Investments - Repurchase Agreement, Securities Lending, VIEs (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Available-for-sale Securities Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Initial collateral required, percent of market value of loaned securities	102.00%
Securities received as collateral	$ 79	$ 91
Payables under securities loan agreements, including collateral held	1,164	865
Securities pledged as collateral
Available-for-sale Securities Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Fair value of loaned securities	549	715
Short-term Investments
Available-for-sale Securities Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Securities received as collateral	489	650
Cash collateral, included in Payables
Available-for-sale Securities Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreements, including collateral held	489	650
U.S. Treasuries
Available-for-sale Securities Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreements, including collateral held	101	109
U.S. Government agencies and authorities \| Cash collateral, included in Payables
Available-for-sale Securities Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreements, including collateral held	4	0
U.S. corporate public securities
Available-for-sale Securities Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreements, including collateral held	272	447
Foreign corporate public securities and foreign governments
Available-for-sale Securities Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreements, including collateral held	190	185
Payables under securities loan agreements
Available-for-sale Securities Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreements, including collateral held	568	741
Equity securities
Available-for-sale Securities Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Payables under securities loan agreements, including collateral held	1	0
Collateralized Loan Obligations
Available-for-sale Securities Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Reporting Entity Involvement, Maximum Loss Exposure, Amount	$ 752	$ 738

The fair value of collateral received by the entity associated with securities borrowed that must be returned if the counterparty fulfills its obligations. It appears on the balance sheet as a liability and has a corresponding asset that appears on the balance sheet called Securities Received as Collateral.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.15)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

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

- Definition

Fair value of the securities pledged as collateral against securities loaned.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 12
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393222&loc=SL20226013-175313

+ Details

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

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the assets received as collateral against securities loaned to other broker-dealers. Borrowers of securities generally are required to provide collateral to the lenders of securities, commonly cash but sometimes other securities or standby letters of credit, with a value slightly higher than that of the securities borrowed. In instances where the entity is permitted to sell or re-pledge these securities, the entity reports the fair value of the collateral received and the related obligation to return the collateral as a liability.

+ 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)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109249958&loc=SL6224234-111729

+ Details

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

- Definition

The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121559654&loc=d3e5747-111685

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121559654&loc=d3e5728-111685

+ Details

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

- Definition

Available-for-sale Securities, Including Securities Pledged [Line Items]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vriac_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesIncludingSecuritiesPledgedLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	vriac_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Securities Loaned, Rate Required of Collateral as a Percent of Market Value of Loans Securities

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	vriac_SecuritiesLoanedRateRequiredOfCollateralAsPercentOfMarketValueOfLoansSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	vriac_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=vriac_U.S.CorporatePublicSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=vriac_ForeignCorporatePublicSecuritiesandForeignGovernmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=vriac_PayablesUnderSecuritiesLoanAgreementsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnderlyingAssetClassAxis=us-gaap_CollateralizedLoanObligationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: