VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets:
Trading securities	$ 23,855,000,000	$ 24,584,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	19,488,000,000	19,482,000,000
Other invested assets	28,965,000,000	29,117,000,000
Real estate and investment funds
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
Off-balance sheet exposure associated with VIEs	200,000,000	200,000,000
Off-balance sheet exposure	50,900,000	48,700,000
Consolidated VIE
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
VIE Assets	12,400,000,000	11,700,000,000
VIE Liabilities	2,100,000,000	1,900,000,000
Assets:
Available for sale securities	3,600,000,000	2,900,000,000
Trading securities	1,000,000,000	1,000,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	300,000,000	400,000,000
Other invested assets	4,300,000,000	4,400,000,000
Other asset accounts	3,200,000,000	3,000,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	800,000,000	700,000,000
Other liability accounts	1,300,000,000	1,200,000,000
Consolidated VIE | ALICO SPV
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
VIE Assets	600,000,000	600,000,000
VIE Liabilities	100,000,000	100,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Real estate and investment funds
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
VIE Assets	1,500,000,000	1,400,000,000
VIE Liabilities	200,000,000	200,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Securitization Vehicles
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
VIE Assets	3,000,000,000	2,400,000,000
VIE Liabilities	100,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Structured Investment Vehicle
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
VIE Assets	1,700,000,000	1,700,000,000
VIE Liabilities	200,000,000	100,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Affordable housing partnerships
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
VIE Assets	2,300,000,000	2,300,000,000
VIE Liabilities	300,000,000	200,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Other
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
VIE Assets	3,300,000,000	3,300,000,000
VIE Liabilities	1,200,000,000	1,300,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
Total VIE Assets	18,200,000,000	18,200,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	2,400,000,000	2,400,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, Off-Balance Sheet	200,000,000	200,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	2,600,000,000	2,600,000,000
Assets:
Trading securities	100,000,000	100,000,000
Other invested assets	2,300,000,000	2,300,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE assets in balance sheet	2,400,000,000	2,400,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE | Real estate and investment funds
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
Total VIE Assets	16,700,000,000	16,700,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	1,800,000,000	1,800,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, Off-Balance Sheet	200,000,000	200,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE | Affordable housing partnerships
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
Total VIE Assets	500,000,000	500,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	500,000,000	500,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	500,000,000	500,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE | Other
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITY
Total VIE Assets	1,000,000,000	1,000,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	100,000,000	100,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000