Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended																					3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended																										9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012 Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Investment Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Assets Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Assets, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Liabilities Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Liabilities, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Consolidated Variable Interest Entities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Power Generating Activities Entity [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Power Generating Activities Entity [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Power Generating Activities Entity [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Industrial Equipment Joint Venture [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Insurance Entities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trinity [Member]	May 01, 2012 Trinity [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trinity [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trinity [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trinity [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trinity [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trinity [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trinity [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trinity [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trinity [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trinity [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Other 1 [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other 1 [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Other 1 [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other 1 [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Other 1 [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other 1 [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Other 1 [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other 1 [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Other 1 [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other 1 [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Other 1 [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other 1 [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Other 1 [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other 1 [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Other 1 [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other 1 [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Credit Card Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Equipment [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial Real Estate [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Loans and Finance Receivables [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Investment Securities [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Assets, Total [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Nonrecourse Borrowings [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities Other [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Trade Accounts Receivable [Member] Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member] Liabilities, Total [Member]
Assets And Liabilities Of Consolidated VIEs [Line Items]
Principal Amount Of GICs Redeemed																																			$ 1,981
Assets	561,602	[1]		561,602	[1]		584,536	[1]
Liabilities	479,542	[1]		479,542	[1]		506,736	[1]
Assets VIE									40,782	37,860	4,798	5,320	4,053	3,149	49,633	46,329													2,426	1,519		1,398	1,211				0	0	3,733	4,289	80	389	3,813	4,678										1,832	2,973	1,065	1,031	3,479	2,250	6,376	6,254									22,133	19,229	0	0	28	17	22,161	19,246									12,066	10,523	0	0	332	283	12,398	10,806									2,921	3,521	0	0	134	210	3,055	3,731									1,830	1,614	0	0	0	0	1,830	1,614
Liabilities VIE																	1,292	848	30,270	28,758	3,302	5,847	34,864	35,453					610		537	877	621												0	0	0	0	1,705	4,456	1,705	4,456										1,263	821	0	980	1,460	1,312	2,723	3,113									0	0	16,050	14,184	116	37	16,166	14,221									4	2	9,705	8,166	1	0	9,710	8,168									25	25	2,936	3,659	3	19	2,964	3,703									0	0	1,579	1,769	17	23	1,596	1,792
Total revenues of consolidated VIEs	11,369		12,015	34,269		37,491																			1,675	1,475		4,457																									4,914
Provision for Loan and Lease Losses	1,122		961	2,728		2,893																			414	332	784	882
Interest And Other Financial Charges																									97	143	344	450
Commingled cash amounts owed to CSEs																																																					5,885
Commingled cash receivable from CSEs																																																					5,751
Amount Company Would Be Required To Repay If Long Term Credit Ratings Were To Fall BelowAA MinusA2 Or Short Term Credit Ratings Were To Fall BelowA Minus1 Plus PMinus1																																		1,470
Intercompany Advances Eliminated In Consolidation																																		$ 2,616		$ 1,006

[1] (a) Our consolidated assets at September 30, 2012 include total assets of $47,623 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 $40,422 million and investment securities of $4,797 million. Our consolidated liabilities at September 30, 2012 include liabilities of certain VIEs for which the VIE creditors do not have recourse to GECC. These liabilities include non-recourse borrowings of consolidated securitization entities (CSEs) of $30,270 million. See Note 13.