Fair Value Measurements - Guaranteed Living Benefits (Details 6) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Variable Annuity [Member] | Hedging Derivatives [Member] | Levels 1 and 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance	$ (119)	$ (91)	$ (133)	$ (184)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income	235	(89)	110	34
Purchases, issuances and settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value		134		104
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	(116)		23
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	0	(46)	0	(46)
Macro Hedge Program [Member] | Levels 1 and 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance	214	190	176	28
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income	1,072	(165)	851	(73)
Purchases, issuances and settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value		161		231
Purchases of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	119		218
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	(752)		(592)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	653	186	653	186
Level 3 [Member] | Macro Hedge Program [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance	257	663	208	290
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income	165	(278)	64	(137)
Purchases, issuances and settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value		27		259
Purchases of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value			185
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value			(35)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	422	412	422	412
Changes in Unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits still held at reporting date	165	(278)	80	(117)
Level 3 [Member] | Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefits [Member] | U.S. [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance	(1,420)	(3,148)	(1,611)	(1,957)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income	(1,315)	639	(1,047)	(481)
Purchases, issuances and settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value		(32)		(103)
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	(36)		(113)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	(2,771)	(2,541)	(2,771)	(2,541)
Changes in Unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits still held at reporting date	(1,315)	639	(1,047)	(481)
Level 3 [Member] | Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefits [Member] | International [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance	(30)	(72)	(36)	(45)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income	(49)	16	(38)	(8)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in OCI		(4)		(4)
Purchases, issuances and settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value		(4)		(7)
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	(2)		(7)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	(81)	(64)	(81)	(64)
Changes in Unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits still held at reporting date	(49)	16	(38)	(8)
Level 3 [Member] | Other Guaranteed Living Benefits [Member] | International [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance	0	(1)	3	2
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income	(5)	3	(6)	1
Purchases, issuances and settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value		(1)		(2)
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	(1)		(3)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	(6)	1	(6)	1
Changes in Unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits still held at reporting date	(5)	3	(6)	1
Variable Annuity [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Changes in Unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits still held at reporting date	510
Variable Annuity [Member] | Level 3 [Member] | Hedging Derivatives [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance	548	928	600	236
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income	516	(295)	457	244
Purchases, issuances and settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value		(73)		80
Purchases of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value			23
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	(3)		(19)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	1,061	560	1,061	560
Changes in Unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits still held at reporting date		(241)	449	261
Variable Annuity [Member] | Hedging Derivatives [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance	429	837	467	52
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income	751	(384)	567	278
Purchases, issuances and settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value		61		184
Purchases of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value			23
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	(119)		4
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	1,061	514	1,061	514
Reinsurance Recoverable [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance		550	280	347
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income		(101)	180	84
Purchases, issuances and settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value		9		27
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value			25
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	485	458	485	458
Changes in Unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits still held at reporting date		(101)	180	84
Reinsurance Recoverable [Member] | Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefits Net of Reinsurance and Hedging Derivatives [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance	237
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income	241
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	7
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	485		485
Changes in Unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits still held at reporting date	241
Macro Hedge Program [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance	471	853	384	318
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income	1,237	(443)	915	(210)
Purchases, issuances and settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value		188		490
Purchases of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	119		403
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	(752)		(627)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	1,075	598	1,075	598
Guaranteed Withdrawal Benefits Net of Reinsurance and Hedging Derivatives [Member]
Fair Value, Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Program Measured on Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Beginning Balance	(784)	(1,833)	(900)	(1,603)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in net income	(372)	170	(338)	(127)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) on Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value, Included in OCI		(4)		(4)
Purchases, issuances and settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value		34		101
Purchases of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value			23
Settlements of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured At Fair Value	(150)		(91)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Related to Guaranteed Living Benefits Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis Ending Balance	$ (1,306)	$ (1,633)	$ (1,306)	$ (1,633)