Condensed Consolidating Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Operating Activities:
Net earnings, including noncontrolling interests	$ 37	$ 100	$ 86	$ 188
Adjustments:
Other operating activities, net			448	273
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			534	461
Investing Activities:
Purchases of investments, property and equipment			(2,554)	(2,568)
Proceeds from maturities and redemptions of investments			1,330	997
Proceeds from sales of investments, property and equipment			416	941
Managed investment entities:
Purchases of investments			(681)	(394)
Proceeds from sales and redemptions of investments			754	441
Other investing activities, net			(6)	(124)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(741)	(707)
Financing Activities:
Annuity receipts			1,578	945
Annuity surrenders, benefits and withdrawals			(636)	(617)
Additional long-term borrowings			2	30
Reductions of long-term debt			(14)	(6)
Managed investment entities' retirement of liabilities			(8)	(39)
Issuances of Common Stock			16	11
Repurchases of Common Stock			(178)	(151)
Cash dividends paid on Common Stock			(34)	(31)
Other financing activities, net			11	(5)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			737	137
Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents			530	(109)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			1,099	1,120
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1,629	1,011	1,629	1,011
AFG [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net earnings, including noncontrolling interests	55	108	138	214
Adjustments:
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries			(181)	(246)
Dividends from subsidiaries			190	204
Other operating activities, net			(18)	(61)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			129	111
Investing Activities:
Purchases of investments, property and equipment			(25)	(3)
Returns of capital from (capital contributions to) subsidiaries			29	(8)
Proceeds from maturities and redemptions of investments			2
Proceeds from sales of investments, property and equipment			5
Managed investment entities:
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			11	(11)
Financing Activities:
Issuances of Common Stock			16	11
Repurchases of Common Stock			(178)	(151)
Cash dividends paid on Common Stock			(34)	(31)
Other financing activities, net				(2)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(196)	(173)
Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(56)	(73)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			370	197
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	314	124	314	124
GAFRI [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net earnings, including noncontrolling interests	24	26	55	51
Adjustments:
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries			(58)	(53)
Other operating activities, net			(1)	(2)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(4)	(4)
Investing Activities:
Returns of capital from (capital contributions to) subsidiaries			(10)	8
Proceeds from maturities and redemptions of investments			8	4
Managed investment entities:
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(2)	12
Financing Activities:
Capital contributions from (returns of capital to) parent			8	8
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			8	8
Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents			2	16
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			20	12
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	22	28	22	28
AAG Holding [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net earnings, including noncontrolling interests	26	25	58	52
Adjustments:
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries			(68)	(63)
Dividends from subsidiaries				16
Other operating activities, net			1	3
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(9)	8
Investing Activities:
Returns of capital from (capital contributions to) subsidiaries			(1)
Managed investment entities:
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(1)
Financing Activities:
Capital contributions from (returns of capital to) parent			10	(8)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			10	(8)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0	0	0
All Other Subs [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net earnings, including noncontrolling interests	66	123	142	232
Adjustments:
Other operating activities, net			466	334
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			608	566
Investing Activities:
Purchases of investments, property and equipment			(2,529)	(2,565)
Proceeds from maturities and redemptions of investments			1,320	993
Proceeds from sales of investments, property and equipment			411	941
Managed investment entities:
Purchases of investments			(681)	(394)
Proceeds from sales and redemptions of investments			754	441
Other investing activities, net			(6)	(124)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(731)	(708)
Financing Activities:
Annuity receipts			1,578	945
Annuity surrenders, benefits and withdrawals			(636)	(617)
Additional long-term borrowings			2	30
Reductions of long-term debt			(14)	(6)
Managed investment entities' retirement of liabilities			(8)	(39)
Capital contributions from (returns of capital to) parent			(36)
Cash dividends paid on Common Stock			(190)	(220)
Other financing activities, net			11	(3)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			707	90
Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents			584	(52)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			709	911
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1,293	859	1,293	859
Consol. Entries [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net earnings, including noncontrolling interests	(134)	(182)	(307)	(361)
Adjustments:
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries			307	362
Dividends from subsidiaries			(190)	(220)
Other operating activities, net				(1)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(190)	(220)
Investing Activities:
Returns of capital from (capital contributions to) subsidiaries			(18)
Managed investment entities:
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(18)
Financing Activities:
Capital contributions from (returns of capital to) parent			18
Cash dividends paid on Common Stock			190	220
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			208	220
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0