INVESTMENTS (Details - Realized gains and gross realized losses from sales or maturities) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Gross Realized Gains	$ 350	$ 219
Gross Realized Losses	194	557
Aggregate fair value of available for sale securities sold	15,800	6,100
Net realized capital gains (losses)	156	(338)
Fixed maturity securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Gross Realized Gains	333	187
Gross Realized Losses	178	549
Equity securities available for sale
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Gross Realized Gains	17	32
Gross Realized Losses	$ 16	$ 8

This element represents the aggregate fair value of Available-for-sale securities sold during the reporting period.

No definition available.

Name:	aig_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesSoldFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	aig_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This item represents the difference between the gross realized gains and losses realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities. Additionally, this item would include any losses recognized for other than temporary impairments (OTTI) of the subject investments in debt and equity securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27357-111563

+ Details

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

- Definition

This item represents the gross profit realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

This item represents the gross loss realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- 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

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

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