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INVESTMENTS - Total Investments in Bank and Financial Institution Sector, Including those Classified as Perpetual Securities (Detail) (Banks/financial Institutions, USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Summary of Investment Holdings [Line Items]    
Amortized Cost $ 12,884afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesAmortizedCost $ 15,205afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesAmortizedCost
Fair Value 14,121afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesFairValue 15,375afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesFairValue
Percentage of Total Investment Portfolio, Amortized Cost 14.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioAmortizedCost 15.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioAmortizedCost
Percentage of Total Investment Portfolio, Fair Value 13.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioFairValue 15.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioFairValue
Fixed maturities
   
Summary of Investment Holdings [Line Items]    
Amortized Cost 10,627afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
12,427afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Fair Value 11,683afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesFairValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
12,637afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesFairValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Percentage of Total Investment Portfolio, Amortized Cost 11.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
12.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Percentage of Total Investment Portfolio, Fair Value 11.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioFairValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
12.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioFairValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Perpetual securities | Upper Tier II
   
Summary of Investment Holdings [Line Items]    
Amortized Cost 1,554afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_UpperTierIIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
1,920afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_UpperTierIIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
Fair Value 1,645afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_UpperTierIIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
1,913afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_UpperTierIIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
Percentage of Total Investment Portfolio, Amortized Cost 2.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioAmortizedCost
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_UpperTierIIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
2.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioAmortizedCost
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_UpperTierIIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
Percentage of Total Investment Portfolio, Fair Value 1.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_UpperTierIIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
2.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_UpperTierIIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
Perpetual securities | Tier I
   
Summary of Investment Holdings [Line Items]    
Amortized Cost 703afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_TierIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
858afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesAmortizedCost
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_TierIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
Fair Value $ 793afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_TierIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
$ 825afl_TotalDebtAndPerpetualSecuritiesFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_TierIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
Percentage of Total Investment Portfolio, Amortized Cost 1.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioAmortizedCost
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_TierIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
1.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioAmortizedCost
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_TierIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
Percentage of Total Investment Portfolio, Fair Value 1.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_TierIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
1.00%afl_PercentageOfTotalInvestmentPortfolioFairValue
/ invest_InvestmentSectorAxis
= afl_TierIMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember