Name:	afl_CollateralRequirementsMinimumPercentageUnrestrictedCashCollateraltoFairValueoftheLoanedSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Percentage that the lending policy requires that the fair value of the securities received as collateral be of the fair value of the loaned securities in securities lending transactions.

No definition available.

Name:	afl_CollateralRequirementsMinimumSecuritiesPercentageCollateraltoFairValueofSecuritiesLoanedUnderSecurityLendingTransactions
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Commercial Mortgage Loan Commitments

No definition available.

Name:	afl_CommercialMortgageLoanCommitments
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Commercial Mortgage Loans, Average Loan-to-Value at Origination, Limit

No definition available.

Name:	afl_CommercialMortgageLoansAverageLoantoValueatOriginationLimit
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Commercial Mortgage Loans, Individual Loan-to-Value at Origination, Limit

No definition available.

Name:	afl_CommercialMortgageLoansIndividualLoantoValueatOriginationLimit
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of investments reclassified during the period from the held-to-maturity portfolio to the available-for-sale portfolio.

No definition available.

Name:	afl_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesTransferredToAvailableForSaleSecuritiesNumberOfInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Outstanding commitments to fund investments in limited partnerships

No definition available.

Name:	afl_LimitedPartnershipsInvestmentCommitments
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Middle Market Loan Commitments

No definition available.

Name:	afl_MiddleMarketLoanCommitments
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Middle Market Loan Program Unfunded Amount

No definition available.

Name:	afl_MiddleMarketLoanProgramUnfundedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Transitional Real Estate Loans, Average Loan-to-Value at Origination Limit,

No definition available.

Name:	afl_TransitionalRealEstateLoansAverageLoantoValueatOriginationLimit
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Transitional Real Estate Loans, Individual Loan-to-Value at Origination, Limit

No definition available.

Name:	afl_TransitionalRealEstateLoansIndividualLoantoValueatOriginationLimit
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Transitional real estate loan commitments

No definition available.

Name:	afl_Transitionalrealestateloancommitments
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of unrealized gain (loss) on investment in equity security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in net income (FV-NI).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 321
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84241550&loc=SL75117546-209714

Name:	us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesFvNiUnrealizedGainLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Amount of allowance to cover probable credit losses on loans and leases. Includes carryover of or adjustments to the allowance for loan losses in connection with business combinations. Excludes allowance for loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953423-111524

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)(1)(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82894903&loc=d3e15032-111544

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953423-111524

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 6.L.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27010918&loc=d3e74567-122707

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.