Derivative Financial Instruments - Notional and Fair Values (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivatives, Asset Fair Value	$ 343	$ 137
Derivatives, Liability Fair Value	488	34
Credit contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	159	201
Interest rate contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	17,033	17,478
Foreign exchange contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	705	632
Equity contract
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	60	98
Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Cash flow hedges \| Interest rate contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	23	35
Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Cash flow hedges \| Foreign exchange contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	652	620
Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Cash flow hedges \| Derivatives \| Interest rate contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivatives, Asset Fair Value	0	0
Derivatives, Liability Fair Value	0	0
Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Cash flow hedges \| Derivatives \| Foreign exchange contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivatives, Asset Fair Value	31	10
Derivatives, Liability Fair Value	3	20
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Credit contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	159	201
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Interest rate contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	18,324	19,280
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Foreign exchange contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	53	12
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Equity contract
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	60	98
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Fixed maturities
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivatives, Asset Fair Value	12	9
Derivatives, Liability Fair Value	0	0
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Within products
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivatives, Asset Fair Value	0	0
Derivatives, Liability Fair Value	63	15
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Reinsurance agreements
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivatives, Asset Fair Value	0	0
Derivatives, Liability Fair Value	26	(80)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Managed Custody Guarantees
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivatives, Asset Fair Value	0	0
Derivatives, Liability Fair Value	4	0
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Derivatives \| Credit contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivatives, Asset Fair Value	0	0
Derivatives, Liability Fair Value	2	2
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Derivatives \| Interest rate contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivatives, Asset Fair Value	297	117
Derivatives, Liability Fair Value	388	76
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Derivatives \| Foreign exchange contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivatives, Asset Fair Value	1	0
Derivatives, Liability Fair Value	0	0
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument \| Derivatives \| Equity contract
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivatives, Asset Fair Value	2	1
Derivatives, Liability Fair Value	$ 2	$ 1

Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets elected not to be offset. Excludes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393222&loc=SL20226000-175313

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118948506&loc=SL51823488-111719

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a),(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624163-113959

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes liabilities elected not to be offset. Excludes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118948506&loc=SL51823488-111719

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4B
-Subparagraph (a),(c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624163-113959

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393222&loc=SL20226000-175313

+ Details

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

- Definition

Nominal or face amount used to calculate payment on derivative.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5580258-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5579245-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis=us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_EquityContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=vriac_DerivativesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ProductMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeFinancialInstrumentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=vriac_ManagedCustodyGuaranteesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: