Variable Interest Entities (Unconsolidated Variable Interest Entities) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified
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Mar. 31, 2015
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Dec. 31, 2014
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Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |
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Financing receivables |
$ 68,040.0us-gaap_NotesReceivableNet |
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$ 205,180.0us-gaap_NotesReceivableNet |
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Assets of businesses held for sale (Note 2) |
56,549ge_AssetsHeldForSaleAtCarryingValue1 |
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6,300ge_AssetsHeldForSaleAtCarryingValue1 |
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Total |
617,631us-gaap_Assets |
[1] |
646,997us-gaap_Assets |
[1] |
Investment in Unconsolidated VIEs [Member] |
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Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |
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Real Estate Investments |
0us-gaap_RealEstateInvestments / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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Debt Investment Fund |
8,377ge_DebtInvestmentFund / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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Factored Receivables |
1,848ge_FactoredReceivables / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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Other assets and investment securities |
827ge_OtherAssetsAndInvestmentSecurities / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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8,805ge_OtherAssetsAndInvestmentSecurities / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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Financing receivables |
464.0us-gaap_NotesReceivableNet / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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2,090.0us-gaap_NotesReceivableNet / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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Total investment |
1,291us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountAssets / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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10,895us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountAssets / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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Contractual obligations to fund new investments or guarantees |
1,862ge_ContractualObligationsToFundNewInvestmentsOrGuarantees / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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2,201ge_ContractualObligationsToFundNewInvestmentsOrGuarantees / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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Revolving lines of credit |
108ge_RevolvingLinesOfCredit / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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168ge_RevolvingLinesOfCredit / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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Total |
3,261us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityEntityMaximumLossExposureAmount / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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13,264us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityEntityMaximumLossExposureAmount / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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Subsidiaries GECC [Member] |
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Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |
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Financing receivables |
78,064.0us-gaap_NotesReceivableNet / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember |
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217,382.0us-gaap_NotesReceivableNet / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember |
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Assets of businesses held for sale (Note 2) |
53,598ge_AssetsHeldForSaleAtCarryingValue1 / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember |
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3,474ge_AssetsHeldForSaleAtCarryingValue1 / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember |
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Total |
476,460us-gaap_Assets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember |
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501,405us-gaap_Assets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember |
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Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Held for sale [Member] |
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Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |
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Financing receivables |
93,141.0us-gaap_NotesReceivableNet / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember / us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis = ge_HeldForSaleMember |
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Total |
29,952us-gaap_Assets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember / us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis = ge_HeldForSaleMember |
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Subsidiaries GECC [Member] | Investment in Unconsolidated VIEs [Member] | Held for sale [Member] |
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Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |
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Assets of businesses held for sale (Note 2) |
9,371ge_AssetsHeldForSaleAtCarryingValue1 / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember / us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis = ge_HeldForSaleMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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0ge_AssetsHeldForSaleAtCarryingValue1 / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember / us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis = ge_HeldForSaleMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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Total |
$ 12,632us-gaap_Assets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember / us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis = ge_HeldForSaleMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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$ 13,264us-gaap_Assets / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ge_SubsidiariesGeccMember / us-gaap_StatementOperatingActivitiesSegmentAxis = ge_HeldForSaleMember / us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis = us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityNotPrimaryBeneficiaryAggregatedDisclosureMember |
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