Segment Information (Certain Financial Information for the Reportable Segments) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ 12,380	$ 11,310	$ 38,380	$ 31,522
Assets	764,147		764,147		731,781
Financial Services Business [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	693,536		693,536		663,379
Financial Services Business [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	10,616	9,715	33,215	26,944
Financial Services Business [Member] | Total Operating Segments And Corporate And Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	693,536		693,536		663,379
Financial Services Business [Member] | Total Operating Segments And Corporate And Other [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	11,766	10,783	33,815	34,303
Financial Services Business [Member] | Significant Reconciling Items [Member] | Realized Investment Gains Losses And Related Adjustments [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	(1,161)	(1,320)	(1,314)	(7,325)
Financial Services Business [Member] | Significant Reconciling Items [Member] | Related Charges [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	(16)	(27)	(27)	(181)
Financial Services Business [Member] | Significant Reconciling Items [Member] | Trading Account Assets Supporting Insurance Liabilities Adjustment [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	(131)	103	195	(273)
Financial Services Business [Member] | Significant Reconciling Items [Member] | Divested Businesses [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	162	179	554	495
Financial Services Business [Member] | Significant Reconciling Items [Member] | Operating Joint Ventures And Noncontrolling Interests [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	(4)	(3)	(8)	(75)
Closed Block [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	70,611		70,611		68,402
Closed Block [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,764	1,595	5,165	4,578
U S Retirement Solutions And Investment Management Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	391,109		391,109		376,580
U S Retirement Solutions And Investment Management Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	4,309	3,294	11,017	9,642
U S Individual Life And Group Insurance Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	110,965		110,965		104,175
U S Individual Life And Group Insurance Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	2,630	2,383	7,948	7,551
International Insurance Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	181,669		181,669		168,677
International Insurance Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,002	5,259	15,329	17,549
Corporate and Other [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	9,793		9,793		13,947
Corporate and Other [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	(175)	(153)	(479)	(439)
Individual Annuities [Member] | U S Retirement Solutions And Investment Management Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	169,250		169,250		160,778
Individual Annuities [Member] | U S Retirement Solutions And Investment Management Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,191	1,120	3,519	3,307
Retirement [Member] | U S Retirement Solutions And Investment Management Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	172,567		172,567		170,762
Retirement [Member] | U S Retirement Solutions And Investment Management Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	2,397	1,525	5,397	4,382
Asset Management [Member] | U S Retirement Solutions And Investment Management Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	49,292		49,292		45,040
Asset Management [Member] | U S Retirement Solutions And Investment Management Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	721	649	2,101	1,953
Asset Management [Member] | Corporate and Other [Member] | Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	163	151	473	454
Individual Life [Member] | U S Individual Life And Group Insurance Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	70,126		70,126		64,990
Individual Life [Member] | U S Individual Life And Group Insurance Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,281	1,041	3,895	3,408
Group Insurance [Member] | U S Individual Life And Group Insurance Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	40,839		40,839		39,185
Group Insurance [Member] | U S Individual Life And Group Insurance Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	1,349	1,342	4,053	4,143
International Insurance [Member] | International Insurance Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	181,669		181,669		168,677
International Insurance [Member] | International Insurance Division [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Operating Segments [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	5,002	5,259	15,329	17,549
Corporate Operations [Member] | Corporate and Other [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Assets	9,793		9,793		13,947
Corporate Operations [Member] | Corporate and Other [Member] | Financial Services Business [Member] | Revenue [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenues	$ (175)	$ (153)	$ (479)	$ (439)