Borrowings and Bank Deposits (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	$ 101,392		$ 137,611
Long-term borrowings	236,084		243,459
Non Recourse Borrowings Of Consolidated Securitization Entities	30,123		29,258
Bank deposits	46,461		43,115
Total borrowings and bank deposits	414,060		453,443
Scenario, Adjustment [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	(589)		(906)
Long-term borrowings	(120)		(337)
Long-term Debt [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Long-term borrowings	236,084		243,459
Subsidiaries [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	6,041	[1]	2,184	[1]
Long-term borrowings	11,428	[1]	9,405	[1]
Non Recourse Borrowings Of Consolidated Securitization Entities	0	[1]	0	[1]
Bank deposits	0	[1]	0	[1]
Subsidiaries [Member] | Commercial Paper [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	352		1,801
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.28%		0.13%
Subsidiaries [Member] | Notes Payable to Banks [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	23		88
Long-term borrowings	13		18
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Minimum	2014
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Maximum	2023
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.79%		2.89%
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	3.02%		1.81%
Subsidiaries [Member] | Current Portion Of Long Term Borrowings [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	5,068		41
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	5.11%		4.89%
Subsidiaries [Member] | Other Short Term Borrowing [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	598		254
Subsidiaries [Member] | Short-term Debt [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	6,041		2,184
Subsidiaries [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Minimum	2015
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Maximum	2042
Subsidiaries [Member] | Senior unsecured notes [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Long-term borrowings	10,963		8,976
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	3.63%		5.21%
Subsidiaries [Member] | Other Long Term Borrowing [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Long-term borrowings	452		411
Subsidiaries [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Long-term borrowings	11,428		9,405
Subsidiaries GECC [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	95,940		136,333
Long-term borrowings	224,776		234,391
Non Recourse Borrowings Of Consolidated Securitization Entities	30,123		29,258
Bank deposits	46,461		43,115
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | US Commercial Paper [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	33,686		33,591
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.22%		0.23%
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Non US Commercial Paper [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	9,370		10,569
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.92%		1.67%
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Current Portion Of Long Term Borrowings [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	44,264		82,650
Non Recourse Borrowings Of Consolidated Securitization Entities	9,095		10,714
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	2.85%		2.72%
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | GE Interest Plus notes [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	8,189		8,474
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.20%		1.32%
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Other Short Term Borrowing [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	431		1,049
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Senior unsecured notes [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Long-term borrowings	199,646		210,154
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Minimum	2014
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Maximum	2055
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	2.95%		3.49%
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Subordinated notes [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Long-term borrowings	4,965		4,862
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Minimum	2014
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Maximum	2037
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	2.92%		3.42%
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Subordinated Debt [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Long-term borrowings	7,286		7,215
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Minimum	2066
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Maximum	2067
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	5.78%		6.66%
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Other Long Term Borrowing [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Long-term borrowings	12,879		12,160
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Long-term borrowings	224,776		234,391
Non Recourse Borrowings Of Consolidated Securitization Entities	21,028		18,544
Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Non Recourse Borrowings Of Consolidated Securitization Entites [Member]
Borrowings And Bank Deposits [Line Items]
Non Recourse Borrowings Of Consolidated Securitization Entities	$ 30,123		$ 29,258
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Minimum	2013
Maturities on long-term borrowings, Maximum	2019
Long-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate	1.12%		1.40%

[1] (a) Represents the adding together of all affiliated companies except General Electric Capital Corporation (GECC or financial services), which is presented on a one-line basis See Note 1