Investment Securities (Investment) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	$ 42,770		$ 41,474
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	4,805		3,256
Retained interests, Gross unrealized loss	(559)		(749)
Investments	47,016		43,981
Trading Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Equity Securities, Gross Unrealized Gain	0		0
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	(3)		(4)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	(3)		(4)
Available-for-sale Equity Securities, Gross Unrealized Gain	0		0
Subsidiaries [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	443		342
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	6		23
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	(131)		(42)
Investments	318	[1]	323	[1]
Subsidiaries [Member] | Domestic Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	5		21
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	2		14
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	7		35
Subsidiaries [Member] | Foreign Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	14		13
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	0		0
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	0		(1)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	14		12
Subsidiaries [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	305		302
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	4		9
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	(131)		(41)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	178		270
Subsidiaries [Member] | Trading Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	119		6
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	0		0
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	119		6
Subsidiaries GECC [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	42,330		41,136
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	4,799		3,233
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	(428)		(707)
Investments	46,701		43,662
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Domestic Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	20,000		19,600
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	3,524		2,323
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	(99)		(217)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	23,425		21,706
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	5,176		4,245
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	517		235
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	(89)		(191)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	5,604		4,289
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	1,698		1,819
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	155		139
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	(25)		(48)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	1,828		1,910
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	2,993		2,929
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	181		188
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	(40)		(82)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	3,134		3,035
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	7,767		7,373
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	12		60
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	(119)		(46)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	7,660		7,387
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Foreign Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	1,569		1,741
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	175		103
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	(44)		(86)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	1,700		1,758
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	2,250		2,336
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	129		81
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	(2)		(7)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	2,377		2,410
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | US Treasury and Government [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	579		752
Debt securities, Gross unrealized gains	53		45
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	0		(27)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	632		770
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Retained Interest [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Retained interests and AFS securities, Amortized cost	25		64
Retained interests, Gross unrealized gain	2		8
Retained interests, Gross unrealized loss	0		0
Retained interests, Estimated fair value	27		72
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost	251		203
Debt securities, Gross unrealized gains	51		51
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	(10)		(3)
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	292		251
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Trading Securities [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Debt and AFS securities, Amortized cost			74
Debt securities, Gross unrealized losses	0		0
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity, Estimated fair value	$ 22		$ 74

[1] Represents the adding together of all affiliated companies except General Electric Capital Corporation (GECC or Financial Services), which is presented on a one-line basis.