VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 item	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets:
Bonds available for sale	$ 261,930,000,000	$ 273,171,000,000
Other bond securities	22,623,000,000	24,584,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	20,765,000,000	19,482,000,000
Other invested assets	28,659,000,000	29,117,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	41,693,000,000	48,500,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Other invested assets	28,659,000,000	29,117,000,000
Real Estate and Investment Funds
Liabilities:
Off-balance sheet exposure	50,800,000	48,700,000
Structured Investment Vehicles
Liabilities:
Total liabilities	100,000,000
Structured Investment Vehicles | Minimum
Assets:
Total assets	800,000,000	1,000,000,000
Affordable Housing Partnerships | SunAmerica Affordable Housing Partners, Inc.
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Number of partnerships through which investments has been made in apartment units nationwide	1,000
Number of apartment units nationwide in which investment for developments has been made	130,000
Partnership equity syndicated to other investors	7,700,000,000
Aircraft Trusts
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Number of VIEs	2
Consolidated VIE
Assets:
Bonds available for sale	11,098,000,000	2,944,000,000
Other bond securities	8,310,000,000	9,417,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	1,697,000,000	398,000,000
Other invested assets	3,628,000,000	4,375,000,000
Other assets	1,279,000,000	3,007,000,000
Total assets	26,012,000,000	20,141,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	994,000,000	748,000,000
Other liabilities	555,000,000	1,175,000,000
Total liabilities	1,549,000,000	1,923,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Other invested assets	3,628,000,000	4,375,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Real Estate and Investment Funds
Assets:
Bonds available for sale		198,000,000
Other bond securities		15,000,000
Other invested assets	849,000,000	1,122,000,000
Other assets	49,000,000	59,000,000
Total assets	898,000,000	1,394,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	71,000,000	157,000,000
Other liabilities	31,000,000	20,000,000
Total liabilities	102,000,000	177,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Other invested assets	849,000,000	1,122,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Securitization Vehicles
Assets:
Bonds available for sale	11,028,000,000	2,422,000,000
Other bond securities	7,449,000,000	8,406,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	1,508,000,000
Other assets	481,000,000	719,000,000
Total assets	20,466,000,000	11,547,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	494,000,000	25,000,000
Other liabilities	74,000,000	43,000,000
Total liabilities	568,000,000	68,000,000
Investment-grade debt securities, loans and other assets	21,400,000,000	12,800,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Structured Investment Vehicles
Assets:
Other bond securities	748,000,000	792,000,000
Other assets	93,000,000	183,000,000
Total assets	841,000,000	975,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	87,000,000	9,000,000
Total liabilities	87,000,000	9,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Affordable Housing Partnerships
Assets:
Other invested assets	1,986,000,000	2,230,000,000
Other assets	41,000,000	33,000,000
Total assets	2,027,000,000	2,263,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	188,000,000	133,000,000
Other liabilities	83,000,000	68,000,000
Total liabilities	271,000,000	201,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Other invested assets	1,986,000,000	2,230,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Other
Assets:
Bonds available for sale	70,000,000	324,000,000
Other bond securities	113,000,000	204,000,000
Mortgage and other loans receivable	189,000,000	398,000,000
Other invested assets	793,000,000	1,023,000,000
Other assets	615,000,000	2,013,000,000
Total assets	1,780,000,000	3,962,000,000
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	154,000,000	424,000,000
Other liabilities	367,000,000	1,044,000,000
Total liabilities	521,000,000	1,468,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Other invested assets	793,000,000	1,023,000,000
Consolidated VIE | Commercial loans vehicles VIE
Assets:
Total assets	360,000,000	412,000,000
Liabilities:
Total liabilities	117,000,000	188,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Total maximum exposure to loss	330,000,000	389,000,000
Number of VIEs	1
Consolidated VIE | Aircraft Trusts
Assets:
Total assets	900,000,000	1,200,000,000
Liabilities:
Total liabilities	200,000,000	300,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE
Assets:
Other invested assets	2,800,000,000	2,500,000,000
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Total VIE Assets	18,758,000,000	18,178,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	2,857,000,000	2,458,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, Off-Balance Sheet	289,000,000	169,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	3,146,000,000	2,627,000,000
Other invested assets	2,800,000,000	2,500,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE | Real Estate and Investment Funds
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Total VIE Assets	17,572,000,000	16,662,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	2,343,000,000	1,881,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, Off-Balance Sheet	289,000,000	169,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	2,632,000,000	2,050,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE | Affordable Housing Partnerships
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Total VIE Assets	478,000,000	498,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	477,000,000	498,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	477,000,000	498,000,000
Unconsolidated VIE | Other
Total assets of unconsolidated VIEs as well as maximum exposure to loss
Total VIE Assets	708,000,000	1,018,000,000
Maximum Exposure to Loss, On-Balance Sheet	37,000,000	79,000,000
Total maximum exposure to loss	$ 37,000,000	$ 79,000,000