Consolidated Variable Interest Entities - Narrative (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015 Entity		Mar. 31, 2014 Entity		Dec. 31, 2014 Entity	Dec. 31, 2013 Entity
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Number of Entities to be Consolidated	1
Net fair value gains and losses on FG VIEs are expected to reverse to zero at maturity of the VIE debt	$ 0
Credit Risk Derivatives at Fair Value before Effect of Credit Spread Net 1 [Abstract]
Fair value gains (losses) on FG VIEs	(7,000,000)		157,000,000
Number of entities to be deconsolidated			7
Number of FG VIE's matured			(2)
Effect on shareholders’ equity (decrease) increase	5,786,000,000				5,758,000,000
Net earned premiums	142,000,000		132,000,000
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, Initial Consolidation, Gain (Loss)	26,000,000
Variable Interest Entity, Number of Entities to be Consolidated	1	[1]	0	[1]
Net gain on deconsolidation			120,000,000
Credit Risk Derivatives at Fair Value before Effect of Credit Spread Net 1 [Abstract]
Fair value gains (losses) on FG VIEs	(7,000,000)		157,000,000
Gain from Company's exercise of options			37,000,000
Number of FG VIE's matured	0		(2)
Effect on shareholders’ equity (decrease) increase	(49,000,000)				(44,000,000)
Net earned premiums	(5,000,000)		(17,000,000)
Number of VIE that did not require consolidation	33		31		32	40
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary, Aggregated Disclosure [Member]
Credit Risk Derivatives at Fair Value before Effect of Credit Spread Net 1 [Abstract]
Number of VIE that did not require consolidation	900				930
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities and Other Insurance Products [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Credit Risk Derivatives at Fair Value before Effect of Credit Spread Net 1 [Abstract]
Total unpaid principal balance for the VIEs' assets that were over 90 days or more past due	218,000,000				183,000,000
Difference between the aggregate unpaid principal and aggregate fair value of the VIEs' Assets	942,000,000				941,000,000
Change in the instrument specific credit risk of the VIEs' assets	18,000,000		58,000,000
Unpaid principal for FG VIEs’ liabilities with recourse	2,017,000,000				1,912,000,000
Unpaid principal for FG VIEs' liabilities with and without recourse	$ 1,014,000,000				$ 916,000,000

[1] Net loss on consolidation was $26 million in First Quarter 2015, and net gain on deconsolidation was $120 million in First Quarter 2014, and recorded in “fair value gains (losses) on FG VIEs” in the consolidated statement of operations.