Separate Accounts, Death Benefits and Other Insurance Benefit Features (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB, International GMDB/GMIB, and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liability, balance, beginning of period	$ 1,158	$ 1,115
Incurred	162	205
Paid	(196)	(200)
Unlock	(165)	168
Currency translation adjustment	(1)	8
Liability balance, end of period	958	1,296
Reinsurance recoverable asset, beginning of period	724	686
Incurred	90	99
Paid	(90)	(101)
Unlock	(108)	113
Reinsurance recoverable asset, end of period	616	797
Universal Life [Member] | UL Secondary Guarantees [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB, International GMDB/GMIB, and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liability, balance, beginning of period	228	113
Incurred	84	29
Paid	0
Unlock	21	66
Currency translation adjustment	0	0
Liability balance, end of period	333	208
Reinsurance recoverable asset, beginning of period	22	30
Incurred	(2)	(10)
Paid	0
Unlock	0
Reinsurance recoverable asset, end of period	$ 20	$ 20