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BUSINESS SEGMENT AND FOREIGN INFORMATION - Operations by Segment - Pretax Earnings (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]                      
Pretax operating earnings                 $ 4,253us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss $ 4,399us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss $ 4,658us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
Realized investment gains (losses), non-operating                 171afl_GainLossOnInvestmentsNonoperating [1] 389afl_GainLossOnInvestmentsNonoperating [1] (349)afl_GainLossOnInvestmentsNonoperating
Other non-operating income (loss)                 67us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense 28us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense (7)us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncomeExpense
Earnings before income taxes 1,075us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 1,074us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 1,238us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 1,104us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 1,028us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 1,069us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 1,358us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 1,361us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 4,491us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 4,816us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 4,302us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Income taxes applicable to pretax operating earnings                 1,456afl_IncomeTaxesApplicableToPretaxOperatingEarnings 1,512afl_IncomeTaxesApplicableToPretaxOperatingEarnings 1,561afl_IncomeTaxesApplicableToPretaxOperatingEarnings
Effect of foreign currency translation on operating earnings                 (117)afl_EffectOfForeignCurrencyTranslationOnOperatingEarnings (357)afl_EffectOfForeignCurrencyTranslationOnOperatingEarnings 8afl_EffectOfForeignCurrencyTranslationOnOperatingEarnings
Gain (loss) on change in fair value of derivative, interest rate component, operating                 44afl_GainLossOnChangeInFairValueOfDerivativeInterestRateComponentOperating 10afl_GainLossOnChangeInFairValueOfDerivativeInterestRateComponentOperating  
Aflac Japan                      
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]                      
Pretax operating earnings                 3,458us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= afl_AflacJapanMember
3,628us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= afl_AflacJapanMember
3,904us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= afl_AflacJapanMember
Aflac U.S.                      
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]                      
Pretax operating earnings                 1,073us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= afl_AflacUsMember
1,038us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= afl_AflacUsMember
997us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= afl_AflacUsMember
Other business segments                      
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]                      
Pretax operating earnings                 (2)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember
(1)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember
(3)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember
Total Business Segments                      
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]                      
Pretax operating earnings                 4,529us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
4,665us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
4,898us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
Interest expense, noninsurance operations                      
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]                      
Pretax operating earnings                 (198)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember
(198)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember
(184)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= us-gaap_InterestExpenseMember
Corporate and eliminations                      
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]                      
Pretax operating earnings                 $ (78)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= afl_CorporateAndEliminationsMember
$ (68)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= afl_CorporateAndEliminationsMember
$ (56)us-gaap_OperatingIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= afl_CorporateAndEliminationsMember
[1] Excluding a gain of $44 in 2014 and $10 in 2013 related to the interest rate component of the change in fair value of foreign currency swaps on notes payable which is classified as an operating gain when analyzing segment operations