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

Debt instrument, Consecutive years of non-payment of interest resulting in default

No definition available.

Name:	lnc_DebtInstrumentConsecutiveYearsOfNonPaymentOfInterestResultingInDefault
Namespace Prefix:	lnc_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

The maximum issuance of lines of credit under various credit facility agreements entered into with third-party lenders.

No definition available.

Name:	lnc_MaximumIssuanceOfLineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	lnc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Non-operating indebtedness of subsidiaries to total capitalization, maximum

No definition available.

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

Percentage of aggregate net proceeds of equity issuances received by the entity that is added to the specified level of net worth in calculating total minimum net worth to be maintained in accordance with the terms of the credit facility.

No definition available.

Name:	lnc_PercentageOfAggregateNetProceedsOfEquityIssuances
Namespace Prefix:	lnc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Total Aggregate Indebtedness divided by Net Capital, high end of range.

No definition available.

Name:	lnc_RatioOfIndebtednessToNetCapitalHighEnd
Namespace Prefix:	lnc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Total Aggregate Indebtedness divided by Net Capital, low end of range.

No definition available.

Name:	lnc_RatioOfIndebtednessToNetCapitalLowEnd
Namespace Prefix:	lnc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Represents the minimum risk based capital requirement for the entity's primary life insurance subsidiary as one of the trigger events of capital securities covenants that require the Company to make an interest payment in accordance with an alternative coupon satisfaction mechanism ("ACSM").

No definition available.

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

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775744&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=114775985&loc=d3e28878-108400

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

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

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

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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

The lowest amount of net worth (total assets minus total liabilities) required by secondary market investors or state-imposed regulatory mandates.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6490092&loc=d3e47304-110998

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 948
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)(a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6490092&loc=d3e47080-110998