Amount of income (expense) line items in statement of financial position that hedges are recorded

No definition available.

Name:	lnc_AmountOfIncomeExpenseLineItemsInStatementOfFinancialPositionThatHedgesAreRecorded
Namespace Prefix:	lnc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) from the increase (decrease) in fair value of derivative and nonderivative instruments designated as fair value hedging instruments recognized in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121577467&loc=d3e76258-113986

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ChangeInUnrealizedGainLossOnFairValueHedgingInstruments1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the increase (decrease) in fair value of the hedged item in a fair value hedge recognized in the income statement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ChangeInUnrealizedGainLossOnHedgedItemInFairValueHedge1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The effective portion of net gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into income on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125515794&loc=SL5624177-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125515794&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossReclassifiedFromAccumulatedOCIIntoIncomeEffectivePortionNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of realized and unrealized gain (loss) of derivative instruments not designated or qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4CC
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125515794&loc=SL109998890-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125515794&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=lnc_RealizedGainLossMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=lnc_NetInvestmentIncomeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_EquityContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CreditRiskContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=lnc_GlbEmbeddedDerivativesReservesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=lnc_ReinsuranceRelatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=lnc_IndexedAnnuityContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Derivative Instruments (Effects Of Qualifying And Non-Qualifying Hedges) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020
Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Total Line Items in which the Effects of Fair Value or Cash Flow Hedges are Recorded	$ 85	$ 629
Net Investment Income [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Total Line Items in which the Effects of Fair Value or Cash Flow Hedges are Recorded	1,576	1,458
Interest and Debt Expense [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Total Line Items in which the Effects of Fair Value or Cash Flow Hedges are Recorded	73	66
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Total Line Items in which the Effects of Fair Value or Cash Flow Hedges are Recorded			$ (97)	$ (43)
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Net Investment Income [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Total Line Items in which the Effects of Fair Value or Cash Flow Hedges are Recorded			4,670	4,005
Hedged items			(59)	100
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments			59	(100)
Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Interest and Debt Expense [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Total Line Items in which the Effects of Fair Value or Cash Flow Hedges are Recorded			204	218
Hedged items			51	106
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments			(51)	(106)
Interest Rate Contracts [Member] \| Derivative Instruments Not Designated and Not Qualifying as Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)	(149)	(374)
Interest Rate Contracts [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)			(876)	1,795
Interest Rate Contracts [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Net Investment Income [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from AOCI into income	1	1	2	2
Interest Rate Contracts [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Interest and Debt Expense [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from AOCI into income	(6)	(8)	(18)	(16)
Interest Rate Contracts [Member] \| Fair Value Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Net Investment Income [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Hedged items	(10)	(21)
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments	10	21
Interest Rate Contracts [Member] \| Fair Value Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Interest and Debt Expense [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Hedged items	8	19
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments	(8)	(19)
Foreign currency contracts [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from AOCI into income		(2)	(2)	6
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)			(1)
Foreign currency contracts [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Net Investment Income [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Amount of gain or (loss) reclassified from AOCI into income	13	24	34	46
Equity market contracts [Member] \| Derivative Instruments Not Designated and Not Qualifying as Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)	387	949
Equity market contracts [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)			2,342	565
Credit contracts [Member] \| Derivative Instruments Not Designated and Not Qualifying as Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)		1
Credit contracts [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)				(4)
Embedded derivatives - GLB [Member] \| Derivative Instruments Not Designated and Not Qualifying as Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)	(61)	1,690
Embedded derivatives - GLB [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)			1,075	(1,326)
Reinsurance Related [Member] \| Derivative Instruments Not Designated and Not Qualifying as Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)	24	(88)
Reinsurance Related [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)			88	(7)
Indexed Annuity And IUL Contracts [Member] \| Derivative Instruments Not Designated and Not Qualifying as Hedging Instruments [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)	$ 33	$ (105)
Indexed Annuity And IUL Contracts [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedges [Member] \| Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] \| Realized Gain (Loss) [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Non-Qualifying Hedges Gain (Loss)			$ (1,296)	$ 396