FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	$ (196)	$ (687)
Transfers into Level 3 at end of reporting period, losses not included in realized and unrealized gains and losses related to Level 3 for the period	58
Transfers out Level 3 at end of reporting period, losses not included in realized and unrealized gains and losses related to Level 3 for the period.	27
Gross Transfers in, liabilities	(83)
Liabilities
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, liabilities	2	39
Sales, liabilities	(6)	(9)
Settlements, liabilities	1,231	104
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, liabilities	1,227	134
Gross Transfers in, liabilities	(83)	(21)
Policyholder contract deposits
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Sales, liabilities	(6)	(9)
Settlements, liabilities	3	6
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, liabilities	(3)	(3)
Derivative liabilities, net
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, liabilities	2	39
Settlements, liabilities	1,114	37
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, liabilities	1,116	76
Gross Transfers in, liabilities	(83)
Interest rate contracts
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Settlements, liabilities	(7)	3
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, liabilities	(7)	3
Foreign exchange contracts
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Settlements, liabilities	(2)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, liabilities	(2)
Equity contracts
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, liabilities	2	39
Settlements, liabilities		(1)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, liabilities	2	38
Gross Transfers in, liabilities	(2)
Commodity contracts
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Settlements, liabilities		(11)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, liabilities		(11)
Credit contracts
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Settlements, liabilities	711	(4)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, liabilities	711	(4)
Other contracts
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Settlements, liabilities	412	50
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, liabilities	412	50
Gross Transfers in, liabilities	(81)
Other long-term debt
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Settlements, liabilities	114	61
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, liabilities	114	61
Gross Transfers in, liabilities		(21)
Assets
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	2,914	762
Sales, assets	(558)	(64)
Settlements, assets	(2,552)	(1,385)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	(196)	(687)
Bonds available for sale
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	2,524	645
Sales, assets	(173)	(32)
Settlements, assets	(849)	(879)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	1,502	(266)
Bonds available for sale | Obligations of states, municipalities and political subdivisions
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	108	113
Sales, assets	(8)
Settlements, assets		(1)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	100	112
Bonds available for sale | Non-U.S. government
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Sales, assets	(2)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	(2)
Bonds available for sale | Corporate debt
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	61	8
Sales, assets	(1)	(19)
Settlements, assets	(63)	(22)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	(3)	(33)
Bonds available for sale | Residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS)
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	1,912	317
Sales, assets	(94)	(13)
Settlements, assets	(492)	(266)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	1,326	38
Bonds available for sale | Commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS)
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	126	142
Sales, assets	(64)
Settlements, assets	(51)	(70)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	11	72
Bonds available for sale | Collateralized Debt Obligations/Asset Backed Securities (CDO/ABS)
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	317	65
Sales, assets	(4)
Settlements, assets	(243)	(520)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	70	(455)
Bond trading securities
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	113	3
Sales, assets	(367)	(5)
Settlements, assets	(1,539)	(55)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	(1,793)	(57)
Bond trading securities | Corporate debt
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Settlements, assets	(2)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	(2)
Bond trading securities | Residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS)
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Settlements, assets	(19)	6
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	(19)	6
Bond trading securities | Commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS)
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	113
Sales, assets	(57)	(5)
Settlements, assets	(191)	(53)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	(135)	(58)
Bond trading securities | Collateralized Debt Obligations/Asset Backed Securities (CDO/ABS)
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets		3
Sales, assets	(310)
Settlements, assets	(1,327)	(8)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	(1,637)	(5)
Equity securities available for sale
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	11
Sales, assets	(14)	(15)
Settlements, assets	(3)	1
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	(6)	(14)
Equity securities available for sale | Common Stock
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Sales, assets	(14)	(15)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	(14)	(15)
Equity securities available for sale | Preferred Stock
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	11
Settlements, assets	(3)	1
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	8	1
Other invested assets
Fair value assets and liabilities measured on recurring basis, unobservable input reconciliation
Purchases, assets	266	114
Sales, assets	(4)	(12)
Settlements, assets	(161)	(452)
Purchases, Sales, Issuances and Settlements, Net, assets	$ 101	$ (350)