Credit Risk (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011 segment Y D loan contract payment	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Credit Risk
Number of contracts through which the entity has exposure to consumer credit risk	2
Contractual reinsurance period for each pool (in years)	10
Weighted-average reinsurance period (in years)	4.2
Cash and securities in trust related to potential obligation	$ 237
Unpaid reinsurance losses outstanding	8
Summary of the activity in reinsurance-related reserves
Balance, beginning of period	113	108
Realized reinsurance losses	(49)	(13)
Increase in liability for reinsurance losses	30	36
Balance, end of period	94	131
Direct finance leases greater than 90 days past due	22		19
Direct financing leases greater than 90 days that are still accruing interest	20		16
Allowance for credit losses related to direct financing receivables	$ 2		$ 3

Represents the contractual reinsurance period for each pool of mortgage loans pooled by year of origination.

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- Details

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- Definition

Represents the number of reinsurance contracts through which the entity has exposure to consumer credit risk.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the increase in the liability for reinsurance losses on reinsurance-related reserves during the period.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents realized reinsurance losses on reinsurance-related reserves during the period.

+ Details

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- Details

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- Definition

Represents unpaid insurance losses outstanding.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the weighted-average reinsurance period for mortgage loans pools.

+ Details

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- Definition

Liability as of the balance sheet date for the estimated ultimate cost of settling claims and claim adjustment expense relating to insured events that have occurred on or before the balance sheet date for those liabilities owed to another party as a result of assuming another insurer's primary obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 40

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482485&loc=d3e14764-158437

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 5

-Paragraph 9

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Publisher AICPA

-Name Statement of Position (SOP)

-Number 94-5

-Paragraph 11

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 113

-Paragraph 15, 16

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

Recorded investment in financing receivables that are 90 days or more past due and still accruing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 7

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5111-111524

-Subparagraph (d)

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- Definition

Financing receivables that are equal to or greater than 90 days past due.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 7A

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=SL6953401-111524

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- Definition

Funds held by the ceding insurer on behalf the reinsurer, including funds held in trust, under reinsurance treaties or contracts with the assuming insurer as security for the payment of the obligations thereunder, which represent an asset for the reinsurer. There is another concept for the corresponding liability of the ceding insurer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 7

-Section 03

-Paragraph 2, 10

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.2,10)

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- Definition

Amount of allowance for credit losses related to recorded investment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

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