Intangible Assets - Summary of Movement in VOBA (Detail) - EUR (€) € in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning balance	€ 1,633	€ 1,820
Ending balance	1,727	1,633
VOBA [member]
Disclosure of reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [Line Items]
Beginning balance	1,153	1,399
Additions		6
Disposals		(11)
Amortization / depreciation through income statement	(135)	(63)
Shadow accounting adjustments	56	(26)
Net exchange differences	49	(153)
Ending balance	€ 1,123	€ 1,153

Intangible assets and goodwill shadow accounting adjustments.

No definition available.

Name:	aeg_IntangibleAssetsAndGoodwillShadowAccountingAdjustments
Namespace Prefix:	aeg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of additions to intangible assets other than goodwill, other than those acquired through business combinations. [Refer: Business combinations [member]; Intangible assets other than goodwill]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 38
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 118
-Subparagraph e
-Clause i
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=38&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_118_e_i&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_AdditionsOtherThanThroughBusinessCombinationsIntangibleAssetsOtherThanGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of amortisation of intangible assets other than goodwill. [Refer: Depreciation and amortisation expense; Intangible assets other than goodwill]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IAS
-Number 38
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 118
-Subparagraph e
-Clause vi
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=38&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_118_e_vi&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_AmortisationIntangibleAssetsOtherThanGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DisclosureOfReconciliationOfChangesInIntangibleAssetsAndGoodwillLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The decrease in intangible assets and goodwill resulting from disposals. [Refer: Intangible assets and goodwill]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 38
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 118
-Subparagraph e
-Clause ii
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=38&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_118_e_ii&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DisposalsIntangibleAssetsAndGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The increase (decrease) in intangible assets and goodwill resulting from the net exchange differences arising when the financial statements are translated from the functional currency into a different presentation currency, including the translation of a foreign operation into the presentation currency of the reporting entity. [Refer: Intangible assets and goodwill]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 38
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 118
-Subparagraph e
-Clause vii
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=38&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_118_e_vii&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IncreaseDecreaseThroughNetExchangeDifferencesIntangibleAssetsAndGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of intangible assets and goodwill held by the entity. [Refer: Goodwill; Intangible assets other than goodwill]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 1
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 55
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_55&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2018-03-16

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_IntangibleAssetsAndGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ClassesOfIntangibleAssetsOtherThanGoodwillAxis=ifrs-full_ValueOfBusinessAcquiredMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: