Commitments and Contingencies - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Fair value of assets pledged as collateral	$ 915	$ 771
Acquisition of mortgage loans
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Amount of purchase commitment	29
Purchase of limited partnerships and private placement investments
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Amount of purchase commitment	511
Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston \| Line of Credit
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Non-putable funding agreements issued to FHLB	788	657
Fair value of assets pledged as collateral	$ 915	$ 771

Fair value of the amount outstanding under the credit facility.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118260190&loc=d3e13433-108611

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityFairValueOfAmountOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The minimum amount the entity agreed to spend under the long-term purchase commitment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The carrying amount as of the date of the latest financial statement presented of securities which are owned but transferred to serve as collateral for FHLB debt obligations, and for which the transferee does not have the right by contract or custom to sell or re-pledge them to an unrelated party.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (b)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109249958&loc=SL6224234-111729

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PledgedFinancialInstrumentsNotSeparatelyReportedSecuritiesForFederalHomeLoanBank
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis=us-gaap_LoanPurchaseCommitmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermPurchaseCommitmentByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis=vriac_InvestmentPurchaseCommitmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_FederalHomeLoanBankAdvancesBranchOfFHLBBankAxis=srt_FederalHomeLoanBankOfBostonMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: