EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (Details - Pension and Postretirement Plans) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Change in plan assets:
AIG contributions	$ 236	$ 166	$ 156
Pensions | Change in method for pension plans - spot rate
Change in Accounting Estimate [Abstract]
Pension plan expense	0
Reduction in pension expense due to change in accounting estimate	0
U.S. Pension Plans
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	19	192	173
Interest cost	181	220	228
Expected return on assets	(292)	(295)	(288)
Amortization of prior service (credit) cost	0	(22)	(33)
Amortization of net (gain) loss	25	92	42
Curtailment (gain) loss	0	(179)	0
Net periodic benefit cost (credit)	82	8	122
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation, beginning of year	5,324	5,769
Service cost	19	192	173
Interest cost	181	220	228
Actuarial (gain) loss	118	(423)
Plan amendment	0	(132)
Curtailments	0	0
Settlements	(338)	0
Foreign exchange effect	0	0
Projected benefit obligation, end of year	4,948	5,324	5,769
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year	4,359	4,111
Actual return on plan assets, net of expenses	154	(8)
AIG contributions	24	558
Benefits paid:
Settlements	(338)	0
Foreign exchange effect	0	0
Fair value of plan assets, end of year	3,843	4,359	4,111
Funded status, end of year				$ (1,105)	$ (965)
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheet:
Assets				0	0
Liabilities				(1,105)	(965)
Total amounts recognized				(1,105)	(965)
Pre tax amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net gain (loss)	(1,405)	(1,324)
Prior service (cost) credit	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), before income tax expense (benefit)	(1,405)	(1,324)
Projected benefit obligation	5,324	5,324	5,769	4,948	5,324
U.S. Pension Plans | American International Group Asset [Member]
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefits Paid AIG and Plan assets	(24)	(17)
U.S. Pension Plans | Plan Asset [Member]
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefits Paid AIG and Plan assets	(332)	(285)
U.S. Pension Plans | Non Qualified Pension Plan [Member]
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation, beginning of year	299
Projected benefit obligation, end of year	278	299
Pre tax amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Projected benefit obligation	$ 299	299		278	299
U.S. Pension Plans | Minimum
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Period of service after which plan gets vested	0 years
Non U.S. Pension Plans
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$ 31	43	42
Interest cost	21	25	29
Expected return on assets	(26)	(25)	(22)
Amortization of prior service (credit) cost	0	(2)	(3)
Amortization of net (gain) loss	7	9	7
Curtailment (gain) loss	(6)	(1)	1
Net periodic benefit cost (credit)	29	50	54
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation, beginning of year	1,146	1,099
Service cost	31	43	42
Interest cost	21	25	29
Actuarial (gain) loss	98	(16)
Plan amendment	1	24
Curtailments	(2)	0
Settlements	(16)	(15)
Foreign exchange effect	19	(67)
Acquisitions	0	72
Other	(5)	14
Projected benefit obligation, end of year	1,246	1,146	1,099
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year	773	708
Actual return on plan assets, net of expenses	19	47
AIG contributions	71	62
Benefits paid:
Settlements	(16)	(15)
Foreign exchange effect	6	(44)
Other	1	13
Fair value of plan assets, end of year	803	773	708
Dispositions	(4)	0
Acquisitions	0	35
Funded status, end of year				(443)	(373)
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheet:
Assets				53	46
Liabilities				(496)	(419)
Total amounts recognized				(443)	(373)
Pre tax amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net gain (loss)	(251)	(161)
Prior service (cost) credit	(28)	(16)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), before income tax expense (benefit)	(279)	(177)
Projected benefit obligation	1,146	1,099	1,099	1,246	1,146
Non U.S. Pension Plans | American International Group Asset [Member]
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefits Paid AIG and Plan assets	(12)	(9)
Non U.S. Pension Plans | Plan Asset [Member]
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefits Paid AIG and Plan assets	(35)	(24)
Non U.S. Pension Plans | Non Qualified Pension Plan [Member]
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation, beginning of year	199
Projected benefit obligation, end of year	199	199
Pre tax amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Projected benefit obligation	199	199		199	199
Postretirement Plans
Change in plan assets:
AIG contributions	0
U.S. Postretirement Plans
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	2	5	4
Interest cost	7	8	9
Expected return on assets	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service (credit) cost	(12)	(11)	(11)
Amortization of net (gain) loss	(1)	0	0
Curtailment (gain) loss	(1)	0	0
Net periodic benefit cost (credit)	(5)	2	2
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation, beginning of year	208	229
Service cost	2	5	4
Interest cost	7	8	9
Actuarial (gain) loss	(2)	(23)
Plan amendment	0	0
Curtailments	(1)	0
Settlements	0	0
Foreign exchange effect	0	0
Other	(4)	0
Projected benefit obligation, end of year	196	208	229
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year	0	0
Actual return on plan assets, net of expenses	0	0
AIG contributions	14	11
Benefits paid:
Settlements	0	0
Foreign exchange effect	0	0
Fair value of plan assets, end of year	0	0	0
Funded status, end of year				(196)	(208)
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheet:
Assets				0	0
Liabilities				(196)	(208)
Total amounts recognized				(196)	(208)
Pre tax amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net gain (loss)	17	13
Prior service (cost) credit	2	13
Total other comprehensive income (loss), before income tax expense (benefit)	19	26
Projected benefit obligation	196	208	229	196	208
U.S. Postretirement Plans | American International Group Asset [Member]
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefits Paid AIG and Plan assets	(14)	(11)
U.S. Postretirement Plans | Plan Asset [Member]
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefits Paid AIG and Plan assets	0	0
Non U.S. Postretirement Plans
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	3	3	2
Interest cost	3	3	2
Expected return on assets	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service (credit) cost	0	(1)	0
Amortization of net (gain) loss	1	0	0
Curtailment (gain) loss	0	0	0
Net periodic benefit cost (credit)	7	5	4
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefit obligation, beginning of year	75	64
Service cost	3	3	2
Interest cost	3	3	2
Actuarial (gain) loss	0	9
Plan amendment	0	0
Settlements	0	0
Foreign exchange effect	0	(3)
Projected benefit obligation, end of year	80	75	64
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year	0	0
Actual return on plan assets, net of expenses	0	0
AIG contributions	1	1
Benefits paid:
Settlements	0	0
Foreign exchange effect	0	0
Fair value of plan assets, end of year	0	0	0
Funded status, end of year				(80)	(75)
Amounts recognized in the consolidated balance sheet:
Assets				0	0
Liabilities				(80)	(75)
Total amounts recognized				(80)	(75)
Pre tax amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net gain (loss)	(15)	(16)
Prior service (cost) credit	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), before income tax expense (benefit)	(15)	(16)
Projected benefit obligation	80	64	$ 64	$ 80	$ 75
Non U.S. Postretirement Plans | American International Group Asset [Member]
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefits Paid AIG and Plan assets	(1)	(1)
Non U.S. Postretirement Plans | Plan Asset [Member]
Change in projected benefit obligation:
Benefits Paid AIG and Plan assets	$ 0	$ 0