INVESTMENTS (Details - Amortized cost and fair value of fixed maturity securities available for sale by contractual maturity) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available for sale securities, Amortized Cost, Total	$ 222,233	$ 233,938
Fixed Maturity Securities Available for Sale, Fair Value, Total	230,698	241,537
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	572	604
Due after one year through five years, Amortized Cost	5,132	6,002
Due after five years through ten years, Amortized Cost	12,546	16,045
Due after ten years, Amortized Cost	20,726	25,007
Mortgage-backed, asset-backed and collateralized, Amortized Cost	21,464	25,960
Available for sale securities, Amortized Cost, Total	60,440	73,618
Due in one year or less, Fair Value	566	581
Due after one year through five years, Fair Value	5,016	5,841
Due after five years through ten years, Fair Value	12,036	15,332
Due after ten years, Fair Value	19,627	23,629
Mortgage-backed, asset-backed and collateralized, Fair Value	20,756	25,110
Fixed Maturity Securities Available for Sale, Fair Value, Total	58,001	70,493
Bonds available for sale
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Due in one year or less, Amortized Cost	7,064	7,796
Due after one year through five years, Amortized Cost	47,682	49,200
Due after five years through ten years, Amortized Cost	41,861	43,308
Due after ten years, Amortized Cost	61,663	66,257
Mortgage-backed, asset-backed and collateralized, Amortized Cost	62,359	65,680
Available for sale securities, Amortized Cost, Total	220,629	232,241
Due in one year or less, Fair Value	7,266	7,994
Due after one year through five years, Fair Value	50,305	51,958
Due after five years through ten years, Fair Value	42,976	44,226
Due after ten years, Fair Value	65,155	69,301
Mortgage-backed, asset-backed and collateralized, Fair Value	64,996	68,058
Fixed Maturity Securities Available for Sale, Fair Value, Total	$ 230,698	$ 241,537

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: