Schedule II Condensed Financial Information of Registrant - Parent Company Only (Details 4) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by operating activities	$ 5,007,000,000	$ 5,865,000,000	$ 3,676,000,000
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from divested businesses, net	2,348,000,000
Purchase of investments	(58,110,000,000)	(77,887,000,000)	(76,567,000,000)
Net change in restricted cash	(1,447,000,000)	1,244,000,000	414,000,000
Net change in short-term investments	8,760,000,000	7,842,000,000	(8,109,000,000)
Payments received on mortgages and other loan receivables	3,856,000,000	3,420,000,000	3,313,000,000
Net cash provided by investing activities	14,284,000,000	7,099,000,000	16,612,000,000
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of long-term debt	6,687,000,000	5,235,000,000	8,612,000,000
Repayments of long-term debt	(16,160,000,000)	(14,197,000,000)	(11,101,000,000)
Cash dividends paid	(712,000,000)	(294,000,000)
Purchase of Common Stock	(4,902,000,000)	(597,000,000)	(13,000,000,000)
Other, net	(4,701,000,000)	(1,905,000,000)	(5,075,000,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(19,788,000,000)	(11,758,000,000)	(20,564,000,000)
Net increase (decrease) in cash	(571,000,000)	1,114,000,000	(260,000,000)
Cash at beginning of year	2,241,000,000	1,151,000,000	1,474,000,000
Cash at end of year	1,758,000,000	2,241,000,000	1,151,000,000
Interest:
Third party	(3,367,000,000)	(3,856,000,000)	(4,037,000,000)
Taxes:
Income tax authorities	(737,000,000)	(796,000,000)	(447,000,000)
Parent Company [Member]
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash provided by operating activities	9,316,000,000	6,422,000,000	(825,000,000)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Sales and maturities of investments	2,996,000,000	1,074,000,000	16,546,000,000
Purchase of investments	(1,051,000,000)	(5,506,000,000)	(4,406,000,000)
Net change in restricted cash	(501,000,000)	493,000,000	(377,000,000)
Net change in short-term investments	5,792,000,000	2,361,000,000	(2,029,000,000)
Contributions to subsidiaries - net	(148,000,000)	(2,081,000,000)	(152,000,000)
Payments received on mortgages and other loan receivables	40,000,000	351,000,000	328,000,000
Loans to subsidiaries - net	446,000,000	3,660,000,000	5,126,000,000
Other, net	(141,000,000)	130,000,000	259,000,000
Net cash provided by investing activities	7,433,000,000	482,000,000	15,295,000,000
Cash flows from financing activities:
Issuance of long-term debt	3,247,000,000	2,015,000,000	3,754,000,000
Repayments of long-term debt	(14,468,000,000)	(7,439,000,000)	(3,238,000,000)
Cash dividends paid	(712,000,000)	(294,000,000)
Loans from subsidiaries - net	110,000,000	(123,000,000)	(2,032,000,000)
Purchase of Common Stock	(4,902,000,000)	(597,000,000)	(13,000,000,000)
Other, net	(28,000,000)	(517,000,000)	(49,000,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(16,753,000,000)	(6,955,000,000)	(14,565,000,000)
Net increase (decrease) in cash	(4,000,000)	(51,000,000)	(95,000,000)
Cash at beginning of year	30,000,000	81,000,000	176,000,000
Cash at end of year	26,000,000	30,000,000	81,000,000
Interest:
Third party	(1,624,000,000)	(1,963,000,000)	(2,089,000,000)
Intercompany	5,000,000	(12,000,000)	(133,000,000)
Taxes:
Income tax authorities	(18,000,000)	(161,000,000)	(7,000,000)
Intercompany	1,172,000,000	288,000,000	230,000,000
Non-cash investing/financing activities:
Capital contributions in the form of available for sale securities			4,078,000,000
Capital contributions to subsidiaries through forgiveness of loans		341,000,000
Other capital contributions - net	2,457,000,000	523,000,000	579,000,000
Return of capital	4,836,000,000
Return of capital and dividend received in the form of cancellation of intercompany loan			9,303,000,000
Return of capital and dividend received in the form of other bonds securities	3,088,000,000		3,320,000,000
Payment of accrued compounded interest of FRBNY Credit Facility			$ 0