FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bond trading securities, at fair value	$ 24,481,000,000	$ 24,364,000,000
Equity securities available for sale	3,026,000,000	3,624,000,000
Equity securities trading	123,000,000	125,000,000
Other invested assets	17,094,000,000	20,876,000,000
Derivative assets, at fair value	4,221,000,000	4,499,000,000
Short-term investments, portion measured at fair value	4,408,000,000	5,913,000,000
Separate account assets, at fair value	56,025,000,000	51,388,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Policyholder contract deposits, portion measured at fair value	782,000,000	918,000,000
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	4,222,000,000	4,733,000,000
Long-term debt, portion measured at fair value	10,579,000,000	10,766,000,000
Other liabilities	1,516,000,000	907,000,000
Level 3
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Fair value liabilities measured on recurring basis, total	4,622,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 1
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	396,000,000	433,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	505,000,000	100,000,000
Equity securities available for sale	2,808,000,000	3,349,000,000
Equity securities trading	38,000,000	43,000,000
Other invested assets	8,332,000,000	12,549,000,000
Derivative assets, at fair value	112,000,000	123,000,000
Short-term investments, portion measured at fair value	433,000,000	2,309,000,000
Separate account assets, at fair value	53,210,000,000	48,502,000,000
Fair value assets measured on recurring basis, total	65,834,000,000	67,408,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	1,000,000
Other liabilities	111,000,000	193,000,000
Fair value liabilities measured on recurring basis, total	112,000,000	193,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 1 | AIA Group Limited (AIA)
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Other invested assets	8,200,000,000	12,400,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 1 | Interest rate contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	2,000,000	2,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 1 | Equity contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	110,000,000	92,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	1,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 1 | Other contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value		29,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 1 | U.S. government and government sponsored entities
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale		174,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	505,000,000	100,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 1 | Non-U.S. government
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	396,000,000	259,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 1 | Common Stock
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Equity securities available for sale	2,754,000,000	3,294,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 1 | Mutual Funds
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Equity securities available for sale	54,000,000	55,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	241,279,000,000	241,592,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	14,808,000,000	14,968,000,000
Equity securities available for sale	62,000,000	119,000,000
Equity securities trading	85,000,000	82,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	113,000,000	106,000,000
Other invested assets	1,576,000,000	1,709,000,000
Derivative assets, at fair value	7,310,000,000	8,123,000,000
Short-term investments, portion measured at fair value	3,975,000,000	3,604,000,000
Separate account assets, at fair value	2,815,000,000	2,886,000,000
Other assets	701,000,000
Fair value assets measured on recurring basis, total	272,724,000,000	273,189,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	7,021,000,000	7,342,000,000
Long-term debt, portion measured at fair value	10,004,000,000	10,258,000,000
Other liabilities	1,405,000,000	714,000,000
Fair value liabilities measured on recurring basis, total	18,430,000,000	18,314,000,000
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	700,000,000	100,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Interest rate contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	6,510,000,000	7,251,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	6,307,000,000	6,661,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Foreign exchange contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	38,000,000	143,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	165,000,000	178,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Equity contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	128,000,000	133,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	232,000,000	198,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Commodity contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	153,000,000	134,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	156,000,000	146,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Credit contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	1,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	2,000,000	4,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Other contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	480,000,000	462,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	159,000,000	155,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | U.S. government and government sponsored entities
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	4,786,000,000	5,904,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	6,951,000,000	7,404,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Obligations of states, municipalities and political subdivisions
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	36,628,000,000	36,538,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	236,000,000	257,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Non-U.S. government
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	25,711,000,000	25,467,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	36,000,000	35,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Corporate debt
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	145,157,000,000	142,883,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	1,088,000,000	809,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS)
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	21,811,000,000	23,727,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	1,339,000,000	1,345,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS)
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	3,890,000,000	3,991,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	1,280,000,000	1,283,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Collateralized Debt Obligations/Asset Backed Securities (CDO/ABS)
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	3,296,000,000	3,082,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	3,878,000,000	3,835,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Common Stock
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Equity securities available for sale	1,000,000	70,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Equity securities available for sale	48,000,000	44,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Mutual Funds
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Equity securities available for sale	13,000,000	5,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Securities sold under agreements to repurchase
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Other liabilities	1,400,000,000	600,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Securities and spot commodities sold but not yet purchased
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Other liabilities	53,000,000	144,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 2 | Trust deposits and deposits due to banks and other depositors
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Other liabilities		6,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	24,687,000,000	21,956,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	9,168,000,000	9,296,000,000
Equity securities available for sale	156,000,000	156,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	1,000,000	1,000,000
Other invested assets	7,186,000,000	6,618,000,000
Derivative assets, at fair value	1,343,000,000	1,414,000,000
Fair value assets measured on recurring basis, total	42,541,000,000	39,441,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Policyholder contract deposits, portion measured at fair value	782,000,000	918,000,000
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	3,265,000,000	3,837,000,000
Long-term debt, portion measured at fair value	575,000,000	508,000,000
Fair value liabilities measured on recurring basis, total	4,622,000,000	5,263,000,000
Percent of the fair value of the assets recorded as level 3 relating to various private equity, real estate, hedge fund and fund-of-funds investments	3.00%	3.00%
AIG's Ownership in private equity, real estate, hedge funds and fund-of-funds instrument	900,000,000	800,000,000
