Business Dispositions Level 4 (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 02, 2013
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Goodwill impairment loss									$ 0	$ 0	$ 149,000,000
Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal of Discontinued Operation, Net of Tax										(51,000,000)	0
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal									23,000,000	(1,491,000,000)	(61,000,000)
Separate Accounts, Liability	134,689,000,000				140,874,000,000				134,689,000,000	140,874,000,000
Disposal Group, Assets of Business Transferred under Contractual Arrangement	1,000,000,000				1,300,000,000				1,000,000,000	1,300,000,000
Revenues	682,000,000	789,000,000	1,396,000,000	495,000,000	355,000,000	804,000,000	229,000,000	2,267,000,000	3,362,000,000	3,655,000,000	4,104,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Income (Loss)										5,000,000	47,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities	514,000,000				372,000,000				514,000,000	372,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities	25,436,000,000				28,163,000,000				25,436,000,000	28,163,000,000
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Commercial and Consumer, Net	3,109,000,000				3,470,000,000				3,109,000,000	3,470,000,000
Loans, Gross, Insurance Policy	1,430,000,000				1,416,000,000				1,430,000,000	1,416,000,000
Retirement Plans and Individual Life Businesses [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Available for sale securities, Fair Value												15,015,000,000
Disposal Group, Assets of Business Transferred under Contractual Arrangement												16,889,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities												28,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities												16,000,000
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Commercial and Consumer, Net												1,288,000,000
Loans, Gross, Insurance Policy												542,000,000
Hartford Life International Limited [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Sale of Business, Cash Consideration Received on Transaction					285,000,000					285,000,000
Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal of Discontinued Operation, Net of Tax										51,000,000
Retirement Plans [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Fees and Commissions										355,000,000
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal										45,000,000
Goodwill, Written off Related to Sale of Business Unit										87,000,000
Policyholder Funds					9,200,000,000					9,200,000,000
Separate Accounts, Liability					26.3					26.3
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets												100
Revenues											706
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Income (Loss)											0
Individual Life [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Fees and Commissions												590,000,000
Goodwill impairment loss											61,000,000
Gain (Loss) on Investments										927,000,000
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal										0
Goodwill, Written off Related to Sale of Business Unit										163,000,000
Policyholder Funds					8,300,000,000					8,300,000,000
Separate Accounts, Liability					5,300,000,000					5,300,000,000
Revenues											1,303
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Income (Loss)											0
Assets supporting the modified coinsurance agreement, not transferred to prudential												1,400,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Liabilities												1,900,000,000
Hartford Life Inc [Domain] | Individual Life [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Fees and Commissions												615,000,000
Reinsurance Loss on Dispositions [Member] | Individual Life [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal										927,000,000
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Member] | Retirement Plans [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal										634,000,000
Reinsurance Loss on Dispositions [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal									23,000,000	(1,491,000,000)	(61,000,000)
Reinsurance Loss on Dispositions [Member] | Retirement Plans [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal										565,000,000
Net Income Impact [Member] | Retirement Plans [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal										69,000,000
Mass Mutual [Member] | Retirement Plans [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Assets of Business Transferred under Contractual Arrangement												9,300,000,000
Prudential [Member] | Individual Life [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Assets of Business Transferred under Contractual Arrangement												7,600,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets												1,800,000,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Available for sale securities, Fair Value												14,400,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities	55,000,000				114,000,000				55,000,000	114,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities	23,339,000,000				24,515,000,000				23,339,000,000	24,515,000,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Available for sale securities, Fair Value												0
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities	48,000,000				51,000,000				48,000,000	51,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities	$ 2,025,000,000				$ 2,571,000,000				$ 2,025,000,000	$ 2,571,000,000