2.4.0.82404426 - Disclosure - Investments and Derivative Instruments (Details Textual 4)truefalseIn Billions, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1false USDfalsefalseD2013Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000045947duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:00numberStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0usdStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170$2false falsefalseD2012Q2YTDhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000045947duration2012-01-01T00:00:002012-06-30T00:00:001true 1hlic_InvestmentsAndDerivativeInstrumentsAbstracthlic_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Investments and Derivative Instruments [Abstract]2false 2us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskBenchmarkDescriptionus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1falsefalsefalse00greater than 10% of the Company’s stockholder’s equityfalsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00greater than 10% of the Company’s stockholder’s equityfalsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringIdentifies or describes the benchmark that serves as the denominator in the calculation of the percentage of concentration risk.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13537-108611 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6404-108592 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13531-108611 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 18 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6351-108592 false0Concentration Risk, Benchmark Description3false 2hlic_HigCompanyslargestexposuretoconcentrationofcreditriskwithasingleissuerhlic_falsecreditinstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse9000000000.9USD$falsetruefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryhig_CompanysLargestExposureToConcentrationOfCreditRiskWithASingleIssuerNo definition available.false2hig_CompanysLargestExposureToConcentrationOfCreditRiskWithASingleIssuer4false 2hlic_HigCompanyspercentageoflargestexposuretostockholdersequityhlic_falsenainstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truetruefalse0.1100.110falsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsenum:percentItemTypepurehig_CompanysPercentageOfLargestExposureToStockholdersEquityNo definition available.false0hig_CompanysPercentageOfLargestExposureToStockholdersEquity5false 2hlic_HigCompanyspercentageoflargestexposuretoinvestedassetshlic_falsenainstantfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truetruefalse0.0220.022falsefalsefalse2falsetruefalse00falsefalsefalsenum:percentItemTypepurehig_CompanysPercentageOfLargestExposureToInvestedAssetsNo definition available.false0hig_CompanysPercentageOfLargestExposureToInvestedAssetsfalseInvestments and Derivative Instruments (Details Textual 4) (USD $)HundredMillionsUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.thehartford.com/role/InvestmentsAndDerivativeInstrumentsDetailsTextual425