Condensed Consolidating Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Operating Activities:
Net earnings, including noncontrolling interests	$ 107	$ 126	$ 193	$ 314
Adjustments:
Other operating activities, net			468	467
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			661	781
Investing Activities:
Purchases of investments, property and equipment			(4,641)	(4,125)
Purchases of subsidiaries				(128)
Proceeds from maturities and redemptions of investments			1,682	1,509
Proceeds from sales of investments, property and equipment			957	1,228
Managed investment entities:
Purchases of investments			(1,085)	(617)
Proceeds from sales and redemptions of investments			1,170	658
Other investing activities, net			(14)	101
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(1,931)	(1,374)
Financing Activities:
Annuity receipts			2,468	1,661
Annuity surrenders, benefits and withdrawals			(971)	(914)
Additional long-term borrowings			2	158
Reductions of long-term debt			(17)	(36)
Retirement of managed investment entities' liabilities			(60)	(42)
Issuances of Common Stock			19	27
Repurchases of Common Stock			(263)	(201)
Cash dividends paid on Common Stock			(50)	(46)
Other financing activities, net			34	6
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			1,162	613
Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(108)	20
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			1,099	1,120
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	991	1,140	991	1,140
AFG [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net earnings, including noncontrolling interests	96	132	234	346
Adjustments:
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries			(295)	(395)
Dividends from subsidiaries			275	359
Other operating activities, net			13	(52)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			227	258
Investing Activities:
Purchases of investments, property and equipment			(42)	(6)
Returns of capital from (capital contributions to) subsidiaries			45	(12)
Proceeds from maturities and redemptions of investments			4
Proceeds from sales of investments, property and equipment			5
Managed investment entities:
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			12	(18)
Financing Activities:
Additional long-term borrowings				128
Issuances of Common Stock			19	26
Repurchases of Common Stock			(263)	(201)
Cash dividends paid on Common Stock			(50)	(46)
Other financing activities, net				(1)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			(294)	(94)
Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(55)	146
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			370	197
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	315	343	315	343
GAFRI [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net earnings, including noncontrolling interests	25	22	80	73
Adjustments:
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries			(83)	(78)
Dividends from subsidiaries			3
Other operating activities, net			(2)	(2)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(2)	(7)
Investing Activities:
Returns of capital from (capital contributions to) subsidiaries			(12)	(2)
Proceeds from maturities and redemptions of investments			9	6
Managed investment entities:
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(3)	4
Financing Activities:
Capital contributions from (returns of capital to) parent			12	12
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			12	12
Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents			7	9
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			20	12
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	27	21	27	21
AAG Holding [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net earnings, including noncontrolling interests	22	46	80	98
Adjustments:
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries			(95)	(114)
Dividends from subsidiaries			8	16
Other operating activities, net			2	4
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(5)	4
Investing Activities:
Returns of capital from (capital contributions to) subsidiaries			(1)	(5)
Managed investment entities:
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(1)	(5)
Financing Activities:
Capital contributions from (returns of capital to) parent			6	1
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			6	1
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	131	151	273	383
Adjustments:
Other operating activities, net			454	518
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			727	901
Investing Activities:
Purchases of investments, property and equipment			(4,599)	(4,119)
Purchases of subsidiaries				(128)
Proceeds from maturities and redemptions of investments			1,669	1,503
Proceeds from sales of investments, property and equipment			952	1,228
Managed investment entities:
Purchases of investments			(1,085)	(617)
Proceeds from sales and redemptions of investments			1,170	658
Other investing activities, net			(14)	101
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(1,907)	(1,374)
Financing Activities:
Annuity receipts			2,468	1,661
Annuity surrenders, benefits and withdrawals			(971)	(914)
Additional long-term borrowings			2	30
Reductions of long-term debt			(17)	(36)
Retirement of managed investment entities' liabilities			(60)	(42)
Issuances of Common Stock				1
Capital contributions from (returns of capital to) parent			(50)	6
Cash dividends paid on Common Stock			(286)	(375)
Other financing activities, net			34	7
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			1,120	338
Net Change in Cash and Cash Equivalents			(60)	(135)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			709	911
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	649	776	649	776
Consol. Entries [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net earnings, including noncontrolling interests	(167)	(225)	(474)	(586)
Adjustments:
Equity in net earnings of subsidiaries			473	587
Dividends from subsidiaries			(286)	(375)
Other operating activities, net			1	(1)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(286)	(375)
Investing Activities:
Returns of capital from (capital contributions to) subsidiaries			(32)	19
Managed investment entities:
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities			(32)	19
Financing Activities:
Capital contributions from (returns of capital to) parent			32	(19)
Cash dividends paid on Common Stock			286	375
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			318	356
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period			0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0