Short-Term and Long-Term Debt (Long-Term Debt) (Parenthetical) (Details)							12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)		Dec. 31, 2012 Parent Company [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2011 Parent Company [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Secured Notes Series A [Member] Prudential Holdings L L C [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Secured Notes Series A [Member] Prudential Holdings L L C [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Secured Notes Series B [Member] Prudential Holdings L L C [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior Secured Notes Series C [Member] Prudential Holdings L L C [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Floating Rate Debt Surplus Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Floating Rate Debt Surplus Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Floating Rate Debt Yen Denominated [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Floating Rate Debt Yen Denominated [Member] JPY (¥)	Feb. 01, 2011 Floating Rate Debt Yen Denominated [Member] JPY (¥)	Dec. 31, 2012 Perpetual Yen Denominated Debt [Member] USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2012 Floating Rate Debt Foreign Currency Denominated Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Floating Rate Debt Foreign Currency Denominated Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Floating Rate U S Denominated Senior Notes [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Floating Rate U S Denominated Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Minimum Maturity Date							2013		Includes collateralized borrowings from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York of $280 million and $725 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The interest rates on the floating Surplus notes ranged from 0.6% to 3.8% in 2012 and 0.5% to 3.6% in 2011. The interest rates of the USD-denominated senior notes are based on LIBOR and the U.S. Consumer Price Index. Interest rates ranged from 1.7% to 6.6% in 2012 and 1.8% to 6.6% in 2011. In conjunction with the Company’s acquisition of the Star and Edison Businesses from AIG in 2011, the Company assumed ¥47.8 billion of long-term debt, of which ¥42.5 billion is outstanding with a carrying value of $452 million at December 31, 2012. Includes $76 million of perpetual debt that has no stated maturity. Maturities on the remaining debt ranges from 2014 to 2026. The interest rates of the foreign currency-denominated senior notes ranged from 0.9% to 3.1% in 2012 and 0.8% to 1.7% in 2011. Annual scheduled repayments of principal for the Series A and Series C notes begin in 2013. Annual scheduled repayments of principal for the Series B notes begin in 2018. The interest rate on the Series A notes is a floating rate equal to LIBOR plus 0.875% per year. The interest ranged from 1.2% to to 1.4% in 2012 and 1.1% to 1.4% in 2011. Assets under set-off arrangements represent a reduction in the amount of fixed-rate surplus notes included in long-term debt, relating to an arrangement where valid rights of set-off exist and it is the intent of both parties to settle on a net basis under legally enforceable arrangements. Includes Prudential Financial debt of $16,998 million and $17,300 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.	2013	2016						2014		2013
Maximum Maturity Date											2052						2026		2023
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Basis for Effective Rate							LIBOR plus 0.875%												The interest rates of the USD-denominated senior notes are based on LIBOR and the U.S. Consumer Price Index.
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Minimum							1.20%	1.10%			0.60%	0.50%					0.90%	0.80%	1.70%	1.80%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage Rate Range, Maximum							1.40%	1.40%			3.80%	3.60%					3.10%	1.70%	6.60%	6.60%
Long-term debt	$ 24,729,000,000	[1]	$ 24,622,000,000	[1]	$ 16,998,000,000	$ 17,300,000,000										$ 76,000,000
Business Acquisition, Long Term Debt Assumed															47,800,000,000
Debt Instrument Carrying Amount													452,000,000	42,500,000,000
FederalHomeLoanBankAdvancesMaturitiesSummaryDueFromTwo	$ 280,000,000		$ 725,000,000

[1] Includes Prudential Financial debt of $16,998 million and $17,300 million at December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.