Borrowings (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 02, 2015 USD ($)
Debt Instrument, Name [Domain]
Short-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Short-term borrowings	$ 9,110	$ 13,024
Long-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Total long-term borrowings	$ 45,282	47,084
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	3.60%
Weighted average years	15
Current Portion Of Long Term Borrowings | Trust Assets Unconditionally Guaranteed by GE
Long-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Non Recourse Borrowings Of Consolidated Securitization Entities	$ 521	320
Intercompany Payable To GE
Long-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Changes in total of short-term borrowings and long-term borrowings		0
Subordinated Debentures
Long-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Subordinated debentures	723	723
GE | Assumed Debt of Subsidary Excluded
Long-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Total short-term borrowings and long-term borrowings	23,685	20,512
GE Capital | Debt Instrument, Name [Domain]
Long-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Total long-term borrowings	45,315
GE Capital | Debt Instrument, Name [Domain] | Trust Assets Unconditionally Guaranteed by GE
Long-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Total short-term borrowings and long-term borrowings			$ 92,537
GE Capital | Intercompany Payable To GE
Short-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Intercompany payable to GE	0	1,329
Long-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Intercompany payable to GE	4,075	0
Total short-term borrowings and long-term borrowings	50,317	58,780
GE Capital | Non-Recourse Borrowings
Long-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Funding secured by real estate, aircraft and other collateral	682	1,419
GE Capital | Other Borrowings
Long-term Borrowings [Abstract]
Funding secured by real estate, aircraft and other collateral	$ 1,891	$ 2,665