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Investments (Credit Quality Indicators For Mortgage Loans) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Mortgage Loans Credit Quality [Line Items]    
Principal amount of mortgage loans on real estate $ 7,654us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages $ 7,574us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
Percentage of total mortgage loans on real estate 100.00%lnc_PercentageOfTotalMortgageLoans 100.00%lnc_PercentageOfTotalMortgageLoans
Loan-To-Value Ratio, Less Than 65% [Member]    
Mortgage Loans Credit Quality [Line Items]    
Principal amount of mortgage loans on real estate 6,749us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioLessThanSixtyFiveMember		 6,596us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioLessThanSixtyFiveMember
Percentage of total mortgage loans on real estate 88.10%lnc_PercentageOfTotalMortgageLoans
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioLessThanSixtyFiveMember		 87.10%lnc_PercentageOfTotalMortgageLoans
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioLessThanSixtyFiveMember
Debt-service coverage ratio 1.92lnc_DebtServiceCoverageRatio
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioLessThanSixtyFiveMember		 1.90lnc_DebtServiceCoverageRatio
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioLessThanSixtyFiveMember
Loan-To-Value Ratio, 65% To 74% [Member]    
Mortgage Loans Credit Quality [Line Items]    
Principal amount of mortgage loans on real estate 565us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSixtyFiveToSeventyFourMember		 631us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSixtyFiveToSeventyFourMember
Percentage of total mortgage loans on real estate 7.40%lnc_PercentageOfTotalMortgageLoans
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSixtyFiveToSeventyFourMember		 8.30%lnc_PercentageOfTotalMortgageLoans
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSixtyFiveToSeventyFourMember
Debt-service coverage ratio 1.54lnc_DebtServiceCoverageRatio
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSixtyFiveToSeventyFourMember		 1.55lnc_DebtServiceCoverageRatio
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSixtyFiveToSeventyFourMember
Loan-To-Value Ratio, 75% To 100% [Member]    
Mortgage Loans Credit Quality [Line Items]    
Principal amount of mortgage loans on real estate 310us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSeventyFiveToOneHundredMember		 316us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSeventyFiveToOneHundredMember
Percentage of total mortgage loans on real estate 4.10%lnc_PercentageOfTotalMortgageLoans
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSeventyFiveToOneHundredMember		 4.20%lnc_PercentageOfTotalMortgageLoans
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSeventyFiveToOneHundredMember
Debt-service coverage ratio 0.78lnc_DebtServiceCoverageRatio
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSeventyFiveToOneHundredMember		 0.77lnc_DebtServiceCoverageRatio
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioSeventyFiveToOneHundredMember
Loan-To-Value Ratio, Greater Than 100% [Member]    
Mortgage Loans Credit Quality [Line Items]    
Principal amount of mortgage loans on real estate $ 30us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioGreaterThanOneHundredMember		 $ 31us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateFaceAmountOfMortgages
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioGreaterThanOneHundredMember
Percentage of total mortgage loans on real estate 0.40%lnc_PercentageOfTotalMortgageLoans
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioGreaterThanOneHundredMember		 0.40%lnc_PercentageOfTotalMortgageLoans
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioGreaterThanOneHundredMember
Debt-service coverage ratio 0.77lnc_DebtServiceCoverageRatio
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioGreaterThanOneHundredMember		 0.77lnc_DebtServiceCoverageRatio
/ lnc_MortgageLoanInformationByLoanToValueRatioAxis
= lnc_LoanToValueRatioGreaterThanOneHundredMember