to October 2009.

No definition available.

Name:	all_MorbidityRiskCededTermLifeInsurancePercent
Namespace Prefix:	all_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The amount in the period for estimated recoupment of interest credited expense under annuity contracts ceded.

No definition available.

Name:	all_ReinsuranceCededInterestCreditedToPolicyholdersAccountBalances
Namespace Prefix:	all_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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The amount in the period for estimated recoupment of contract benefits under life insurance, accident and health insurance, and annuity contracts ceded.

No definition available.

Name:	all_ReinsuranceCededLifeAndAnnuityContractBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	all_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The amount in the period for estimated recoupment of operating costs and expenses under life insurance, accident and health insurance, and annuity contracts ceded.

No definition available.

Name:	all_ReinsuranceCededOperatingCostsAndExpenses
Namespace Prefix:	all_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The retention level per claim or life above which the risk is generally ceded to a reinsurer for contracts issued to individuals age 70 and over.

No definition available.

Name:	all_ReinsuranceRetentionLevelAge70
Namespace Prefix:	all_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The retention level per claim or life above which the risk is generally ceded to a reinsurer for certain large contracts that meet specific criteria.

No definition available.

Name:	all_ReinsuranceRetentionLevelSpecificCriteria
Namespace Prefix:	all_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Represents reinsurance agreements entered with non associated reinsurers to limit the risk of mortality and morbidity losses.

No definition available.

Name:	all_UnaffiliatedReinsurers
Namespace Prefix:	all_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

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.

No definition available.

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

Amount of life insurance issued and outstanding ceded to other entities. Includes, but not limited to, dividends and adjustments to face value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 235
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34713774&loc=d3e574992-122915

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

Amount after valuation allowance recoverable including premium paid under reinsurance contracts. Examples include, but are not limited to, settled and unsettled claims, incurred but not reported losses, loss adjustment expense, premium paid, policy benefits and policy reserves.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6480758&loc=d3e6824-158387

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.(a),6)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

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

Stated amount that is the upper retention limit per entity policy.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_ReinsuranceRetentionPolicyAmountRetained
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_CededCreditRiskAxis=all_PrudentialMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_CededCreditRiskAxis=all_CitigroupAndScottishReMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis=all_SingleLifeInsuranceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis=all_JointLifeInsuranceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis=all_LincolnBenefitLifeCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=us-gaap_AffiliatedEntityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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