SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details 5) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010 ALICO	Dec. 31, 2010 AIA	Dec. 31, 2011 Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts	Dec. 31, 2010 Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts	Dec. 31, 2011 Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts As Previously Reported	Dec. 31, 2010 Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts As Previously Reported	Dec. 31, 2011 Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts Effect of Change	Dec. 31, 2011 Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts Effect of Change	Dec. 31, 2010 Accounting for Costs Associated with Acquiring or Renewing Insurance Contracts Effect of Change
Statement of Operations:
Total net realized capital gains (losses)									$ 929,000,000	$ 701,000,000	$ (716,000,000)			$ 701,000,000	$ (716,000,000)	$ 681,000,000	$ (727,000,000)		$ 20,000,000	$ 11,000,000
Total revenues	15,854,000,000	16,505,000,000	16,006,000,000	17,291,000,000	16,376,000,000	11,606,000,000	15,547,000,000	16,283,000,000	65,656,000,000	59,812,000,000	72,829,000,000			59,812,000,000	72,829,000,000	59,792,000,000	72,818,000,000		20,000,000	11,000,000
Interest credited to policyholder account balances									4,362,000,000	4,467,000,000	4,487,000,000			4,467,000,000	4,487,000,000	4,446,000,000	4,480,000,000		21,000,000	7,000,000
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs									5,709,000,000	5,486,000,000	5,821,000,000			5,486,000,000	5,821,000,000	8,019,000,000	9,134,000,000		(2,533,000,000)	(3,313,000,000)
Other acquisition and other insurance expenses									9,235,000,000	8,458,000,000	10,163,000,000			8,458,000,000	10,163,000,000	6,091,000,000	6,775,000,000		2,367,000,000	3,388,000,000
Net (gain) loss on sale of properties and divested businesses									2,000,000	74,000,000	(19,566,000,000)			74,000,000	(19,566,000,000)	74,000,000	(17,767,000,000)			(1,799,000,000)
Total benefits, claims and expenses									56,334,000,000	59,696,000,000	52,582,000,000			59,696,000,000	52,582,000,000	59,840,000,000	54,301,000,000		(144,000,000)	(1,719,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income tax expense (benefit)	629,000,000	2,558,000,000	1,669,000,000	4,466,000,000	2,771,000,000	(2,938,000,000)	1,711,000,000	(1,428,000,000)	9,322,000,000	116,000,000	20,247,000,000			116,000,000	20,247,000,000	(48,000,000)	18,517,000,000		164,000,000	1,730,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)									1,570,000,000	(19,424,000,000)	6,993,000,000			(19,424,000,000)	6,993,000,000	(17,696,000,000)	6,116,000,000		(1,728,000,000)	877,000,000
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations									7,752,000,000	19,540,000,000	13,254,000,000			19,540,000,000	13,254,000,000	17,648,000,000	12,401,000,000		1,892,000,000	853,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense (benefit)	(4,332,000,000)	37,000,000	179,000,000	64,000,000	94,000,000	(1,052,000,000)	41,000,000	2,707,000,000	(4,052,000,000)	1,790,000,000	(969,000,000)			1,790,000,000	(969,000,000)	858,000,000	(2,388,000,000)		932,000,000	1,419,000,000
Net income (loss)	(3,949,000,000)	1,861,000,000	2,339,000,000	3,449,000,000	21,602,000,000	(3,826,000,000)	2,053,000,000	1,501,000,000	3,700,000,000	21,330,000,000	12,285,000,000			21,330,000,000	12,285,000,000	18,506,000,000	10,013,000,000		2,824,000,000	2,272,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG	(3,958,000,000)	1,856,000,000	2,332,000,000	3,208,000,000	21,479,000,000	(3,990,000,000)	1,836,000,000	1,297,000,000	3,438,000,000	20,622,000,000	10,058,000,000			20,622,000,000	10,058,000,000	17,798,000,000	7,786,000,000		2,824,000,000	2,272,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG common shareholders									3,438,000,000	19,810,000,000	2,046,000,000			19,810,000,000	2,046,000,000	16,986,000,000	1,583,000,000		2,824,000,000	463,000,000
Basic and diluted:
Income (loss) from continuing operations - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.25	$ 1.11	$ 1.23	$ 1.68	$ 11.26	$ (1.55)	$ 0.98	$ (1.42)	$ 4.44	$ 10.03	$ 16.50			$ 10.03	$ 16.50	$ 8.98	$ 15.23		$ 1.05	$ 1.27
Income (loss) from discontinued operations - basic (in dollars per share)	$ (2.93)	$ 0.02	$ 0.1	$ 0.03	$ 0.05	$ (0.55)	$ 0.02	$ 1.73	$ (2.40)	$ 0.98	$ (1.52)			$ 0.98	$ (1.52)	$ 0.46	$ (3.63)		$ 0.52	$ 2.11
Income (loss) from continuing operations - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.25	$ 1.11	$ 1.23	$ 1.68	$ 11.26	$ (1.55)	$ 0.98	$ (1.42)	$ 4.44	$ 10.03	$ 16.50			$ 10.03	$ 16.50	$ 8.98	$ 15.23		$ 1.05	$ 1.27
Income (loss) from discontinued operations - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ (2.93)	$ 0.02	$ 0.1	$ 0.03	$ 0.05	$ (0.55)	$ 0.02	$ 1.73	$ (2.40)	$ 0.98	$ (1.52)			$ 0.98	$ (1.52)	$ 0.46	$ (3.63)		$ 0.52	$ 2.11
Reclassification of certain derivative activity																140,000,000	783,000,000
Adjustment to the deferred tax valuation allowance	116,000,000	205,000,000	1,239,000,000	347,000,000	19,252,000,000	(905,000,000)	564,000,000	(604,000,000)	2,100,000,000									1,800,000,000
Tax impact of gain on sale of ordinary shares													1,000,000,000
After-tax gain on sale of business												$ 1,600,000,000