BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Details) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions				1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Nov. 18, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 16, 2016 USD ($)	May 14, 2014 USD ($) shares	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares	Nov. 17, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($)	May 13, 2014 $ / shares
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares						$ 2.5				$ 2.5				$ 2.5	$ 2.5
Closing price per share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares						$ 65.31				$ 61.97				$ 65.31	$ 61.97	$ 56.01
Investment Maturity Year					2045
Interest rate (as a percent)					6.50%							6.50%
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG						$ (3,041)	$ 462	$ 1,913	$ (183)	$ (1,841)	$ (231)	$ 1,800	$ 2,468	$ (849)	$ 2,196	$ 7,529
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense						(3,455)	737	2,858	(214)	(2,932)	(115)	2,552	3,776	(74)	3,281	10,501
Net income (loss) on sale of properties and divested businesses						(194)	(128)	(225)	2	1	3	1	6	545	(11)	2,197
Repayments of Long-term Debt														4,082	9,805	16,160
Other Income														3,121	4,088	6,117
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest						535	(26)	11	(20)	(8)	34	(9)	9	500	26	(5)
Adjustment
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG						(154)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense						(12)
Operating Income Loss						(1)
Adjustments 2015 [Member]
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG										(308)	(36)	15	(16)		(156)	(51)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense										(193)					(376)
Operating Income Loss										(122)					(235)
Adjustments 2016 [Member]
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG							(65)	$ 66	$ 19	$ (88)	$ 22	$ 5	$ (5)	(174)	$ (67)	(12)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense														(57)
Operating Income Loss														(6)
Call Option [Member]
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Investment Maturity Year					2025
ILFC
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Percentage of common stock agreed to be sold			100.00%
Number of shares received | shares			97.6
Non-cash consideration received from sale																$ 4,586
Total consideration			$ 7,600
NSM
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Total consideration																		$ 201
Net income (loss) on sale of properties and divested businesses							$ 105
Ascot
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Consideration in cash	$ 244
Total consideration		$ 1,100
Net income (loss) on sale of properties and divested businesses		$ 162
Voting interest in subsidiary, Percent		100.00%
Ownership reflecting consideration, Percent		20.00%
United Guaranty
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Consideration in cash														2,200
Non-cash consideration received from sale														1,101
Total consideration						3,300								$ 3,300
Net income (loss) on sale of properties and divested businesses						$ 697
Voting interest in subsidiary, Percent						100.00%								100.00%
Dividend-in-lieu														$ 261
Korea Fund
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense														464
Total consideration																	$ 2,500
Repayments of Long-term Debt														1,200
Other Income														$ 1,100
Minimum
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Number of Countries in which the entity operates | item						80								80
Aer Cap
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Closing price per share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares																			$ 47.01
Equity Method Investment Number Of Shares Sold | shares					86.9
Cash Proceeds from Sales of AerCap				$ 500	$ 3,700
Ordinary shares of AerCap remaining | shares				10.7
Aer Cap | Private Placement [Member]
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment Number Of Shares Sold | shares					15.7
Cash Proceeds from Sales of AerCap					$ 250
Non-cash consideration received from sale					$ 500
Aer Cap | Underwritten Public Offering [Member]
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Equity Method Investment Number Of Shares Sold | shares					71.2
Cash Proceeds from Sales of AerCap					$ 3,400