Life insurance recoveries on ceded reinsurance contracts.

No definition available.

Name:	hig_LifeInsuranceRecoveriesOnCededReinsuranceContracts
Namespace Prefix:	hig_
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reinsurance Recoverable, Unsecured

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	hig_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of written premiums ceded to other entities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b),(c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 17
-Article 12

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This item represents disclosure of all significant concentrations of credit risk or market risk arising from the subject financial instrument (as defined), whether from an individual counterparty or groups of counterparties.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Trading Securities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6526789

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51813488&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Available-for-Sale Securities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505594

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph a, f, g
-Article 7

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of financial obligations, including, but not limited to, debt instruments, derivative liabilities, federal funds purchased and sold under agreements to repurchase, securities loaned or sold under agreements to repurchase, financial instruments sold not yet purchased, guarantees, line of credit, loans and notes payable, servicing liability, and trading liabilities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of reduction of provision for policy benefits and costs incurred for policies ceded.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6480758&loc=d3e6811-158387

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount after valuation allowance recoverable including premium paid under reinsurance contracts. Examples include, but are not limited to, settled and unsettled claims, incurred but not reported losses, loss adjustment expense, premium paid, policy benefits and policy reserves.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6480758&loc=d3e6824-158387

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.(a),6)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Reinsurance Level 4 Reinsurance Recoverables (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Life Insurance Recoveries on Ceded Reinsurance Contracts	$ 1,094,000,000	$ 0	$ 915,000,000
Policyholder Benefits and Claims Incurred, Ceded		0	0
Reinsurance Recoverables	20,499,000,000	20,053,000,000
Reinsurance Recoverable, Unsecured	1,600,000,000
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Investments	0
Retirement Plans and Individual Life Businesses [Member] \| Life and Annuity Insurance Product Line [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Reinsurance Recoverables	18,993,000,000	18,606,000,000
Retirement [Member] \| Mass Mutual [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Reinsurance Recoverables	8,600,000,000
Individual Life [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Reinsurance Recoverable, Unsecured	0.20
Individual Life [Member] \| Prudential [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Reinsurance Recoverables	10,400,000,000			$ 10,000,000,000
Mass Mutual [Member] \| Life and Annuity Insurance Product Line [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Reinsurance Recoverables				$ 8,600,000,000
Continuing Operations [Member] \| Life Annuity Accident and Health Insurance Product Line [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Reinsurance Recoverables	1,506,000,000	1,447,000,000
Investment Contracts [Member] \| Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] \| Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liabilities	682,000,000	851,000,000
Reinsurance Recoverable [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Fair Value, Concentration of Risk, Investments	0
Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company [Member] \| Group Insurance Policies [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Ceded Premiums Written	0	0	0
Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company [Member] \| Accident and Health Insurance Product Line [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Ceded Premiums Written	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0