Investments in fixed maturity securities - Carrying value by segment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Summary of Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Investments in fixed maturity securities	$ 24,557	$ 26,027
Insurance and Other [Member]
Summary of Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Investments in fixed maturity securities	24,519	25,988
Finance and Financial Products [Member]
Summary of Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Investments in fixed maturity securities	$ 38	$ 39

Amount of debt securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51813488&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49167202&loc=d3e26610-111562

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27161-111563

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 320
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)-(g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957658&loc=d3e62557-112803

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant