INVESTMENTS (Details - Components of Net investment income) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Investment [Line Items]
Total investment income	$ 3,898	$ 3,339	$ 10,817	$ 11,272
Investment expenses	115	133	338	402
Net investment income	3,783	3,206	10,479	10,870
Fixed maturity securities, including short-term investments
Investment [Line Items]
Total investment income	2,935	2,794	8,863	8,477
Equity securities
Investment [Line Items]
Total investment income	25	(5)	(19)	76
Interest on mortgage and other loans
Investment [Line Items]
Total investment income	379	360	1,144	1,046
Alternative investments
Investment [Line Items]
Total investment income	365	(18)	309	1,226
Real estate
Investment [Line Items]
Total investment income	37	66	125	116
Other investments
Investment [Line Items]
Total investment income	$ 157	$ 142	$ 395	$ 331

Amount, before investment expense, of income (loss) earned from investments. Includes unrealized and realized gains (losses).

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Line items represent reporting concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 12
-Section 12
-Sentence Column A

+ Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	invest_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of expenses related to the generation of investment income.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, after investment expense, of income earned from investments in securities and real estate. Includes, but is not limited to, real estate investment, policy loans, dividends, and interest. Excludes realized gain (loss) on investments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 225
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 235
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-16(Column G))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34713774&loc=d3e574960-122915

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=aig_MortgageAndOtherLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=aig_AlternativeFundsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=aig_OtherInvestmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: