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Related Party Transactions (Details 2) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
GWL&A Financial      
Related party transactions      
Number of letters of credit obtained for the benefit of related party 2gac_NumberOfLettersOfCreditObtainedByParentForBenefitOfRelatedPartyUnderReinsuranceAgreement
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
   
GWL&A Financial | First letter of credit      
Related party transactions      
First letter of credit $ 1,168,800,000gac_FirstLetterOfCreditReceivedAsCollateralUnderReinsuranceArrangement
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= gac_FirstLetterOfCreditMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
   
Amount outstanding 0us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAmountOutstanding
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= gac_FirstLetterOfCreditMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
0us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAmountOutstanding
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= gac_FirstLetterOfCreditMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
 
GWL&A Financial | Second letter of credit      
Related party transactions      
Second letter of credit 70,000,000gac_SecondLetterOfCreditReceivedAsCollateralUnderReinsuranceArrangement
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= gac_SecondLetterOfCreditMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
   
CLAC      
Related party transactions      
Withheld assets included within reinsurance receivable 522,180,000us-gaap_FundsHeldUnderReinsuranceAgreementsAsset
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_CanadaLifeAssuranceCompanyMember
495,140,000us-gaap_FundsHeldUnderReinsuranceAgreementsAsset
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_CanadaLifeAssuranceCompanyMember
 
Funds Held under Reinsurance Agreements Asset Interest Rate 4.55%gac_FundsHeldUnderReinsuranceAgreementsAssetInterestRate
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_CanadaLifeAssuranceCompanyMember
   
Interest income 21,295,000us-gaap_InterestIncomeRelatedParty
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_CanadaLifeAssuranceCompanyMember
20,876,000us-gaap_InterestIncomeRelatedParty
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_CanadaLifeAssuranceCompanyMember
19,382,000us-gaap_InterestIncomeRelatedParty
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_CanadaLifeAssuranceCompanyMember
Affiliated entities of subsidiaries      
Related party transactions      
Advisory and management fee income 126,726,000us-gaap_InvestmentAdvisoryFees
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_EntitiesAffiliatedToSubsidiariesMember
107,854,000us-gaap_InvestmentAdvisoryFees
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_EntitiesAffiliatedToSubsidiariesMember
84,137,000us-gaap_InvestmentAdvisoryFees
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_EntitiesAffiliatedToSubsidiariesMember
Guaranteed interest annuity contracts purchased 132,961,000gac_RelatedPartyTransactionPurchasesUnderGuaranteedInterestAnnuityIncludedInSeparateContracts
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_EntitiesAffiliatedToSubsidiariesMember
198,107,000gac_RelatedPartyTransactionPurchasesUnderGuaranteedInterestAnnuityIncludedInSeparateContracts
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_EntitiesAffiliatedToSubsidiariesMember
131,593,000gac_RelatedPartyTransactionPurchasesUnderGuaranteedInterestAnnuityIncludedInSeparateContracts
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_EntitiesAffiliatedToSubsidiariesMember
Reduction in separate account assets and liabilities $ 343,471,000gac_RelatedPartyTransactionReductionInSeparateAccountAssetsAndLiabilitiesOnConsolidation
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_EntitiesAffiliatedToSubsidiariesMember
$ 333,074,000gac_RelatedPartyTransactionReductionInSeparateAccountAssetsAndLiabilitiesOnConsolidation
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= gac_EntitiesAffiliatedToSubsidiariesMember