GECC Financing Receivables and Allowance for Losses on Financing Receivables (Allowance for Losses on Financing Receivables) (Details) (GECC, USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	$ 5,178	$ 4,944	$ 6,162
Provision charged	3,993	4,818	3,832
Other	(469)	(140)	(100)
Gross write-offs	(5,142)	(5,887)	(6,510)
Recoveries	1,515	1,443	1,560
Ending Balance	5,075	5,178	4,944
Commercial
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	1,005	1,041	1,530
Provision charged	535	741	542
Other	(43)	0	(78)
Gross write-offs	(800)	(983)	(1,156)
Recoveries	206	206	203
Ending Balance	903	1,005	1,041
Commercial | CLL Americas
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	473	496	893
Provision charged	307	289	122
Other	(3)	(1)	(52)
Gross write-offs	(422)	(425)	(578)
Recoveries	100	114	111
Ending Balance	455	473	496
Commercial | CLL International
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	505	525	557
Provision charged	159	445	411
Other	(37)	1	(6)
Gross write-offs	(351)	(556)	(524)
Recoveries	100	90	87
Ending Balance	376	505	525
Commercial | Total CLL
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	978	1,021	1,450
Provision charged	466	734	533
Other	(40)	0	(58)
Gross write-offs	(773)	(981)	(1,102)
Recoveries	200	204	198
Ending Balance	831	978	1,021
Commercial | Energy Financial Services
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	8	9	26
Provision charged	30	(1)	4
Other	(1)	0	0
Gross write-offs	(17)	0	(24)
Recoveries	6	0	3
Ending Balance	26	8	9
Commercial | GECAS
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	17	8	17
Provision charged	39	9	4
Other	0	0	0
Gross write-offs	(10)	0	(13)
Recoveries	0	0	0
Ending Balance	46	17	8
Commercial | Other
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	2	3	37
Provision charged	0	(1)	1
Other	(2)	0	(20)
Gross write-offs	0	(2)	(17)
Recoveries	0	2	2
Ending Balance	0	2	3
Real Estate
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	192	320	1,089
Provision charged	(86)	28	72
Other	(1)	(4)	(44)
Gross write-offs	(59)	(163)	(810)
Recoveries	115	11	13
Ending Balance	161	192	320
Consumer
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	3,981	3,583	3,543
Provision charged	3,544	4,049	3,218
Other	(425)	(136)	22
Gross write-offs	(4,283)	(4,741)	(4,544)
Recoveries	1,194	1,226	1,344
Ending Balance	4,011	3,981	3,583
Consumer | Other
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance			199
Provision charged			132
Other			18
Gross write-offs			(257)
Recoveries			80
Ending Balance			172
Consumer | Non US residential mortgages
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	358	480	545
Provision charged	256	269	112
Other	(151)	10	8
Gross write-offs	(207)	(458)	(261)
Recoveries	69	57	76
Ending Balance	325	358	480
Consumer | Non US installment and revolving credit
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	650	649	791
Provision charged	338	647	308
Other	(260)	(106)	20
Gross write-offs	(787)	(1,093)	(1,120)
Recoveries	458	553	650
Ending Balance	399	650	649
Consumer | US installment and revolving credit
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	2,823	2,282	2,008
Provision charged	2,875	3,006	2,666
Other	19	(51)	(24)
Gross write-offs	(3,138)	(2,954)	(2,906)
Recoveries	607	540	538
Ending Balance	3,186	2,823	2,282
Consumer | Consumer Other Financing Receivable
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	150	172
Provision charged	75	127
Other	(33)	11
Gross write-offs	(151)	(236)
Recoveries	60	76
Ending Balance	$ 101	$ 150