Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities (Details 3) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Fixed income securities	Jun. 30, 2011 Fixed income securities	Jun. 30, 2012 Fixed income securities	Jun. 30, 2011 Fixed income securities	Jun. 30, 2012 Municipal	Jun. 30, 2011 Municipal	Jun. 30, 2012 Municipal	Jun. 30, 2011 Municipal	Jun. 30, 2012 Corporate	Jun. 30, 2011 Corporate	Jun. 30, 2012 Corporate	Jun. 30, 2011 Corporate	Jun. 30, 2011 RMBS	Jun. 30, 2012 RMBS	Jun. 30, 2011 RMBS	Jun. 30, 2012 CMBS	Jun. 30, 2011 CMBS	Jun. 30, 2012 CMBS	Jun. 30, 2011 CMBS	Jun. 30, 2012 ABS	Jun. 30, 2011 ABS	Jun. 30, 2012 ABS	Jun. 30, 2011 ABS	Jun. 30, 2012 Redeemable preferred stock	Jun. 30, 2012 Redeemable preferred stock	Jun. 30, 2011 Redeemable preferred stock	Mar. 31, 2011 Redeemable preferred stock	Dec. 31, 2010 Redeemable preferred stock	Jun. 30, 2012 Equity securities	Jun. 30, 2011 Equity securities	Jun. 30, 2012 Equity securities	Jun. 30, 2011 Equity securities	Jun. 30, 2012 Free-standing derivatives, net	Jun. 30, 2011 Free-standing derivatives, net	Jun. 30, 2012 Free-standing derivatives, net	Jun. 30, 2011 Free-standing derivatives, net	Jun. 30, 2012 Other assets	Mar. 31, 2012 Other assets	Dec. 31, 2011 Other assets	Jun. 30, 2011 Other assets	Mar. 31, 2011 Other assets	Dec. 31, 2010 Other assets
Rollforward of Level 3 assets held at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance at beginning of period	$ 1,959,000,000	$ 6,112,000,000	$ 1,965,000,000	$ 6,322,000,000	$ 2,014,000,000	$ 6,161,000,000	$ 2,038,000,000	$ 6,369,000,000	$ 387,000,000	$ 544,000,000	$ 387,000,000	$ 601,000,000	$ 1,329,000,000	$ 1,848,000,000	$ 1,319,000,000	$ 1,760,000,000	$ 984,000,000	$ 47,000,000	$ 1,189,000,000	$ 20,000,000	$ 966,000,000	$ 30,000,000	$ 844,000,000	$ 277,000,000	$ 1,818,000,000	$ 254,000,000	$ 1,974,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 14,000,000	$ 14,000,000	$ 14,000,000	$ 29,000,000	$ (70,000,000)	$ (64,000,000)	$ (88,000,000)	$ (77,000,000)	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000
Total gains (losses) included in: net income	14,000,000	(15,000,000)	46,000,000	(14,000,000)	17,000,000	(9,000,000)	34,000,000	(12,000,000)		(1,000,000)			2,000,000	22,000,000	7,000,000	33,000,000	(19,000,000)		(57,000,000)	(1,000,000)	(22,000,000)	(2,000,000)	(42,000,000)	16,000,000	11,000,000	29,000,000	54,000,000									(5,000,000)	(3,000,000)	(6,000,000)	12,000,000	3,000,000
Total gains (losses) included in: OCI	(2,000,000)	36,000,000	43,000,000	250,000,000	(3,000,000)	36,000,000	42,000,000	250,000,000	2,000,000	9,000,000	2,000,000	15,000,000	(6,000,000)	8,000,000	20,000,000	18,000,000	5,000,000		76,000,000	2,000,000	2,000,000	8,000,000	115,000,000	(1,000,000)	12,000,000	12,000,000	26,000,000						1,000,000		1,000,000
Transfers into Level 3	77,000,000	97,000,000	133,000,000	245,000,000	77,000,000	97,000,000	133,000,000	245,000,000					77,000,000	87,000,000	133,000,000	180,000,000					10,000,000		65,000,000
Transfers out of Level 3	(10,000,000)	(149,000,000)	(67,000,000)	(294,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(149,000,000)	(67,000,000)	(284,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(11,000,000)		(75,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(111,000,000)	(54,000,000)	(47,000,000)	(57,000,000)		(10,000,000)		(10,000,000)				(95,000,000)									(10,000,000)
Purchases	34,000,000	79,000,000	56,000,000	159,000,000	26,000,000	74,000,000	45,000,000	144,000,000				10,000,000	25,000,000	20,000,000	44,000,000	55,000,000									54,000,000		79,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000				5,000,000		5,000,000		3,000,000	5,000,000	6,000,000	15,000,000
Sales	(53,000,000)	(555,000,000)	(107,000,000)	(961,000,000)	(48,000,000)	(554,000,000)	(102,000,000)	(960,000,000)	(16,000,000)	(109,000,000)	(16,000,000)	(182,000,000)	(20,000,000)	(341,000,000)	(74,000,000)	(360,000,000)	(38,000,000)		(222,000,000)		(41,000,000)		(66,000,000)	(11,000,000)	(25,000,000)	(11,000,000)	(130,000,000)	(1,000,000)	(1,000,000)				(5,000,000)	(1,000,000)	(5,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Settlements	(12,000,000)	(120,000,000)	(62,000,000)	(222,000,000)	(11,000,000)	(118,000,000)	(61,000,000)	(214,000,000)					(4,000,000)	(2,000,000)	(36,000,000)	(8,000,000)	(31,000,000)		(82,000,000)		(1,000,000)	(15,000,000)	(2,000,000)	(7,000,000)	(84,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(122,000,000)										(1,000,000)	(2,000,000)	(1,000,000)	(8,000,000)
Balance at end of period	2,007,000,000	5,485,000,000	2,007,000,000	5,485,000,000	2,062,000,000	5,538,000,000	2,062,000,000	5,538,000,000	363,000,000	433,000,000	363,000,000	433,000,000	1,403,000,000	1,567,000,000	1,403,000,000	1,567,000,000	847,000,000		847,000,000	21,000,000	904,000,000	21,000,000	904,000,000	274,000,000	1,786,000,000	274,000,000	1,786,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	15,000,000	13,000,000	15,000,000	13,000,000	(71,000,000)	(67,000,000)	(71,000,000)	(67,000,000)	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, gain (loss) included in earnings
Total realized and unrealized gains (losses) included in net income, recurring Level 3 assets and liabilities	30,000,000	(49,000,000)	37,000,000	(40,000,000)
Effect to net income included in realized capital gains and losses	9,000,000	(23,000,000)	35,000,000	(29,000,000)
Effect to net income included in investment income	6,000,000	8,000,000	12,000,000	15,000,000
Effect to net income included in interest credited to contract holder funds	32,000,000	(26,000,000)	(24,000,000)	(63,000,000)
Effect to net income included in contract benefits	(17,000,000)	(8,000,000)	14,000,000	37,000,000
Free-standing derivatives, assets	1,000,000	6,000,000	1,000,000	6,000,000
Free-standing derivatives, liabilities	$ 72,000,000	$ 73,000,000	$ 72,000,000	$ 73,000,000