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BENEFIT PLANS - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
1 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]        
Amount of years left to meet rule of 80 for active employees to be eligible for postretirement medical benefits     5 years  
Amount of years left to meet 15 year service requirement for active employees age 55 or older to be eligible for postretirement medical benefits     5 years  
Transition obligation   $ 0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeNetTransitionAssetsObligationsBeforeTax    
Percentage of matching contributions by the Company to employee's contributions to 401(k) plan   50.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercent 50.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercent 50.00%us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerMatchingContributionPercent
Matching 401(k) plan contributions included in acquisition and operating expenses   7us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized 5us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized 5us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
Shares of employer-issued common stock held for plan participants by plan trustee (in millions)   2afl_DefinedContributionPlanNumberOfSharesOfEquitySecuritiesIssuedByEmployerIncludedInPlanAssets    
Non-Elective Defined Contribution Percentage of Employee Compensation   2.00%afl_NonElectiveDefinedContributionPercentageofEmployeeCompensation    
Lower Limit        
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]        
Health care plan, retirement age for eligibility, (in years)     55 years  
Health care plan, number of years of service for eligibility     15 years  
Health care plan, retirement age and years of service combined years for eligibility     80 years  
Upper Limit        
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]        
Percentage of employee's compensation eligible for Company match in 401(k) plan   6.00%afl_DefinedContributionPlanPercentageOfEmployeeConpensationEligibleForEmployerMatch
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Japanese Pension Plan        
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]        
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Amendments   0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPlanAmendments
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Discount rate - benefit obligations   1.75%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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2.25%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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2.25%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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AA corporate bonds average duration   20 years    
Prior service cost (credit)   0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
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0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
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0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
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Transition obligation   0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeNetTransitionAssetsObligationsBeforeTax
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1us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeNetTransitionAssetsObligationsBeforeTax
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Defined benefit plan, future amortization of actuarial losses   1us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfGainLoss
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Defined benefit plan, expected contributions to the plan in 2015   19us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
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U.S. Pension Plan        
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]        
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Amendments   0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPlanAmendments
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(4)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPlanAmendments
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Discount rate - benefit obligations   4.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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4.75%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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4.25%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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AA corporate bonds average duration   17 years    
Prior service cost (credit)   0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
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(4)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
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(1)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
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Transition obligation   0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeNetTransitionAssetsObligationsBeforeTax
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0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeNetTransitionAssetsObligationsBeforeTax
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Defined benefit plan, future amortization of actuarial losses   15us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfGainLoss
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Defined benefit plan, expected contributions to the plan in 2015   10us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansEstimatedFutureEmployerContributionsInNextFiscalYear
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Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Defined Benefit        
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]        
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Amendments (51)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPlanAmendments
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0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPlanAmendments
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(51)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanPlanAmendments
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Plan amendment remaining amortization period 3 years      
Discount rate - benefit obligations 4.75%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
4.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
4.75%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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4.25%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
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Prior service cost (credit)   0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
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(51)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
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2us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlanNetPriorServiceCostCreditArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
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Transition obligation   0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeNetTransitionAssetsObligationsBeforeTax
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0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeNetTransitionAssetsObligationsBeforeTax
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Defined benefit plan, future amortization of actuarial losses   2us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfGainLoss
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Defined benefit plan, future amortization of prior service cost (credit)   (17)us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfPriorServiceCostCredit
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Associate Stock Bonus Plan        
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]        
Deferred policy acquisition costs, amount attributable to stock bonus plan   $ 36us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsCapitalizedAmount
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$ 38us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsCapitalizedAmount
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$ 38us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsCapitalizedAmount
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