Separate Accounts, Death Benefits and Other Insurance Benefit Features Level 4 (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	$ 22,829
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	3,414
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	537
Separate Accounts, Liability	135,790		134,689
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liability, balance, beginning of period	812			854	849
Incurred	41	47
Paid	(29)	(31)
Unlock	24	11
Liability balance, end of period	800			854	849
Reinsurance recoverable asset, beginning of period	480			532	533
Incurred	25	26
Paid	(22)	(22)
Reinsurance recoverable asset, end of period	477			532	533
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	3,951
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts [Abstract]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment, Fair Value	47,549		48,852
Fair Value, Investments, Entities that Calculate Net Asset Value Per Share, Percent Debt Securities	17.00%
Fair Value, Investments, Entities that Calculate Net Asset Value Per Share, Percent Equity Securities	83.00%
Return of Premium ROP Other [Member]
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	10,864
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	53
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	47
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	67 years
Reset [Member]
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	2,895
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	14
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	14
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	69 years
Lifetime Income Benefit ("LIB") - Death Benefit [Member]
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	608
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	68 years
Asset Protection Benefit ("APB") [Member]
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	14,304
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	195
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	128
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	68 years
With Five Percent Rollup and EPB [Member]
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	544
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	24
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	71 years
With Earnings Protection Benefit Rider (EPB) [Member]
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	4,275
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	581
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	77
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	69 years
With Five Percent Rollup [Member]
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	1,433
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	199
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	57
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	70 years
MAV Only [Member]
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	16,577
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	2,519
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	379
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	2,041			1,858	1,802
Incurred	66	56
Paid	0
Unlock	3
Liability balance, end of period	2,104			1,858	1,802
Reinsurance recoverable asset, beginning of period	2,041			1,858	1,802
Incurred	63	56
Paid	0
Reinsurance recoverable asset, end of period	2,104			1,858	1,802
Reinsurance Recoverables [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Unlock	(6)	(5)
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 [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts [Abstract]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment, Fair Value	43,532		44,786
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts [Abstract]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment, Fair Value	4,017		4,066
UNITED STATES | Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit [Member]
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	8,200
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	0
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	70 years
UNITED STATES | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value	51,500
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk	3,683
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization	733
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age	69 years
Separate Accounts, Liability	47,549
JAPAN | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Account Value by GMDB Type [Abstract]
Separate Accounts, Liability	$ 88,241