INVESTMENTS (Details - Components of Net realized capital gains (losses)) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Other-than-temporary impairments:
Severity	$ (2)	$ 0
Change in intent	(24)	(5)
Foreign currency declines	(29)	(4)
Issuer-specific credit events	(68)	(49)
Adverse projected cash flows	(5)	(1)
Provision for loan losses	24us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLossesExpensed	5us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLossesExpensed
Foreign exchange transactions	254	26
Derivative instruments	208us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfDerivatives	(289)us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfDerivatives
Impairments on investments in life settlements	(70)	(42)
Other	531aig_OtherInvestmentCharges	(6)aig_OtherInvestmentCharges
Total net realized capital gains (losses)	1,341	(152)
Fixed maturity securities
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Sale of fixed maturity securities	31	185
Equity securities
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Sale of fixed maturity securities	$ 491	$ 28

Represents amount of impairments on life settlement contracts.

No definition available.

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents other investment charges not specified in the taxonomy.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the other than temporary impairments due to change in intent.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aig_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentsDueToChangeInIntent
Namespace Prefix:	aig_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the other than temporary impairments due to change in adverse projected cash flows.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aig_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentsDueToChangeInProjectedCashFlows
Namespace Prefix:	aig_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the other than temporary impairments due to foreign currency declines.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aig_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentsDueToForeignCurrencyFluctuations
Namespace Prefix:	aig_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the other than temporary impairments due to issuer-specific credit events.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aig_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentsDueToIssuerSpecificCreditEvents
Namespace Prefix:	aig_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the other than temporary impairments due to severity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	aig_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the net realized gains or (losses) on investments, including available for sale and trading securities, real estate investments, loans, and derivative instruments. Also includes other-than temporary impairment charges, the provision for loan losses, foreign currency transactions and other charges related to the valuation of these investments in the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	aig_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before tax of foreign currency transaction realized and unrealized gain (loss) recognized in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 830

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450189&loc=d3e30690-110894

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 830

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450222&loc=d3e30840-110895

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 830

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6450189&loc=d3e30700-110894

+ Details

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

- Definition

The difference between the book value and the sale price of options, swaps, futures, forward contracts, and other derivative instruments. This element refers to the gain (loss) included in earnings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.13(h))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This item represents the total realized gain (loss) included in earnings for the period as a result of selling marketable securities categorized as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesRealizedGainLossExcludingOtherThanTemporaryImpairments
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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- Definition

Amount of expense related to loss from loan transactions.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 11

-Article 9

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.11)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

+ Details

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

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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