Segment Information (Earnings) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Revenues
Premiums	$ 155	$ 284	$ 420	$ 1,070
Universal life and investment-type product policy fees	624	572	1,744	1,691
Net investment income	678	675	2,132	2,223
Other revenues	152	137	447	385
Net investment gains (losses)	(51)	4	31	79
Net derivative gains (losses)	(199)	(98)	(581)	45
Total revenues	1,359	1,574	4,193	5,493
Expenses
Policyholder benefits and claims	465	550	1,238	1,775
Interest credited to policyholder account balances	256	276	779	882
Goodwill impairment	66	394	66	394
Capitalization of DAC	(112)	(197)	(399)	(691)
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	42	185	72	639
Interest expense on debt	47	57	147	176
Other expenses	457	502	1,390	1,767
Total expenses	1,221	1,767	3,293	4,942
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	(30)	189	(266)	(38)
Net income (loss)	108	(4)	634	513
Retail [Member]
Expenses
Goodwill impairment			23
Corporate Benefit Funding [Member]
Expenses
Goodwill impairment			0
Corporate & Other [Member]
Expenses
Goodwill impairment			43
Operating Segments [Member]
Revenues
Premiums	155	284	420	1,070
Universal life and investment-type product policy fees	584	535	1,638	1,592
Net investment income	684	671	2,156	2,139
Other revenues	152	137	447	385
Net investment gains (losses)	0	0	0	0
Net derivative gains (losses)	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	1,575	1,627	4,661	5,186
Expenses
Policyholder benefits and claims	391	496	1,091	1,632
Interest credited to policyholder account balances	258	277	784	838
Goodwill impairment	0	0	0	0
Capitalization of DAC	(112)	(197)	(399)	(691)
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	117	174	392	562
Interest expense on debt	17	17	51	51
Other expenses	457	501	1,390	1,762
Total expenses	1,128	1,268	3,309	4,154
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	(123)	(101)	(407)	(294)
Operating earnings	324	258	945	738
Operating Segments [Member] | Retail [Member]
Revenues
Premiums	85	106	233	406
Universal life and investment-type product policy fees	575	527	1,612	1,555
Net investment income	388	369	1,203	1,127
Other revenues	151	136	443	381
Net investment gains (losses)	0	0	0	0
Net derivative gains (losses)	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	1,199	1,138	3,491	3,469
Expenses
Policyholder benefits and claims	183	185	494	588
Interest credited to policyholder account balances	225	240	681	715
Goodwill impairment	0	0	0	0
Capitalization of DAC	(108)	(195)	(384)	(652)
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	115	173	387	550
Interest expense on debt	0	0	0	0
Other expenses	408	492	1,306	1,652
Total expenses	823	895	2,484	2,853
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	(129)	(85)	(349)	(216)
Operating earnings	247	158	658	400
Operating Segments [Member] | Corporate Benefit Funding [Member]
Revenues
Premiums	65	178	162	531
Universal life and investment-type product policy fees	9	8	26	23
Net investment income	276	267	865	867
Other revenues	1	1	4	4
Net investment gains (losses)	0	0	0	0
Net derivative gains (losses)	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	351	454	1,057	1,425
Expenses
Policyholder benefits and claims	215	311	587	917
Interest credited to policyholder account balances	33	37	103	123
Goodwill impairment	0	0	0	0
Capitalization of DAC	0	(2)	(2)	(5)
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	1	1	4	9
Interest expense on debt	0	0	0	0
Other expenses	9	10	27	29
Total expenses	258	357	719	1,073
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	(32)	(34)	(118)	(123)
Operating earnings	61	63	220	229
Operating Segments [Member] | Corporate & Other [Member]
Revenues
Premiums	5	0	25	133
Universal life and investment-type product policy fees	0	0	0	14
Net investment income	20	35	88	145
Other revenues	0	0	0	0
Net investment gains (losses)	0	0	0	0
Net derivative gains (losses)	0	0	0	0
Total revenues	25	35	113	292
Expenses
Policyholder benefits and claims	(7)	0	10	127
Interest credited to policyholder account balances	0	0	0	0
Goodwill impairment	0	0	0	0
Capitalization of DAC	(4)	0	(13)	(34)
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	1	0	1	3
Interest expense on debt	17	17	51	51
Other expenses	40	(1)	57	81
Total expenses	47	16	106	228
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	38	18	60	45
Operating earnings	16	37	67	109
Significant Reconciling Items [Member]
Revenues
Premiums	0	0	0	0
Universal life and investment-type product policy fees	40	37	106	99
Net investment income	(6)	4	(24)	84
Other revenues	0	0	0	0
Net investment gains (losses)	(51)	4	31	79
Net derivative gains (losses)	(199)	(98)	(581)	45
Total revenues	(216)	(53)	(468)	307
Expenses
Policyholder benefits and claims	74	54	147	143
Interest credited to policyholder account balances	(2)	(1)	(5)	44
Goodwill impairment	66	394	66	394
Capitalization of DAC	0	0	0	0
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	(75)	11	(320)	77
Interest expense on debt	30	40	96	125
Other expenses	0	1	0	5
Total expenses	93	499	(16)	788
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	$ 93	$ 290	$ 141	$ 256