Consolidated Variable Interest Entities - Consolidated FG VIE's By Type of Collateral (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financial guaranty variable interest entities' assets with recourse, at fair value	$ 694	$ 1,131
Financial guaranty variable interest entities’ liabilities with recourse, at fair value	790	1,225
Financial guaranty variable interest entities' assets without recourse, at fair value	120	130
Financial guaranty variable interest entities’ liabilities without recourse, at fair value	115	124
Financial guaranty variable interest entities’ assets, at fair value	814	1,261
Financial guaranty variable interest entities’ liabilities, at fair value	905	1,349
Life Insurance [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financial guaranty variable interest entities' assets with recourse, at fair value	0	347
Financial guaranty variable interest entities’ liabilities with recourse, at fair value	0	347
Manufactured Housing Loans [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financial guaranty variable interest entities' assets with recourse, at fair value	78	84
Financial guaranty variable interest entities’ liabilities with recourse, at fair value	78	84
United States [Member] | First Lien [Member] | RMBS [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financial guaranty variable interest entities' assets with recourse, at fair value	442	506
Financial guaranty variable interest entities’ liabilities with recourse, at fair value	477	521
United States [Member] | Second Lien [Member] | RMBS [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financial guaranty variable interest entities' assets with recourse, at fair value	174	194
Financial guaranty variable interest entities’ liabilities with recourse, at fair value	$ 235	$ 273