HELD-FOR-SALE CLASSIFICATION (Details) - USD ($)	Sep. 16, 2016	Aug. 15, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets:
Mortgage and other loans receivable, net			$ 32,413,000,000	$ 29,565,000,000
Other invested assets			25,747,000,000	29,794,000,000
Short-term investments			10,745,000,000	10,132,000,000
Cash			2,498,000,000	1,629,000,000	$ 1,569,000,000	$ 1,758,000,000
Premiums and other receivables, net of allowance			11,606,000,000	11,451,000,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs			10,537,000,000	11,115,000,000
Other assets			11,546,000,000	11,289,000,000
Total assets held for sale			6,661,000,000
Liabilities:
Liability for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses			72,487,000,000	74,942,000,000
Unearned premiums			21,047,000,000	21,318,000,000
Long-term Debt			32,277,000,000	29,249,000,000
Other Liabilities			27,983,000,000	$ 26,164,000,000
Total liabilities held for sale			3,909,000,000
Held for sale [Member]
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities			4,233,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable, net			1,000,000
Other invested assets			1,006,000,000
Short-term investments			212,000,000
Cash			80,000,000
Premiums and other receivables, net of allowance			357,000,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs			179,000,000
Other assets			593,000,000
Total assets held for sale			6,661,000,000
Liabilities:
Liability for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses			1,074,000,000
Unearned premiums			1,164,000,000
Long-term Debt			1,160,000,000
Other Liabilities			511,000,000
Total liabilities held for sale			$ 3,909,000,000
United Guaranty | Held for sale [Member]
Held-for-Sale Classification
Voting interest in subsidiary, Percent		100.00%
Total consideration		$ 3,400,000,000
Consideration in cash		2,200,000,000
Dividend-in-lieu		250,000,000
United Guaranty | Held for sale [Member] | Preferred Stock [Member]
Held-for-Sale Classification
Non-cash consideration received from sale		250,000,000
United Guaranty | Held for sale [Member] | Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]
Held-for-Sale Classification
Non-cash consideration received from sale		$ 975,000,000
Ascot | Held for sale [Member]
Held-for-Sale Classification
Voting interest in subsidiary, Percent	100.00%
Total consideration	$ 1,100,000,000
Consideration in cash	$ 240,000,000
Ownership reflecting consideration, Percent	20.00%