Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Contracts (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefits Reserve Table Details [Abstract]
Balance at January 1		$ 1,170,000,000	$ 1,138,000,000
Add: Unpaid Claims		40,000,000	37,000,000
Less: Reinsurance and other amounts recoverable		53,000,000	51,000,000
Balance at January 1, net		1,157,000,000	1,124,000,000
Add: Incurred benefits		9,000,000	138,000,000
Less: Paid benefits		79,000,000	105,000,000
Ending balance, net	1,087,000,000	1,087,000,000	1,157,000,000
Less: Unpaid Claims	28,000,000	28,000,000	40,000,000
Add: Reinsurance and other amounts recoverable	46,000,000	46,000,000	53,000,000
Ending balance	1,105,000,000	1,105,000,000	1,170,000,000
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserving Assumptions [Line Items]
Mean Investment Performance Assumption Equity Funds	4.00%	4.00%	4.75%
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Contracts Text Details [Abstract]
GMDB future policy benefit reserves	1,105,000,000	1,105,000,000	1,170,000,000
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Mutual Fund Investment Balance		13,700,000,000	13,800,000,000
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Death Benefit Coverage In Force		4,200,000,000	5,400,000,000
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefits Total Contractholders		445,000	480,000
Pre Tax [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening Abstract [Line Items]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening	10,000,000	43,000,000	70,000,000
After Tax [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening Abstract [Line Items]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening	6,000,000	27,000,000	45,000,000
Volatility-related impacts due to equity market conditions | Pre Tax [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening Abstract [Line Items]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening			34,000,000
Volatility-related impacts due to equity market conditions | After Tax [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening Abstract [Line Items]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening			22,000,000
Interest rate impacts | Pre Tax [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening Abstract [Line Items]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening			23,000,000
Interest rate impacts | After Tax [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening Abstract [Line Items]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening			15,000,000
Impacts of overall market declines | Pre Tax [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening Abstract [Line Items]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening			13,000,000
Impacts of overall market declines | After Tax [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening Abstract [Line Items]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserve Strengthening			$ 8,000,000
Maximum [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserving Assumptions [Line Items]
Lapse Rate Assumption	12.00%	12.00%	24.00%
Partial Surrenders Estimate Annual Election Rate	13.00%	13.00%	15.00%
Maximum [Member] | Equity Funds [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserving Assumptions [Line Items]
Volatility Assumption	24.00%	24.00%	25.00%
Maximum [Member] | Bond Funds [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserving Assumptions [Line Items]
Volatility Assumption	7.00%	7.00%	10.00%
Maximum [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserving Assumptions [Line Items]
Volatility Assumption	1.00%	1.00%	2.00%
Minimum [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserving Assumptions [Line Items]
Lapse Rate Assumption	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Partial Surrenders Estimate Annual Election Rate	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Minimum [Member] | Equity Funds [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserving Assumptions [Line Items]
Volatility Assumption	18.00%	18.00%	16.00%
Minimum [Member] | Bond Funds [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserving Assumptions [Line Items]
Volatility Assumption	5.00%	5.00%	4.00%
Minimum [Member] | Money Market Funds [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reserving Assumptions [Line Items]
Volatility Assumption	0.00%	0.00%	2.00%