No definition available.

Name:	all_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentByCreditQualityIndicatorAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	all_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953423-111524

+ Details

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

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of direct write-downs of financing receivables charged against the allowance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953423-111524

+ Details

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

- Definition

Average amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=d3e5212-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 17
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=d3e5258-111524

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 14A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953550-111524

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of investment in impaired financing receivables for which there is no related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of investment in impaired financing receivables for which there is a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of loan with fixed rate of interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82891408&loc=d3e4428-111522

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansReceivableWithFixedRatesOfInterest1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in allowances and reserves, the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24092-122690

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationAllowancesAndReservesPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=all_MortgagesNonImpairedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=all_DebtServiceCoverageRatioBelow1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=all_DebtServiceCoverageRatioBelow1To1.25Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=all_DebtServiceCoverageRatioBelow1.26To1.5Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=all_DebtServiceCoverageRatioBelowAbove1.5Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountsNotesLoansAndFinancingReceivableByReceivableTypeAxis=us-gaap_MortgageReceivablesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Investments- Carrying Value of Non-impaired Fixed Rate and Variable Rate Mortgage Loans (Details 13) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Net carrying value of impaired mortgage loans
Impaired mortgage loans with a valuation allowance					$ 15	$ 5
Impaired mortgage loans without a valuation allowance					0	0
Total impaired mortgage loans					15	5
Valuation allowance on impaired mortgage loans	$ 3	$ 3	$ 3	$ 3	4	3
Rollforward of the valuation allowance on impaired mortgage loans
Beginning balance	3	3	3	3
Net increase in valuation allowance	1	0	1	0
Charge offs	0	0	0	0
Ending balance	$ 4	$ 3	4	3
Non-impaired mortgage loans
Carrying value of non-impaired fixed rate and variable rate mortgage loans by debt service coverage ratio distribution
Fixed rate mortgage loans					3,720	3,933
Non-impaired mortgage loans \| Below 1.0
Carrying value of non-impaired fixed rate and variable rate mortgage loans by debt service coverage ratio distribution
Fixed rate mortgage loans					4	52
Non-impaired mortgage loans \| 1.0 - 1.25
Carrying value of non-impaired fixed rate and variable rate mortgage loans by debt service coverage ratio distribution
Fixed rate mortgage loans					330	321
Non-impaired mortgage loans \| 1.26 - 1.50
Carrying value of non-impaired fixed rate and variable rate mortgage loans by debt service coverage ratio distribution
Fixed rate mortgage loans					1,008	1,196
Non-impaired mortgage loans \| Above 1.50
Carrying value of non-impaired fixed rate and variable rate mortgage loans by debt service coverage ratio distribution
Fixed rate mortgage loans					$ 2,378	$ 2,364
Mortgage loans
Average carrying value and interest income recognized on impaired mortgage loans
Average balance impaired mortgage loans			$ 8	$ 6