Segments of Operations (Details 1) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016		Jun. 30, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earnings before realized gains (losses) and income taxes		$ 150		$ 227	$ 324		$ 400
Realized gains (losses) on securities		(16)		(1)	(34)		18
Realized gains (losses) on subsidiaries		2		0	2		(162)
Earnings before income taxes		136		226	292		256
Property and Casualty Insurance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property and casualty insurance underwriting		(3)		50	84		110
Investment and other income, net	[1]	115		124	190		197
Earnings before realized gains (losses) and income taxes		112		174	274		307
Annuity [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earnings before realized gains (losses) and income taxes		76		88	129		163
Run-off Long-term Care and Life [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earnings before realized gains (losses) and income taxes	[2]	0		4	(1)		8
Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earnings before realized gains (losses) and income taxes	[3]	(38)		(39)	(78)		(78)
Specialty Property and transportation [Member] | Property and Casualty Insurance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property and casualty insurance underwriting		15		(13)	47		(6)
Specialty casualty [Member] | Property and Casualty Insurance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property and casualty insurance underwriting		23		37	52		65
Specialty financial [Member] | Property and Casualty Insurance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property and casualty insurance underwriting		22		24	45		46
Specialty Other [Member] | Property and Casualty Insurance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property and casualty insurance underwriting		3		3	5		6
Other Lines [Member] | Property and Casualty Insurance [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property and casualty insurance underwriting		$ (66)	[4]	$ (1)	$ (65)	[4]	$ (1)

[1] Includes pretax income of $32 million (before noncontrolling interest) from the sale of an apartment property in the second quarter of 2016 and $51 million (before noncontrolling interest) from the sale of the Le Pavillon Hotel in the second quarter of 2015.

[2] AFG sold substantially all of its run-off long-term care insurance business in December 2015.

[3] Includes holding company interest and expenses.

[4] Includes a $65 million special charge related to the exit of certain lines of business within AFG’s Lloyd’s-based insurer, Neon, in the second quarter of 2016.