Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies Level 1 (Notes)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies	Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Hartford Life Insurance Company (together with its subsidiaries, “HLIC,” “Company,” “we” or “our”) is a provider of insurance and investment products in the United States (“U.S.”) and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hartford Life, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("HLI"). The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (“The Hartford”) is the ultimate parent of the Company. On June 30, 2014, HLI completed the sale of all of the issued and outstanding equity of Hartford Life Insurance KK, a Japanese company ("HLIKK") to ORIX Life Insurance Corporation ("Buyer"), a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation, a Japanese company. Upon closing HLIKK recaptured certain risks reinsured to the Company and Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company ("HLAI"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, by terminating intercompany agreements. The Buyer is responsible for all liabilities related to the recaptured business. However, HLAI has continued to provide reinsurance for Japan fixed payout annuities of approximately $770 as of March 31, 2015. For further discussion of this transaction see Note 7 - Transactions with Affiliates of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Effective April 1, 2014, The Company terminated its modco and coinsurance with funds withheld reinsurance agreement with White River Life Reinsurance ("WRR"), following receipt of approval from the State of Connecticut Insurance Department ("CTDOI") and Vermont Department of Financial Regulation. On April 30, 2014 The Hartford dissolved WRR. For further discussion of this transaction, see Note 7 - Transactions with Affiliates of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. Effective March 3, 2014, The Hartford made Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company ("HLA") the single nationwide underwriting company for its Group Benefits business by capitalizing HLA to support the Group Benefits business and separating it from the legal entities that support The Hartford's Talcott Resolution operating segment. On January 30, 2014, The Hartford received approval from the CTDOI for HLAI and the Company to dividend approximately $800 of cash and invested assets to HLA and this dividend was paid on February 27, 2014. All of the issued and outstanding equity of the Company was then distributed from HLA to HLI and the Company became a direct subsidiary of HLI. On January 30, 2015, the Company paid an extraordinary dividend of approximately $500, based on approval from the CTDOI. As a result of this dividend, the Company has no ordinary dividend capacity for the remainder of 2015. The Company anticipates paying an additional $500 in extraordinary dividends during 2015. The Company has ceded reinsurance in connection with the sales of its Retirement Plans and Individual Life businesses in 2013 to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company ("MassMutual") and The Prudential Insurance Company of America ("Prudential"), respectively. Reinsurance recoverables due from MassMutual and Prudential are secured by invested assets held in trust for the benefit of the Company in the event of a default by the reinsurers. As of March 31, 2015, $1.1 billion of unsecured reinsurance recoverables from Prudential represent approximately 13% of the Company's consolidated stockholder's equity. As of March 31, 2015, the Company has no other reinsurance-related concentrations of credit risk greater than 10% of the Company’s consolidated stockholder's equity. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information, which differ materially from the accounting practices prescribed by various insurance regulatory authorities. These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Company's 2014 Form 10-K Annual Report. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes are unaudited. These financial statements reflect all adjustments (generally consisting only of normal accruals) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods. The Company's significant accounting policies are summarized in Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's 2014 Form 10-K Annual Report. Consolidation The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of HLIC, companies in which the Company directly or indirectly has a controlling financial interest and those variable interest entities (“VIEs”) which the Company is required to consolidate. Entities in which HLIC has significant influence over the operating and financing decisions but is not required to consolidate are reported using the equity method. For further discussions on VIEs, see Note 3 - Investments and Derivative Instruments of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. All intercompany transactions and balances between HLIC and its subsidiaries have been eliminated. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements, in conformity with U.S. GAAP, requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The most significant estimates include those used in determining estimated gross profits used in the valuation and amortization of assets and liabilities associated with variable annuity and other universal life-type contracts; evaluation of other-than-temporary impairments on available-for-sale securities and valuation allowances on investments; living benefits required to be fair valued; valuation of investments and derivative instruments; valuation allowance on deferred tax assets; and contingencies relating to corporate litigation and regulatory matters. Certain of these estimates are particularly sensitive to market conditions, and deterioration and/or volatility in the worldwide debt or equity markets could have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies

Hartford Life Insurance Company (together with its subsidiaries, “HLIC,” “Company,” “we” or “our”) is a provider of insurance and investment products in the United States (“U.S.”) and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hartford Life, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("HLI"). The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (“The Hartford”) is the ultimate parent of the Company.

On June 30, 2014, HLI completed the sale of all of the issued and outstanding equity of Hartford Life Insurance KK, a Japanese company ("HLIKK") to ORIX Life Insurance Corporation ("Buyer"), a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation, a Japanese company. Upon closing HLIKK recaptured certain risks reinsured to the Company and Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company ("HLAI"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, by terminating intercompany agreements. The Buyer is responsible for all liabilities related to the recaptured business. However, HLAI has continued to provide reinsurance for Japan fixed payout annuities of approximately $770 as of March 31, 2015. For further discussion of this transaction see Note 7 - Transactions with Affiliates of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Effective April 1, 2014, The Company terminated its modco and coinsurance with funds withheld reinsurance agreement with White River Life Reinsurance ("WRR"), following receipt of approval from the State of Connecticut Insurance Department ("CTDOI") and Vermont Department of Financial Regulation. On April 30, 2014 The Hartford dissolved WRR. For further discussion of this transaction, see Note 7 - Transactions with Affiliates of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Effective March 3, 2014, The Hartford made Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company ("HLA") the single nationwide underwriting company for its Group Benefits business by capitalizing HLA to support the Group Benefits business and separating it from the legal entities that support The Hartford's Talcott Resolution operating segment. On January 30, 2014, The Hartford received approval from the CTDOI for HLAI and the Company to dividend approximately $800 of cash and invested assets to HLA and this dividend was paid on February 27, 2014. All of the issued and outstanding equity of the Company was then distributed from HLA to HLI and the Company became a direct subsidiary of HLI.

On January 30, 2015, the Company paid an extraordinary dividend of approximately $500, based on approval from the CTDOI. As a result of this dividend, the Company has no ordinary dividend capacity for the remainder of 2015. The Company anticipates paying an additional $500 in extraordinary dividends during 2015.

The Company has ceded reinsurance in connection with the sales of its Retirement Plans and Individual Life businesses in 2013 to Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company ("MassMutual") and The Prudential Insurance Company of America ("Prudential"), respectively. Reinsurance recoverables due from MassMutual and Prudential are secured by invested assets held in trust for the benefit of the Company in the event of a default by the reinsurers. As of March 31, 2015, $1.1 billion of unsecured reinsurance recoverables from Prudential represent approximately 13% of the Company's consolidated stockholder's equity. As of March 31, 2015, the Company has no other reinsurance-related concentrations of credit risk greater than 10% of the Company’s consolidated stockholder's equity.

The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information, which differ materially from the accounting practices prescribed by various insurance regulatory authorities. These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Company's 2014 Form 10-K Annual Report. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year.

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes are unaudited. These financial statements reflect all adjustments (generally consisting only of normal accruals) which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for the fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods. The Company's significant accounting policies are summarized in Note 1 - Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's 2014 Form 10-K Annual Report.

Consolidation

The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of HLIC, companies in which the Company directly or indirectly has a controlling financial interest and those variable interest entities (“VIEs”) which the Company is required to consolidate. Entities in which HLIC has significant influence over the operating and financing decisions but is not required to consolidate are reported using the equity method. For further discussions on VIEs, see Note 3 - Investments and Derivative Instruments of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. All intercompany transactions and balances between HLIC and its subsidiaries have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements, in conformity with U.S. GAAP, requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The most significant estimates include those used in determining estimated gross profits used in the valuation and amortization of assets and liabilities associated with variable annuity and other universal life-type contracts; evaluation of other-than-temporary impairments on available-for-sale securities and valuation allowances on investments; living benefits required to be fair valued; valuation of investments and derivative instruments; valuation allowance on deferred tax assets; and contingencies relating to corporate litigation and regulatory matters. Certain of these estimates are particularly sensitive to market conditions, and deterioration and/or volatility in the worldwide debt or equity markets could have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.