Investment Securities (Investment) (Details) (USD $) In Millions | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
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Sep. 30, 2011 | Sep. 30, 2010 | Sep. 30, 2011 | Sep. 30, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2010 |
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Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Gross unrealized gains | $ 0 | | | | |
Gross unrealized loss | 0 | | | | 0 |
Net pre-tax gains (loss) on trading securities | (29) | 33 | 26 | 52 | |
Marketable securities OTTI amounts | 86 | 38 | 270 | 297 | |
Marketable securities OTTI recorded in AOCI | 18 | 7 | 84 | 131 | |
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments | 68 | 31 | 186 | 166 | |
Incremental Charges On Previously Impaired Investment Securities | 23 | 1 | 104 | 37 | |
Other Than Temporary Impairment Related To Equity Securities | 6 | 23 | 16 | 24 | |
Other Than Temporary First Time Impairments Of Investment Securities Recognized In Earnings | 37 | 2 | 57 | 94 | |
Other Than Temporary Impairment Related To Securities Subsequently Sold | 1 | 1 | 42 | 40 | |
Proceeds from Sale of Available-for-sale Securities | 3,466 | 4,754 | 13,438 | 12,070 | |
Subsidiaries [Member] | Domestic Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 1 | | 1 | | 1 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 0 | | 0 | | 0 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | 0 | | 0 | | 0 |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 1 | | 1 | | 1 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Domestic Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 21,633 | | 21,633 | | 21,233 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 3,076 | | 3,076 | | 1,576 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | (276) | | (276) | | (237) |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 24,433 | | 24,433 | | 22,572 |
Domestic Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Cumulative impairments recognized in earnings associated with debt securities | 561 | 428 | 500 | 340 | |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 2,970 | | 2,970 | | 2,961 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 317 | | 317 | | 45 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | (144) | | (144) | | (282) |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 3,143 | | 3,143 | | 2,724 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 2,794 | | 2,794 | | 3,092 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 191 | | 191 | | 95 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | (303) | | (303) | | (378) |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 2,682 | | 2,682 | | 2,809 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 2,887 | | 2,887 | | 3,009 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 137 | | 137 | | 145 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | (269) | | (269) | | (230) |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 2,755 | | 2,755 | | 2,924 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 4,060 | | 4,060 | | 3,407 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 10 | | 10 | | 16 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | (216) | | (216) | | (193) |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 3,854 | | 3,854 | | 3,230 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Foreign Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 2,703 | | 2,703 | | 2,883 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 135 | | 135 | | 116 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | (142) | | (142) | | (132) |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 2,696 | | 2,696 | | 2,867 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 2,282 | | 2,282 | | 2,242 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 116 | | 116 | | 82 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | (133) | | (133) | | (58) |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 2,265 | | 2,265 | | 2,266 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | US Treasury and Government [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 3,220 | | 3,220 | | 3,358 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 91 | | 91 | | 57 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | 0 | | 0 | | (47) |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 3,311 | | 3,311 | | 3,368 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Retained Interest [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 29 | | 29 | | 55 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 14 | | 14 | | 10 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | (6) | | (6) | | (26) |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 37 | | 37 | | 39 |
Subsidiaries [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 17 | | 17 | | 18 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 0 | | 0 | | 0 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | 0 | | 0 | | 0 |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 17 | | 17 | | 18 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 828 | | 828 | | 500 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 134 | | 134 | | 213 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | (83) | | (83) | | (8) |
Investment securities estimated fair value | 879 | | 879 | | 705 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Amortized Cost [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Trading Securities | 387 | | 387 | | 417 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Trading Securities, Fair Value Disclosure | 387 | | 387 | | 417 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 0 | | 0 | | 0 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | 0 | | 0 | | 0 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Amortized Cost [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Marketable Securities | (2) | | (2) | | (2) |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Marketable Securities | (2) | | (2) | | (2) |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Sub Total [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 4,221 | | 4,221 | | 2,355 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | (1,572) | | (1,572) | | (1,591) |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Sub Total [Member] | Amortized Cost [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Marketable Securities | 43,793 | | 43,793 | | 43,157 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Sub Total [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Marketable Securities | 46,442 | | 46,442 | | 43,921 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Total [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 4,221 | | 4,221 | | 2,355 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | (1,572) | | (1,572) | | (1,591) |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Total [Member] | Amortized Cost [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Marketable Securities | 43,809 | | 43,809 | | 43,174 |
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] | Total [Member] | Estimated Fair Value [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Marketable Securities | 46,458 | | 46,458 | | 43,938 |
Subsidiaries [Member] | | | | | |
Investment [Line Items] | | | | | |
Investment securities amortized cost | 18 | | 18 | | 19 |
Investment securities gross unrealized gains | 0 | | 0 | | 0 |
Investment securities gross unrealized loss | 0 | | 0 | | 0 |
Investment securities estimated fair value | $ 18 | | $ 18 | | $ 19 |