INVESTMENTS (Details - Amortized cost and fair value of fixed maturity securities available for sale by contractual maturity) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available for sale securities, Amortized Cost, Total	$ 233,938	$ 242,347
Fixed Maturity Securities Available for Sale, Fair Value, Total	241,537	248,245
Fixed Maturity Securities Available for Sale in a Loss Position
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Due in one year or less, Amortized Cost	604	1,122
Due after one year through five years, Amortized Cost	6,002	9,847
Due after five years through ten years, Amortized Cost	16,045	22,296
Due after ten years, Amortized Cost	25,007	26,235
Mortgage-backed, asset-backed and collateralized, Amortized Cost	25,960	26,271
Available for sale securities, Amortized Cost, Total	73,618	85,771
Due in one year or less, Fair Value	581	1,103
Due after one year through five years, Fair Value	5,841	9,494
Due after five years through ten years, Fair Value	15,332	20,686
Due after ten years, Fair Value	23,629	23,755
Mortgage-backed, asset-backed and collateralized, Fair Value	25,110	25,483
Fixed Maturity Securities Available for Sale, Fair Value, Total	70,493	80,521
Bonds available for sale
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Due in one year or less, Amortized Cost	7,796	9,176
Due after one year through five years, Amortized Cost	49,200	47,230
Due after five years through ten years, Amortized Cost	43,308	54,120
Due after ten years, Amortized Cost	66,257	68,440
Mortgage-backed, asset-backed and collateralized, Amortized Cost	65,680	62,002
Available for sale securities, Amortized Cost, Total	232,241	240,968
Due in one year or less, Fair Value	7,994	9,277
Due after one year through five years, Fair Value	51,958	49,196
Due after five years through ten years, Fair Value	44,226	54,459
Due after ten years, Fair Value	69,301	70,418
Mortgage-backed, asset-backed and collateralized, Fair Value	68,058	64,895
Fixed Maturity Securities Available for Sale, Fair Value, Total	$ 241,537	$ 248,245

This item represents the cost of debt and equity securities, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading, net of adjustments including accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after adjustments of available-for-sale debt securities at cost, maturing in the next rolling twelve months following the latest balance sheet. Adjustments include, but are not limited to, accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments (OTTI) recognized in earnings less cumulative-effect adjustments and fair value hedge accounting adjustments. For interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextRollingTwelveMonthsAmortizedCostBasis
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of available-for-sale debt securities maturing in the next rolling twelve months following the latest balance sheet. For interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesNextRollingTwelveMonthsFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after adjustments of available-for-sale debt securities at cost, maturing after the tenth rolling twelve months following the latest balance sheet. Adjustments include, but are not limited to, accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments (OTTI) recognized in earnings less cumulative-effect adjustments, and fair value hedge accounting adjustments. For interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingAfterYearTenAmortizedCostBasis
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of available-for-sale debt securities maturing after the tenth rolling twelve months following the latest balance sheet. For interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingAfterYearTenFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after adjustments of available-for-sale debt securities at cost, maturing in the sixth through tenth rolling twelve months following the latest balance sheet. Adjustments include, but are not limited to, accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments (OTTI) recognized in earnings less cumulative-effect adjustments, and fair value hedge accounting adjustments. For interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingYearSixThroughTenAmortizedCostBasis
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of available-for-sale debt securities maturing in the sixth through tenth rolling twelve months following the latest balance sheet. For interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingYearSixThroughTenFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount after adjustments of available-for-sale debt securities at cost, maturing in the second through fifth rolling twelve months following the latest balance sheet. Adjustments include, but are not limited to, accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments (OTTI) recognized in earnings less cumulative-effect adjustments, and fair value hedge accounting adjustments. For interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingYearTwoThroughFiveAmortizedCostBasis
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of available-for-sale debt securities maturing in the second through fifth rolling twelve months following the latest balance sheet. For interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesRollingYearTwoThroughFiveFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of available-for-sale debt securities at cost, net of adjustments, that do not have a single maturity date and which the entity has decided to disclose separately rather than allocating the cost over several maturity groupings. Adjustments include, but are not limited to, accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments (OTTI) recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments, as defined) and fair value hedge accounting adjustments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27198-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesWithoutSingleMaturityDateAmortizedCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of available-for-sale debt securities at fair value that do not have a single maturity date and which the entity has decided to disclose separately rather than allocating the fair value over several maturity groupings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27198-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27161-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesWithoutSingleMaturityDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of debt securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65884222&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66010992&loc=d3e26610-111562

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27161-111563

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 320
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)-(g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957658&loc=d3e62557-112803

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial 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

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfAvailableForSaleSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	aig_GrossUnrealizedGainLossPositionAxis=aig_UnrealizedLossPositionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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