Financing Receivables and Allowance For Losses On Financing Receivables (Net Investment in Financing Leases) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	$ 263,683	$ 273,936
Less allowance for losses	(5,359)	(4,985)	(5,714)	(6,190)
Financing receivables	258,324	268,951
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	134,192	137,810
Less allowance for losses	(993)	(1,041)	(1,433)	(1,530)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Americas CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	72,318	72,517
Less allowance for losses	(490)	(490)	(802)	(889)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Europe CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	35,435	37,035
Less allowance for losses	(411)	(445)	(458)	(400)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Asia CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	10,158	11,401
Less allowance for losses	(72)	(80)	(112)	(157)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Other CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	534	605
Less allowance for losses	(3)	(6)	(2)	(4)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	118,445	121,558
Less allowance for losses	(976)	(1,021)	(1,374)	(1,450)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Energy Financial Services Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	4,734	4,851
Less allowance for losses	(8)	(9)	(25)	(26)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| GECAS Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	10,557	10,915
Less allowance for losses	(7)	(8)	(14)	(17)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Other Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	456	486
Less allowance for losses	(2)	(3)	(20)	(37)
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	19,733	20,946
Less allowance for losses	(265)	(320)	(929)	(1,089)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	109,758	115,180
Less allowance for losses	(4,101)	(3,624)	(3,352)	(3,571)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Non US residential mortgages [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	31,689	33,451
Less allowance for losses	(477)	(480)	(498)	(546)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Non US installment and revolving credit [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	18,050	18,546
Less allowance for losses	(712)	(623)	(726)	(717)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] \| US installment and revolving credit [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	48,523	50,853
Less allowance for losses	(2,665)	(2,282)	(1,845)	(2,008)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Non US auto [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	3,937	4,260
Less allowance for losses	(66)	(67)	(88)	(101)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Consumer Other Financing Receivable [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	7,559	8,070
Less allowance for losses	$ (181)	$ (172)	$ (195)	$ (199)

Financing Receivables and Allowance For Losses On Financing Receivables (Net Investment in Financing Leases) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified

Mar. 31, 2013

Dec. 31, 2012

Mar. 31, 2012

Dec. 31, 2011

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

$ 263,683

$ 273,936

Less allowance for losses

(5,359)

(4,985)

(5,714)

(6,190)

Financing receivables

258,324

268,951

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

134,192

137,810

Less allowance for losses

(993)

(1,041)

(1,433)

(1,530)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Americas CLL Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

72,318

72,517

Less allowance for losses

(490)

(802)

(889)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Europe CLL Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

35,435

37,035

Less allowance for losses

(411)

(445)

(458)

(400)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Asia CLL Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

10,158

11,401

Less allowance for losses

(72)

(80)

(112)

(157)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Other CLL Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

534

605

Less allowance for losses

(3)

(6)

(2)

(4)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | CLL Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

118,445

121,558

Less allowance for losses

(976)

(1,021)

(1,374)

(1,450)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Energy Financial Services Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

4,734

4,851

Less allowance for losses

(8)

(9)

(25)

(26)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | GECAS Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

10,557

10,915

Less allowance for losses

(7)

(8)

(14)

(17)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Other Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

456

486

Less allowance for losses

(2)

(3)

(20)

(37)

Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

19,733

20,946

Less allowance for losses

(265)

(320)

(929)

(1,089)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

109,758

115,180

Less allowance for losses

(4,101)

(3,624)

(3,352)

(3,571)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Non US residential mortgages [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

31,689

33,451

Less allowance for losses

(477)

(480)

(498)

(546)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Non US installment and revolving credit [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

18,050

18,546

Less allowance for losses

(712)

(623)

(726)

(717)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | US installment and revolving credit [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

48,523

50,853

Less allowance for losses

(2,665)

(2,282)

(1,845)

(2,008)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Non US auto [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

3,937

4,260

Less allowance for losses

(66)

(67)

(88)

(101)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Other Financing Receivable [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

7,559

8,070

Less allowance for losses

$ (181)

$ (172)

$ (195)

$ (199)

- Definition

Amount before allowance and after deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References+ Details