Separate Accounts, Death Benefits and Other Insurance Benefit Features (Details) (USD $) In Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Universal Life [Member] \| Secondary Guarantees [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB, International GMDB/GMIB, and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liability, balance as of January 1	$ 113	$ 76
Incurred	29	29
Unlock	66	(2)
Liability, balance as of September 30	208	103
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	30	22
Incurred	(10)	6
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of September, 30	20	28
U.S. [Member] \| Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB, International GMDB/GMIB, and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liability, balance as of January 1	1,053	1,233
Incurred	171	183
Paid	(156)	233
Unlock	171	(24)
Liability, balance as of September 30	1,239	1,159
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	686	787
Incurred	99	107
Paid	(101)	138
Unlock	113	(4)
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of September, 30	797	752
International [Member] \| GMDB/GMIB [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB, International GMDB/GMIB, and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liability, balance as of January 1	696	599
Incurred	91	87
Paid	(116)	95
Unlock	250	(20)
Currency translation adjustment	33	70
Liability, balance as of September 30	954	641
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	36	51
Incurred	14	(7)
Paid	(21)
Unlock	11	(5)
Currency translation adjustment	2	4
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of September, 30	$ 42	$ 43

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Reinsurance recoverable asset Incurred.

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Reinsurance recoverable asset paid.

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Amount of guaranteed minimum benefit payments to policyholders and contract holders, during the period presented, resulting in a decrease to the liability for expected guaranteed minimum benefits in excess of projected account values.

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Amount of expected guaranteed benefits in excess of the projected account balances for minimum guaranteed benefit contracts, as of the balance sheet date.

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Amount of guaranteed minimum benefit expense incurred during the period presented, resulting in an increase to the liability for expected guaranteed minimum benefits in excess of projected account values.

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Net amount of other increases or decreases to the liability for guaranteed minimum benefits on long-duration contracts occurring during the period.

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Sum of the amount of guaranteed minimum benefits the ceding insurer expects to recover on insurance policies ceded to other insurance entities as of the balance sheet date for all guaranteed benefit types.

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