Segment information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Operations By Segment

For the Year Ended December 31, 2013 (in millions of U.S. dollars)	Insurance – North American P&C			Insurance – North American Agriculture		Insurance – Overseas General		Global Reinsurance			Life			Corporate			ACE Consolidated
Net premiums written	$	5,915		$	1,627	$	6,520	$	991		$	1,972		$	—		$	17,025
Net premiums earned	5,721			1,678		6,333		976			1,905			—			16,613
Losses and loss expenses	3,776			1,524		3,062		396			582			8			9,348
Policy benefits	—			—		—		—			515			—			515
Policy acquisition costs	597			53		1,453		197			358			1			2,659
Administrative expenses	601			11		1,008		50			343			198			2,211
Underwriting income (loss)	747			90		810		333			107			(207		)	1,880
Net investment income	1,021			26		539		280			251			27			2,144
Net realized gains (losses) including OTTI	72			1		18		53			360			—			504
Interest expense	5			1		5		5			15			244			275
Other (income) expense:
(Gains) losses from fair value changes in separate account assets	—			—		—		—			(16		)	—			(16		)
Other	(58		)	32		39		(19		)	13			24			31
Income tax expense (benefit)	347			20		222		36			34			(179		)	480
Net income (loss)	$	1,546		$	64	$	1,101	$	644		$	672		$	(269	)	$	3,758

For the Year Ended December 31, 2012 (in millions of U.S. dollars)	Insurance – North American P&C			Insurance – North American Agriculture			Insurance – Overseas General		Global Reinsurance			Life			Corporate			ACE Consolidated
Net premiums written	$	5,349		$	1,859		$	5,863	$	1,025		$	1,979		$	—		$	16,075
Net premiums earned	5,147			1,872			5,740		1,002			1,916			—			15,677
Losses and loss expenses	3,715			1,911			2,862		553			611			1			9,653
Policy benefits	—			—			—		—			521			—			521
Policy acquisition costs	558			28			1,353		172			334			1			2,446
Administrative expenses	608			(7		)	935		51			328			181			2,096
Underwriting income (loss)	266			(60		)	590		226			122			(183		)	961
Net investment income	1,066			25			521		290			251			28			2,181
Net realized gains (losses) including OTTI	41			1			103		6			(72		)	(1		)	78
Interest expense	12			—			5		4			12			217			250
Other (income) expense:
(Gains) losses from fair value changes in separate account assets	—			—			—		—			(29		)	—			(29		)
Other	(41		)	32			3		(15		)	25			19			23
Income tax expense (benefit)	229			(29		)	133		15			58			(136		)	270
Net income (loss)	$	1,173		$	(37	)	$	1,073	$	518		$	235		$	(256	)	$	2,706

For the Year Ended December 31, 2011 (in millions of U.S. dollars)	Insurance – North American P&C			Insurance – North American Agriculture			Insurance – Overseas General		Global Reinsurance			Life			Corporate			ACE Consolidated
Net premiums written	$	4,900		$	1,951		$	5,629	$	979		$	1,913		$	—		$	15,372
Net premiums earned	4,969			1,942			5,614		1,003			1,859			—			15,387
Losses and loss expenses	3,577			1,699			3,029		621			593			1			9,520
Policy benefits	—			—			—		—			401			—			401
Policy acquisition costs	532			80			1,335		185			339			1			2,472
Administrative expenses	598			(6		)	939		52			317			168			2,068
Underwriting income (loss)	262			169			311		145			209			(170		)	926
Net investment income	1,148			22			546		287			226			13			2,242
Net realized gains (losses) including OTTI	28			6			33		(50		)	(806		)	(6		)	(795		)
Interest expense	13			2			5		2			11			217			250
Other (income) expense:
(Gains) losses from fair value changes in separate account assets	—			—			—		—			36			—			36
Other	(13		)	18			—		(1		)	26			15			45
Income tax expense (benefit)	344			51			164		30			50			(137)			502
Net income (loss)	$	1,094		$	126		$	721	$	351		$	(494	)	$	(258	)	$	1,540

Net Premiums Earned For Segment By Product

(in millions of U.S. dollars)	Property & All Other		Casualty		Life, Accident & Health		ACE Consolidated
For the Year Ended December 31, 2013
Insurance – North American P&C	$	1,489	$	3,847	$	385	$	5,721
Insurance – North American Agriculture	1,678		—		—		1,678
Insurance – Overseas General	2,672		1,479		2,182		6,333
Global Reinsurance	543		433		—		976
Life	—		—		1,905		1,905
	$	6,382	$	5,759	$	4,472	$	16,613
For the Year Ended December 31, 2012
Insurance – North American P&C	$	1,370	$	3,406	$	371	$	5,147
Insurance – North American Agriculture	1,872		—		—		1,872
Insurance – Overseas General	2,236		1,379		2,125		5,740
Global Reinsurance	495		507		—		1,002
Life	—		—		1,916		1,916
	$	5,973	$	5,292	$	4,412	$	15,677
For the Year Ended December 31, 2011
Insurance – North American P&C	$	1,232	$	3,380	$	357	$	4,969
Insurance – North American Agriculture	1,942		—		—		1,942
Insurance – Overseas General	2,080		1,415		2,119		5,614
Global Reinsurance	458		545		—		1,003
Life	—		—		1,859		1,859
	$	5,712	$	5,340	$	4,335	$	15,387

Net Premiums Earned by Geographic Region

Years Ended