Financing Receivables and Allowance For Losses On Financing Receivables (Net Investment in Financing Leases) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	$ 262,380	$ 273,936
Less allowance for losses	(5,288)	(4,985)	(5,205)	(6,190)
Financing receivables	257,092	268,951
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	131,845	137,810
Less allowance for losses	(902)	(1,041)	(1,290)	(1,530)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Americas CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	70,499	72,517
Less allowance for losses	(480)	(490)	(662)	(889)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Europe CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	35,839	37,035
Less allowance for losses	(329)	(445)	(484)	(400)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Asia CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	9,907	11,401
Less allowance for losses	(72)	(80)	(87)	(157)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Other CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	506	605
Less allowance for losses	0	(6)	(1)	(4)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| CLL Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	116,751	121,558
Less allowance for losses	(881)	(1,021)	(1,234)	(1,450)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Energy Financial Services Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	4,671	4,851
Less allowance for losses	(8)	(9)	(12)	(26)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| GECAS Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	9,998	10,915
Less allowance for losses	(11)	(8)	(32)	(17)
Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Other Financing Receivables [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	425	486
Less allowance for losses	(2)	(3)	(12)	(37)
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	19,621	20,946
Less allowance for losses	(235)	(320)	(787)	(1,089)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	110,914	115,180
Less allowance for losses	(4,151)	(3,624)	(3,128)	(3,571)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Non US residential mortgages [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	31,784	33,451
Less allowance for losses	(517)	(480)	(481)	(546)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Non US installment and revolving credit [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	17,620	18,546
Less allowance for losses	(663)	(623)	(665)	(717)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] \| US installment and revolving credit [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	50,155	50,853
Less allowance for losses	(2,714)	(2,282)	(1,724)	(2,008)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Non US auto [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	3,808	4,260
Less allowance for losses	(62)	(67)	(79)	(101)
Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] \| Consumer Other Financing Receivable [Member]
Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]
Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income	7,547	8,070
Less allowance for losses	$ (195)	$ (172)	$ (179)	$ (199)

Financing Receivables and Allowance For Losses On Financing Receivables (Net Investment in Financing Leases) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified

Jun. 30, 2013

Dec. 31, 2012

Jun. 30, 2012

Dec. 31, 2011

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

$ 262,380

$ 273,936

Less allowance for losses

(5,288)

(4,985)

(5,205)

(6,190)

Financing receivables

257,092

268,951

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

131,845

137,810

Less allowance for losses

(902)

(1,041)

(1,290)

(1,530)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Americas CLL Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

70,499

72,517

Less allowance for losses

(480)

(490)

(662)

(889)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Europe CLL Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

35,839

37,035

Less allowance for losses

(329)

(445)

(484)

(400)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Asia CLL Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

9,907

11,401

Less allowance for losses

(72)

(80)

(87)

(157)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Other CLL Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

506

605

Less allowance for losses

(6)

(1)

(4)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | CLL Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

116,751

121,558

Less allowance for losses

(881)

(1,021)

(1,234)

(1,450)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Energy Financial Services Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

4,671

4,851

Less allowance for losses

(8)

(9)

(12)

(26)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | GECAS Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

9,998

10,915

Less allowance for losses

(11)

(8)

(32)

(17)

Commercial Portfolio Segment [Member] | Other Financing Receivables [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

425

486

Less allowance for losses

(2)

(3)

(12)

(37)

Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

19,621

20,946

Less allowance for losses

(235)

(320)

(787)

(1,089)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

110,914

115,180

Less allowance for losses

(4,151)

(3,624)

(3,128)

(3,571)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Non US residential mortgages [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

31,784

33,451

Less allowance for losses

(517)

(480)

(481)

(546)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Non US installment and revolving credit [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

17,620

18,546

Less allowance for losses

(663)

(623)

(665)

(717)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | US installment and revolving credit [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

50,155

50,853

Less allowance for losses

(2,714)

(2,282)

(1,724)

(2,008)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Non US auto [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

3,808

4,260

Less allowance for losses

(62)

(67)

(79)

(101)

Consumer Portfolio Segment [Member] | Consumer Other Financing Receivable [Member]

Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Line Items]

Loans and Leases Receivable, Net of Deferred Income

7,547

8,070

Less allowance for losses

$ (195)

$ (172)

$ (179)

$ (199)

- Definition

Amount before allowance and after deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References+ Details