Transactions with Affiliates Transactions with Affiliates (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended						3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Jan. 02, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014 Affiliated Entity [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Affiliated Entity [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company [Member] White River Life Reinsurance [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company [Member] White River Life Reinsurance [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company [Member] White River Life Reinsurance [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 HLAI [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Assumed Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense				$ 54,000,000	$ 54,000,000
Earned premiums	(123,000,000)	39,000,000					(5,000,000)	(10,000,000)
Net realized gains (losses)	(106,000,000)	1,443,000,000					(103,000,000)	(517,000,000)
Total revenues	495,000,000	2,267,000,000					(108,000,000)	(527,000,000)
Benefits, losses and loss adjustment expenses	254,000,000	456,000,000					(1,000,000)	(8,000,000)
Insurance operating costs and other expenses	166,000,000	(243,000,000)					(4,000,000)	(422,000,000)
Total benefits, losses and expenses	451,000,000	1,754,000,000					(5,000,000)	(430,000,000)
Income (loss) before income taxes	44,000,000	513,000,000					(103,000,000)	(97,000,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(13,000,000)	146,000,000					(36,000,000)	(34,000,000)
Net income (loss)	57,000,000	386,000,000					(67,000,000)	(64,000,000)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent							(67,000,000)	(63,000,000)
Reinsurance (payables) / recoverables							0		129,000,000
Deposit liabilities							917,000,000		638,000,000
Funds Held under Reinsurance Agreements, Liability			691,000,000			310,000,000
Reinsurance loss on dispositions	0	1,560,000,000								344,000,000
Discontinued operations gain loss on disposal net of tax		224,000,000
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest							$ 0	$ (1,000,000)