Separate Accounts, Death Benefits and Other Insurance Benefit Features Level 4 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		$ 19,981
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		$ 3,567
Invested in Equity Securities		83.00%	83.00%
Invested in Fixed Income Securities		17.00%	17.00%
Movement in Changes in gross GMDB/GMWB and UL secondary guarantee benefits [Roll Forward]
Deferred Policy Acquisition Cost, Amortization Expense, Effect of Adjustments to Estimated Gross Profit	[1]	$ (13)	$ 96	$ 104
Separate Accounts, Liability		120,111	134,689
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Separate Account Value		79,688
Guaranteed Lifetime Withdrawal Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		7,000
Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		654
Return of Net Deposit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		$ 9,459
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age		68 years
Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		$ 0
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age		71 years
MAV Only [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		$ 14,540
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age		70 years
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Reinsurance Recoverables on Paid Losses	[2]	$ 89
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		3,822
Reinsurance Recoverable, as of Jan. 1	[2]	480	533
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment, Fair Value		40,423	48,852
Movement in Changes in gross GMDB/GMWB and UL secondary guarantee benefits [Roll Forward]
Liabilities, as of Jan. 1	[2]	812	849
Liabilities for Guarantees on Long-Duration Contracts, Incurred Benefits	[2],[3]	163	73
Liabilities for Guarantees on Long-Duration Contracts, Benefits Paid	[2]	112	110
Liabilities, as of Dec. 31	[2]	863	812	849
Reinsurance Recoverable, as of Dec. 31	[2]	523	480	533
Separate Accounts, Liability		40,423
With Five Percent Rollup [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		$ 1,257
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age		71 years
With Earnings Protection Benefit Rider (EPB) [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		$ 3,697
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age		69 years
With Five Percent Rollup and EPB [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		$ 487
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age		72 years
Asset Protection Benefit ("APB") [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		$ 11,707
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age		69 years
Lifetime Income Benefit ("LIB") - Death Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		$ 516
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age		69 years
Reset [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		$ 2,582
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age		70 years
Universal Life [Member] | Secondary Guarantees [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Reinsurance Recoverables on Paid Losses		$ 0
Reinsurance Recoverable, as of Jan. 1		2,041	1,802
Movement in Changes in gross GMDB/GMWB and UL secondary guarantee benefits [Roll Forward]
Liabilities, as of Jan. 1		2,041	1,802
Liabilities for Guarantees on Long-Duration Contracts, Incurred Benefits	[3]	272	239
Liabilities for Guarantees on Long-Duration Contracts, Benefits Paid		0
Liabilities, as of Dec. 31		2,313	2,041	1,802
Reinsurance Recoverable, as of Dec. 31		2,313	2,041	$ 1,802
Reinsurance Recoverable [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Reinsurance Recoverables on Unpaid Losses	[2],[3]	132	32
Reinsurance Recoverables on Paid Losses	[2]		85
Reinsurance Recoverable [Member] | Universal Life [Member] | Secondary Guarantees [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Reinsurance Recoverables on Unpaid Losses	[3]	272	239
UNITED STATES | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, General Account Value		$ 44,245
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Weighted Average Attained Age		69 years
Equity Securities [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment, Fair Value		$ 36,970	44,786
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Schedule of Fair Value of Separate Accounts by Major Category of Investment, Fair Value		3,453	$ 4,066
With Five Percent Rollup [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		227
With Five Percent Rollup [Member] | Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		77
Return of Net Deposit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		71
Return of Net Deposit [Member] | Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		64
With Five Percent Rollup and EPB [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		107
With Five Percent Rollup and EPB [Member] | Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		23
Lifetime Income Benefit ("LIB") - Death Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		9
Lifetime Income Benefit ("LIB") - Death Benefit [Member] | Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		9
MAV Only [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		2,743
MAV Only [Member] | Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		477
Asset Protection Benefit ("APB") [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		519
Asset Protection Benefit ("APB") [Member] | Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		346
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member] | UNITED STATES
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		4,198
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member] | UNITED STATES | Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		1,105
With Earnings Protection Benefit Rider (EPB) [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		490
With Earnings Protection Benefit Rider (EPB) [Member] | Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		77
Reset [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		32
Reset [Member] | Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Separate Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Net Amount at Risk by Product and Guarantee, Net Amount at Risk at Annuitization		$ 32

[1] Includes accelerated amortization of $352 and $2,374 recognized upon the sale of the Retirement Plans and Individual Life businesses, respectively, in 2013. For further information, see Note 12 - Discontinued Operations and Business Dispositions of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

[2] [1]These liability balances include all GMDB benefits, plus the life-contingent portion of GMWB benefits in excess of the return of the GRB. GMWB benefits up to the return of the GRB are embedded derivatives held at fair value and are excluded from these balances.

[3] [2]Includes the portion of assessments established as additions to reserves as well as changes in estimates affecting the reserves.