Percentage of investments in financial instrument owned	63.60%	57.30%
Fair value derivative liability on AIGFP super senior credit default swap portfolio included in Level 3 unrealized loss on swaps, options and forward transactions	2,600,000,000	3,200,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Interest rate contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	1,015,000,000	1,033,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	237,000,000	248,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Foreign exchange contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value		2,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Equity contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	48,000,000	38,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	8,000,000	10,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Commodity contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	2,000,000	2,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Credit contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	64,000,000	89,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	2,769,000,000	3,362,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Other contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	214,000,000	250,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	251,000,000	217,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Obligations of states, municipalities and political subdivisions
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	1,054,000,000	960,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Non-U.S. government
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	15,000,000	9,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Corporate debt
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	1,323,000,000	1,935,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	5,000,000	7,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS)
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	13,240,000,000	10,877,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	314,000,000	303,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS)
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	4,173,000,000	3,955,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	433,000,000	554,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Collateralized Debt Obligations/Asset Backed Securities (CDO/ABS)
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	4,882,000,000	4,220,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	8,416,000,000	8,432,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Common Stock
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Equity securities available for sale	50,000,000	57,000,000
Recurring Basis | Level 3 | Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Equity securities available for sale	106,000,000	99,000,000
Recurring Basis | Counterparty Netting
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	(3,264,000,000)	(3,660,000,000)
Fair value assets measured on recurring basis, total	(3,264,000,000)	(3,660,000,000)
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	(3,264,000,000)	(3,660,000,000)
Fair value liabilities measured on recurring basis, total	(3,264,000,000)	(3,660,000,000)
Recurring Basis | Counterparty Netting | Counterparty netting and cash collateral
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	(3,264,000,000)	(3,660,000,000)
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	(3,264,000,000)	(3,660,000,000)
Recurring Basis | Cash Collateral
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	(1,280,000,000)	(1,501,000,000)
Fair value assets measured on recurring basis, total	(1,280,000,000)	(1,501,000,000)
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	(2,801,000,000)	(2,786,000,000)
Fair value liabilities measured on recurring basis, total	(2,801,000,000)	(2,786,000,000)
Securities collateral posted for derivative transactions	1,200,000,000	1,800,000,000
Securities collateral received not reflected in balance sheet	87,000,000	100,000,000
Recurring Basis | Cash Collateral | Counterparty netting and cash collateral
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	(1,280,000,000)	(1,501,000,000)
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	(2,801,000,000)	(2,786,000,000)
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	266,362,000,000	263,981,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	24,481,000,000	24,364,000,000
Equity securities available for sale	3,026,000,000	3,624,000,000
Equity securities trading	123,000,000	125,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	114,000,000	107,000,000
Other invested assets	17,094,000,000	20,876,000,000
Derivative assets, at fair value	4,221,000,000	4,499,000,000
Short-term investments, portion measured at fair value	4,408,000,000	5,913,000,000
Separate account assets, at fair value	56,025,000,000	51,388,000,000
Other assets	701,000,000
Fair value assets measured on recurring basis, total	376,555,000,000	374,877,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Policyholder contract deposits, portion measured at fair value	782,000,000	918,000,000
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	4,222,000,000	4,733,000,000
Long-term debt, portion measured at fair value	10,579,000,000	10,766,000,000
Other liabilities	1,516,000,000	907,000,000
Fair value liabilities measured on recurring basis, total	17,099,000,000	17,324,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Interest rate contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	7,527,000,000	8,286,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	6,544,000,000	6,909,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Foreign exchange contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	38,000,000	145,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	165,000,000	178,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Equity contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	286,000,000	263,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	241,000,000	208,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Commodity contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	155,000,000	136,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	156,000,000	146,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Credit contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	65,000,000	89,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	2,771,000,000	3,366,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Other contracts
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	694,000,000	741,000,000
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	410,000,000	372,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Counterparty netting and cash collateral
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative assets, at fair value	(4,544,000,000)	(5,161,000,000)
Fair Value, Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis
Derivative liabilities, at fair value	(6,065,000,000)	(6,446,000,000)
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | U.S. government and government sponsored entities
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	4,786,000,000	6,078,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	7,456,000,000	7,504,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Obligations of states, municipalities and political subdivisions
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	37,682,000,000	37,498,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	236,000,000	257,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Non-U.S. government
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	26,122,000,000	25,735,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	36,000,000	35,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Corporate debt
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	146,480,000,000	144,818,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	1,093,000,000	816,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS)
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	35,051,000,000	34,604,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	1,653,000,000	1,648,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS)
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	8,063,000,000	7,946,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	1,713,000,000	1,837,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Collateralized Debt Obligations/Asset Backed Securities (CDO/ABS)
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Bonds available for sale	8,178,000,000	7,302,000,000
Bond trading securities, at fair value	12,294,000,000	12,267,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Common Stock
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Equity securities available for sale	2,805,000,000	3,421,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Equity securities available for sale	154,000,000	143,000,000
Recurring Basis | Total Fair Value | Mutual Funds
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis
Equity securities available for sale	$ 67,000,000	$ 60,000,000