Separate Accounts, Death Benefits and Other Insurance Benefit Features Level 4 (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Unlock	$ (102)	$ (109)
Liabilities for Guarantees on Long-Duration Contracts, Reinsurance Recoverable				1,143
Reinsurance Recoverable Asset Impact of Reinsurance Transaction		1,485
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	24,226
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	3,603
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	590
Separate Accounts, Liability	136,306		140,874
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts [Abstract]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment, Fair Value	50,266		57,463
Invested in Fixed Income Securities	18.00%		17.00%
Invested in Equity Securities	82.00%		83.00%
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liability, balance, beginning of period	849	944
Incurred	135	150
Paid	(85)	(125)
Unlock	90	120
Currency translation adjustment		(5)
Liability balance, end of period	809	844
Reinsurance recoverable asset, beginning of period	533	608
Incurred	78	79
Paid	(66)	(76)
Reinsurance recoverable asset, end of period	483	538
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	4,083
Return of Premium ROP Other [Member]
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	10,533
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	61
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	53
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	68 years
Reset [Member]
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	3,054
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	38
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	37
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	69 years
Lifetime Income Benefit ("LIB") - Death Benefit [Member]
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	646
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	7
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	7
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	67 years
Asset Protection Benefit ("APB") [Member]
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	15,890
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	263
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	175
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	68 years
With Five Percent Rollup and EPB [Member]
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	552
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	115
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	25
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	71 years
With Earnings Protection Benefit Rider (EPB) [Member]
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	4,444
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	584
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	83
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	68 years
With Five Percent Rollup [Member]
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	1,481
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	220
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	63
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	70 years
MAV Only [Member]
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	17,749
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	2,684
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	419
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	70 years
Universal Life [Member] | Secondary Guarantees [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liability, balance, beginning of period	1,802	363
Incurred	174	240
Paid	0
Unlock	(5)
Currency translation adjustment		0
Liability balance, end of period	1,981	1,746
Reinsurance recoverable asset, beginning of period	1,802	21
Incurred	179	240
Paid	0
Reinsurance recoverable asset, end of period	1,981	1,746
Reinsurance Recoverables [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Unlock	(62)	(73)
Reinsurance Recoverables [Member] | Universal Life [Member] | Secondary Guarantees [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Unlock	0
Equity Securities Including Mutual Funds [Member]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts [Abstract]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment, Fair Value	45,981		52,858
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts [Abstract]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment, Fair Value	4,285		4,605
UNITED STATES
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liabilities for Guarantees on Long-Duration Contracts, Reinsurance Recoverable				0
Reinsurance Recoverable Asset Impact of Reinsurance Transaction		0
UNITED STATES | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	54,349
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	3,972
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	862
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	69 years
Separate Accounts, Liability	50,266
JAPAN | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Individual Variable Annuity Account Value by GMDB [Abstract]
Separate Accounts, Liability	$ 86,040