Operating Segments (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Net	$ 268,951					$ 288,847					$ 268,951		$ 288,847
Premiums and Other Receivables, Net	13,988					13,390					13,988		13,390
Property, plant and equipment - net	53,673					51,419					53,673		51,419
Non Recourse Borrowings Of Consolidated Securitization Entities	30,123					29,258					30,123		29,258
Proceeds from Divestiture of Businesses, Net of Cash Divested											227		8,950		2,510
Revenues
Segment revenues											42,892		45,142		46,455
Intersegment revenues											0		0		0
External revenues											46,039		49,068		49,856
Consolidated revenues	11,770		11,369	11,458	11,442	11,577		12,015	12,440	13,036	46,039		49,068		49,856
Additional information
Assets	539,223	[1]				584,536	[1]				539,223	[1]	584,536	[1]
Depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment											7,055		7,117		7,752
Depreciation and amortization											7,505		7,683		8,405
Assets	539,223	[1]				584,536	[1]				539,223	[1]	584,536	[1]
Liabilities	456,626	[1]				506,736	[1]				456,626	[1]	506,736	[1]
Deposits	46,461					43,115					46,461		43,115
Segment revenues											42,892		45,142		46,455
Segment profit											8,118		7,085		3,994
Other information
Interest and other financial charges											11,697		13,866		14,510
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	124		78	102	187	65		59	346	429	491		899		(985)
Interest On Loans											19,074		20,056		20,810
Receivables From Parent Customers [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Net	7,131					6,043					7,131		6,043
Other Receivables From Parent [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Premiums and Other Receivables, Net	5,274					5,016					5,274		5,016
Property Plant And Equipment From Parent [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment - net	1,015					1,100					1,015		1,100
Borrowings From Parent Company [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Non Recourse Borrowings Of Consolidated Securitization Entities	1,061					3,044					1,061		3,044
Domestic Tax Authority [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment - net	11,207					11,292					11,207		11,292		10,803
Revenues
Consolidated revenues											26,375		25,891		25,196
Foreign Tax Authority [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment - net	42,466					40,127					42,466		40,127		42,965
Revenues
Consolidated revenues											19,664		23,177		24,660
Corporate Items And Eliminations [Member]
Revenues
Segment revenues											3,147		3,926		3,401
Intersegment revenues											(72)		(105)		(71)
External revenues											3,219		4,031		3,472
Additional information
Assets	102,942					124,082					102,942		124,082		114,629
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											27		29		8
Depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment											89		82		74
Assets	102,942					124,082					102,942		124,082		114,629
Segment revenues											3,147		3,926		3,401
Segment profit											(717)		(501)		(874)
Other information
Interest and other financial charges											(292)		188		(272)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes											(619)		(439)		(434)
Interest On Loans											64		108		138
Significant Associated Companies [Member]
Revenues
Segment revenues											17,592		15,898		18,618
Additional information
Primarily financing receivables	66,878					57,477					66,878		57,477
Deposits	26,386					20,980					26,386		20,980
Debt, Long-term and Short-term, Combined Amount	42,664					46,170					42,664		46,170
Segment revenues											17,592		15,898		18,618
Segment profit											2,861		2,178		3,811
Significant Associated Companies [Member] | Assets, Total [Member]
Additional information
Assets	110,695					104,554					110,695		104,554
Assets	110,695					104,554					110,695		104,554
Significant Associated Companies [Member] | Liabilities, Total [Member]
Additional information
Liabilities	81,784					77,208					81,784		77,208
Total [Member]
Additional information
Assets	539,223					584,536					539,223		584,536		605,255
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											11,886		9,882		7,674
Assets	539,223					584,536					539,223		584,536		605,255
CLL [Member]
Revenues
Segment revenues											16,857		18,178		18,447
Intersegment revenues											47		78		40
External revenues											16,810		18,100		18,407
Additional information
Assets	182,432					193,869					182,432		193,869		202,650
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											6,833		6,741		3,941
Depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment											4,413		4,533		4,966
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Balance, Principal Amount	5,662										5,662
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest											265
Assets	182,432					193,869					182,432		193,869		202,650
Segment revenues											16,857		18,178		18,447
Segment profit											2,423		2,720		1,554
Other information
Interest and other financial charges											4,551		5,093		5,638
Provision (benefit) for income taxes											710		742		280
Interest On Loans											5,121		5,628		5,984
Consumer [Member]
Revenues
Segment revenues											15,579		16,767		17,180
Intersegment revenues											3		10		17
External revenues											15,576		16,757		17,163
Additional information
Assets	138,997					138,534					138,997		138,534		146,691
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											79		78		44
Depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment											235		268		279
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Balance, Principal Amount	5,205										5,205
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest											534
Assets	138,997					138,534					138,997		138,534		146,691
Segment revenues											15,579		16,767		17,180
Segment profit											3,240		3,703		2,619
Other information
Interest and other financial charges											3,360		4,012		4,419
Provision (benefit) for income taxes											1,143		1,345		867
Interest On Loans											11,861		11,965		12,008
Real Estate [Member]
Revenues
Segment revenues											3,654		3,712		3,744
Intersegment revenues											22		17		14
External revenues											3,632		3,695		3,730
Additional information
Assets	46,247					60,873					46,247		60,873		72,630
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											3		4		17
Depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment											639		707		801
Assets	46,247					60,873					46,247		60,873		72,630
Segment revenues											3,654		3,712		3,744
Segment profit											803		(928)		(1,741)
Other information
Interest and other financial charges											1,883		2,407		2,578
Provision (benefit) for income taxes											(562)		(730)		(1,555)
Interest On Loans											1,494		1,822		2,119
Energy Financial Services [Member]
Revenues
Segment revenues											1,508		1,223		1,957
Intersegment revenues											0		0		0
External revenues											1,508		1,223		1,957
Additional information
Assets	19,185					18,357					19,185		18,357		19,549
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											0		1		82
Depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment											64		48		205
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Balance, Principal Amount	7,475										7,475
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest											585
Assets	19,185					18,357					19,185		18,357		19,549
Segment revenues											1,508		1,223		1,957
Segment profit											432		440		367
Other information
Interest and other financial charges											675		662		706
Provision (benefit) for income taxes											(186)		(115)		(44)
Interest On Loans											136		169		215
GECAS [Member]
Revenues
Segment revenues											5,294		5,262		5,127
Intersegment revenues											0		0		0
External revenues											5,294		5,262		5,127
Additional information
Assets	49,420					48,821					49,420		48,821		49,106
Property, Plant and Equipment, Additions											4,944		3,029		3,582
Depreciation and amortization of property, plant and equipment											2,065		2,045		2,080
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Balance, Principal Amount	777										777
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest											155
Assets	49,420					48,821					49,420		48,821		49,106
Segment revenues											5,294		5,262		5,127
Segment profit											1,220		1,150		1,195
Other information
Interest and other financial charges											1,520		1,504		1,441
Provision (benefit) for income taxes											5		96		(99)
Interest On Loans											$ 398		$ 364		$ 346

[1] (a) Our consolidated assets at December 31, 2012 include total assets of $45,814 million of certain variable interest entities (VIEs) that can only be used to settle the liabilities of those VIEs. These assets include net financing receivables of $40,287 million and investment securities of $3,419 million. Our consolidated liabilities at December 31, 2012 include liabilities of certain VIEs for which the VIE creditors do not have recourse to General Electric Capital Corporation (GECC). These liabilities include non-recourse borrowings of consolidated securitization entities (CSEs) of $29,123 million. See Note 17.