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Commitments and Contingencies (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Commitments    
Unfunded commitments, due in one year $ 224,055,000us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueInNextTwelveMonths $ 166,356,000us-gaap_OtherCommitmentDueInNextTwelveMonths
Unfunded commitments related to cost basis limited partnership interests, due in one year 5,066,000gac_UnfundedCommitmentsDueWithinOneYearRelatedToCostMethodInvestments 4,997,000gac_UnfundedCommitmentsDueWithinOneYearRelatedToCostMethodInvestments
Unfavorable Regulatory Action    
Commitments    
Potential exposure 21,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMaximum
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_UnfavorableRegulatoryActionMember
 
Insurance Claims    
Commitments    
Demand letter 20,000,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_InsuranceClaimsMember
 
GWL&A Financial Inc.    
Commitments    
Number of letters of credit obtained for the benefit of related party 2gac_NumberOfLettersOfCreditObtainedByParentForBenefitOfRelatedPartyUnderReinsuranceAgreement
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
 
Revolving credit facility    
Commitments    
Amount of credit facility under agreement for general corporate purposes 50,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
 
Adjusted net worth required for each quarter 1,100,000,000gac_LineOfCreditFacilityQuarterlyAdjustedNetWorthValuationRequiredBasicAmount
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
 
Amount outstanding 0us-gaap_LineOfCredit
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
0us-gaap_LineOfCredit
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= us-gaap_RevolvingCreditFacilityMember
First letter of credit    
Commitments    
Amount of credit facility under agreement for general corporate purposes 1,168,810,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= gac_FirstLetterOfCreditMember
 
Second letter of credit    
Commitments    
Amount of credit facility under agreement for general corporate purposes 70,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= gac_SecondLetterOfCreditMember
 
First and Second Letters of Credit    
Commitments    
Amount outstanding 0us-gaap_LineOfCredit
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= gac_FirstandSecondLettersofCreditMember
0us-gaap_LineOfCredit
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= gac_FirstandSecondLettersofCreditMember
Other Letters of Credit    
Commitments    
Amount of credit facility under agreement for general corporate purposes 9,095,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= gac_OtherLettersofCreditMember
 
Amount outstanding $ 0us-gaap_LineOfCredit
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= gac_OtherLettersofCreditMember
$ 0us-gaap_LineOfCredit
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= gac_OtherLettersofCreditMember