Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																				3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	May 02, 2012	May 01, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012 Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Investment Securities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Assets Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Assets, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Liabilities Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Liabilities, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Power Generating Activities Entity [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Power Generating Activities Entity [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Subsidiaries GECC [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Subsidiaries GECC [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Subsidiaries GECC [Member] Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Subsidiaries GECC [Member] Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]	May 01, 2012 Trinity [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trinity [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trinity [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trinity [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trinity [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trinity [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trinity [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trinity [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trinity [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Other [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Other [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Other [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Other [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Other [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Other [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Other [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Other [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]
Assets And Liabilities Of Consolidated VIEs [Line Items]
Principal Amount Of GICs Redeemed				$ 133																									$ 1,989
Amount Of GICs For Which Contractual Redemption Period Has Not ended			788
Assets					38,491	37,860	5,146	5,320	4,971	3,535	48,608	46,715											1,333							0	0	4,100	4,289	326	389	4,426	4,678										2,828	2,973	1,046	1,031	4,050	2,636	7,924	6,640									19,801	19,229	0	0	21	17	19,822	19,246									11,325	10,523	0	0	363	283	11,688	10,806									3,183	3,521	0	0	211	210	3,394	3,731									1,354	1,614	0	0	0	0	1,354	1,614
Liabilities													1,416	848	28,844	28,758	5,703	5,606	35,963	35,212				594														0	0	0	0	4,333	4,456	4,333	4,456										1,387	821	856	980	1,273	1,071	3,516	2,872									0	0	14,044	14,184	83	37	14,127	14,221									3	2	9,063	8,166	0	0	9,066	8,168									26	25	3,299	3,659	3	19	3,328	3,703									0	0	1,582	1,769	11	23	1,593	1,792
Total revenues of consolidated VIEs	35,182	38,329																							11,442	13,036	1,587	1,651
Provision for Loan and Lease Losses	863	1,140																							863	1,140	200	362
Interest And Other Financial Charges	3,358	3,796																			133	156			3,196	3,584
Liabilities Of Consolidated Securitization Entity																																														6,226
Receivable From Consolidated Securitization Entities																																														$ 4,523