Total Equity and Earnings Per Share (Details 4) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2009	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Numerator for EPS:
Income from continuing operations		$ 2,094,000,000	$ 496,000,000	$ 914,000,000	$ 2,584,000,000
Net income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Nonvoting, callable, junior and senior preferred interests		141,000,000	508,000,000	393,000,000	1,027,000,000
Other		64,000,000	20,000,000	9,000,000	139,000,000
Total net income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests		205,000,000	528,000,000	402,000,000	1,166,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG from continuing operations		1,889,000,000	(32,000,000)	512,000,000	1,418,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations		(37,000,000)	(2,611,000,000)	1,616,000,000	(2,268,000,000)
Net income from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests		12,000,000	13,000,000	19,000,000	23,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG from discontinued operations		(49,000,000)	(2,624,000,000)	1,597,000,000	(2,291,000,000)
Deemed dividends				(812,000,000)
(Income) loss allocated to the Series C Preferred Stock - continuing operations					(1,131,000,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG common shareholders from continuing operations, applicable to common stock for EPS		1,889,000,000	(32,000,000)	(300,000,000)	287,000,000
(Income) loss allocated to the Series C Preferred Stock-discontinued operations					1,828,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG common shareholders from discontinued operations, applicable to common stock for EPS		(49,000,000)	(2,624,000,000)	1,597,000,000	(463,000,000)
Denominator for EPS:
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic (in shares)		1,836,713,069	135,813,034	1,698,001,301	135,745,903
Dilutive shares (in shares)		58,444			61,410
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)		1,836,771,513	135,813,034	1,698,001,301	135,807,313
Basic:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ 1.03	$ (0.25)	$ (0.18)	$ 2.11
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		$ (0.03)	$ (19.32)	$ 0.94	$ (3.41)
Diluted:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ 1.03	$ (0.25)	$ (0.18)	$ 2.11
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		$ (0.03)	$ (19.32)	$ 0.94	$ (3.41)
Series F Warrant issued to Department of the Treasury included in dilutive share calculations (in shares)	150
Number of shares excluded from diluted shares outstanding because the effect would have been anti-dilutive (in shares)		80,000,000	12,000,000	72,000,000	12,000,000
Weighted average number of warrants (in shares)		75,000,000		67,000,000
Common stock included in consideration transferred to the Department of the Treasury (in shares)		1,092,169,866		1,092,169,866
Redeemable SPV Preferred Interests included in consideration transferred to the Department of the Treasury		$ 20,200,000,000		$ 20,200,000,000
Exchange of preferred stock for common stock in connection with recapitalization (in shares)				562,868,096