VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 item	Dec. 31, 2013
Assets:
Bonds available for sale	$ 264,254,000,000	$ 261,930,000,000
Other bond securities	19,712,000,000	22,623,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	24,990,000,000	20,765,000,000
Other invested assets	34,518,000,000	28,659,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	31,217,000,000	41,693,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Other invested assets	34,518,000,000	28,659,000,000
Real Estate and Investment Funds
Liabilities:
Off-balance sheet exposure	56,400,000,000	50,800,000,000
Structured Investment Vehicles | Minimum
Assets:
Total assets	0	800,000,000
Affordable Housing Partnerships | SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners, Inc.
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Number of partnerships through which investments has been made in apartment units nationwide	900
Number of apartment units nationwide in which investment for developments has been made	110,000
Partnership equity syndicated to other investors	7,700,000,000
Commercial loans vehicles VIE | SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners, Inc.
Assets:
Total assets	313,000,000	360,000,000
Liabilities:
Total liabilities	53,000,000	117,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Total maximum exposure to loss	292,000,000	330,000,000
Consolidated VIE
Assets:
Bonds available for sale	11,187,000,000	11,098,000,000
Other bond securities	7,906,000,000	8,310,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	2,560,000,000	1,697,000,000
Other invested assets	2,941,000,000	3,628,000,000
Other assets	1,752,000,000	1,279,000,000
Total assets	26,346,000,000	26,012,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	1,697,000,000	994,000,000
Other liabilities	446,000,000	555,000,000
Total liabilities	2,143,000,000	1,549,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Other invested assets	2,941,000,000	3,628,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Real Estate and Investment Funds
Assets:
Other invested assets	577,000,000	849,000,000
Other assets	40,000,000	49,000,000
Total assets	617,000,000	898,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	69,000,000	71,000,000
Other liabilities	32,000,000	31,000,000
Total liabilities	101,000,000	102,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Other invested assets	577,000,000	849,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Securitization Vehicles
Assets:
Bonds available for sale	11,152,000,000	11,028,000,000
Other bond securities	7,251,000,000	7,449,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	2,398,000,000	1,508,000,000
Other invested assets	651,000,000	763,000,000
Other assets	1,447,000,000	1,014,000,000
Total assets	22,899,000,000	21,762,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	1,370,000,000	626,000,000
Other liabilities	276,000,000	225,000,000
Total liabilities	1,646,000,000	851,000,000
Investment-grade debt securities, loans and other assets	21,900,000,000	21,800,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Other invested assets	651,000,000	763,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Structured Investment Vehicles
Assets:
Other bond securities	615,000,000	748,000,000
Other assets	140,000,000	93,000,000
Total assets	755,000,000	841,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	52,000,000	87,000,000
Total liabilities	52,000,000	87,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Affordable Housing Partnerships
Assets:
Other invested assets	1,684,000,000	1,986,000,000
Other assets	49,000,000	41,000,000
Total assets	1,733,000,000	2,027,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	199,000,000	188,000,000
Other liabilities	101,000,000	83,000,000
Total liabilities	300,000,000	271,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Other invested assets	1,684,000,000	1,986,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Other
Assets:
Bonds available for sale	35,000,000	70,000,000
Other bond securities	40,000,000	113,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	162,000,000	189,000,000
Other invested assets	29,000,000	30,000,000
Other assets	76,000,000	82,000,000
Total assets	342,000,000	484,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	7,000,000	22,000,000
Other liabilities	37,000,000	216,000,000
Total liabilities	44,000,000	238,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Other invested assets	29,000,000	30,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Commercial loans vehicles VIE | SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners, Inc.
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Number of VIEs	1
Consolidated VIE | Aircraft Trusts | SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners, Inc.
Assets:
Total assets	800,000,000	900,000,000
Liabilities:
Total liabilities	100,000,000	200,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE
Assets:
Other invested assets	3,200,000,000	2,800,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Total VIE Assets	28,477,000,000	26,839,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	3,242,000,000	2,857,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, Off-Balance Sheet	454,000,000	289,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	3,696,000,000	3,146,000,000
Other invested assets	3,200,000,000	2,800,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE | Real Estate and Investment Funds
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Total VIE Assets	19,949,000,000	17,572,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	2,785,000,000	2,343,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, Off-Balance Sheet	454,000,000	289,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	3,239,000,000	2,632,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE | Affordable Housing Partnerships
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Total VIE Assets	7,911,000,000	8,559,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	425,000,000	477,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	425,000,000	477,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE | Other
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Total VIE Assets	617,000,000	708,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	32,000,000	37,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	$ 32,000,000	$ 37,000,000