INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH OUTSTANDING DEBT (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Assets:
Short-term investments	$ 20,789,000,000	$ 22,572,000,000
Other investments	386,172,000,000	387,866,000,000
Total investments	406,961,000,000	410,438,000,000
Cash	1,315,000,000	1,474,000,000	1,801,000,000	1,558,000,000
Debt issuance costs	496,000,000	493,000,000
Other assets, including current and deferred income taxes	145,631,000,000	139,955,000,000
Total assets	554,403,000,000	552,360,000,000
Liabilities:
Insurance liabilities	282,249,000,000	282,516,000,000
Other long-term debt	76,096,000,000	75,253,000,000
Other liabilities, including intercompany balances	91,593,000,000	83,675,000,000
Total liabilities	449,938,000,000	441,444,000,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (see Note 1):
Nonvoting, callable, junior preferred interests held by Department of the Treasury		8,427,000,000
Other	121,000,000	96,000,000
Total redeemable noncontrolling interests	121,000,000	8,523,000,000
Total AIG shareholders' equity	103,451,000,000	101,538,000,000
Other noncontrolling interests	893,000,000	855,000,000
Total noncontrolling interests	893,000,000	855,000,000
Total equity	104,344,000,000	102,393,000,000	80,466,000,000	113,239,000,000
Total liabilities and equity	554,403,000,000	552,360,000,000
AIG (As Guarantor)
Assets:
Short-term investments	11,871,000,000	12,868,000,000
Other investments	9,892,000,000	6,599,000,000
Total investments	21,763,000,000	19,467,000,000
Cash	86,000,000	176,000,000	42,000,000	49,000,000
Loans to subsidiaries	36,165,000,000	39,971,000,000
Debt issuance costs	193,000,000	196,000,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	72,282,000,000	79,802,000,000
Other assets, including current and deferred income taxes	24,882,000,000	24,317,000,000
Total assets	155,371,000,000	163,929,000,000
Liabilities:
Other long-term debt	36,658,000,000	35,906,000,000
Other liabilities, including intercompany balances	14,639,000,000	14,169,000,000
Loans from subsidiaries	623,000,000	12,316,000,000
Total liabilities	51,920,000,000	62,391,000,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (see Note 1):
Total AIG shareholders' equity	103,451,000,000	101,538,000,000
Total equity	103,451,000,000	101,538,000,000
Total liabilities and equity	155,371,000,000	163,929,000,000
Intercompany tax payable	9,700,000,000	9,800,000,000
Intercompany derivative liabilities	768,000,000	901,000,000
SAFG, Inc.
Assets:
Cash		13,000,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	34,243,000,000	32,361,000,000
Other assets, including current and deferred income taxes	2,724,000,000	2,704,000,000
Total assets	36,967,000,000	35,078,000,000
Liabilities:
Other long-term debt	1,638,000,000	1,638,000,000
Other liabilities, including intercompany balances	1,729,000,000	2,402,000,000
Loans from subsidiaries	237,000,000	249,000,000
Total liabilities	3,604,000,000	4,289,000,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (see Note 1):
Total AIG shareholders' equity	33,363,000,000	30,789,000,000
Total equity	33,363,000,000	30,789,000,000
Total liabilities and equity	36,967,000,000	35,078,000,000
Intercompany tax receivable	129,000,000	128,000,000
Other Subsidiaries
Assets:
Short-term investments	10,968,000,000	14,110,000,000
Other investments	384,947,000,000	481,525,000,000
Total investments	395,915,000,000	495,635,000,000
Cash	1,229,000,000	1,285,000,000
Loans to subsidiaries	(36,165,000,000)	(39,971,000,000)
Debt issuance costs	303,000,000	297,000,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	(23,768,000,000)	(11,600,000,000)
Other assets, including current and deferred income taxes	122,463,000,000	117,231,000,000
Total assets	459,977,000,000	562,877,000,000
Liabilities:
Insurance liabilities	282,526,000,000	282,790,000,000
Other long-term debt	46,528,000,000	138,240,000,000
Other liabilities, including intercompany balances	81,364,000,000	75,132,000,000
Loans from subsidiaries	(860,000,000)	(12,565,000,000)
Total liabilities	409,558,000,000	483,597,000,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (see Note 1):
Other	28,000,000	29,000,000
Total redeemable noncontrolling interests	28,000,000	29,000,000
Total AIG shareholders' equity	49,945,000,000	78,859,000,000
Other noncontrolling interests	446,000,000	392,000,000
Total noncontrolling interests	446,000,000	392,000,000
Total equity	50,391,000,000	79,251,000,000
Total liabilities and equity	459,977,000,000	562,877,000,000
Reclassifications and Eliminations
Assets:
Short-term investments	(2,050,000,000)	(4,406,000,000)
Other investments	(8,667,000,000)	(100,258,000,000)
Total investments	(10,717,000,000)	(104,664,000,000)
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	(82,757,000,000)	(100,563,000,000)
Other assets, including current and deferred income taxes	(4,438,000,000)	(4,297,000,000)
Total assets	(97,912,000,000)	(209,524,000,000)
Liabilities:
Insurance liabilities	(277,000,000)	(274,000,000)
Other long-term debt	(8,728,000,000)	(100,531,000,000)
Other liabilities, including intercompany balances	(6,139,000,000)	(8,028,000,000)
Total liabilities	(15,144,000,000)	(108,833,000,000)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (see Note 1):
Nonvoting, callable, junior preferred interests held by Department of the Treasury		8,427,000,000
Other	93,000,000	67,000,000
Total redeemable noncontrolling interests	93,000,000	8,494,000,000
Total AIG shareholders' equity	(83,308,000,000)	(109,648,000,000)
Other noncontrolling interests	447,000,000	463,000,000
Total noncontrolling interests	447,000,000	463,000,000
Total equity	(82,861,000,000)	(109,185,000,000)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (97,912,000,000)	$ (209,524,000,000)