Fair Value Measurements (Non-Recurring Fair Value Measurements) (Details) (Non-recurring, Fair value adjustments, USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified
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3 Months Ended |
12 Months Ended |
Mar. 31, 2015
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Mar. 31, 2014
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Dec. 31, 2014
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Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] |
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Cost and equity method investments |
$ (1,462)us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure |
$ (208)us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure |
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Long-lived assets, including real-estate |
(602)us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse |
(64)us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse |
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Financing receivables and loans held for sale |
(4,000)ge_FinancingReceivablesAndLoansHeldForSale |
(119)ge_FinancingReceivablesAndLoansHeldForSale |
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Assets Fair Value Disclosure |
(6,064)us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure |
(391)us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure |
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Level 2
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Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] |
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Cost and equity method investments |
0us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
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2us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
Long-lived assets, including real-estate |
0us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
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364us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
Financing receivables and loans held for sale |
0ge_FinancingReceivablesAndLoansHeldForSale / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
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49ge_FinancingReceivablesAndLoansHeldForSale / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
Assets Fair Value Disclosure |
0us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
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415us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
Level 3
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Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items] |
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Cost and equity method investments |
2,151us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
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399us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
Long-lived assets, including real-estate |
2,351us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
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836us-gaap_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsHeldForUse / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
Financing receivables and loans held for sale |
41,644ge_FinancingReceivablesAndLoansHeldForSale / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
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808ge_FinancingReceivablesAndLoansHeldForSale / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
Assets Fair Value Disclosure |
$ 46,146us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |
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$ 2,043us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure / us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis = us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis = us-gaap_ChangeDuringPeriodFairValueDisclosureMember / us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis = us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember |