Name:	lnc_ClaimsUtilizationFactor
Namespace Prefix:	lnc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Estimated probability of a contract surrendering during a year, used as an input to measure fair value.

No definition available.

Name:	lnc_FairValueInputsLapseRate
Namespace Prefix:	lnc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Rate at which liquidity premiums, expected durations, structures and credit quality would be applied to the market observable infomration of an investment, used as an input to measure fair value.

No definition available.

Name:	lnc_FairValueInputsLiquidityDurationAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	lnc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Estimated percentage of contract holders that utilize the guaranteed withdrawal feature.

No definition available.

Name:	lnc_FairValueInputsUtilizationOfGuaranteedWithdrawal
Namespace Prefix:	lnc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The factor applied to the present value of premiums in the GLB reserve calculation to estimate the impact of inefficient withdrawal behavior, including taking less than or more than the maximum guaranteed withdrawal

No definition available.

Name:	lnc_PremiumsUtilizationFactor
Namespace Prefix:	lnc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Fair value portion of probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19207-110258

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Measure of dispersion, in percentage terms (for instance, the standard deviation or variance), for a given stock price.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (bbb)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19207-110258

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueInputsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Risk associated with risk of default, credit spread risk and downgrade risk, expressed as a percentage, used as an input to measure fair value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (bbb)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19207-110258

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueInputsEntityCreditRisk
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Fair value of financial and nonfinancial obligations.

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_ValuationTechniqueAxis=us-gaap_IncomeApproachValuationTechniqueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=lnc_HybridAndRedeemablePreferredSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=lnc_OtherAssetsGlbReservesEmbeddedDerivativesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByLiabilityClassAxis=lnc_FutureContractBenefitsIndexedAnnuityAndUniversalLifeContractsEmbeddedDerivativesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: